In my April 1, 2013 Blog entry entitled: "A 19th Century Adoption," I talked about James Webster Childs (1826-1882) and his
wife, Lucy A. Hubbard (1825-1902), and the adoption of my great-grandfather, Carlos Webster
Childs (1856-1912). The following is an article about J. Webster's death, taken from Portrait and Biographical Album of Washtenaw County, Michigan, containing
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, together with Biographies of all the
Governors of the State, and of the Presidents of the United States.
Chicago, Biographical Publishing Co., 1891, on the death of the Hon. James Webster Childs. This is
transcribed verbatim.
Death
loves a shining mark, and in taking away the gentleman whose name is at the
head of this sketch the State has been deprived of a man who had acquired a
wide reputation, not only for mental acumen in commercial affairs and business
life, but as statesman and legislator, having formerly represented the Fourth
District in the House and State Senate for eight terms. He was a native of New
Hampshire and was born June 16, 1826, being a son of Josiah and Abigail Childs,
natives of New Hampshire. The young man grew up in his native State and early
in life conceived the idea of becoming an educator. He had taken the
preparatory course for college, confidently expecting to enter one of the
institutions of the East, when, owing to ill health, he was compelled to give
up the idea, a severe blow to him in more respects than one.
Although disappointed in his university career, our subject received a
very good education, and while engaged in teaching he pursued a course of
study, and doubtless acquired as much as do many young men in a university
course. To the other branches which he taught he added penmanship, in which he
was particularly proficient and from the income derived in this way he was
enabled to pursue his own studies under very good conditions. A man of wide
reading, thoughtful and of excellent judgment and discrimination, he talked
well on every subject and was gifted as an orator, so that as time passed on at
every public occasion when it was desired that party principles should be
explained to the public, Mr. Childs was selected by common consent, as being
the best and most forcible speaker, and with the greatest ability to convince
the general mind.
August
30, 1848, the original of our sketch was married in New Hampshire, to Miss Lucy
A. Hubbard, who was a native of the same State with himself and who was born
September 13, 1825, in Claremont, N.H. She was a daughter of Solomon and
Amarilla (Cowles) Hubbard. Her father was a native of Connecticut and her
mother of New Hampshire. She was educated at the Kimball Union Academy, of
Meridan, N.H. and adds the charm of a well stored mind to her personal
attractions.
After
their marriage, in 1848, Senator Childs and his wife emigrated to Michigan and settled
on the farm where his widow now resides. It must have been a great trial to the
gentlewoman to leave her early home of culture and refinement and to take up
new lines [lives] in a pioneer country. However, together they bravely resolved
to make the best of the matter and the young husband first purchased eighty
acres of land which was partially improved, although the surrounding country
was almost entirely virgin forest, for they were among the early pioneers of
Augusta Township. Mr. Childs added at various times to his original purchase,
until he was the owner of about four hundred acres of as fine land as there is
in the county, at the time of his death. He devoted his attention to general
farming, gaining expensively in stock, which he was most successful in raising.
They also carried on a most profitable dairy business for years, and, indeed,
the handsome fortune that the couple accumulated was only acquired by constant
industry. Mr. Childs was full of energy and perseverance until this last, and
was an excellent manager. He soon became known as a man of unswerving integrity
and of fine business qualifications. He was early elected Supervisor of Augusta
Township and served as School Superintendent, in which work he was particularly
interested, as his early enthusiasm for educational work never left him.
In 1869
Gov. Baldwin appointed our subject as a member of the Board of the Michigan
Agricultural College; he was subsequently twice reappointed, holding the
position at the time of his death. He was President of the Farmers' and
Mechanics' Trade Association for twelve years.
Previous to our subject's election as Senator he served for two years in
the Lower House of the State Legislature and during that term his ability was
so conclusively tested and his integrity as a man and a representative of the
people was so satisfactory that he was subsequently elected State Senator,
which position he filled for six consecutive years, acting in such a way as to
reflect the greatest credit upon his constituents as well as upon himself. A
fervent Republican in his political principles, he was a stronghold of that
party in his section and accomplished some of the best work done in that
direction in the vicinity that he represented. He had been spoken of as
Governor of the State by his political friends, but positively declined to
consider such a candidacy. In these days of party corruption a man who is noted
for his conscientiousness in State affairs in to rare a thing as to attract
general attention. The strongest hold that our subject had upon his
constituency was his wide reputation for political honesty. He was impervious
to bribes.
In private
life Senator Childs was simple and unassuming. He and his wife were members of
the Congregational Church and both active in Sunday-school work. The cause of
temperance was also one in which Mr. Childs was an ardent supporter. A man
whose geniality extended to all classes of society, he was ever popular, and at
his death there was general mourning, and those who knew him most intimately
and were acquainted with his frailties as well as his strong points loved him
best. He was an enterprising citizen and a successful business man, as the fine
estate which he left attends. His widow now occupies the farm, which comprises
two hundred and ten acres. Senator Childs had a State reputation as a
temperance worker and was the first President of the Legislative Temperance
Society, at Lansing, this State. He was a brother of the Hon. Aaron Childs
(deceased) and Josiah Childs, the latter being among the octogenarian and
honorable pioneers of Washtenaw County. The decease of Senator Childs took
place November 8, 1882. The cortege that followed him to his last resting place
comprised many of the most eminent men in the State, who were proud to claim
our subject as a friend and associate. THE
END
A few notes:
- I
think the writers of these biographies must have been paid by the word!
- Note
that in 1891, when this book was published, they state - "in these days of
political corruption." As they say - nothing new under the sun.
- Note
he was in the Temperance Society - some things do change!
- He
died owning two hundred plus acres. J. Webster was survived by his wife and son, Carlos W. and daughter,
Mary Ann. Carlos had two daughters (Edna Ella and Frances Hazelton) and Mary Ann Childs White (I have written about her
family in this Blog also), had six daughters. No
one in either family owns any land in
Augusta Township today. I may actually have his will
in my files - an article for another day.
- J. Webster was only 56 when he died of
Consumption (an old term for TB).
- His
brothers, Aaron and Josiah are also written about in the above publication.
There was also a memorial about J. Webster in American Biographical History of Eminent and
Self-Made Men with Portrait Illustrations on Steel, Vol. I-II. There was an
extensive eulogy written in Report of the
Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan. Together with Reports of County, Town,
and District Pioneer Societies, Vol. VI, Lansing, Mich. W.S. George &
Co., State Printers & Binders, 1884. This one included the notice of his
funeral from the Ypsilanti Commercial, November 18, 1882, and included remarks
by Andrew Campbell (who happens to be a cousin from my Muir/McDougall family
and also early settlers in Augusta Township); William Campbell (same as Andrew)
who states "I will not call your attention to his gifts as a statesman,
except to say that he was far better fitted for President of the United States
than the one who now occupies the chair" - (that would be Chester A.
Arthur); C. H. Richmond (not sure who this is but I see that same name
connected with St. Andrews Church in Ann Arbor and the Regents of the University of Michigan);
and Chief Justice T. M. Cooley (the 25th Justice and a Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, between 1864 and
1885). J. Webster is also written about in the Collections of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan, Vol. VI, Lansing,
Mich. Wynkoop Hallenbeck Crawford Co., State Printers, 1907, pg. 457.
