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Gc  M.  L 

929.2 

G9586S 

2017965 

REYNOLDS   HISTORICAL 
GENEALOGY   COLLECTION 


ALLEN  COUNTY  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


3  1833  01282  7223 


A^    SKETCH 


OF  THE   LIFE   OF 


DR.  WILLIAM  GUNTON, 


AYLSHAM,  NORFOLK,  ENGLAND, 


October   :29th,    1791. 


Pro  me :  si  vierear,  in  me. 

(Noiiolk  uiotlo.) 


WASHINGTON  : 


JOSEPH  L.  PEARSON,  PJUNTEK. 


1878. 


78     9^93     10 


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NEWENGLAND 
HISTORIC,    GENEALOGICAL    SOCIETY. 


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Washington,  Dec.  2G(h,  1R78. 
To  Dr.  John  B.  Blake, 

Prcsiilnit  of  the  Association  of  the 

Olilt'st  Inhdhitdiits  of  the  District  of  Colamljia. 

My  DkarSiu:  In  tnir.sniiitin^-  llin»u-;h  you  to  tlic  vtucralilc 
Association  over  wiiicli  you  liavr  so  lon^  presided,  a  sniali  voliuiie 
coiitaiuin^  an  iiecouiit  ol"  the  princijial  e\  ents  ol'  my  life,  now  })i(>- 
tnicUd  lar  lieyoud  the  allotted  aj^e  ol'  man,  permit  me,  as  a  per- 
sonal iViend  ui'  many  years,  to  eongratniale  you  on  the  distinction 
you  lia\e  s(»  \V(uthily  attained  as  tiie  l'resi<ient  of  so  notal)le  a 
Body  of  men,  and  to  thank  the  MemlxTs  ot'  the  Association  for 
the  lionor  tluy  iiave  aiuuially  conferred  ui)oii  me  in  (le,si^natin^ 
me  as  one  of  their  Vice-Presidents,  and  in  eontinuin^^  to  me  that 
honor  for  so  many  years. 

As  one  of  the  olijeets  of  this  eminent  A.ssociation  is  to  preserve 
the  tiadltions  of  past  times  in  the  l»io-rai)hies  of  its  .Mem))ers,  and 
as  a  kind  I'rovidenee  has  [.ermitied  me  to  iuiii^ie  so  lon.i;  with  my 
tellow-men  in  this  city,  anil  ti>  have  a  .somewhat  extendi;)!  experi- 
t  lue  of  its  alVairs,  1  iiave  thouf^ht  it  expedient  to  ask  that  tliis  ac- 
count of  my  life,  and  tlie  events  that  have  entered  into  it,  may  Ik- 
])rcscrved  in  the  archives  of  the  dislin<^^iiisiied  As.sociaiion  to  whic:h 
we  bi'ionti. 

1  trust,  Iherelbie,  tliat  tlie  offering  I  herewith  make  may  i)rove 
acee]»tahle  Ixith  to  yourself  and  to  tlu'  .Memhcrs  ol'  tin'  Associa- 
tion. And  1  take  lea\e  to  add  that,  wliile  the  inei.lents  recounted 
in  this  \olume  are  mine,  yet  tne  j^lowinii  manner  in  which  they 
are  set  forth  heloie^s  to  my  valued  personal  friend,  the  J^■v.  Dr. 
Sunderland,  to  whose  communication  1  would  res|)ectfully  call 
your  attention. 

With  sentimcnis  of  hijjh  esteem,  1  am, 
Truly  yours,  &e.. 


WmZ^ 


-,]      S\:\<-  ,:  .-OT,'*";!,.    .',  }■ 


THE  ORIGIN  OP  THE  FOLLOWING  BIOGRAPHICAL 
SKETCH. 


Jn  the  years  1877  '78  I  liad  a  mimlier  nl'  \  ci  y  intiuiate  oonver- 
salidiis  with  Dr.  William  (umtoii  in  ivl'ciciicc  tu  the  sldry  uf  Iiis 
l(nm-  rarccr.  I  have  l;ii(i\\  n  liiiii  iicr^diiaiiy  li.r  the  last  (jiiaitcr  ofa 
century,  and  1  felt  a  dee])  interest  in  knowinij;  nioic  ol'  tlie  speeitic 
iiuidents  liiat  have  marked  his  lih'.  );y  many  (|  nest  ions,  uhieli  I 
took  tlie  iiherty  or  pronoundinu.  1  drew  (.ut  from  him  the  faets 
on  whieh  the  lullowin- Skeleh  was  founded.  Tlic  style  J  have 
adopted  in  predentin-  these  laet>  is  one  for  whieh  1  only  am  re- 
spon-ihle,  and  the  work  1  have  iierlormed  is  one  wliich  1  can  sin- 
e.rely  call  a  lal.or  of  love,  I  ha\  e  eoneei  v,d  it  at  l.'ast  the  nu-st 
tittinii  ollerin-  1  eau  lay  on  tlie  altar  of  Memory  to  one  whom  it 
has  heen  my  ]iri\  ile-e  to  know  so  hniu,-.  Ami  if  its  testimony  shall 
pro\e  as  uratifyiuK  to  his  jiosterity  as  its  preparation  lias  heen  to 
myself,  tlu-y  will  cherish  it  as  amoULj  the  most  precious  relics  of 
his  character  and  name. 


/f     ^ 


^Sc.-U'^iffUt/tyC.^Ci^-r'^CC 


Pador  Fird  Fns.  Chui 


Washington,  Noc.  ^titli,  1878. 


:A'>ri'->.,.;i(<(,:;  i.f;<iV'.'vT/io'i 


j>->.%  v,.;i^ 


>•  %■ 


DR.  WILLIAM  CtIINTON. 


In  the  time  ..f  William  ilie  Conqueror,  A.  D.  1066-1087, 
the  (juiit<iiis  were  :i  slroiij^^  family  among  the  gentry  of  Nor- 
f  )lk.  Their  hinds  lay  about  iniilway  between  Norwich,  the 
capital  of  the  county,  and  C'romer,  on  the  coast  of  the  North 
Hca.  (Juntun  Hall  stood  some  lour  or  live  miles  N.  Iv  of 
Aylsham.  The  Guntoii  lands  were  in  (Junton,  Marsham  or 
Martham,  ilemcsby,  Dalling,  Worstede,  and  Casti-e. 

Matthew  de  (ruuton  was  lord  of  the  Manor  in  the  reign 
of  Henry  I.,  A.  1).  1122. 

His  two  sons  were  Roger  and  Thomas,  who  eac.li  had  a 
moiety,  styled  Over  Hall  and  Nether  Hall.  This  divi.^ion  of 
the  (Tiinton  estate  seems  lo  have  continued  for  a  iong  jjcriod. 

Bartholomciw  de  (junton  held  one  moiety  t)r  lordshi]*  in 
the  reign  of  Richard  I.,  A.  D.  1189. 

In  the  lirst  year  of  King  Jolin,  A.  I).  1199,  there  was  a 
pleading  al)out  lands  in  Martham  and  Hemesby  between 
Walter  de  Ba.ssingham  and  the  liishop  of  Norwich,  in  which 
lands  the  family  De  Gunton  had  an  important  interest. 

in  the  eighth  year  of  Henry  Hi.,  A.  I).  1224,  we  liml 
another  ^lalthew  de  Gunton  in  })o.<session,  wIkj  had  married 
l.sabell,  daughter  and  heir  of  .Sii'  Robert  de  ('astre,  and  who 
granteil  by  tint:  to  the  Prior  of  Norwich  the  advous<in  of  the 


Yi^'  \U\U.\] 


■.'^•.  ,a.A,-.-'-;ur,-.  J..'^ 


•t.s(.'    i. 


,1  t' 


.1    e'    ^:'M.:., 


I  DR.   WILLIAM    GUNTON. 

Church  of  Martham.  He  also,  A.  D.  1228,  being  lrji-,1  of 
Carftre  in  right  of  liis  wife,  granted  to  Thomas  de  Castre  and 
his  heirs  certain  lands,  services,  and  customs. 

We  find  also  that  Sir  Roger  de  Gunton,  son  of  this  Sir 
Matthew,  gave  a  messuage  and  land  to  God  and  tlie  Ciiurch 
of  the  Holy  Trinity  of  Norwich. 

The  son  (jf  this  Roger  was  again  Sir  Matthew  de  Gunton, 
v/honi  wo  find  in  possession  in  the  reign  of  llenrv  III., 
A.  D.  1235.  Tlis  daughter  Isahell  married  William  de 
Stalham,  to  whom  Sir  ^latthew  granted  a  jjortion  of  his 
estates  in  Dal  ling  and  ^V^)rstede. 

AVe  find  John  de  Gunton,  brother  of  this  Sir  Matthew, 
holding  a  moiety  of  the  Gunton  INIanor  in  the  reign  ol' 
Edward  I.,  A.  D.  1277.  This  John  died  without  issue, 
leaving  his  sisters  antl  co-heirs — 

Isabella,  wife  of  Roger  de  Bavent. 
Margaret,  wife  of  John  de  ]\Iithw(jld. 
Catlierine,  wife  of  Sinu)n  de  Lincoln. 
Sibbilla,  wife  of  John  di;  Gyminghani. 
Juliana,  wife  of  Simon  I'eche. 
In  the  reign  ol'  Edward  H.,  A.  D.  1323,  we  find  a  Sir 
Roger   de   Gunton,    jjossessor  <jf  a  moiety  of  the   (junton 
Manor,  Rector  of  the  Cliun-li  of  St.  Andrews,  and   tliat  he 
dieil  that  year. 

In  the  reign  of  Edward  III.,  A.  D.  1343,  we  find  another 
John  de  Gunton  in  possession. 

And  in  the  same  reign,  A.  D.  1347,  we  liml  a  Sir  Thomas 
de  Gunton  lord  of  the  Manor  of  LanHiam. 


,rj'>rK\iO  if^Jid.'.'  I-  .;!'.! 


