The Biographical cyclopedia of representative men of Rhode Island, Part 118

Author: National biographical publishing co., pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Providence, National biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 868

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business passed into the hands of a trustee. The subject of this sketch early evinced a decided taste for military affairs. In 1848 he joined the Marine Artillery Company of Providence as a private, and by gradual promotion at- tained the rank of colonel, meanwhile by his zeal and ma- terial aid greatly enlarging and improving the command, placing it on a footing for efficiency equal to any similar company in our country. In 1859 he made the tour of Europe, and studied specially the military establishments of the continent. In 1860 he was elected Governor of Rhode Island, and re-elected in 1861. Anticipating the outbreak of the Rebellion, he had the military forces of the State-infantry and artillery-in readiness for the defence of the Union. When the hour of action came he stood in the van and led his regiments and batteries to the front, and gained deservedly the reputation of being "the war Governor." In the first battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861, he was with his gallant troops in the thickest of the fight, and had his horse shot under him. For his zeal, prompt- ness, bravery, and untiring exertions at home and in Wash- ington, and on the front with the army, he was commis- sioned Brigadier-General, but in order to retain his guber- natorial position, was not mustered into the service. No governor exceeded him in his devotion to the country, and Rhode Island won a high name for the number, character, ability, courage, and efficiency of her regiments and bat- teries. What he so nobly begun his successor, Governor James Y. Smith, as nobly carried out to the end of the war. During the conflict Rhode Island gave to the Union for service ten thousand eight hundred and thirty-two in- fantry, four thousand three hundred and ninety-four cav- alry, two thousand nine hundred and seventy-nine light artillery, five thousand six hundred and forty-four heavy artillery, six hundred and forty-five navy-total, twenty- four thousand four hundred and ninety-four ; and expended six million five hundred thousand seven hundred and seventy-two dollars and fifteen cents. The popularity of Governor Sprague led to his election to the United States Senate, where he served from 1863 to 1875, a portion of the time being a member of the Military Committee. He married, November 12, 1863, Catharine Chase, daughter of Hon. Salmon P. Chase, then Secretary of the Treas- ury of the United States, and has had four children, Wil- liam, Ethel, Catharine, and Portia. In 1861 Governor Sprague received from Brown University the honorary de- gree of Master of Arts, and in 1866 was elected one of the trustees of that institution.

EBBOT, COMMANDER TREVETT, U. S. N., son of Commodore Joel and Laura (Wheaton) Abbot, was born in Warren, Rhode Island, July 2, 1831, in the historical Abbot homestead, on Miller Street, now the property of his brother, Pay Director Charles Wheaton Abbot, U. S. N. The life and

services of Commodore Joel Abbot are elsewhere sketched in this volume. Trevett possessed superior intellectual powers, and fine social qualities. He was favored with unusual educational advantages, which he wisely improved. After due preparation in the ordinary schools and acade- mies of his native State, he entered the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, from which he graduated with honor, while his father was in command of the navy yard at Charlestown, Massachusetts, and was admitted, October 13, 1848, to the first official grade in the United States Navy. His ambition was to serve his country, and in his short but eventful life his purpose was realized. By virtue of his abilities, attainments, and fidelity he steadily rose from rank to rank in the naval service, while voyaging in dif- ferent parts of the world. Of his twenty-one years of ac- tive duty for the nation, fourteen were spent upon the sea, and about twelve on the coasts of Africa, the West Indies, and the Gulf. Heroically he stood by the flag of the Union in the trying years of the Rebellion, and was the Executive Officer of the " Mercedita " when she captured and safely brought to port the richly laden " Bermuda." His cruises in the Mediterranean were pleasant and exhilarating alike to body and mind, but his main voyages and posts of ser- vice were perilous to health, and finally led to his early and lamented death. He was commissioned as Com- mander December 12, 1867, and proved himself eminently worthy of the responsibility. Finally ordered to the com- mand of the United States Steamer " Yantic," to cruise in the waters of the West Indies, while in his line of duty he was seized with the yellow-fever and died near Port au Prince, October 27, 1869, and was buried in the ocean, with impressive ceremonies. He married, January 22, 1858, Sarah Cole Turner, daughter of Governor Thomas G. and Mary P. L. Turner, of Warren, Rhode Island, and left two daughters, Marian and Mary Turner. At the time of his death he stood No. 84 on the list of commanders, and was acknowledged as a gallant, accomplished, faithful officer. Not only was he loyal to his country and her laws, but he " declared himself a determined servant of the Lord Jesus Christ." Though passing away at the age of thirty-seven, he left a cherished record of patriotic service and an honor- able name to the land that he bravely served. Rhode Island gratefully enrols him among her representative sons.

