Biographical Sketch of Samuel Benn

SAMUEL BENN. – There is a certain keenness amounting almost to prescience which enables a man to locate a successful town. The laws of a city’s development are so peculiar that few are able to make much of the riddle. Nevertheless some seem to know where to locate a townsite, and where to invest in real estate. It is a business instinct. Mr. Benn is one of these persons. He is the founder of Aberdeen. He was born in New York City, and, as a youth, learned the carpenter’s trade. In 1856 he came to San Francisco, and mined and … Read more

Biography of Selden Spencer, M. D.

Dr. Selden Spencer, surgeon and laryngologist enjoying an extensive and important practice in St. Louis as a professional associate of Dr. Richard Johnson Payne, was born in this city March 23, 1873, and is a son of Dr. H. N. Spencer, a distinguished physician who passed away in August, 1915. The son was educated in the public and manual training schools of St. Louis and in St. Paul’s School at Concord, New Hampshire, before entering Princeton College, where he won his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1897. He then took up the study of medicine in Washington University and gained … Read more

Biography of Matthew Hale

MATTHEW HALE A MAN of fine legal attainments and of high personal character, who has been a steady resident of Albany for the past twenty-two years is the Hon. Matthew Hale, On the 20th of June, 1829, in the little town of Chelsea, in the state of Vermont, this well-known jurist first saw the light of day. His ancestry is in every respect a notable one – including admirable combinations of intellectual, moral and religious principles. His father, Harry Hale, was a descendant of one Thomas Hale, an English yeoman, who immigrated to this country in 1638, and settled in … Read more

Biography of Amos Fowler, M. D.

AMOS FOWLER, M. D. IN THE galaxy of Albany physicians whose professional labors have done so much toward alleviating physical suffering, the name of Dr. Amos Fowler stands conspicuous. This celebrity he has attained after long years of patient toil, deep study, and constant practice. He was born in the town of Cohocton, Steuben county, N. Y., on the 5th day of July, 1820. His ancestors were among those from the old, enterprising eastern states, who loved so much to set the wheels of civilization in motion and turn the wilderness into a garden. Removing at an early day from … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Alexander Winton

Winton, Alexander; pres. the Winton. Motor Carriage Co.; born, Scotland, June 20, 1860; educated in the common schools of Scotland; began career in the Clyde Ship Yards in 1873; in 1878 came to the United States, locating in New York City; came to Cleveland in 1885 as supt. the Phoenix Iron Works; three years later formed partnership with Thomas Henderson in the manufacture of bicycles; organized the Winton Bicycle Co.; director in the company; organized the present company, serving as pres.; life member Boston Yacht Club; member Lakewood Yacht, Clifton and Civil Engineers Clubs, and Chicago and Cleveland Automobile Associations; … Read more

Biography of Haman C. Lewis

HAMAN C. LEWIS. – This dauntless pioneer of the earliest times in our state was born in New York City January 31, 1803, and was the son of a ship carpenter. He early was apprenticed to learn the trade of a cooper, but while only a boy of fourteen went to sea, serving six months as cabin boy, and later was apprenticed to the ship carpenter. At eighteen he went as sailor – or perhaps more strictly speaking as “fillibusterer” – to the Gulf coast, taking service on a Mexican privateer. For a number of years he followed a most … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Gabriel Kanner

Kanner, Gabriel; life insurance; born, Hungary, Oct. 18, 1858; son of Alexander and Edith Kanner; married, New York City, Nov. 22, 1880, Nettie Price; four children; general agt. of Canada Life Association Co.; trustee of Aushe Emeth Congregation, and Moses Montiforce Hebrew School; member Hungarian Benevolent Society of New York, K. of P., and I. O. B. A.