.'■.i(.i'tf-//r)  ji,;;,       ■:.; ,-':  <-■:  .  ■!,;  ;!  .  !    ■     .     -   '  '  :    -:  1 


DR.  AVILLIAM    GUNTON.  3 

We  next  find  Milicentia,  daughter  and  heir  of  Sir  Walter 
de  Gunton,  wlio  married  Sir  Walter  do  Walcot,  by  wliuni 
she  had  a  son,  the  see(jnd  Sir  AValtcr. 

Tliis  Sir  Walter  married  Joan,  daughter  of  Sir  William 
Cloptun.  F(nir  daughters  and  codieirs  were  the  issue  of 
this  marriage — 

IMargaret,  wife  of  Rirney. 
Elizal)eth,  wife  of  Wylton. 
Catliariue,  wife  of  D(n-\vard. 
Margery,  a  nun  of  Carhow  Abbey. 
Joan,   granddaughter-in-law  of  Sir   Walter  de  Gunton, 
and  relict  of  Sir  Walter  dc;  Waleot,  then  married  Sir  Roger 
Beauchami),  and  after  his  death  she  obtained  letters  of  ad- 
ininistralion  on  his  estate,  A.  D.  1374. 

In  the  year  A.  D.  1781  a  very  fidl  and  accurate  history 
of  the  county  of  Norf  ilk  was  publislied,  from  which  it  aj)- 
pears  tliat  Gunton  Ilidl  was  at  that  time  the  seat  of  Sir 
Harbord  Harbord,  and  tiie  following  reference  is  made  to 
the  grounds  and  buildings: 

"Ciunluii  ]f;ill  is  at  piTseiit  a  small  house,  but  is  ^oiiig  to  bo 
cnlai-cd,  ami  lias  lately  been  oniauieiitea  with  new  olticcs  under 
the  diivetion  of  .Mr.  Wyatt.  Tiicy  are  l,y  I'ar  the  most  complete 
l)uildin,L;s  lor  tin-  iiuri.esc  of  any  in  this  Kin.ndom.  The  new  style 
ot  arehiteelurc  is  by  its  li-hlness  and  .  \lreme  elesiance  well 
adapted  tu  olliees,  and  these  are  particularly  worthy  the  alleiuion 
of  stranjiers  iVom  the  studied  eontrixaiiee  lor  eonvenieiiey  in  the 
apartments,  as  also  lor  the  slate  coverini;,  which  consists  of  small 
sijuare  jneces  of  slate,  each  fastened  with  wood  screws. 

Not  far  from  the  bouse  is  the  parish  Church,  which,  by  the  late 
Sir  William  Harbord,  was  taken  down  and  rebuilt  with  a  ma<j;nili- 


s 


.y.oi'v.-ji)  if  J  i.T.riv    ;i- 


iiiuif//   ifif  ,-1  "r  Lmxi.  a     .vf  7  .!:Mij))iO  oh 

'■*.->  ',!(fi.-i   :■>.;  e'lf-y  &i'.!fir.)  Liu;  <:■■•. id;.  .^L   ,i  v/'-J      .•tr,»(jvr.> 


\:)0<\L  v/0i{jj  J    .     i.t  I    .;    '■(■m;<0/^ 


:,     .liiM. 


Wf       ,      .         „.,H-, 


4  DU.   WILLIAM    GIINTON. 

coiit  portii'o  of  the  Doric  order.  This  receives  an  additional  degree 
of  sanriity  from  two  vcnera])le  druidical  oaks  which  -irace  tlie 
front  of  it." 

Tlie  house  and  offices  stand  on  an  eminence,  but  as  they 
were  not  sufficiently  advanced  to  permit  any  drawn  repre- 
sentation of  theni  at  the  time  of  the  publication  of  tlie 
history,  unly  the  Cluircli,  slandinc;  in  the  spaci(nis  park, 
could  be  illustrated  by  the  woj-k  of  the  artist,  the  coi)y  of 
which  is  here  lu  be  seen,  showing-  the  singularly  venerable 
beauty  of  the  Gunton  Clmrcli  and  its  noble  environment. 

The  Cln-onicles  slu.w,  in  process  of  time,  that  while  the 
nameof  (iuuton  remained  to  the  Hall,  the  lands  were  trans- 
ferred under  other  titles  and  many  branches  of  the  family 
became  extinct.  80  tiiat  after  the  lai)se  of  four  hundred 
years,  the  date  when  this  sketch  should  properly  begin, 
there  was  but  a  single  household  of  the  name  of  (niuloii 
in  all  that  part  of  the  country. 

This  was  tlie  family  of  Mr.  Thomas  Gunton,  attorney-at- 
law  of  Aylsham,  who  liad  luarried  Mi.<s  Jane  iNIendham  of 
Lynn,  a  sister  of  the  Kev.  William  Mendham,  a  dissenting 
minister  at  liriston.  T\\\<  family  consisted  of  father,  mother, 
and  six  children  :  Thomas,  Kli/.alteth,  Mary,  William,  Har- 
riet, and  Anne. 

William,  the  subject  of  this  artie|r\  was  born  at  Aylsham, 
Norfolk  Go.,  Eng.,  Oct.  iMItli,  17l»l,  and  named  for  his  ma- 
ternal uncle,  William  Mendham  (iuntoii.  The  mi.ldli' 
name,  ht>wever,  has  been  omitted,  and  he  has  long  been 
known  as  Dr.  William  (Junton,  his  autograjih  "W.  (Jiniton" 


:  !'-i!i. .;■>.!  ,•'.1  ■lUl'.m  ■<■<  :.■;(,  :>'■!);. >        "'I..1'     '        ;    Im   /IiM'    ; 


w..   ^  tl    iUjH  '.'I'     •!    i    ... 


.j!J....i-     (iji 


V,        -       I,       ;jl:|     .<j^, 


DR.   WnJJAM    OIINTOX.  f) 

being-  of  tlu'  sinii)k'st  pos:;il)le  toi'iii,  hut  written  in  larao 
bluif  characters  ami  connected  hy  a  pecuHar  link-like  tioiu-isli 
so  familiar  to  many  eyes,  llow  he  acquired  the  title  of 
Doctor  will  sul)se(iuently  aii])ear. 

Aylshaiu  or  (as  pronounced)  J'^lsham  stands  on  a  branch 
of  the  river  IJure  and  directly  in  the  route  troin  Xor- 
wicii,  almost  dui'  north  to  Cri)nier,  about  eleven  mik'S 
from  tlie  former,  and  ten  from  the  latter  i)lace.  A  cenlnrv 
a,u(j  it  was  a  pretty  market-town  of  some  4,000  penple.  It 
had  been  famous  for  the  -^uperim'ity  of  its  linen  textures, 
wlien  the  principal  husiness  of  the  place  was  the  pi'oduetion 
of  these  fabrics.  It  tiien  stood  with  its  line  Ohui-ch  and 
Rectory,  its  j)rincii)al  inn,  called  tiie  "Black  IJoys,"  its 
open  streets  and  blocks  of  well-built  stores  and  dwelliii!^- 
houses,  its  spacious  mai-ket-S(piare,  its  extensive'  Jlour-mill, 
its  high  bridge  over  the  Bure,  its  lately  iinished  canal  ter- 
minating at  th(!  bridge  and  raising  high  hopes  of  increased 
business  in  navigation,  its  chalybeatt,'  s(tring,  once  a  gn'at 
resort  but  now  abandoned  and  hedged  in  by  shrubs  and 
primroses.  Its  principal  school  was  kej^t  by  a  clergyman, 
minister,  or  teat^her,  in  his  own  residence,  an  ordinary  threo 
story  house,  where  he  had  some  forty  pujals,  children  of 
the  well-to-do  families,  while  there  were  some  minor  schools 
for  children  in  huml)ler  circumstances.  Beside  the  usual 
holidays,  it  had  two  aimual  fairs,  Mandi  23d  and  Septendier 
2()th,  and  also  Ijammas  day,  which  was  August  1st,  the  day 
of  the  feast  of  fruits  and  paying  in  of  tithes.  The  town  was 
distant  about  one  and  a  half    miles  from    Blickling   ITall 


,  v;i) !  /;;:)  'i' 


At,  I 


V^'  -ji 


A^-:.-^ 


D  DR.   AVFLIJAM    GUNTON. 

and  lake,  the  seat  uf  a  noble  Baron,  Henry  Holiart.  It 
was  in  a  level  conntry,  much  of  uhirli  was  covered  witli 
forest,  where  ])artri(lges,  pheasants,  and  hares  furnished 
abundant  game,  and  where  nian-trai)s  and  spring-guns  were 
thickly  set  to  i)revent  jioaching,  cpiite  prevalent  in  those 
days. 

The  sports  of  the  young  consisted  of  races  in  the  market- 
place, tishiug  and  bathing  in  the  stream,  and  skating  on  the 
lake  of  Blickliiig  wlienevcr  the  ice  was  suificiently  strong. 
In  tlie  days  to  which  this  narrative  refers,  the  Bishop  of 
Norwich,  whose  Bee  embraced  this  region,  was  represented 
by  his  church  Rector,  a  stout  man  of  the  name  of  Collyer, 
who  was  at  the  same  time  a  Major  of  militia,  Mannuer  of 
balls,  and  Director  of  all  plays  enacted  in  the  theatre,  which 
was  then  a  common  barn-building  turned  into  a  play-hou.se. 
And  by  virtue  of  all  thoi;  high  ofHccs  he  got  the  tithes. 

The  house  of  INIr.  Attorney  Gunton  was  a  long  two-.story 
brick  structure,  with  his  otHce  at  the  extreme  end,  a  garden 
at  the  side,  and  a  small  yard  fronting  to  the  East.  Here 
for  twenty  years  he  C(jntinued  the  practice  of  his  profession — 
chiefly  in  civil  suits — his  business  being  not  to  plead,  but 
carefully  to  ])repare  ca.ses  for  counsellors  who  d'nl. 

