Nathaniel Hillyer Eggleston was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on May 7, 1822. Nathaniel is the nephew of my 5 great-grandparent Orrin Eggleston (1783-1870).
Nathaniel
graduated from Yale College in 1840 and Yale Seminary (now Yale Divinity
School) in 1843. He served as a Congregational pastor in Ellington (CT), New
York, Chicago, Madison (WI) and Stockbridge (MA) and was a founder of the
American Congregational Union and the Chicago Theological Seminary.
After many
years of leading a rapid westward expansion of congregational churches, Nathaniel’s
life took a remarkable turn when he went to Washington D.C. and was appointed
to be the second Chief of the U.S. Division of Forestry (1883-1886).
U.S. Forest History Society (edited) In 1893, U.S. Commissioner of Agriculture George Loring appointed
his friend Eggleston as chief of the Division of Forestry. Neither
suited for the job nor a strong administrator, Eggleston floundered as
chief but did offer some ideas that were later acted upon. In his first annual
report he suggested that the federal government should ensure that the
extensive federal forest lands in the public domain were properly cared for and
were used for the general welfare. He also recommended that the federal
government establish forest experiment stations.
The trees are
man’s best friends; but man has treated them as his enemies. The history of our
race may be said to be the history of warfare upon the tree world. But while
man has seemed to be the victor, his victories have brought upon him inevitable
disasters. Nathaniel Eggleston
A new
presidential administration in 1885 brought a new commissioner of agriculture,
Norman J. Colman. He did not ask for, nor did Eggleston volunteer to provide, a
plan for the division. Eggleston couldn’t even get a meeting appointment with
him. When Colman requested and received Eggleston’s resignation, he waited a
month before returning it to the chief. Eggleston spent the next year
“befuddled by indecision and uncertainty…meekly waiting to be fired.” Eventually, he was demoted but contentedly stayed on as a clerk for the
next twelve years.
Gifford Pinchot, considered
by some to be the father of the American conservation movement, was less than
enthralled with Nathaniel and in his book Breaking New Ground, stated
(Eggleston) was “one of those failures in life whom the spoils system is
constantly catapulting into responsible positions.”
Part of the joy of conducting genealogical research is the unexpected. Sometimes that comes from finding a interesting passage in an old book that has been digitized by Google, a blog post that leads you in a new direction or getting a response to an inquiry.
In one instance, I’d asked a researcher from the Connecticut State Library for information about my 3rd great grandfather Abiram Spencer (1812-1871). He passed along some general information and then added, “you do know how he died – don’t you? ” Like the train that killed Abiram, I did not see that coming.
However, that
piece of information does not come remotely close to another discovery that
also features Abiram. Out of the blue, I received a message on this blog
that stated, My name is Shelby — , and while looking for information about Abiram
Spencer, I landed on your page. I am delighted to learn that you and I share
our 2nd great grand-parents, Annie Eggleston and John W. Spencer.
And here is
what blew me away, she added, “I have their original wedding
photograph, which I would be overjoyed to share with you.” Well,
here they are, 16 year old Annie Eggleston and 25 year old John W.
Spencer. How cool is that!
Lord How They Died
In researching Robert Lord Jr., my 9 great-grandfather who resided in Ipswich, Massachusetts, I came across an account regarding the death of his son Joseph (1638-1677). The account read, “upon the death of Joseph, son of Robert Lord Sr., of Ipswich, who was killed in the woods about two miles and a half from Ipswich meeting house, that he with others was felling a tree and a limb, as it fell, hit another tree breaking it and it fell upon said Lord killing him.” Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts (p.397)
A remarkable
thing about researching New England history is the depth and extent that they
recorded their lives and in this case, deaths. The History of Ipswich, Essex, and Hamilton (p. 202-4) records some rather notable deaths:
Feb 21st 1787 – Francis a child of William Cogswell of Chebacco (Essex, MA) died by falling into a kettle of boiling chocolate.Oct 16th 1727 – We are informed from Ipswich that on Wednesday night last a young woman of that place being more merry than wise dressed herself in men’s apparel intending a frolic at a place some distance off but as she was riding through a river or pond her horse in all likelihood threw her into the water where she was taken up the next day drowne.
September 1771 – At the Hamlet, a child of Mr. Bolles died by drinking scalding water from a tea pot.
Jan 5th 1814
– Betsey Telock AE 49 is burnt to death. It has been commonly reported that she
came to her end by spontaneous combustion from the inordinate use of ardent
spirits. But it is the opinion of the gentleman who first discovered her body
soon after the flames in her room were extinguished that she caught her bed
clothes on fire with a candle and thus lost her life.
The History of Ipswich, Essex, and Hamilton also mentioned the Dark Day, a day many New Englanders believed
carried prophetic meaning. The true cause is believed to have been a
massive forest fire combined with a thick cloud cover and fog.