Biography of Rt. Rev. Daniel Sylvester Tuttle

Rt. Rev. Daniel Sylvester Tuttle, who since 1903 has been presiding bishop of Missouri, was born in Windham, New York, January 26, 1837, a son of Daniel Bliss and Abigail Clarke (Stimpson) Tuttle. The father was born in Wallingford, Connecticut, and was a son of Charles Tuttle, a Revolutionary war soldier of the Connecticut line. Abigail C. Tuttle came of Holland ancestry. Bishop Tuttle prepared for college in Delaware Academy of New York and was graduated from Columbia College of New York city with the class of 1857. In early manhood he took up the profession of teaching and was … Read more

Ancestors of Horace Alden Keith of Brockton, MA

Horace Alden Keith

Horace Alden Keith, founder of the Brockton Webbing Company, one of the successful and thriving industries of Brockton, and one of that city’s enterprising and progressive business men, is a descendant on both his paternal and maternal sides of historic old New England ancestry. Mr. Keith was born in West Bridgewater May 25, 1862, eldest son of the late Henry Snell and Thalia (Alden) Keith. The ancestral line of the branch of the Keith family in this country to which Horace Alden Keith belongs, and which follows, is given in chronological order from the first American ancestor. Rev. James Keith, born in 1644, was educated in Aberdeen, Scotland (as tradition says at the expense of a maiden aunt), where he was graduated likely from Marischal College, his name appearing on the roll of 1657, said college having been founded by George, the fifth Earl of Keith Marischal, in 1593. At the age of eighteen years he emigrated to this country, arriving at Boston in 1662. He was introduced to the church at Bridgewater by Dr. Increase Mather, and became settled as the minister of the Bridgewater Church Feb. 18, 1664. Rev. James Keith passed away in West Bridgewater July 23, 1719, aged seventy-six years, having labored in the ministry of the town for fifty-six years.

Biography of Robert Wagner

One of Rock Island’s native sons, a man upon whom devolves to a large extent the management and control of a great and growing industry, is the subject of this sketch, Robert Wagner, president of the Rock Island Brewing Company. He is the son of George Wagner, the story of whose life and rise in the world appears elsewhere in this book, and Frederica Wagner. He was born in Rock Island, June 15, 1866. During his boyhood he attended the city’s public schools and private German schools, fitting himself for entrance in the University of Iowa, at Iowa City. After … Read more

Biography of Cyrus E. Baker, M.D.

Cyrus E. Baker, M.D., of Claremont, Sullivan County, N.H., the well-known physician and oculist, was born in Plainfield, this State, April 9, 1835, son of Dimic and Hannah (Colby) Baker. He is of the eighth generation in descent from Jeffrey Baker, who came from England, and was one of the original settlers of Windsor, Conn. Jeffrey Baker married November 25, 1642, Joan Rockwell. They had five children, one of them being a son, Joseph, born June 18, 1655, who married Hannah Cook Buckland, January 30, 1677. Five children were the fruit of this union. Joseph Baker’s son, Joseph, Jr., born … Read more

Biography of Dr. Louis Ostrom

Dr. Louis Ostrom, A. B. M. D., was born in Helsingland, Sweden, May 1, 1874, and came to America when six years old. His father is a pipe-organ builder, known among hundreds of churches all over the country. Young Ostrom attended public schools, and as soon as he was able to work, was at one time or another employed during vacations in nearly all the shops of Moline. After becoming a student of Augustana College, he worked during the different vacations as section hand on the street car line, printer in a job office, and pressman to the Moline Daily … Read more

Biography of Major Theodore J. Eckerson

MAJOR THEODORE J. ECKERSON. – Major Eckerson, so long and favorably known among the old pioneers of our coast, enjoys also a like enviable reputation in military circles. He was born January 22, 1821, in New York City, and on December 20, 1838, in his eighteenth year, entered the United States army. He served throughout the Seminole Indian war, 1840-42, and in the Mexican war from its commencement to its close. He was a member of the storming parties in the battles of Cerro Gordo and Churubusco. He came to Oregon with the first troops sent after the settlement with … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Roger C. Enwright

Enwright, Roger C.; broker; born, Bellevue, O., and educated in the public schools, formerly connected with the McIntosh-Huntington Co., wholesale hardware as treas. and credit man; after several years spent in New York City and Reading, Pa., as manufacturer’s agents, returned to Cleveland, in 1900, and engaged in the brokerage business with Borton & Borton; member Cleveland Stock Exchange and member Board of Governors; Chamber of Commerce, Euclid, Century, and Hermit Clubs; Republican.