Meanwhile  the  childi-i'U  were  gi'owing  u]),  an<l  for  some 
of  the  later  years  of  this  ptTiod,  Thomas,  the  eldest,  was 
employed  in  his  father's  oilice.  At  about  the  age  of  ten, 
William  was  sent  to  the  principal  school  of  the  }ilace,  then 
in  charge  of  the  Rev.  INIr.  Allison.  Here  he  c(jntinued  for 
about  four  years,  acquiring  such  knowledge  of  the  English 


.iiory\r,.> 


■'!'■  '■■■^'    ■'"!•' 

-.  f>,    (:.:-./: 

X       ■■■>■'.  A 


'¥9. 


DR.  Wn.LIAlM    GUNTON,  7 

language  and  otlior  rudiments  as  tlio  elementary  instruction 
of  those  times  cuuld  impart.  The  boy  soon  took  the  head  of 
his  class,  where  with  rare  exceptions  he  remained.  Indeed, 
he  was  noted  for  doing  well  all  he  undertook.  Of  a  strong, 
vigorous  English  constitution,  he  was  foremost  among  his 
compianions  in  all  athletic  pastimes.  He  often  stood  in  the 
mill-door,  where  ti'W  were  ])rivileged  to  he  for  the  i)uri)ose, 
and  fished  in  the  stream  whicli  came  rolling  <lown  the  flume. 
Again,  he  would  sport  in  the  water  helow  the  mill,  the  finest 
of  all  the  swimmers.  Then  he  would  speed  over  the  glassy 
ice  the  most  lithe  and  supple  of  the  .-katers.  And  again, 
he  would  be  I'unning  races  in  tlie  Juarket-square,  the  fleetest 
of  all  the  runners. 

This  was  the  kind  of  boy  he  was— yet  withal,  exceedingly 
modest  and  easily  abashed.  An  instance  of  this  is  told  of 
him  at  a  dinner  at  his  LTncle  Mendham's,  in  Briston.  The 
prJncii)al  dish  wa^  a  roasted  ox-heart,  which,  though  higldy 
rclisht'd  by  many  people,  the  lad  could  not  stomach.  A\'ith 
abundance  of  it  on  his  plate,  he  could  neither  swallow  it  ui>v 
else  dispose  of  it.  Ilis  ])lague  all  through  the  dinner  houi' 
was  how  to  manage  not  to  attract  observation.  Thankful 
when  it  was  over,  he  will  ])robably  remendjer  that  dinner  to 
the  latest  day  of  his  life. 

The  tide  of  emigration  from  Europe  was  about  that  time 
setting  strongly  outward.  iMany  fandlius  had  sought  new 
fortunes  in  the  Western  world.  There  was  scarcely  any 
neighborhood  in  the  British  Islands  from  which  some  ijersona 
had  not  come  to  America.     The  new  liepublic  was  growing 


jioi ;•'.)• -(t^c!  rj\h'  xM.A'i  \ii.i  ■■'■■  :><•■. 


f(...,,^     -,:l  10c 


^/''  lU  ';;!-    .f.;J,'ul 


li-      .  •( 


8  DR.  WILLIAM   GUNTON. 

in  popularity,  and  the  National  Government  liad  e^^tablislied 
its  seat  at  Washington.  The  cities  of  Alexandria  and 
Georgetown  were  witliin  the  iiuiious  Distriet,  and  tlie  cur- 
rent of  the  broad  Potomac  rolled  between  them.  (Jorres- 
pondeuee  of  adventurers  with  the  friends  at  home  stimulated 
still  further  the  spirit  of  adventure. 

All  this  was  })assing  in  tlu'  miud  of  Mr.  Thomas  Gunton 
about  the  year  A.  D.  l^OG.  Advising  with  IVieiids,  some 
counselled  him  to  go  to  Buenos  Ayres,  but  the  scale  of 
probabilities  soon  turned  in  favor  of  the  laud  of  the  Stars 
and  Stripes,  and  of  the  District  of  ('olumbia,  as  tlu;  point 
of  destinatitni.  Accordingly  he  set  about  j)rei»aration  to 
trans})lant  his  family  on  these  Western  shores — a  far  more 
fbrmitlable  undertaking  than  the  i)resent  generation  are 
likely  to  conceive.  Tiieu,  instead  of  what  we  now  witness, 
but  a  single  vessel  in  a  year  set  out  from  Liverpo(d  for 
Alexandria — and  that  was  a  sailing  vessel — relatively  small, 
with  slender  accommodations,  many  discomforts,  and  the 
voyage,  even  when  [jros^ji^rous,  re([uiring  nt'arly  three  nntnths' 
tiuie. 

But  the  decision  made,  his  jn-actice  was  given  uj),  his 
furniture  st)ld,  and  the  house  abandoned.  His  son  Thomas 
found  a  })lace  at  a  fair  salary  in  the  Tjaw  Oliice  of  Messrs. 
"  Foster,  Unthank  and  Foster,"  of  Norwich,  taking  with 
liim  his  mother  and  sisters  to  reside  till  they,  too,  could 
follow  to  America. 

The  father  and  his  son,  William,  armed  with  letters  to  a 
Mr.   Thomas    C.    Wright,   already  settled    in    Georgetown, 


(,  ■  ..::mi  ,1  !i; 


DR.   WILIJAM    GUNTON.  \) 

made  their  way,  in  the  sprinj^M)!'  1807,  to  Liverpoul,  tukiug 
on  their  rt^nte  Wi.sbech  and  Peterliorough,  wiierc  they  found 
acquaintanees.  It  was  between  these  j)hices  that  William 
saw  for  the  first  and  last  time  an  iMiylish  May-pole,  wliich 
greatly  delighted  him  ;  and  while  sto}»|ting  at  the  latter  place 
a  grand  fete  was  in  progress  in  honor  of  the  day  when  some 
favored  Englishman  was  attaining  his  niaj<irity.  The  town 
was  in  a  blaze  of  enthusiasm,  a  whole  ox  was  roasted, 
and  some  friends  of  W^illiam  went  out  witli  him  to  share  in 
tlie  spe(;taele.  On  this  day  Ijarrels  of  beer  twenty-one 
years  old,  kept  all  that  time  in  prospect,  were  broached, 
and  freely  dis[)ensetl  among  the  people.  William  drank 
about  a  wineglass.  When  lie  got  back  to  the  Iini  he  was 
too  weary  to  be  able  to  pidl  oti"  his  boots!  The  liquor  had 
so  fatigued  him  !  This  was  a  cause  of'  grief  and  mortilica- 
tion  both  to  father  and  son,  and  left  such  a  lesson  behind  it 
as  the  boy  nevt'r  forgot. 

Bidding  their  tViends  a  long  farewell,  they  reacheil  Liver- 
{)0ol  and  found  they  must  there  wait  for  the  sailing  vessel 
for  many  weeks.  This  time  was  spent  by  the  father  in  mak- 
ing inquiries,  arranging  details,  and  preparing  for  the  voy- 
age, while  William,  who  then  thought  he  would  be  a  [jrint- 
er,  amused  himself  in  one  of  the  large  printing  establish- 
ments of  the  (.;ity,  where  he  acquired  an  inei[>ient  taste  for 
that  business. 

But  at  length  the  day  of  departure  came,  and  on  duly 
23d,  1807,  the  vessel,  "  William  and  J(jhn,"  droi)ped  down 
the  Mersey  seeking  the  Western  sea,  and  launched  on  a  rough 


M><\  A.- 


■1/  •.<    .t^  '.l-tr.rr 


10  DK.   Wn>LIAM    GUNTON. 

wild  voyage.  Captain  Woodhoiise,  whose  brotlier  was  first 
Mate,  shared  his  quarters  with  Gildea,  another  sca-caj)tain, 
now  a  passenger.  The  cabin  was  wholly  occupied  by  IMr. 
Kincaid,  wife,  and  i'our  or  five  children,  one  of  whom  was 
already  a  young  lady — people  from  tSculland.  Mr.  Kincaid 
was  coming  over  to  America  in  some  oliicial  capacity,  hav- 
ing a  friend  in  Mr.  Patton,  British  Consul  at  Alexandria. 
Besides  these,  were  the  Guntons,  Messrs.  Gordon,  Atkinson, 
IMartin,  and  one  or  two  others. 

The  Kincaids  had  brouiihl  with  them  a  barrel  of  oat-nical, 
which,  in  addition  to  the  ship's  i'are,  tiiey  esteemed  (piite  a 
luxury.  The  first  three  weeks  interfered  somewhat  with 
the  ap})etites  of  the  voyagers,  but  after  that  they  could  man- 
age anything  but  the  oat-meal  of  the  Scotchman. 

The  caj)tain  was  one  of  the  most  profime  men  when  no 
serious  danger  threatened,  lie  would  walk  the  quarter- 
deck for  hours,  cursing  the  wind  and  sea  and  the  God  of  both, 
and  calling  down  on  his  ship  all  manner  of  inq)recations. 
Mr.  Gunton's  l»hie  coat  with  covered  buttons  giving  him 
a  somewhat  clerical  appearance,  JNIrs.  Kincaid,  alarmed  at 
the  amazing  profanity  of  the  commander,  once  requested 
him  to  si)eak  to  the  captain,  almost  fearing  that  Provitlence 
might  take  him  at  his  word  and  sentl  them  all  to  the  bottom 
together.  Yet  it  was  very  noticeable  lliat  wlieii  real  dan- 
ger seemed  im])eiidiiig  the  cajitain  ceasctl  his  swearing  and 
moved  about  with  reverence  or  at  least  tlie  gravity  of  silence. 

