walls (if I 111- Clinmber.
Mr. Mii.itANK died in this City, June 1st. 1884, in the
sixty-scventii year of his age.
JOHN BROOME.
JojiN I'unnMi:, uiutli President of the Chamber of Com-
lucrcf, iMcrcliant and statesman, was born in this country
in l7;iS, of English i)arentnge. His mother was of the old
Huguenot raniily of Latoukette. Although he studied
law with Governor Livingston of New-Jersey, in order to
tit himself for the bar, he was induced by an elder brother
to enter coininercial life, and before the Revolution he and
this 1. lot her, Samuel, commenced as importers of mer-
chandise. Subsequently John Buoome carried on business
on his own account, and soon established a high reputation
as a nieivhant, and acquired considerable Avealth. Before
the comuiencement of the war Mr. Bkoome married a Miss
l>i.oM». ,,f Lloyd's Neck, L. I. During the Revolution Mr.
BuooMK was a'pronounced Whig, and stood loyally by his
ciuintry through the whole of the iryingscenes of that period.
Like many of the Whig merchants of that day, he aban-
doned his business and residence in New- York while the
City remained under British occupation, and removing to
Connecticut he devoted his means and energy to fitting out
15
226 PORTRAIT GALLERY.
jirivaiccrs for the destruction of British commerce. He
rrtunied to New- York when peace was restored, and it is
recorded of him, to his great credit and good name, that he
was among tliose citizens who, after the close of hostilities,
paid ill lull, principal and interest, the debts he contracted
in England during the war, Avhen many regarded such debts
as abrogated by that war. Mr. Broome held several public
offices, and his abilities and character seem to have been
gcnoally recognized. In 1775 he was a member of the
Committee of Safety, and in 1776 he was a member of the
Provincial Congress and of the Constitutional Convention
1 / / /.
He was elected President of the Chamber May 3d, 1785,
continuing in the office until May 6th, 1794, and was
one of the re-incorjwrators of the Chamber under the Act
liassed by the Legislature April 13th, 1784. He was for
several years an Alderman of New- York when that office
was consid^'ivd one of honor and resiDonsibility, and in
ns4 was appointed City Treasurer. He was President of
tlx' New- York Insurance Company, the first institution of
iIk' kind incorporated by the State. In 1800 he was cliosen
a member of Assembly from this City, and, with his col-
leagues, General Horatio Gates, Hexry Rutgers and
Gi;oi;<iK Clinton, contributed to the election of Thomas
.h:iEi:i:soN to the Pi-esidency. In 1801 he was appointed
one of iIm- Commissioners of Bankruptcy, under the Act of
17US. in 1804 he was elected Lieutenant-Governor, and
held that office u]. to the time of his death, which occurred
in (liisCiiy on August 8th, 1810.
.b»iiN Jii;o,,M i; ^\;|s in many respects a remarkable man.
II" iiiKiueslionably wielded u-ieat infiuence in his day. Of
upriglii cjiaracler and mai-ked ability, he possessed the
ccjnlidence of jijs cftimi rynien.
"Mr. JiiKKKMKs Ijle, career and character," writes Dr.
CiiAUi.Ks Kino, "are among those which the Chamber
of Commerce may refer to with pride, as of one belonging
for many years to their honored Association."
BIOCKAPIIICAL SKETCUES. 227
ROBERT H. McCURDY.
lioi;i.i:T II. M.Cr-nnvwas born at Lyme, Counecticut,
April Mill, l.s(»(). Jlis family was one of the best known
in Ihal. Stal«', Ills ;;rand father having been a prominent
riicicliant fli<'iv long an((^rior to the Revolution. He was
lill«'(| lo.-iii.T (he Sophomore Class of Yale College, and
IiikI «|.'i.Tmiii<-«l to become a lawyer, l)ut an elder brother
having <'l<TtiM| tlmt profession, he was induced to abandon
his design.
Mr. ,\l« ( 'ri:i»v :ii'i-ived in Xew-York just before the close
of the Hcrdiid \\;ir with Phigland, and entered the employ
of .Mr. Lo« KwnoM, at that time a prominent dry goods
nifichaiil, who was in business in Whitehall Street.