INER, HON. FRANCIS WAYLAND, lawyer, son of Rev. Bradley and Phebe E. (Pendleton) Miner, @ was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, Decem- ber 10, 1831. His father, an able and honored Baptist clergyman, was born in North Stonington, Connecticut, July 18, 1808, and, after a career of unusual usefulness in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, died in the meridian of his strength, while pastor of the Friendship Street Baptist Church in Providence, October 28, 1854. His grandfather, Saxton Miner, was a stanch farmer of

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the old style, and a man of public affairs in North Ston- ington. The mother of Francis W., who died near the age of twenty-eight, in Dorchester, Massachusetts, where her husband was then settled, was a daughter of General Nathan Pendleton, of North Stonington. She was a talented woman of many excellencies of character. Her father was a man of social, civil and military distinction. Francis W. was educated at home and in the common schools. He afterward pursued his studies in the Worcester Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts; in the University Grammar School, in Providence, under Messrs. Lyon and Friezc; and finally in Brown University. Hc studied law in the office of George H. Brown and N. Van Slyck, and was admitted to the bar in 1859. While prosecuting his preparatory studies he was also engaged successfully as a teacher, giv- ing instruction in the High School in Greenfield, Massa- chusetts, and for several years teaching in Cranston, Rhode Island, and other places. On entering upon his profession, he settled in Cranston (now a part of the city of Provi- dence). Here he acquired a prosperous law business, be- came superintendent of the public schools, and was chosen to represent the town in the General Assembly, being re- turned to the House for about ten years. He was elected Speaker of the House in 1862. During the Civil War he served, with the rank of major, on the staff of Governor William Sprague, accompanying him to the field in Vir- ginia, visiting Antietam and other important fields ; at one time being sent by President Lincoln with dispatches to General Halleck at Corinth. The citizens of Providence have bestowed honors upon him. So cautious and inde- pendent was his political position for awhile that at one time, in a single day, he was called upon by committees from the three parties then in existence-the Citizens, Re- publican, and Democratic parties-to become their nominee. His services in the Legislature of the State were highly commended. For a number of years he was the attorney of the Union Railroad Company. He has served as Presi- dent of the Franklin Lyceum of Providence. In 1864 he married Elizabeth Read Davis, daughter of Benjamin Da- vis, of Providence, a member of the old Rhode Island fam- ily of Davises, so noted in Wickford; the issue of the mar- riage being five children, only two of whom are now liv- ing, Susan and Francis. In 1878 Mr. Miner went to Eu- rope and visited Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, France, and other portions of the Old World. He occupies a promi- nent position as a lawyer and citizen.

JFOES en HAW, GENERAL JAMES, JR., son of General James and Eliza Field (Godfrey) Shaw, was born in Providence, Rhode Island, September 25, 1830. His father, elsewhere sketched in this volume, had command of the First Light Infantry, and ordered the firing on the mob in Providence in 1831. A military spirit has characterized the family. The children of Gen-

eral Shaw, Sr., were, beside the subject of. this sketch, Richard G., Captain in the Third Rhode Island Volunteers, Major in the Fourteenth Rhode Island Volunteers, in the Civil War, and now Lieutenant and Brevet Captain First United States Artillery ; John P., Sergeant-major First Rhode Island Detached Militia, Second and First Lieu- tenant, and Captain Second Rhode Island Volunteers, killed at Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864; Frederick, of the firm of J. E. Caldwell & Co., Philadelphia; Mary E., widow of A. Richmond Rawson, who rose from Sergeant of the First Regiment to the rank of Lieutenant in the Third Regiment, and Captain of the Fourteenth Regiment, and died of disease contracted in the war, May 5, 1864; and Anna F., who married A. V. Payton. James, Jr., after passing through the public schools of Providence, entered the High School, at its first opening in March, 1843, and graduated in 1846. For the next two years he was en- gaged in the counting-room of Shaw & Earl. He then learned the trade of a jeweller, and followed that business for ten years, when he again became an accountant. On the opening of the Rebellion, his military and patriotic spirit was deeply stirred. His military knowledge, ac- quired in company drill and as Colonel of the First Regi- ment National Guards of Providence, coupled with his executive talent, gave him immediate prominence. He entered the service as Lieutenant-Colonel of the Tenth Rhode Island Volunteers, May 26, 1862; was promoted to the rank of colonel August 6th of the same year, and served in the defence of Washington. After that command was mustered out he re-entered the service, December 31, 1862, as Lieutenant-Colonel of the Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteers, and served with the Ninth Army Corps hefore Fredericksburg, at Newport News, and in Kentucky. His services with these two commands are honorably men- tioned in the report of the Adjutant-General of Rhode Island. When the Twelfth Regiment was mustered out he volunteered to appear before " Casey's Board " for ex- amination, and was the fifth, out of seven hundred exam- ined, to receive the grade of colonel, and was appointed, October 27, 1863, to the command of the Seventh United States Colored Troops. The story of his long, brave, and faithful services with this command is found in its published " Record," written by Brevet-Captain J. M. Califf, issued in 1877. We here can only summarize these services. He joined the regiment November 12, 1863, in Maryland ; entered the Department of the South ; was Post-commander at Jacksonville, Florida; commanded brigade in the ex- pedition to Cedar Creek and Camp Melton; participated in the battle on John's Island; was commended for wis- dom and bravery in action; returned to Virginia and moved on Richmond; commanding First Brigade, Third Division, Tenth Army Corps, August 13-21, August 25th to September 25th, and October 26th to December 4th, 1864; commanded First Brigade, Second Division, Twenty-fifth Army Corps, from and after December 4, 1864; com-