The  long  voyage  was  at  last  drawing  to  comjtletion  ;  the 
vessel  had  sighted  the  Cajies,  and,  while  ascending  the  Chesa- 


i»m  ^Ji-V  'ij.:i-        ■■    ■  '''f>jo7''^  )!•:.!».!•>'-) 


•!;-!./■  .]..Mi:,-:v.?!r.J- 


DR.   WnXIAM    GUNTON.  11 

peake  Bay,  at  lengtl\  liailcd  u  scliooner  l)i)un(l  to  Baltimore, 
whicli  took  one  or  two  of  tlie  little  coiiijniiiy  to  tliat  city, 
leaving  the  remainder  to  continue  their  voyage  u\}  the 
Pot<jmac.  And  they  were  yet  two  weeks  in  reaching  Alex- 
andria. During  this  fortnight  the  stores  of  the  vessel  hav- 
ing been  well  exhausted,  sui)plies  were  (h'awn  almost  daily 
from  the  shore,  the  }jriiici})al  article  of  which,  new  t(^  the 
emigrants,  was  the  AnuTican  yam  (sweet  potato),  and 
which  unfortunately  seemed  not  to  be  a  liiivorite  \vith  the 
new  comers. 

As  thev  were  appniaching  the  town  on  Saturday,  the  last 
day  of  the  voyage,  ^Master  William,  eager  with  cxi)ectation, 
was  moving  tdjout  the  deck,  when  a  strong  whisk  of  wind 
striking  across  the  vessel,  between  the  main  and  mizzen 
mast,  swei)t  his  hat  overboard,  and  it  was  gone  beyond  re- 
covery. With  bared  head,  thus  the  lad  approached  the 
soil  of  his  future  editrts  and  t)'ium})hs. 

But  as  the  vessel  drew  to  the  dock  at  midnight  the  moon 
shone  dtnvn  in  her  full  silver  beaut}',  almost  ecli[jsing  the 
dancing  lights  which  flickered  here  and  there  with  a  feeble 
ray.  It  was  Ucti)l)er  ISth,  1807,  and  they  were  sale  again 
onshore!  And  though  so  liir  IVom  home  and  li.imily,  yet 
with  what  gladness  and  heartfelt  gratitude  they  pro(,'eedcd 
to  the  "Ararshall  House,"  the  liisl  roof  (o  shelter  the 
strangers,  and  where  their  iirst  lircakhist  was  eaten  on  kSuu- 
day  morning,  those  can  tell  who  have  in  a  sinnlar  way 
escaped  the  ])erils  of  the  great  deej)  and  found  themselves 
once  more  on  terra  fiiina. 


.•/!OVV!-j;"> 


■.nOfii.,;lv.i  <'♦ 


yfiuj  j  •(Mile  ■■  '     .    •    ii'Mriuiii-r-^* 


;fi !      I*  I'i 

,1    '••     /:;,! 


:u,   u.,,i    .j-...in'   .1 


12  DR.   WnjJAM    GUNTON. 

The  boy  had  luul  enouuh  of  the  oeciui.  He  has  never 
tried  it  i^iiice  !  The  first  tiling  in  tlie  inorninu' was  to  re- 
place his  hat — a  matter  of  some  difhculty,  it  being  the  Sal)- 
bath,  and  [>laees  of  ])usiness  closed.  However,  on  ex})laiii- 
ing  to  a  hat  vendor  the  necessity,  the  scruple  gave  way,  and 
the  hat  was  f  )rthcoming.  Invitations  came  for  supper  at 
the  house  of  ^Ii'.  Entwisle,  an  iMiglishman  residing  in  the 
city,  and  the  same  evening  INlr.  Gunfon  and  son,  and  iAFcssrs. 
JMartin,  (b/rdon,  and  Atkinson  were  seated  at  the  table  of 
their  new-made  friend,  where  they  found  a  gent'rous  pro- 
vision and  a  ln'.arty  wek;ome. 

On  the  f  illowing  day  the  Uuntons  found  a  small  Packet, 
Caj)taiii  MclMierson,  running  to  Georgetown,  aii<l  at  once 
availed  themselves  of  the  oj)portuuity  to  I'cacli  tln'ir  desti- 
nation. vVnxions  not  to  be  set  down  at  the  wrong  |»lace, 
as  soon  as  he  stepped  on  board  the  l*aeket  ^Ir.  (Junton  be- 
gan making  iiKpiiries  of  a  group  of  passengers  who  were  go- 
ing up  the  i-ivi')-,  and,  singularly  enough,  he  f  )und  in  the 
person  who  answered  to  his  questions,  a  Mr.  Gooper,  an  old 
friend  whom  lie  had  known  in  iMigland.  This  genllenian, 
coming  from  Norwich,  had  been  residing  here  a  numlier  of 
years  and  w:is  able  readily  to  give  the  desired  inf  »i'm;ition. 
On  reaching  Georgetown  they  soon  found  Mr.  Wi'ight,  to 
whom  their  letters  were  dirootod,  and  win*  received  them 
warmly,  and  at  once  extended  them  the  liospitaHty  of  liis 
house.  They  found  here  also  a  Mr.  Bell,  who  had  \n\'- 
ceded  them  by  a  few  months,  and  a  number  of  gentlemen 
from  England   already  in  the  employ  (;f  the  Government, 


.-.'.oryjio  t^v :  i 


,f-M''i 


.1,.     I 


,,.!■-/     ,1,1 


DR.   WIIXIAM    GUNTON.  13 

uniong  wiioin  were  Nieliola.s  and  Robert  King,  the  former  u 
survi'vor,  Mr.  jNlore,  in  tlic  Ltiiid  Office,  John  Giirdneruud 
Dr.  Dinmore,  also  clerks  un(U'r  the  Government,  and  otliers. 
His  lioi)e  was  to  obtain  a  (iovernment  jjosition,  hnt  as 
this  was  not  feasible  at  lliis  time,  he  opened  a  school  in  a 
house  of  Mr.  Mecklin,  bet \Neen  what  was  then  known  as  tlu- 
Six  and  Seven  ihiildings,  near  the  residence  of  the  British 
Minister,  on  rennsylvaiiia  avenue,  having  among  hi.<  pupils 
a  young  girl  who  afterwards  became  the  famous  "  Mrs. 
Eaton."  lu'lincpiishing  his  school  after  :i  time,  he  became 
private  tutor  in  the  family  <jf  George  (Jalvert,  Kscp,  who 
resided  at  Kiversdale,  near  IMadensburgh,  and  at  the  end  of 
two  years  he  i)btained  a  clerkshii)  in  the  Laiul  (Jthce,  which 
lie  retained  to  the  time  of  his  death  in  1821. 

Mr.  Cooper  had  just  undertaken  to  publish  a  small  news- 
pa[)er  of  octavo  form,  with  .John  I>.  Golvin,  editor.  Into 
this  office  tlu-  son,  William  (iiniton,  entered,  with  the  imr- 
pose  of  following  the  business  <if  a  printer.  Hut  an  expe- 
rience of  a  m(.idh  or  six  weeks  led  to  :i  distaste  for  this  kind 
of  life  an.l  i.rei)ared  him  for  some  more  congenial  pursuit. 
About  that  time  Dr.  John  Ott,  a  druggist  of  some  years' 
standing  in  (Jeorgetown,  whose  store  was  located  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Bridge  and  High  streets,  was  in  want  of  an  attend- 
ant, and  on  speaking  of  it  to  Mr.  Wright,  the  Doctor  was 
advised  by  him  to  .secure  the  servic'c  of  the  son  of  Mr.  Gun- 
ton.  Negotiation  was  at  once  opened,  and  Wdliam  was 
apprenticed  by  his  father  to  Dr.  Ott.  The  terms  of  com- 
iHiisation   were  board   and    clothing  and  twenty-live  (h.llars 


M 


/o';;^'!';. 


14  DR.   WILLIAM    GUNTON. 

annually  for  spcnrling-uioney.  Thus  the  lad,  hoardiuii  with 
Dr.  Ott,  settled  down  to  the  business  of  druggist,  and  so 
obtained  the  title  of  Uoetor. 

Almost  ininiediately  on  their  arrival  in  America,  meas- 
ures growing  out  of  the  dilHeidty  l)et\veen  the  "('liesa- 
peake"  and  the  "  Leopard," suspended  tlie  entrance  of  Ib'it- 
isli  vessids  into  Amt;rican  jiorts.  I'^irst  the;  embargo  and 
then  the  non-interet)urse  law,  lasting  tor  several  years,  dis- 
sipated all  hopes  of  the  coming  of  that  jtart  of  flie  fimily 
left  behind  in  Norwich.  Tlie  war  with  l^igland  ensued, 
and  it  was  not  till  the  year  1817  that  ihi;  mother,  sisters, 
and  brother  rejoined  those  wlu;  had   jirecfded  them  hither. 

At  this  C))och  Georgetown,  lirst  laid  out  in  1751  and  iu- 
cor]):»rated  by  the  State  of  Maryland  in  17SU,  was  vii'tually 
the  principal  place  oi'  business  east  of  the  Potomac  in  the  1  )is- 
trict  of  Columbia.  A  cluster  of  hou^es  at  the  Navy-yard 
had  been  rapidly  collected,  hut  between  these  two  pi)ints, 
Washington,  the;  Capital  (Jity,  thougli  surveyt'd  and  ninppcd 
out,  lay  in  almost  virgin  ludvedut'ss.  The  grand  avi'iiue  of 
Pennsylvania,  running  frum  (uie  extreme  to  the  other,  had 
indeed  been  o]»ened,  as  had  also  parts  nl  other  streets  in  its 
vicinity.  The  buildings  in  the  city  could  then  easily  be 
coujited.  Neai' tlie  Georgetown  Cirtde  sl<»od  the  Six  and 
Seven  Buildings,  and  in  the  vii-inity  ilie  Ijoai'ding-hou-e  oi' 
Mr.  William  O'.Neal,  the  hither  of  the  nou  noted  Mrs. 
]']aton.  Ab(jut  where  the  Treasury  liuilding  now  stands 
were  three  or  fjur  houses.  Near  what  i>  the  t-orner  of  12tli 
street  and  the  Avenue    were  two  or  three  more.      Near  the 


I     ■   1  .    ■     li 


r       f,  .  ,  r.' 