AiiKMig his fellow clerks in Mi-. Lockwood's employ was
the late Hi:i;m\\ D. Alihiich, with whom he formed a
stroiiii; friendship, afterwards augmented by a business
copaitnership, which continued until the close of his life.
So highly was Mr. McCyUUDY's capacity esteemed that
in IS-JO Mr. Lot kwook. hnding himself overstocked at
the end of the season, sent him, although still under age,
with M sclhM.ner Io.k! of goods to open a store at Pe-
tersburg, \iiginia. The enterprise j)roved a success under
Mr. M( ('riiDv's management, and he remained South
for several ensuing years.
About the year lS-28 he returned to this City, and, with
his former fellow-clerk, Mr. Aldkich, formed the copart-
nei\ship of Mc ('ri:i>v «.\: Aldkich, and entered upon the
inijiorting and jobbing of dry goods in Maiden Lane. The
lii-in soon occupied a prominent i)Ositiou in that trade.
In ISfo the late WiLLiA.AE Spexceii was admitted to the
linn, which tlu'ii became known as McCurdy, Aldkich &
SpKXcEK, an.l soon after the house abandoned its jobbing
and importing business and became exclusively wholesale,
selling the products of many of the largest mills of the
country, including those at Fall River, Mass.
In IS.")? Mr. McCuKDY retired from business. Each of
228 POr.TRAIT GALLEPvY.
tlu' paiuiers liiul amassed a handsome competence, and tlie
business of the hrm was soki to Low, Hakkiman & Co.
In 1858 Mr. McCriJDY was the Republican candidate for
Member of Congress from this City, but was defeated by
his ()p]>onent, John Cociiuane.
Mr. McCuiJDY rendered conspicuous service to the Gov-
eiiim.Mii .luiiug the War of tlie Rebellion. At the outset
(.f the agitation which followed the election of Mr. Lincolis-
lie was'exiremely anxious to do everything possible to
prev.-ui a civil war, and was a member of the Peace Con-
ference which was held in Washington to avoid, if possible,
any cuTbiv.-.k. His knowledge of the South led him to
liope l)ut littlH fi(.m the results of this movement ; still he
felt it his duty t(» try every possible means to prevent
actual liostility. Upon the entire failure of this Conference
he n4urned to this City, and when the war was opened by
I h<- liring on Fort Sumter he was among the first to see the
necessity of a combination of all those in favor of the
Inion, regardless of past political antagonisms. He at
once called a meeting of the leading citizens of New- York
at liis residence, No. 10 East Fourteenth Street, and there
the measures were taken and tlie programme prepared for
tJK* great mass meeting in Union Square, which was the lirst
manifestation of the united sentiment of the City of New-
^ <»rk upon the subje<'t involved betw^een the two sections
of 1 h<* count ly. He took an active part in the organization
..r the Union Defence Committee, and devoted his entire
timeaii'l aii<iiii<.ii I o its work. He also contributed ma-
terially Ik. Ill his own resources in aiding the Government
to sujipress the relMllion.
II.- was api)ointe<l a member of the State Committee for
thf erection of a monument on the battlefield of Gettys-
l»urg, Uenn.. and was very largely interested in its work.
Mr. M( ("i i:i.v died in this ('ity on the 5th day of April,
1880, within a I'.-w days of entering upon his eighty-first
year. His business associate, Mr. Aldiuch, survived him
but a few hours. It is seldom that such coincident circum-
btances occur as are presented in the lives of these two
distinguished merchants. Born in adjoining States, almost
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 229
Jit thf! same time, they commenced their life work together
wlif-n Ijoys iiiKh-r the same employer, became partners in
hiisiii.'.ss as \v«'ll as intimate friends, lived side by side for
in:iny yi'jirs, nnd finally died on the same day and of the
same disease. Over their remains a dual funeral service
was ]ieM, ;ind botli were simultaneously buried in adjoin-
ing' ])h)ts in Greenwood Cemetery. It can be truly said of
flierii tli;it in life they were inseparable and in death were
not divided.