Genealogy of Arnold Family of Abington Massachusetts

The Arnold family of Abington, one of the oldest in southeastern Massachusetts, is ably and worthily represented at the present time by Capt. Moses N. Arnold and his brother, William B. Arnold, both veterans of the Civil war and well-known shoe manufacturers of North Abington. The first of the family in America was Joseph Arnold, of Braintree. Going a step backward, crossing the ocean, the first of the Arnold family to adopt a surname was Roger Arnold, who was a descendant in the twelfth generation from Ynir, showing the Arnolds to be of great antiquity, the family having its origin … Read more

Biographical Sketch of E. G. Judson

E. G. Judson. About 1881-’82 Judson & Brown secured 1,500 acres of land on the sloping hillsides south of the Mill Creek zanja, surveyed and platted the same into five, ten and twenty-acre lots, with wide avenues traversing the whole plat. This enterprise was regarded as an experiment from the fact that the red soil of the slope had never been tested as to its adaptability to horticultural pursuits. With plenty of water and good cultivation the doubt as to the value of the land was soon removed and the success of the colony enterprise was assured. Thus encouraged the … Read more

Biography of Rev. Isaac G. Hubbard

Rev. Isaac G. Hubbard, at one time the rector of Trinity Church, Claremont, was born here, April 13, 1818, son of Isaac and Ruth (Cobb) Hubbard. His grandfather, George Hubbard, who was a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary War, came to Claremont in 1778 from Tolland, Conn. Judge J. H. Hubbard, of Windsor, a son of George, was one of the ablest lawyers in New England. He was a powerful man, and as a pleader at the bar he had few equals. Isaac Hubbard, another son, who settled in Claremont, became a successful farmer and stock-raiser. He was an influential man, … Read more

Biography of Hon. Henry W. Corbett

HON. HENRY W. CORBETT. – The reminiscences of the early pioneers of the Pacific Northwest must ever posses a peculiar interest for all who can look back to the days when the wigwam of the Indian was seen on every hand, and when the old log cabins of the founders of this great section of the union were few and far between. Pioneers of civilization constitute no ordinary class of adventurers. Resolute, ambitious and enduring, looking into a great and possible future of the undeveloped country, and possessing the sagacious mind to grasp true conclusions, and the indomitable will to … Read more

Corthell Genealogy of Hingham to South Abington, Massachusetts

Elmer Lawrence Corthell

Of the first generation of the Corthell family in America there are records somewhat contradictory. Robert Corthell appears at Hingham, Mass., at the commencement of the eighteenth century. Nothing earlier of him seems to be known. He married Oct. 13, 1708, Deborah, daughter of Benjamin and Deborah Tower, his wife being born in Hingham in February, 1685. Robert Corthell died March 5, 1737-38, aged fifty-two years.

Slave Narrative of Luke Towns

Interviewer: Rachel A. Austin Person Interviewed: Luke Towns Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 100+(?) A Centenarian Luke Towns, a centenarian, now residing at 1335 West Eighth Street, Jacksonville, Florida, was the ninth child born to Maria and Like Towns, slaves, December 34, 1835, in a village in Tolberton County, Georgia. Mr. Town’s parents were owned by Governor Towns, whose name was taken by all the children born on the plantation; he states that he was placed on the public blocks for sale, and was purchased by a Mr. Mormon. At the marriage of Mr. Mormon’s daughter, Sarah, according to custom, he … Read more