J. B. Mason

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man led Second Division, Twenty-fifth Army Corps, Feb- ruary 3Ist to March 13th, 1865; shared in the capture of Petersburg and the triumph at Appomattox; commanded sub-district of Victoria, Texas, from January 16th to Feb- ruary 2Ist, 1866; commanded Central District of Texas from February 21st to May 9, 1866; mustered out of ser- vice with his regiment, November 16, 1866, bearing on his flag, by authority, the names of the battles of Cedar Creek, Baldwin, Kingland Road, Fuzzel's Mills, White Point, John's Island, Fort Gilmer, Darbytown Road, Armstrong's Mills, Petersburg, and Appomattox Court-house; brevetted Brigadier-General for "meritorious services" during the war, to date from March 13, 1865. The record of this regiment of colored troops forms a valuable and brilliant page in the history of the war. The ability of the men in arms, their tone of character and progress in knowledge, reflected peculiar credit upon their officers. Returning from the conflict, General Shaw again entered the circles of business life. He served as a member of the City Council of Providence in 1868-69-70, and a member of the School Committee in 1873-74-75, on which committee he was particularly efficient in the matter of finances. He was appointed, August 1, 1870, Collector of Customs of the Port of Providence, and filled the office until February I, 1879. His faithfulness in this position received warm commendation from the citizens, and from the officers of the government. He was a meinber of the National En- campment of the Grand Army of the Republic at its organ- ization, and for several years thereafter, and is a member· of the Massachusetts Commandery of the military order of the Loyal Legion. Devoted to his duties, he has firmly held himself above all partisanship and intrigue. He is a member of the First Congregational (Unitarian) Church of Providence, and for the past five years has been superin- tendent of the Sunday-school. From his pen have ema- nated valuable papers on military subjects and other topics. At present (1881) he is a member of the firm of Denison & Shaw, in Providence. He married, September 22, 1853, Elizabeth W., daughter of James Fisher, of Pawtuxet, Rhode Island, and has had three children: James, born August 6, 1854; Walter Arnold, born October 26, 1870, died May 3, 1873; and Howard Armington, born April 25, 1873.

ASON, ISRAEL BOWEN, was born in East Killing- ly, Connecticut, August 20, 1832. He is the son of David and Lucy (Bowen) Mason. He worked on his father's farm in summer and attend- ed school in winter until he was sixteen years of age, when he left home, and after working one season for William Waterman, a farmer, in Johnston, Rhode Island, went to Providence, where, in 1850, he began to learn the trade of a moulder, at which he continued for about four years. He then engaged in the grocery and provision business on his own account, on Pine Street, Providence,