May 19th 1780 – Darkness came on like that of an eclipse. By 9 o clock
a.m. persons could not see to weave. Candles were lighted to dine by. As
the day began prematurely to put on the appearance of twilight cattle lowed and
fowls went to roost. The darkness of the succeeding evening was almost
palpable. Many feared and trembled lest the end of all things had come. They
alone are truly wise who seek the Lord when the bow of his mercy is over them,
as well as, when they hear his thunders and behold his lightnings. (p.202)
General
George Washington, who was encamped with his Continental Army in nearby New
Jersey, commented on the strange weather in a May 18 diary entry. “Heavy and
uncommon kind of clouds,” he wrote, “dark and at the same time a bright and
reddish kind of light intermixed with them…” (Remembering New England’s Dark Day)
Robert Lord Jr., my 9 great-grandfather, was born in Sudbury, Suffolk, England in 1603. Robert arrived in Massachusetts in 1634/5 with his wife Mary Waite and four children. He took the freeman’s oath (example below) at Boston in 1636. Robert lived for 80 years and died on August 21, 1683 in Ipswich.
My family relation continues through their daughter Abigail who was born in 1646 and died June 04, 1729. Abigail married Jacob Foster on February 26, 1665/66 in Ipswich. Jacob’s 4th g-granddaughter, Laura Maria Foster, married Horace French.
In September 1636,
Robert was appointed Town Clerk and Clerk of the Court of Ipswich and continued
to hold that position until his death. His duties included what would now be
considered Clerk of Probate and Register of Deeds. As Marshal, he is said to
have served more than twenty years in the Indian wars and became so inured to
camp life and exposure that he could never afterwards sleep upon a feather bed.
He is said to have been below the medium stature, but of powerful mold and one
of the most athletic, strong, and fearless men in the Colonial service.
Robert Lord House
In 1660, Henry Kingsbury sold his home and land on High Street to Robert Lord for “two oxen in hand — 5 pounds to be paid Robert Paine and 40s to Edmund Bridges” (to perhaps settle debts?). The Henry Kingsbury – Robert Lord House, 52 High Street still stands and was featured in Historic Ipswich, a fine blog about the history of Ipswich.
Background: Genealogical and Family History of the State of New Hampshire: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation, Vol 4.
FREEMAN’S NEW OATH (Post 1636) Being by God’s providence, an Inhabitant, and Freeman, within the Jurisdiction of this Commonwealth; do freely acknowledge my self to be subject to the Government thereof: And do therefore do here swear by the great and dreadful Name of the Ever-living God, that I will be true and faithful to the same, and will accordingly yield assistance & support thereunto, with my person and estate, as in equity I am bound; and will also truly endeavor to maintain and preserve all the liberties and privileges thereof, submitting my self to the wholesome Lawes & Orders made and established by the same. And further, that I will not plot or practice any evill against it, or consent to any that shall so do; but will timely discover and reveal the same to lawful Authority now here established, for the speedy prevention thereof. Moreover, I doe solemnly bind my self in the sight of God, that when I shall be called to give my voyce touching any such matter to this State, in which Freemen are to deal, I will give my vote and suffrage as I shall judge in mine own conscience may best conduce and tend to the public weal of the body. So help me God in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Walter’s in the House
UPDATE: After listening to an amazing episode of American History Teller entitled the Reconstruction Era: The Great Betrayal (Ep. 6), an important piece of Walter’s story made perfect sense: The year 1877 marked the last year of Reconstruction for the nation.
“The results of the U.S. presidential election of 1876 were a mess. A Democratic candidate had emerged with the lead in the popular vote, but 19 electoral votes from four states were in dispute. In 1877, Congress convened to settle the election—and their solution proved to be the beginning of the end for Reconstruction in the south.” (How the 1876 Election Tested the Constitution and Effectively Ended Reconstruction – History)
Walter Henry French Jr. was born on December 2, 1837 in Lowell, Massachusetts to Walter and Sarah (Bowers) French. Walter Jr. is my 1st cousin-4x removed. His grandfather, Luther French, is my 4th great grandfather.
On May 5,
2016, the U.S. House, Office of the Historian, published an article
entitled, An Early Effort by the House of Representatives to Preserve Its
Records. The article noted that in
1899, Walter urged Congress to protect and preserve congressional records,
stating “the extreme heat in summer from the iron roof and the dampness in
winter from the condensation of hot air coming against the cold iron of the
roof renders the place unfit for documents of such value.
Walter Jr. is
a genealogists dream, an interesting life in Washington D.C. ripe with
political history and well documented. He was frequently noted for
his extensive collection of scrapbooks full of newspaper and periodical
clippings and for his knack for uncovering priceless documents. To keep
this post manageable, I am providing links to newspaper articles in which
Walter was referenced. I believe Walter enjoyed being mentioned in the
news and he was even able to document his imminent demise…several times!