.Mr. M< (Jri.'hv was not only an upright merchant, but
lie was a man of sound judgment and great business expe-
rience, lie was connected with the direction of many
<if the li'adiiig linaneial institutions of this City, and was
one of tile earliest directors of the Mutual Life Insurance
('unipan>. ajid for many years was upon its Finance Com-
Miillee, but nevei- occupied any salaried office. He was a
iiiejulier of the ('luiiuber of Commerce from August 1st,
I SCI, and in various ways rendered valuable public service
in I his Association.
JOHN CASV/ELL.
.loiix C.vswr.i.i, was one of a large family of children of
W'li.i lAM and Mkucy Bri.oiD Caswell, and was born at
Newport, K. 1., December Cth, 1797. He came to New-
York ill thi' year 1811, being fourteen years old, and
eniered ujxui his life work as a clerk with his uncle,
KoitKirr Hri.oio, whose store was on Broadway, between
Maiden Lane and Fulton Street. In 1820 the business was
moved txi Front Street, near Burling Slip, and was con-
ducted under the hrni name of Buloid & Fixcn. Upon
the death of ^iv. Finch, in 1822, Jonx Caswell was
tak(Mi into partnership by his uncle, and the name of the
lirm became Buloid & Caswell. After the lapse of
several years, and after the death of Mr. Buloid, Mr.
Caswkll carried on the business in his own name ; but
soon, having formed a partnership with his brother, Solo-
230 POETKAIT GALLEKY.
T\rox T. Caswell, and other gentlemen, establislied the
house of JoHX Caswell & Co. about 1836, which was
successfully carried on at No. 87 Front Street, until his
death.
By his industry and assiduity he acquired a considerable
fortune, and obtained an unblemished reputation for integ-
rity, sound judgment and decisive action, while the firm of
.b.'iix Caswell & Co. became one of the representative
business houses in the China trade.
Ill the words of one of his former partners, his character-
istics as a business man are thus described :
" Joiix Caswell was a modest, retiring gentleman, very
diflident, not disposed to put himself forward in anything,
but he was an eminently sagacious man, shrewd and keen
iu his judgment of men and their motives. He was seldom
deceived, although he never refused credit to an honest,
industrious man who knew his business well. He had
many of the characteristics of a truly great merchant.
Never hastily adopting an opinion until it was thoroughly
investigated, he did not readily change unless convinced
that he was wrong, and then he was great enough to admit
the error and rectify it. He was distinguished for the
]>r()bity of his character ; his word was his bond ; and in
an intercourse of more than a quarter of a century with
him as clerk, partner and friend, I never knew him to utter
a fals«'hood or prevaricate in the slightest degree.""
Mr. Caswell Avas an attendant at St. John's Chapel,
then at tlie Church of the Ascension, afterwards at Trinity
('liapel, and was elected a Vestryman of Trinity Church,
wliich oliice he held for many years until his death.
lie was an intimate friend of the late Rev. Dr. William
A. Muiilkmuoik;, and was one of the founders and first
supjiorters of St. Luke's Hospital in this City, and liberally
aided very many of the charitable institutions of the
Church with wiiich he was connected. Few of those out-
side of the large circle who were recipients of his bounty,
or were his chosen almoners, know how wise and discrimi-
niiu.liM'iiu AL SKETCHES. 231
natiii- i,ni :mij,l.. ;n„l generous were liis daily cliarities
.'ill'l l>«*Iief:irti'>ns.
^ II.- vv.-is (liivrtor in th.- I Mi<m Bank, United States Trust
Conipariy. Coniiti.-ntal Fin- Insurance Company and Second
National i;arik, K.-sidcs liavin<r many otlier responsibilities
of ;i (i.luriary nafiuv, in all of which he was active and
consrli-iitiouH in lli«- (iischari:*- of his duties.
Mr Ca^wki.l cli..(| in this City March 29th, 1871, in the
'-••vrnty fnurtli y«*ar «»f his ag«\
DANIEL DRAKE-SMITH.