until 1863. He soon afterward became a packer and pro- vision dealer, which business he has carried on with great success until the present time. His packing-house was destroyed by fire in May, 1869, and immediately thereafter buildings large enough to meet the demands of his immense business, which soon afterward amounted to over $1,000,000 a year, were erected. His establishment is one of the largest and most complete of its kind in New England. His son, Edward H. Mason, on attaining his majority, became asso- ciated with him in 1877, and the business has since been carried on under the firm-style of I. B. Mason & Son. In 1877, Mr. Mason's health having become impaired on ac- count of close application to business, he spent four months in California with his wife, and travelled through the South the following winter with his wife and eldest daughter. In May, 1878, he and his wife sailed for Europe, and spent five months, visiting England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany, and other countries, his son conducting the busi- ness meanwhile. Mr. Mason returned from Europe in greatly improved health. While abroad he visited several business houses in Germany and elsewhere, to whom he had exported largely, and became personally acquainted with many of his European patrons whom he had never seen. His prominence and capacity as a business man have caused him to be called upon to fill important posi- tions connected with banking institutions, and to serve the public in an official capacity. In 1879 he was elected to the Rhode Island Legislature from Providence, on the Re- publican ticket, and re-elected in 1880. He married, No- vember 30, 1854, Martha Halton, daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Halton, of Taunton, Massachusetts. They have had five children, Edward Halton, Lucy Frances, Nellie Louise, who died June 4, 1869, William Barton, and Mabel Lillian. His son Edward was educated at the English and classical school of Mowry & Goff, in Provi- dence, and spent about a year in Germany learning the German language, after which he travelled in Great Britain and on the Continent of Europe. He married, December II, 1877, Mary Harris, daughter of David S. and Mary Harris, of Providence. Mr. Mason's daughter Lucy married, May 1, 1879, William H. Rothwell, of the firm of Rothwell, Martin & Co., of Boston. On the 31st of No- vember, 1879, Mr. and Mrs. Mason celebrated their silver wedding at their beautiful residence on Broad Street, Provi- dence, which was attended by a large number of relatives and friends. The family attend the First Universalist Church of Providence, of which Mr. Mason is one of the trustees.

OOT, HENRY THEODORE, merchant, son of Erastus Sargeant and Dorcas (Wells) Root, was born October 5, 1830, at Augusta, Oneida County, New York, whence the family removed to Mt. Morris, Livingston County, New York, in 1833. It appears from the Root genealogy that the family is of Nor-

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man-French extraction, and that the number of descend- ants of the name in this country from the four distinct heads, Josiah, Thomas, John, and Ralph, is over four thou- sand, and of descendants of other names, about fifteen hun- drcd, while the whole number of descendants from all the Root progenitors in this country, through the male and female lines of various names in the seven or eight genera- tions, is estimated at one hundred thousand. The subject of this sketch is descended from Thomas Roote, who came from England to this country in 1637, and was among the first settlers in Hartford, Connecticut, where he resided for about fifteen years, and then removed to Northampton, Massachusetts, being appointed one of the selectmen in 1659 The grandfather of Henry Theodore Root was Dr. James Banks Root, whose father, Hon. Jesse Root, was Chief Justice of Connecticut from 1798 to 1807, and served as an officer, attaining the rank of Adjutant-General, in the Revolutionary army. Henry T. Root attended the com- mon schools until he was sixteen years of age; when he entered the shop of his father, in Mt. Morris, New York, to learn the trade of a wheelwright, where he was employed during his minority. After he became of age, he worked at his trade for two years in the same place. In 1853 he went to Hartford, Connecticut, and was employed as clerk and bookkeeper by James Brooks, a stove and furnace dealer. After serving for two years in that capacity, he became a partner of Mr. Brooks, and was thus associated with him for two years. In 1857 he removed to Providence and entered the service of the Barstow Stove Company as travelling salesman. Early in 1858, being permanently located in Providence, he formed. a copartnership with Deacon James Eames in the stove and tinware business. Deacon Eames was the father of Hon. Benjamin T. Eames, and father in-law of Hon. Amos C. Barstow. Up to that time, Mr. Eames had been located for thirty-seven years on the spot now occupied by the Franklin Building. On the Ist of March, 1858, the firm of Eames & Root pur- chased the stock of Ansel E. Bradley, who was then in the stove and tinware business at what was then 32 and 34 Weybosset Street. Leasing the store of L. P. Mead & Co., they removed and began business there at once. In 1859 they leased a lot on the west corner of Westminster and Orange streets and erected a three-story building, which is still standing, to which they removed their business. In April, 1865, Mr. Eames died, and in June following Mr. Root became owner of the whole business. On the 10th of February, 1866, he purchased a lot on Westminster Street and erected the building now occupied by his large and increasing business. In February, 1868, he received Henry C. Bennett as a partner, and they were associated together for three years under the firm-name of H. T. Root & Co. At the expiration of that time Mr. Bennett, on ac- count of impaired health, sold his interest to Mr. Root, who has since continued the business alone. Mr. Root has frequently been honored with official positions, in which