I  ;'••■/ 


DR.   WILLIAIM   GUNTON.  15 

corner  of  7th  street  and  the  Avenue  were  one  or  two  Iniild- 
ings,  in  one  of  which  ii  Mv.  Hamuel  Harrison  Smith  had 
established  a  newspaper,  styled  the  "  National  Intelligcnt'Cr," 
a  journal  which  afterwards  obtained  a  mcjst  envial)le  rcjjuta- 
tion,and  was  huig  cuntinui'd  by  his  successors,  Mc-r^rs.  (  udes 
&  Scatun,  as  the  praicii)al  news|»aper  of  tin.'  Cai)itul.  Near 
l)y  was  a  little  building  called  the  "INIarsh  Market,"  which 
has  sinix'  been  replaced  by  the  splendid  structure  of  the 
Center  Market  of  this  day.  Further  along,  on  Capitol  Hill, 
was  Long's  Hotel,  (piite  fmious  in  its  day  as  a  resort  of  the 
public  men  of  the  nation;  and  liually  the  city  tapered  oti" 
in  a  dozen  brick-yards,  which  extended  down  to  the  river  it- 
self B:it  most  of  the  area  of  the  National  Capital  was  then 
covered  with  bushes  and  undergrowth,  which  fell  otl'  here 
and  thereinto  pasture  grounds  and  commons,  or  termiiiat(.'(l 
in  slashes  and  marshes.  Nearly  the  wh(»le  of  the  lower 
part  of  what  is  now  called  the  ^Mall  was  then  a  piece  of 
wet,  nrarshy  ground  covered  with  reeds  and  wancopins, 
where  spu'tsuien  shot  ortolan,  where  cattle  fa-mcd  paths  in 
zigzag  courses,  whei-e  lu'ii-roes  hunted  straying  cows  with 
tinkling  l)ells  al)out  their  necks,  and  where  lishermen  oiteu 
t  jok  their  spoil,  especially  at  full  tide.  Many  })arts  of  the 
Avenue  touched  the  water's  edge,  and  the  road  was  "cordu- 
roy." Logs  were  piled  in  to  lill  u[)  the  mud-holes  and 
miry  ])laces  along  the  route.  Once  crossing  the  Aveiuie  at 
7th  street,  our  young  druggist  lost  a  shoe,  which  sank  into 
the  ooze  and  was -with  some  dilliculty  recovered. 

Cut  Jelferson,    wlio   was    then    President,    in   his   second 


(!.f 


.^.0'i'V.-jt; 


.:)»;.•    f;,.rt, 


■..'    lii   it- 


.■■        ,.     ■    ..      ■        .    ii.  I-    •■';    V  . 

:'       '■■,.  _   ;■■■;..    ,:'     .'Mi:'.    :-  .r*^     iMn< 

'.       •V-,.     i,iiir-'!^    i'-«->r'i/i    -'"  ^- 
ir    W.  .;    ,.i-')iUil  ':)•»•>;( /^   '•"::  .'■■■'■•.    ■ 

■J.),  u.  ■  :  A  ,  1,1  ":  ill  i.  ,"  <■;■!;•,  '"'. 
:  ,  .;  ■■  ;i.  .1  !  ■  0  'KiJ  .f^  '  ;:  0  "! 
,1     .If,.',  ^/.    -.['    ■;.'..•    •■ 


.i».j, 


.1  -..■;:*<,=• 


:i  "  i'-^'  mJ  i/rfi.v  /?i 


i)iL!.»  .;..    :•  n 


16  DR.    Wn.LIAM    GUNTON. 

term,  did  much  to  iin|)r()ve  this  avenue  and  had  it  Hned  on 
eitlier  side  with  a  double  row  of  pophir^. 

The  Executive  Mansion  was  even  then  not  altoL^ether 
finished,  and  the  Capitol  had  been  rendered  triiaiitablc  only 
in  certain  parts.  As  the  observer  l()(»ks  around  him  now  he 
must  see  with  wonder  the  contrast  whicdi  seventy  yi'ars  liave 
made.  T)r.  (Junton  is  one  of  the  very  few  men  wlio  can 
look  l)ack  in  Washington  over  so  loni:;  a  s])ace. 

Beii;innin^'  emptydianded,  but  with  prinei})les  and  habits 
from  which  he  has  iievt'r  swerve(l,  he.  showed  hist'arly  <pial- 
ities  durimi'  liis  six  years  witli  Or.  Olt.  lie  was  not  loiiii;  in 
becoming  familiar  willi  cxcry  branch  of  the  business  to 
which  he  was  de\'oted,  and  his  value  to  the  establisliment 
soon  became  manifest. 

This  was  due  as  well  to  his  excellent  home  training  as  to 
the  ideas  of  salutary  subjection  to  the  fundamental  principles 
of  business  economy  which  were  then  observed.  For  at  the 
period  when  the  young  apprentice  was  on  tlu;  threshold  of 
his  career,  the  senliments  of  s<»ciety  had  not  suflered  tlie  re- 
laxation which  to-day  so  lamentably  ])revails.  d'he  avenues 
of  business  were  not  then  tilled  with  a  thrcjng  of  adventurers 
inflated  witli  the  notions  of  S[)eculation  and  extravagance, 
and  intoxicated  witli  the  j)rospect  of  amassing  sudden  and 
enormous  fortunes.  A  more  ratioii;\l  estimate  of  the  legiti- 
mate gains  of  business  then  controlletl  tin- Judgment  and  as- 
piratiojis  of  individuals.  Young  men  were  content  to  work 
out  a  term  of  years  which  gave  them  little  more  than  a  de- 
cent and  comfn-tal^le  living.     Tluy  still  recognized  the  force 


,  (  '    -.i  5    :!,    /' 


4M''    ! 


to.ii  n 


i'u,   !,,:u    cf. 


■V  i> 


(>-    K' 


-J>  a  n..i!}  vrL.i   .(j.til  ■; 


i('  £■:  ■■>:»   ...  'ii; 


DR.  WILLIAM    GUNTON.  17 

of  authority  and  tlir  ])r(.pric1y  of  sulmnlination  ;  and  if,  on 
attainini,^  their  niajoritv,  they  liad  well  mastered  the  knowl- 
edu'C  of  their  rhosen  pursuit,  they  considered  it  a  fortunate 
])re[)aration  for  the  subsequent  exercise  of  a  more  direct  and 
personal  responsibility. 

And  withal  there  was  less  dissatisfaction  and  complaint, 
and  less  restlessness  under  restraint  in  that  state  of  tliin<:s 
than  under  the  iwose  and  irres[)onsible  system  which  has 
since  ])revailed.  Young  men  of  briglit  faculties  si)ent  their 
energies  f  .r  their  cmpiMyrrs  in  good  faith,  sustained  by  the 
consciousness  of  duty  faithfully  discharged,  and  inspired  by 
the  conviction  that  those  rugged  virtues  would  certainly 
meet  with  a  due  reward. 

Such,  at  least,  was  the  feeling  of  the  young  man  in  the 
store  of  Dr.  Ott.  Under  this  (dosi;  attention  to  business, 
this  almost  preei.cious  gravity  of  character,  there  lurked, 
howevia-,  a  si.irit  of  humor  which  freipiently  enlivened  the 
routine  dullness  of  business  and  became  the  standing  theme 
of  laughter  in  the  circle  of  friends.  One  instance  of  this 
is  remembered  to  this  day.  An  English  family  had  ai-rived 
in  Georgetown,  from  the  same  neighborho.jd  with  the  Gun- 
tons,  in  Norfolk.  They  had  been,  i.n  their  old  home,  in  the 
laundry  business,  and  rather  struggling  with  ])roverty  for 
many  years.  r>ut  once  set  down  in  tlu'ir  new  homes  in 
these  Western  wilds,  they  affected  superior  aii-s,  and  fre- 
(piently  spoke  of  the  .s7f/>.s  which  their  family  owned  and 
through  which  they  had  plied  a  wealthy  trade  to  Yarmouth. 
These  unseemly  boastings  fn.m  people  who  had  obtained  a 
2 


.KOIVJJO  if.n  :    '.-.V 


ii<.    :■   l:it.r.    ■  'v.u:  ■ 


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V'       V.^'i';] 


18  nit.    WILLIAM    GUNTON. 

livelihood  ])y  wiishiug  clothes  for  the  inhahitaiits  of  Nor- 
■\vich,  rather  excited  some  surprise  among  the  ri'st  of  the 
English  emigrants,  and  one  day  Mr.  ('ooper,  s[)eaking  with 
young  ( Junt<;n,  asked  :  "What  sort  of  xhiji.i  do  you  supp(»se 
tliey  luul  in  Norfolk  ?"  To  which  William  quickly  replied  : 
"  I  know  of  no  sJtips  they  could  have  had,  unless  tiiey  were 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the  idea  of  soda-water  foun- 
tains came  into  vogue.  John  Hart,  a  well  known  Quaker 
druggist  of  Philadelphia,  with  whom  Dr.  Ott  had  heen  an 
apj)reiitice,  had  ilevised  an  apparatus  for  charging  cookd 
water  with  carbonic  acid  gas,  and  thus  furnishing  a  very 
acce])table  beverage.  To  charge  an  ordinary  fountain  with 
this  gas  recpiired  some  twenty  pounds  of  acid  and  sf>me 
forty-t'ight  hours  in  the  process.  Dr.  Hart  at  once  .^et 
about  the  iutroduction  oi'  his  invention.  Dr.  Talbot, 
auother  (.Quaker  druggist  of  Kalfimore,  had  one  of  {hv>v 
fountains  put  uj)  in  his  establishment.  (Georgetown  could 
not  be  left  behind,  and  Dr.  Ott  purchased  an  apparatus  at 
a  cost  of  S1,7<)U.  It  was  a  complicated  and  cluiusy  aiiair, 
set  up  in  the  ctdlar,  and  giving  results  not  e(ptal  to  the  an- 
ticipation. After  iiisiiecting  tiie  working  of  the  apparatus 
iu  Baltimore  and  making  son\e  trials  oj'  his  own,  the  worth\- 
Doctor  became  discouraged,  and  in  his  despair  oti'ered  SI, (KM) 
to  any  one  who  would  take  it  otf  his  hands.  While  matters 
stood  thus,  Dr.  C'harlcs  Beatty,  a  prominent  physician  of 
Georgetown,  who  was  often  in  the  store,  one  day  said,  "Turn 
it  over  to  Gunton."     "No,"   re]jlied   the  young  man,  "I 


■..,I.,S.      .i^M     -■il     T 


11  i.-.;,i 


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t-     ^il:  •'  I"'// 


DR.   WILLIAM    GUNTON.  19 

kiKtw  notliini;  about  it."  But,  ui'vertliel(?ss,  it  was  turned 
(jver  tu  liim,  and  seeing  tin;  quostion  tliiis  forced  upon  liiin 
he  coniinc'nccd  to  study  it,  detcrniined  to  succeed  with  it  if 
success  were  j)ossihle. 