I>ANii I, lh;\Ki Smiih was born in the City of Xew- York
\u^Mst 'J'.Mli. isjs. His i)att'rnal ancestors were English,
• Mil on tin- iiiat«-rnal side Huguenots. One of his an-
cestors in this count rv was Joseph Duaki:, who settled in
< >rang»« County, in this State, about 1750, and the family
ilwavM clit-risht'd the tra«lition that this Joseph Deake
was collaterally related to Sir Fuaxcis Drake, the famous
navi::atoiof (^utTU Ki.i/.Aiunii's time. Mr. Drake-Smith's
wlloh•bu^in('ss life, extending over fifty years, was identified
with the uiidei-writing interest. He was Secretary of the
Atlantic Insurance Company, and afterwards President of
I he Conimercial Mutual Insurance Company, Avhich he
established in l8.Vi. For many years he w^as Vice-Presi-
dent and afteiwards President of the New- York Board of
Mai ine liideru riters. On his retirement from active busi-
ness ill ISTS) the Board of Trustees of the Commercial
Mutual Insurance Company, of which he had been Presi-
dent fr«)m the time of its incorporation, presented him with
a lian<lsome and valuable testimonial as a tribute of their
esteem. His judgment upon questions of marine insurance
was generally regarded as sound, and his opinions were
frequently sought by those engaged in that business in
this and other cities, and in fact he acquired distinction
as one of tlu> most accomplished underwriters of the
23'2 PORTKAIT GALLERY.
country, while his uncompromibing integrity and strict
fidelity to duty were prominent traits of his high character.
Mr. Dhake-Smitii was also a writer of ability on economic
and political questions, possessing a clear and vigorous
style, :nid during the latter part of his life he trans
lalcd from the Latin and published "Spinoza's Ethics,-'
which was regarded by competent judges as an excellent
W(>ll<.
In 1883 the Mayor of the City appointed Mr. Drake-
Smith a l^apid Transit Commissioner, and as Chairman of
the Commission he performed very effective service for
the City.
lie will be long remembered by the Sandy Hook pilots
foi- the active and aggressive interest he took in defending
the retention of the compulsory pilotage system.
Dining the Civil war he was an earnest supporter of the
Goveinment, and his voice was heard from many platforms
in his country's interest, urging his fellow men to the per-
foimance of their duty as patriotic citizens.
lie was a member of the Chamber of Commerce from May
Cth, 18/58, up to his death, and took part in the discussions on
most imi)ortant puldic and commercial questions, his wide
and extended learning enabling him to throw much light
II I Kin intricate and controversial subjects, which the Cham-
ber w MS cjilled upon to consider. He also served on several
(»f tJM' Chamber's Standing and Special Committees. Mr.
iJiiAKK-S.MiTii resided in this City until 18G3, when he
removed to Knglcwood, N". J., where he died on February
81 li, 1887, in tlic sixty-ninth year of his age.
JACOB BARKER.
Jacoi; r. \ i:k i:i; was born in what is now the town of Per-
kins, S\v;i!i Island, in the Kennebec River, in the province,
now the State, of Main<% December 17, 1779. His parents
were members of the Society of Friends, at Nantucket, and
removed fi-oin thence to Maine in 1772. He was a distant
RIOOIIAPIIICAL SKETCHES. 233
roiisiri. on l.oth th.' father's and mother's side, of Bex.ta-
MiN ri.'ANKMx, uliom he greatly resembled, in form and
f<-af iirv. His father died April 26, 1780, when Jacob was
al.oiif n.iir months old. After the peace of 1783, his
rri«.tli.-r retnrn.'d to Nantucket, reaching there in April,
178."), where he f-njoyed the advantages of the excellent
schools of fill' i.slaiid till he was in his eighteenth year,
when, liU.. most <>l' the enterprising Nantucket boys of
that lini.-, h<- <-ame to New- York to seek Ms fortune. He
entci.d the coiintingdiouse of Isaac Hicks, an eminent
N«'\N-Yoik f«>m mission merchant, in 1797. He remained
with My. IIkks, greatly to their mutual satisfaction, until
llio clostMif ISdO, when he entered into partnership witli
.loiiN n.MM) and .loNAsMiNTUKXas commission merchants.