National Hotel
In 1857,
Walter moved from New Hampshire to Washington D.C. and worked as a
clerk/manager at the National Hotel. He came to Washington with Franklin Tenney who
“assumed charge” of the National, which had been closed following a
“mysterious and fatal sickness that had broken out among its guests.” Tenny was married to Mehitable Swett Varnum who was
a niece of Brigadier General James Varnum of Revolutionary War fame and of
Bradley Varnum who was at one time Speaker of the U.S. House of
Representatives. This political connection appears to have
played an important role in Walter’s life. In 1876, he was appointed as journal
clerk for the U.S. House of
Representatives.
U.S. House of Representatives – Mr. Walter H. French, of Boston Mass., who has been appointed Journal Clerk in place of Mr. Smith, who resigned, took his place today. May 1, 1876 – Alexandria Gazette (Virginia)
However, in December 1877, Walter was removed and replaced by Albert Lamar of Georgia. Lamar was clerk for the Congress of the Confederate States (CCS) from May 1862 to March 1865 at Richmond, Virginia. Just how a avowed secessionist and former clerk for the CCS became a clerk for the U.S. House of Representatives twelve years after the end of the Civil War is a mystery?
Following his dismissal, Walter moved to Boston and later New York City where he opened an office on Wall Street, working as a stock broker. According to his obituary, three times he made and lost his fortune playing the market as a plunger. To quote P.J. O’Rourke, “Giving assets to a stock market plunger is like giving beer and car keys to teenage boys.” A plunger makes daring emotional investments, risking a large percentage of capital on a single trade. By the age of 45 he was out of the market and back in Boston were he tried his hand in politics, supporting the Democratic Party.
Walter’s
support of Democrats paid off in 1891 when he was appointed file clerk for the
U.S. House of Representatives for the 52nd United States Congress. His
dedication to the preservation of legislative records and knowledge of
congressional procedure made him a respected staff member and a gifted
researcher for drafting legislation.
In a way, he was google before google with Members of Congress referring to him as a human cyclopedia. Walter was a dedicated keeper of scrapbooks (newspaper and periodical clippings) for over 20 years. He is quoted as saying, “I think all public men should keep scrapbooks, they are a handy reference and when kept in order you can find in a moment the history of any measure or question.” According to news article, Walter was also in possession of autographs and of rare old public documents, or discovered rare documents.
Stephen Douglas’ Pistol
Once again, Walter French is in the middle of history. This time a widely distributed newspaper story tells of Walter’s purchase of a derringer, with a inscription of S.A. Douglas on the handle. Of course, Walter knows who to consult to see if it was once owned by Stephen A. Douglas, the Democratic Party nominee for president in the 1860 election, losing to Republican Abraham Lincoln. Walter happens to know a ‘kinsman’ of Douglas by the name of James Madison Cutts, Jr.,(below) the only American to ever be awarded the Medal of Honor three times! (Article)
(Biography – Arlington National Cemetery) “Colorful” hardly describes the career of this Union officer. From a prominent family and a graduate of Brown University and Harvard Law School, Cutts joined the army in 1861 and was awarded a triple Medal of Honor, the only such medal ever issued, for bravery at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Petersburg. However, the medal was not given until 1891, the delay due in part to a string of career-busting events. These include being caught peering over the transom at a married woman while she undressed, refusing a challenge to a duel, three courts-martial, involvement with a pyromaniac army doctor, ripping the chevrons off one soldier’s uniform and hitting another so hard that Cutts broke his own hand, and seizing property owned by an influential carpetbagger.
(Image) Daniel Webster’s Pants – When a question arose in 1894 regarding the new statue of Daniel Webster in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol, specifically about the cut of his trousers, they turned to Walter French. Walter, as was his nature did have an answer, he just happened to know the tailor in Boston who measured and cut Webster’s trousers!
Personating Presidents– Walter happened to resemble (and cultivate his resemblance to) President Grover Cleveland. In 1899, an article was published, becoming a national sensation, about individuals who were misidentified as being “presidential.” (Sacramento Daily Union – March 22 ,1899)
Dead Almost, Then Dead for Real
On several occasions, it was reported in newspapers that Walter was seriously ill and near death, as was his nature he collected and took great pleasure in these articles. When death did finally come in 1904, Walter was in Wiesbaden, Germany on an European tour that included visits to England, Italy, Greece and France. Walter was remembered as one of the best liked men in Washington with close friends among members of Congress and those who frequented the building. Following his death, Congress approved payment for expenses associated with his illness and funeral and a sum equal to six months of his salary ($1,375). The last item to share is a thoughtful, long obituary that sketches Walter’s life and times. Colonel French Dead – Evening Star August 14, 1904