The  ai)i)aratus  consisted  of  a  large  hogshead  to  hold  the 
acid,  the  water,  and  tlu-  pulverized  niarlile.  This  connected 
by  pii)es  witli  a  iialf-barrel  partially  illled  wilh  water,  which 
again  connected  with  an  aii'-|tuini),  and  this  with  the  co[)i»er 
cylinder  or  agitator  containing  two  water-fountains,  from 
which  pipes  led  down  u,  i;,ur  other  ftiintains  buried  in  the 
earth-floor  of  tlie  cellar.  After  the  materials  had  been 
placed,  the  process  was,  to  force  the  fi.ird  air  into  the  agita- 
tor and  then  to  press  the  impregnated  water  into  the  buried 
fountains,  whence  the  beverage  wasdrawn  f  )r  sale.  But  there 
were  many  defects  about  the  operation  which  young  Gunton 
set  himself  to  oven->imc.  He  tirst  dis})ensed  with  the  half- 
barrel,  lu'  then  changed  the  position  of  the  valves  in  the  air- 
pump.  He  ne.vtgotridof  the  cylinder,  and  finally  resurrected 
the  buried  f  .untains  themselves,  had  them  bound  with  iron, 
whi<-h  was  soundly  done  by  ^Ir.  Shaw,  the  white-smith,  and 
thus  made  the  whole  apparatus  more  simple  and  cHective. 
While  this  was  going  on  letters  weri'  dispatched  to  the  in- 
ventor asking  his  advice  on  the  changes  proposed,  to  which 
the  astute  Quaker,  invariably  replied,  withlu)l(ling  his  assent. 
Nevertheless,  the  changes  were,  made  with  most  gratifying 
results.  But  a  single  difticidty  remained  to  be  overcome. 
The  common  air  filled  about  a  third  i)art  of  the  f)iintains 
and  decidedly  interfered  with  the  proper  im[)regnation.      A 


,riM  ). 


)  •  -.    -    t'l    i'W 


20  DK.   WFTJAAM    (iUNTON. 

l»i-iiruiiit  thouu'lit  struok  tlie  youtliful  i)hilosoi)licr,  wliuli 
w;i^,  first,  to  till  the  touiitain.s  with  water,  thus  exixHinix 
the  coiniiion  air  allogothor,  and  then  to  puiiii)  out  thr  r«- 
tjuireil  (juaiitity,  leaving  space  tor  thv  fixed \ttr,  whicli  was 
then  forced  in.  Wiien  these  things  were  aeconipiished  and 
about  twothii'ds  of  tlie  original  appai'atus  .lispeiised  with, 
the  remainder  was  so  much  iinprove<l  that  it  now  re(piired 
for  changing  an  ordinar\'  fountain  oidy  tweiily  minutes  time 
and  about  six  ponn<ls  of  acid.  In  iiict,  the  y(»ung  (b-uggist 
had  pro(biced  an  ahnost  (Mitire  new  apparatus,  tl^e  |.ro(bict 
of  which  liis  patrons  pronounced  one  of  great  superiority. 
Tiie  Ott  soihi-fouidain  lu'came  immensely  popular,  and  in 
that  single  year  it  cleared  for  liim  the  handsome  sum  of 
two  thousand  dollai-s. 

But  it  was  all  owing  to  the;  pluck  and  ingenuity  of  young 
William,  who  really  should  he  reganU'd  as  the  second 
father  of  soda-founlains  in  America.  This  unexampled 
success  after  so  great  a  depression,  illle.l  the  lieart  of  Dr. 
Ott  with  pride  and  pleasure.  TIh;  iini>hing-^troke  was 
given  to  the  ai)paratus,  when  some  small  zinc  tubes  snr- 
r(nin(led  by  ice  were  adtk'd  to  produci'  the  degree  of  cool- 
ness in  the  beverage,  on  a  sultry  day,  which  so  much  con- 
tributed to  its  favor.  The  generosity  of  the  worthy  Doctor 
toward  his  ingenious  and  thoughtful  assistant  wa>  sensibly 
excited,  and  he  began  to  talk  of  further  allowances  in  case 
another  year  should  (a-ove  as  i)roiitable  as  the  tirst. 

iiut  time  rolled  on,  and  the  indenture  one  day  (!xpired, 
leavinir  AVilliam  Gunton   his   own   free-man.     The  tdlerna- 


■    .,    -i.i^     Ji;    .     .;'(r!l.j      V.'      >K'.li)      I'fii;       r.n,    ;;  ,    ;    .      ,',  .'.,;   ;    ,  ,   :,..'» 


DR.    WILLIAM    GUNTON.  21 

tive  was  then  placed  before  liini  to  entrr  into  j)artiiersliii) 
with  his  recent  em])luyer,  tohave  a  sahiry  (it'$150  ])erannuni, 
ov  to  set  u\)  for  iiiinself  and  take  ;joo(l>  from  the  store,  or 
have  letters  of  credit  to  other  l)usiiiess  iirms  where  he  might 
desire  to  make  transactions.  While  holding  the  matter 
nnder  consideration,  lie  continued  another  six  months  in 
the  store,  lie  had  hitherto  been  treated  as  a  subordinate 
in  the  family  of  the  Olts.  He  i'elt  that  this  (hstinclion 
ought  now  to  cease.  But  comparatively  trilling  as  it  was, 
a  matter  of  sitting  at  the  scivnid  table,  it  was  not  changed, 
and  upon  tiie  ti'ial  of  lialf  a  year,  \-ouug  (iuntou  conchuh'd 
to  leave  his  old  employer  and  set  up  foi'  himself.  The 
question  of  location  which  now  arose  befoi'c  him  was  st'ttled 
l)y  (»ne  cir(auustance.  ^Irs.  Ott,  being  an  invalid,  wasgcjing 
up  to  Frederick,  in  Maryland,  hoping  fir  the  benetit  of  this 
temporary  change.  Young  (Juiiton  was  re(picst('(l  to  go 
with  her.  His  ()bservatiou  while  there  iK'termined  him  to 
open  his  stoni  in  that  i»lacc.  The  ( iermans  firmed  a  con- 
.-i(h'rable  proportion  of  its  population,  and  there  were  two 
small  sliops  kept  by  men  of  tliat  natioiialily,  but  tiicy  were 
of  a  very  inferior  grtide,  and  indet'd  the  business  of  a  drug- 
gist in  tiiat  locality  gave  but  a  slender  [)romise  of  success; 
and  of  some  titty  persons  t(t  whom  lie  bore  letters  of  iiitro- 
(hictioii,  there  was  but  a  single  man  \\ho  gave  him  any 
encoui'agement.  lint  t-oniidciit  in  his  own  ])lans  and  rely- 
ing on  making  a  business  far  sujierior  to  that  which  the 
{leoplc  of  the  town  had  known,  he  arranged  with  Dr.  Ott 
to  take  stock   from   the   stort.'   in   Georiietowii,    lirst   to    the 


r^: 


V:"'''-":io  L!^-.;  I  'j  v 


H  -fiilv  :rr' 


),  »f:  h-->.  :.')■■  I     :i 


22  DR.    Wri.I.IAM    GUNTOX. 

aiiiuuiit  of  ^2,2U(),  togvther  with  a  sutla-fountiiin  costing 
$190.  S(^  eijuipped,  he  opened  his  })l:iee  of  business  in 
Frederielv  and  went  to  work  with  twn  Dutchmen  lor  liis 
competitors,  He  liad  mueli  to  <\o  to  overcome  tlie  difticul- 
ties  of  the  beginning.  First  lie  iiad  to  set  u\)  tlie  S(jda- 
fountain,  next  to  })rovide  an  ice-iiouse.  For  this,  ^vas 
needed  a  (piantity  of  phmk.  lie  ri'i)aired  to  an  uhl  man 
by  tlie  name  of  Howard,  a  hypiuhondriac,  who  iiad  a  saw- 
mill some  three  or  four  mile.-  away.  Some  prior  work  in  the 
mill  furnished  its  owner  with  an  excuse,  and  the  plank 
could  not  be  .sawn.  But  the  young  (h'uggist,  not  to  be 
bluUed,  unfolded  his  enterjtrise  to  the  singular  old  gentleman. 
He  pointed  out  the  bentits  of  tlie  soda-fountain  to  those 
who  Were  afllicted  as  Howard  was.  By  this  powerful 
allurement  he  tired  the  old  man's  enthusiasm  and  he 
became  a  lively  convert  to  the  utility  of  the  soda-water. 
The  other  woi'k  was  set  aside  and  the  plank  for  the  ice- 
house were  speedily  secured.  Then  the  plans  of  the  new- 
comer were  rapidly  carried  out,  much  to  the  astonishment 
of  the  staiil  old  town.  I'^iiidiiig  it  neces.sary  to  a  liranch  of 
his  business,  he  bought  out  the  two  contectioners  of  the 
[>lace  and  commenced  the  manufacture  of  candy  on  a  larger 
scale. 