he has rendered the community faithful service. In 1869 he was elected a member of the Common Council of Prov- idence, and served for three consecutive years in that capacity, and was a member of the Board of Aldermen for one year, 1872-73. For several years he was President of the Rhode Island Society for the Protection of Game and Fish, and is now the Vice-President of the Rhode Island Horticultural Society, of which for many years he has been an active member. In 1877 and 1878 he was President of the Rhode Island Poultry and Columbarian Society. He is also an active and influential member of the Rhode Island Society for the Encouragement of Domestic Indus- try, and a member of the Standing Committee. Several years ago he united with the Elmwood Congregational Church, with which communion he is still connected. He married, June 24, 1858, Mary E. Lake, daughter of Eli and Mary E. Lake, of Mt. Morris, New York. She died September 16, 1876. There were nine children by this marriage, eight of whom are living : Paulina Mary, Alice Lake, Hiram Gladding, Amos Barstow, Edward Thomp- son, Robert Canfield, Frances Amelia, and Henry T. A daughter, Elizabeth Sargeant, died February 9, 1877. The eldest daughter, Paulina Mary, is in the Philadelphia Medical College preparing for the work of a foreign mis- sionary. On the 30th of December, 1877, Mr. Root mar- ried Mary E., daughter of Ephraim and Emma (Dodge) Cushman. They have one child, Charles Cushman.

SOMBARNABY, JEROTHMUL BOWERS, was born at " Bar- naby Homestead," in Freetown, Massachusetts, Ye October 27, 1830. His parents were Stephen B. God. and Lucy (Hathaway) Barnaby. His father, who & died October 8, 1844, was a farmer, and served for one year as selectman of Freetown, and seven years as assessor. His grandfather, Ambrose Barnaby, was a prominent man of that place, having served as selectman fourteen years, assessor one year, moderator of the an- nual town meetings ten years, representative to General Court one year, and town treasurer two years. The ear- liest mention of the Barnaby family in America is of James Barnaby, in the old Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, Feb- ruary 6, 1666. He died there October 30, 1677. His wife Lydia, daughter of Robert and Mary (Warren) Bartlett, afterwards married John Nelson, of Plymouth. James Barnaby, son of the first settler, was born about 1670; married Joanna Harlow, of Plymouth Colony; and died in Freetown, July 5, 1726. He made a will, June 22, 1726, and gave to his son Ambrose Barnaby a farm that he purchased of Lieutenant Nicholas Morey, February 18, 1725, which has ever since been in the possession of the Barnaby family. Mr. J. B. Barnaby was educated in the public schools in his native town, and at Pete's Academy, near Fall River, Massachusetts. Leaving school when he was sixteen years of age, he became a clerk in the grocery

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store of his brother-in-law, William H. Ashley, at Steep- brook, near Fall River, where he remained about four years, after which he was employed in the clothing store of Andrew N. Dix, in Fall River. He then removed to Providence, and in 1852 opened a clothing store at No. 15 South Main Street, where he remained seventeen years. In 1869 he removed to Wood's Building, corner of South Main and College streets. In that year Henry B. Win- ship became associated with him, the firm-name being J. B. Barnaby & Co. Their business rapidly increased, and in November, 1876, they removed to the Dorrance Build- ing, a large and handsome structure located on Westmin- ster, Dorrance and Middle Streets, their removal being sig- nalized by a formal opening so largely attended as to be a memorable event in the history of the firm. Their store is one of the largest and most complete in all of its ap- pointments in New England ; about one hundred persons are employed in the various departments in the capacity of salesmen, bookkeepers, etc., and the manufacturing depart- ment furnishes employment for about fifteen hundred peo- ple in different parts of New England. They have four branch houses : one in Portland, Maine, one in New Ha- ven, Connecticut, one in Fall River, Massachusetts, and another in Worcester, Massachusetts. Mr. Barnaby erected the first iron-front building in the State, which is located on the corner of Union and Westminster streets, and is known as the " Barnaby Building." He has taken an ac- tive part in politics for several years, and has filled many official positions. He was a member of the City Council of Providence, from the Seventh Ward, from June, 1870, to January, 1879, and for a long time was chairman of the Finance Committee. In 1875 he was elected to the Gen- eral Assembly from Providence, and served for one year. In 1877 he was the Democratic candidate for Governor of Rhode Island, and was also the candidate of his party for representative to Congress. He married, September 15, 1857, Josephine A. Reynolds, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Anthony ) Reynolds, of Providence. They have had three children : Mabel, Hattie A. (who died Febru- ary 3, 1879), and Maud Josephine. Mr. Barnaby and his family are regular attendants at Grace (Episcopal) Church, and he is a liberal contributor to the benevolent objects of that communion.

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The Biographical cyclopedia of representative men of Rhode Island, Part 118

Author: National biographical publishing co., pub Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Providence, National biographical publishing co. Number of Pages: 868

Author: National biographical publishing co., pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Providence, National biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 868