IIh was only twenty-one years of age, full of energy, and
of gicaf jiliysiral courage and enterprise, and he soon took
the ulioh' business upon his own shoulders and combined
a shij»ping business with it ; a year later he was the owner
of four ships and a brig.
I !•• was a tireless worker, and before the war of 1812 was
dechirrd, li»' had become a thorough student of political
economy, an attorney at law, a banker, a State Senator,
and the largest ship-owner in the United States, except
AN'ii.i I \M (Ji:.\Y, of Boston and Salem. Hisshij^s traversed
every sea. lie established a house in Liverpool, and his
business connections with most of the European States were
very extensive : with Kussia, especially, he had established
a v.'ry large trade. His transactions, in the purchase and
sale of sliii)s. wiih foreign governments, were of immense
extent, and were almost all made with their Admiralty
ollicers. He also took contracts with our own Government,
sui)plying our light-houses with oil, when Mr. Gtallatix
was Secretary of the Treasury. When Robert Fultox was
building his first steamboat, Mr. Baekee imported for
bini. at his own risk and on his own account, the tiist
marine steam engine brought into this country, and held it
for him. until lie could raise the necessary funds to pay
for it.
While he was State Senator, the Senate, under the old
^34 roirniAiT galleey.
Constitution, sfit as a Court of Errors ; Mr. Barker de-
livered an opinion in an insurance case, in opposition to that
of Chancellor Kext, and his opinion was sustained by the
(,'onrt. He was so thorough a student of the laws and
piiiiriples of trade, commerce and finance, in their relations
t«» tin- policj- of the Government, that he became an ardent
]H.litician niid ])olitiral leader, and carried all the zeal of
his earnest and restless nature into his political life. He
fspoused the cause of Jeffkusox, advocating the purchase
of Louisiana, and subsequently defending the Embargo
and Non-inipoi-tation Acts, though he was convinced, that
with liis extended commercial and shipping business, the
immcdiiitr lesult to him would be great and heavy losses.
11. • was too patriotic to let this certainty outweigh the con-
viction tliat his country would be benefited by a firm
resistance to the ('iicroachments of Great Britain and
Fiance on lier commerce. He at first opposed the war of
1S|:2, but wlien it was declared, he supported Mr. Madi-
son's war ])o]icy. liis shix)s Avere all captured during the
wMi- ; but liis [(ntune was still ample, and in 1813, finding
the (fovernment distressed for funds, he obtained subscrip-
tions foi- two million four hundred thousand dollars, sub-
scri!)iiig onehundi'ed thousand dollars on his own account ;
.'iiid the next vear, learning that the ten million loan
advertised found lew or no takers, with his subscription
and his olhi-r iinnngements to the same effect, he was pre-
jiai-ed to olVer to the Ti'easury an additional loan of five
million dolhirs more, to sustain its credit.
Aftei- I Ik; battle of ]5l;idensburg, at the request of Presi-
dent Maihson's wife, Ml-. Baukfh and Robert G. L. Be
I*i.vsii;i: took from the President's house the original x:)or-
tniii of WAsiiiNwrrox, by Stuart, to preserve it from
being seized by ihc British. Tiiey fell in with the train of
l!)e Ameiir.iii ;ii-iiiy, then retreating from Washington,
and cduiiiiii- I wiih it till nightfall, when they stopped
at a farmhiMist' ii -iir ih;^ banks of the Tiber, passed the
night, :iMd (le]i()sited the jjortiait there for safe-keeping.
After the war was over, Mi'. Baiikeu returned to the farm-
hous?, and, re-clainiinu'- the picture, returned it to Mrs.
BIOGKAPniCAL SKETCHES. 2Ho
Madison, who placed it in tlie new Wliite House, as soon
as ir was re hiiilt, wiieie it remains to tliis day.