But  there  was  still  anothiM-  ditficuUy  which  his  genius 
had  to  overcome.  The  currency  of  the  country  was  in  a 
lamentable  state.  Turnpikes  were  then  as  j^romineiit  an 
institution  as  railroads  are  in  our  day.  To  facilitate  the 
business  uf  the  [)u])lic,  these  com{)anies  i.ssued  scrij)  ur  shin- 


.KOTXH!)    M/,  r.f.nv    :>• 


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.!^    ^;/.?';.>„^;   .a      ./kI.   1 


DR.   WriJ>IAM    OUNTON.  23 

j)lasU'rs  of  all  couccivuhlc  iiinoiiiits  iiiul  kinds.  These  were 
paid  tor  all  kinds  of  purchases,  and  every  night  the  till  of 
the  apothecary  would  he  full  of  them.  How  to  negotiate 
them  for  actual  money  became  a  serious  (juestion.  A  j\lr. 
Joseph  Talbot  was  the  keeper  of  one  of  the  leading  hotels 
of  tin;  town.  Jle  was  in  the  rei'cipt  of  considerable  money 
IVom  ti'avellers  stop|)ing  at  his  house.  AN'ilh  him  an  ar- 
rangement was  soon  elt('cle([,  by  which  tliis  scrij)  was  e.\'- 
changed  f)r  valid  currency.  l>y  this  means  the  Doctor 
(for  by  ihis  time  he  had  well  earned  llic  title)  was  enabled 
U)  send  tlown  to  his  (juondam  principal.  Dr.  Ott,  llrst  two 
hundi-ed,  then  three  hundred,  and  finally  two  thousand 
dollars,  in  payment  of  tlie  lial)ility  of  his  t)riginal  outfit. 
This  unexampled  success  aroused  the  feeling  of  tlu;  latter 
gentleman,  who  began  to  think  he  had  made  a  great  mistake 
in  not  insisting  up(jn  the  partnersliii),  and  dri'W  forth  from 
him  a  rather  lugubrious  and  (pierulous  letter  upon  the  sub- 
ject. However,  it  was  now  too  late  to  mend  the  matter, 
and  the  establishment  at  Frederick  went  on  prospering  and 
to  prosjjer. 

Its  energetic  head  had  shown  not  oidy  a  faculty  for  in- 
vention and  i;ntei-prise,  but  a  far-reaching  financiering  abil- 
ity, which  thus  earlv  pointed  him  out  as  a  shrewd  and  safe 
manager  of  caj)ital  in  perilous  an<i  sinking  times. 

INlany  and  curious  were  the  incidents  which  enliven(;d  the 
scenes  in  that  store  at  Frederick.  Two  brothers  of  the  name 
of  Darnell,  rough  men  and  almost  outlaws,  were  living  then 
in   the    vicinity.      They  were  reckless   fellows  and   a   terror 


■I  til!  •/<•!  tncri 


i>/  A 


ty  I'lii   "■•    ■  ."    '■'■'   '■•}:■  "O.     :  Oi:t 


!,'»i'ij  S-l     :-•     /       .    :il   'III  ■     t.  nitii..   'i;,.//    (■! 


'"     (;ii'lii     '    ;     IJ.Itl     '/U!     .,■ 


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r.'J' 


24  DR.   WILLIAM    (ilJXTON. 

to  tlie  coiuiuunity.  One  day  tliey  entered  tlie  s^tore  to- 
gether, and  were  inuucdiately  attrueted  by  tlie  soda-foun- 
tain.     "  \\diat  tiled 1  i.s  that,"  cried  one  of  tlieni.     Upon 

explanation  ol  its  use  they  iuiuiediately  contracteil,  for  one 
dollar,  to  drink  it  dry.  After  swallowing  sixteen  glasses 
they  gave  it  up,  planked  down  the  tlollar,  and  left  the  store 
in  disgust,  remarking  as  they  went,  ••There  is  no  bottom 
to  the  d n  thing,  anyhow." 

A  ]\lr.  Fischer,  who  was  u  hatter,  lived  in  the  town. 
His  son,  iMr.  \Vm.  Fischer,  was  then  a  young  man,  and 
about  a  year  alter  tiie  store  was  opened  by  l)i\  Uuntou,  he 
accepted  young  Fischer  as  an  atten(hint.  This  idlimately 
led  to  his  marriage  into  tlie  Gunton  liimily. 

On  going  to  Frederick,  Dv.  (j union  had  leased  a  build- 
ing for  the  term  of  live  years,  uidcss  it  sliould  in  the 
meantime  be  sold.  On  the  ground-lloor  he  conducted  his 
business,  while  the  stories  above  were  occupied  by  the 
family  of  the  clergyman  of  the  place,  the  Kev.  I'atrick 
Davidson,  of  which  Miss  Hester  Livingstone  ]irown,  his 
wile's  sister,  born  in  Carlisle,  Pa.,  was  then  a  memlier. 
'J'his  lady  the  young  J)(»ctoi^  married  in  the  yi'ar  181G. 
tShe  was  a  devout  tJhristian,  and  a  faithl'ul  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  At  the  end  of  the  first  year 
this  })ro])erLy  was  sold,  thus  compelling  Dr.  Gunton  to 
seek  another  stand.  This  was  soon  Ibund  on  the  opp(j- 
site  side  of  the  street,  where  he  had  a  Ikjusc  to  himself, 
that  was  far  better  suited  to  his  })urpose  and  his  trade.  In 
the    following  year,    1817,    the   event  which*  had   been  so 


m:.^     V'-.I.!     'v-li 


.  .'Ill 


..j.:..yj  v, 


DR.   WILLIAM    GUNTON.  25 

long  anticipated  tnins})iivil.  Tlie  tat  her  ami  son  were 
joinc'il  hy  the  rest  of  the  t'aniily  wlio  had  huen  left  Ijchind 
in  Xoruitdi  many  years  before.  J^anding  in  lialtinioi-c, 
they  came  thence  immediately  to  their  friends.  Tlic  party 
consisted  of  the  mother,  the  l)rother  Tliomas,  and  the  four 
sisters,  Eli/.aheth,  .Mary,  Harriet,  and  Anne. 

The  father,  then  living  at  l^th  street,  in  Washington, 
near  wliat  was  tlien  known  as  "  Thi:  Seven  Buildings,"  took 
to  his  home  his  wife  and  the  three  children,  Thomas,  Eliza- 
heth,  and  Mary,  while  the  Doctor  took  his  two  younger  sis- 
ters, Harriet  and  Anne,  to  ri'side  with  him  in  Frederick. 

The  son,  Thomas,  had  scarce!}'  heen  a  week  in  Wash- 
ington, l)efore  he  ohlained  a  position  in  tlie  Capitol,  through 
tlie  kind  offices  of  Mr.  P.  K.  Fendall  and  Pvicliard  Bland 
Lee. 

Mr.  Peter  Hagner  was  then  the  Tiiird  Auditor  of  the 
Treasury,  and  the  young  iMiglishman  being  a  very  fine  ac- 
countant, materially  assisted  him  in  preparing  his  various 
reports  on  the  great  (pieslion  of  Horse  t'laims  and  claims 
on  other  matters,  then  ])assing  through  the  ofHce.  Tiiese 
reports  obtained  great  i-chit  for  their  clearness  and  ability, 
and  were  liigldy  lauded  liy  such  men  as  Elisha  Whittlesey, 
who  was  then  in  CcfUgress.  This  naturally  reflected  no 
little  credit  on  Thomas  Gunton,  wIk^  for  many  years  held 
a  responsil)le  po.-^ilion  in  the  'J'reasury,  and  whose  accuracy 
and  ability  were  hmg  after  recognized  in  the  most  liattering 
terms  by  such  nuai  as  Silas  Wright,  J )anitd  W^ebster,  and 
many  others.     For  a  period  of  three  or  four  years,  through 


,ltii       -l; 

I'M  •'!':  "  ■ 


,;'i!;';     ..:     -.ui-, 


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,,.m:T    ■:>;'•.- 


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V^.,  /^!    r,/     ;::![».   PI    :   :      -    ..,,    -f  ,, 


:..I...M      .'.,..■        ^      .:C 


26  DR.    WIIJJAIM    (iUNTON. 

l)olitical  clian!i;i>.s,  In-  was  out  of  office,  l»ut  when  Mr.  Whit- 
tlesey hcca.me  First  (!oni]itrollcr  of  the  Trcasurv  lie  was  re- 
instated, ami  coiitiiuied  in  liis  place,  trusted  and  honored, 
and  univeisally  r('s[)ccted  till  the  day  of  his  death. 

Meantiiiic  events  wont  forward  with  the  Doctor  at  Fred- 
erick, and  l»y  the  judLniient  and  ener<;y  with  which  his  busi- 
ness was  conducted  he  was  already  counted  as  a  capitalist. 
lie  continued  husiness  ti'ansacli(»ns  with  Dr.  Ott  till  the 
date  of  that  -vntlenian's  death  in  the  year  1<S1,S.  In  his 
last  illness  he  sent  f)r  Dr.  (iuntoii  and  proposed  to  sell  him 
his  stock.  \int  Madam  Ott,  his  second  wife,  who  had  a 
hrothei-  in  the  stori',  was  opposed  to  this  arrangemt'ut, 
and  suppo.<i"d  slu'  had  hroken  it  off.  However,  it  was 
a  brother  of  Dr.  Ott  who  had  established  a  drug-store 
in  Washinuton,  on  the  site  of  the  house  now  occupied  by 
Dr.  -lames  (!.  Hall,  on  I'enusylvania  avenue,  bi'tween  Dili 
mid  10th  streets  n(atln\X'st.  This  bi'other  dyiui;,-  in  LS2(), 
his  business  was  left  in  the  hands  of  his  administratoi's, 
Messrs.  Bradley  and  Richie.  Dr.  (Junton  had  now  <leter- 
mined  to  establish  himself  in  Washinuton,  and  accordin-ly 
he  sold  out  his  store  in  Frederick  to  his  friend,  Mr.  William 
Fischer,  at  first  with  the  hope  of  purchasing  that  of  the 
late  Dr.  David  Ott  ;  but  as  dcJay  was  occasioned  by  a  eon- 
trover.sy  bcitween  the  administrators,  after  wailing  Ibr  sev- 
eral months  he  made  a  jjurchase  of  the  property  at  the  cor- 
ner of  9lh  street  and  I'enusylvania  avenue,  to  which  he 
added  thit  adjoiniug  lu.use.  Over  the  drug-store,  in  the 
spacious  rooms  above,  he  installed  his  tiimily,  and  there  for 


<r   .     ,7    :■■      \ 


!  ')   'J.     fiii 


DR.   WILLIAM    CiUNTON.  li 

many  years  tliev  all  ivsideil.  He  luul  aeciiiuulaleil  ahout 
S20,0()()  <liii-iii'4-  his  six  years  business  in  Fre.leriek,  and  liis 
first  real-eslate  laireliasc  in  Washington  eost  him  S!),OUO, 
while  he  paid  $5,000  in  addition  fur  tiie  stuck  uf  his  store. 
A  few  years  after,  he  paid  .$G,t)OU  for  the  adjoining  house, 
and  in  both  huildings  made  several  alterations  and  im- 
provements. 