.\ri - r the war lie established the f/)i?07i newspaper, to
advocat(; the election of De Witt Clinton. He founded the
Kxchaii;,^*' ]?aiikin this City in 1815, and became largely con-
ccrrxMl in stocks. JTc was again elected to the State Senate,
and there, was among the first to advocate the construction of
the Erie Canal, ;is well as other measures proposed by Gov-
ernor Cmntox. He continued to take an active interest in
jxdiiics, and in 1S;2() was the first man to nominate Andkew
.lArKS(»\ l'(.r the Presidency. He sustained him, also, in
1824 and in ]><'2^. In 18:^4 he removed to New- Orleans, wdiere
lie again engaged in banking, and, being admitted to the
Louisiana b:ii-, speedily became a political leader there,
but. iriK' to his early training in the Society of Friends, he
woiihl neither hohl slaves nor support slavery. This bold
and fearless .stand undonbtedlv diminished his fortune,
1)11 1 he never wavered in his position. He was an old man
(eiiiht v-two veai's of age) when the Civil War commenced,
but though remaining in New-Orleans, he opposed the Ke-
bellion. In bSOo he was elected to Congress from that
city, I'll I. (.wing to the Reconstruction difficulties, was not
l)ermitted to take his s»'at. In 1807, with his great fortune
lost from tlie vicissitudes of the war, he removed to the
h. 'III., of his son, Ajuiaiiam Baiikee, in Philadelphia, where
he tlied December 26, 1871, at the age of ninety-two years.
ALFRED S. BARNES.
Ai.i rj:i> Smith Bakxes was born in New-Haven, Conn.,
January 28tli, 1817. His father was the proprietor of an
inn located in that part of the town known as Barnesville,
and was a mtin of probity and Christian character. His
mother was a Mounis, of Huguenot descent, for whom her
son, Ai.FUEi\ always cherished the tenderest recollections,
as it seemed to be her life work to guide her children with
love in all the Christian graces. Owing to a large family,
230 rniiTiiAiT gallery.
Alfukm wns sent away to a boarding school at nine years
of ag<\ and there received his rndimental education. Upon
the death <A' liis father, in 1827, he returned home and
remained Avitli his mother several years, when he was
placed iind<n' tlie care of an nncle living near Hartford.
ITcn- h.' united farming and schooling, but soon became
restless to enter a business. His nncle endeavored to
int«^rost him in tlie shoe-making trade, but, not having a
last*' for tilt' (»c(iii>ntion, he shrunk from it, and aspired to
a jjosilion in a book store. In 1831 the Avay was opened to
him to enter the book store of D. F. Robinsox & Co., of
Hartford, as errand boy, and v/ith all the enthusiasm of
liis natuH' he entered u[)on his duties there, at thirty
dollars i»er year, with a home in the family of Mr. Robin-
son' included. The linn removed to New- York in 1835,
and \\\rvo he completed his clerkship.
In l>:!s Mr. l^AiiNKS, then a young man of twenty-one,
became acrjnainted Avith Professor Ciiakles Davies, the
mailicmatician. and the i-esult was a copartnership under
the linn nam<' (d" A. S. Bakxes & Co., for the puldication
of the hitter's books. They removed to Hartford and
(^(pened business in a store about fifteen by twenty feet.
I'i'ofessor Davies furnished the material for the books,
and Mr. ISmjnes })ul)lished and went about introducing
tile same inio tlu» schools of the country, so far as the trav-
elling facilities of Hint day permitted. Professor Daa^ies
rcm.-iiin'd a ])ai-iner till 1848, and was succeeded by Edmund
huif.iri. who continued oidy a year or tw^o, and was in
111! II succeeded by IIenky L. Burk, a brotlier-iu-law of Mr.
IWnM-s, who i-em:iin(^d a i)arrner till his death in 1SG5,
since which iini<- Mi-. P,\ i:\ i:s' live sons and a nephew have
successively bfcii admiiLedto the lirni, and now carry on
the business.
'" b^l" 111"' liiiii ol" A. S. Barnes & Co. removed to
Philadelphia, and, all.-i' four years, removed again to New-
^-||k, \\ji..|<' it has since remained. Mr. Barnes gave
miliring attention 1m ih,. alVaiis of the business for over
lifly years, and his wise jndmneiit in all matters pertaining
thereto was one of the <liicr factors in its success. The list
BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCHES. 237
of piiblifations lias been mainly school books, (although
some (li^'ression in other lines has been permitted, bnt only
irifideiitally,) and embraces now over eleven hundred titles.
T\n' scliools of several generations are familiar Avith the