Here  for  a  number  of  years  he  carried  una  must  thriving 
business,  bi'ing  largely  p;itroni/,ed  by  the  many  public  men 
and  noted  wonuMi  of  the  time.  Not  a  few  were  the  inci- 
dents which  created  amusement  at  the  Doctor's  drug-store 
which  soon  grew  famous  for  the  purity  and  excellence  c^f 
the  articles  exj)osed  for  sale.  In  those  days  Calomel  and 
-lalap  were  largely  in  deman<l,  and  the  well-known  Ct)lonel 
liassctt,  then  a  member  (jf  Congress  fr(jni  Virginia,  unce 
remarked  to  the  Doctor  that  "  his  medicines  were  o)i  the 
most  puwi'rful  and  sovereign  etticacy  he  had  ever  knuwn." 
"  Why,"  said  the  Colonel,  "  all  I  have  to  do  is  to  put  them 
in  my  vest-pocket  and  carry  them  about  a  lew  days  and 
tiiey  are  certain  to  cure  !" 

The  famous  Jc^hn  Kautlolph,  of  Roanoke,  then  in  Cun- 
gress,  once  purchased  sume  medicine  of  the  D(j(,'tur  and  j)aid 
him  in  Virginia  money,  fur  wliich  he  I'cceived  in  change 
sume  bills  of  United  iStatos  money.  There  was  some 
discount  at  that  time  on  the  currency  y)^  the  Banks  uf  the 
"Old  Dominion."  The  next  day  Uan<lolpli  appeared  at 
the  counter  and  ctonfronted  the  Doctor,  with  tlie  words  of 
his   shrill,   woman's   voice,    "  Yesterday   yuu    made  a   mis- 


28 


DK.   WILLIAM    (JUNTON. 


take,  Sir !  a  .serious  mistake,  Sir !  I  liave  cdiiu'  to-tkiy  to 
see  ;il)i)Ut  it,  Sir!"  The  I);ictur,  who  was  always  the  most 
careful  iu  |)uttiu'j,-  up  his  orders,  hej^an  to  he  alarmed  and  to 
search  tor  tin-  l'rescri])tioii  on  his  files,  suppusinu'  it  was  tht' 
wroui;-  medicine  he  had  uiven  out,  and  sohcilous  ahoul  all 
imauin;il)U;  evil  eonsequenees  of  any  hliuider  he  mij^ht  have 
madi'.  His  inlerloeutor,  whose  welhknowu  propensity  for 
a  joke  led  him  to  view  with  hi,-h  -lee  the  Doctor's  evident 
anxiety,  at  last  relieved  his  suspense  l.y  calliuL;- out,  "Oh, 
it  is  n(»t  the  medicine — that's  all  ri-ht.  Sir;  hut  J  yave  y(ni 
Virginia  mom-y  and  you  did  not  i;ive  me  \'irii,inia  money  in 
change  !"  It  is  needless  to  say  this  was  a  relief  to  the  j)er- 
turbed  mind  of  the  1  )octoi-. 

Ikfore  comin,--  to  Wadiiuizton  for  business,  the  I)oett»r 
laul  purchased  a  (piantily  of  stock  of  the  Patriotic  liauk, 
then  a  l)ankini;-  Ivtal.lishnieut  of  the  city,  with  which  a 
lunnher  of  promini'iit  cili/.ens  and  men  in  ( ioveriunent  ollice 
were  couuecte.l-the  welhknouu  Me.^.Ms.  Hradley,  of  Wa.di- 
in-tou,  hein-  am.m-  them.  While  tlu;  Hank  was  doin-  an 
active  husini'ss  with  the  public,  its  atliiirs  were  loosely  con- 
ducted, and  the  buoks  really  in  i^reat  confusion.  One  day 
Mr.  Stephen  IMeasonton,  the  Fifth  Auditor  of  the  Treas- 
uiy,  said  to  Dr.  (iuntou  :  "  \Vc  have  determined  to  make 
you  a  J)irectoi'  of  the  Bank  !"  AikI  nuich  to  his  surprise, 
at  the  ne.Kt  meeting  of  the  IJnii'd,  he  was  so  elected.  As 
the  Doctor  had  a  somewhat  in(piirinL;  turn  ot'  mind  coucei'ii- 
ing  ati'airs  in  which  he  was  re.-piin.>ible,  he  soon  discovered 
that    the    business  of  the    liank    was   managed   iu  the   must 


.r:OTy.')\>   W:/.Ti  J. 
.Mt    :  l<  .:■',.  .■/(!;  >(i,v   .,:lv/    ■!.  !■■  '  1 

\r  -iv    ■;.:i'h  ':i>-    i.^if;  .Um'  "•^,•' 


,,;  ilw*".    ,. 


..:,l      ■:'■< 


DR.    WILLIAM   CtUNTON.  29 

careless  manner,  and  that  a  new  order  of  things  was  im- 
peratively demanded,  lie  immediately  s^-t  aliont  tlie  work 
of  reform  in  the  condnct  of  the  busint-ss.  lint  as  his  vi^'ws 
were  not  aeet'i)ted  by  otlu'r  parties  involved,  tlie  niallt-r 
soon  broke  ont  into  o[)en  controversy.  This  unhapjiy  i-on- 
thct  was  protracted  for  several  years,  both  in  tiie  courts  and 
ont  of  them,  inilil  at  leniitli  tlic  ditli^renccs  were  adjusled, 
the  course  of  the  Doctor  fidly  vin.bcated,  and  his  opjioiients 
virtually  acknowledged  him  to  have  been  in  the  right. 
But  not  desiring  any  further  experieuce  of  this  kind,  hav- 
ing l)een  |-emoved  from  liie  Boai'd  of  Directors  in  LSl'.S,  he 
sold  out  his  stock  and  ternuiiated  all  connection  with  tlie 
Patriotic  Jiank.  The  rec(jrds  of  this  somewhat  celebrated 
strife  are  all  t'Xtant ;  but  as  it  belongs  to  the  tale  of  other 
days,  it  Would  be  manifestly  inexpi'ilient  and  c^ertaiidy  un- 
necessary for  any  legitimate  [)nr[iosc  to  introduce  them 
here. 

Mi-anwhile  another  institution,  the  now  well-known  "()ld 
Bank  of  Washiuglou,"  had  been  niuniug  on  much  in  the 
same  way  under  an  incompileut  luanagement,  and  ils  af- 
faii's  had  become  so  c(jmplicated  that  in  the  \ear  1('S;)4  it 
was  oljliged  to  suspend  operations,  with  the  i)ros])ect  of 
being  ultimately  wound  up  altogether.  Mv.  Thomas  Mun- 
ro(.',  its  i'resi(U'ut,  was  a  fair  but  timid  and  ineilicienl  man. 
lie  spent  his  summei-s  at  some  watei'ing-place,  leaving  the 
r>ank  to  get  on  f  .r  itself  Its  debts  to  the  United  Stales 
Biok,  thi'u  still  in  existence,  and  to  oilier  impirtant  banks, 
were  increasing  instead  of  dimiiiishini!-,  and    altogether  the 


■r'u,!'!    O.I) 


l'.,'.2..'<,,; 


'{njiihti;  ".;.!  (       .'/'- 


■:fr    PI)::   ,■  ''11^)11  • 


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;..  '■''.■■    Sail  (li^ii.li-i" 


30  DR.   WILLIAM    GUNTON. 

outlook  was  vciT  discourap;iiig.  In  this  exigency  JMr.  Hel- 
leu,  a  lawyer  of  AV^asliington,  and  a  large  stockholder  in 
the  Bank,  applied  to  Dr.  (runton  to  l)eeonie  a  member  of 
the  Bnard  of  Din'ctors.  His  ()l)iccti()ns  to  tins  ^t(■p  were 
very  strung,  rcUKMuhcring  his  former  exi)L'rience,  hut  they 
were  finiilly  ovcrcoiiu'  l»y  the  earnest  eulrcaty  of  Mr.  Ilrllcii 
and  others,  and  he  con-enled  to  go  in  for  a  nioiiih  to  ascer- 
tain tlie  sitnatioii  and  see  if  it  admitted  of  redr.'ss.  The 
Bank  had  undouhteilly  fallen  into  discredit,  hut  the  Doctor, 
after  tliorough  exammation,  f  mnd  it  could  he  ))laced  on  a 
.safe  and  reliable  basis.  Its  del)l  was  about  SSO,0()U.  Dr. 
Gunton  having  business  on  his  own  account  with  the  Bank 
of  the  United  States,  was  brought  in  contact  with  tiie 
Cashier,  Mr.  liichard  Smith,  about  this  time.  The  Baidv  of 
Washington  was  tbeii  very  largely  indebted  to  tlie  United 
States  Bank,  and  :\Ir.  Smith  complained  to  the  Doctor  that 
he  had  been  unkindly  treati'd  in  his  allempt  to  adjust  the 
matter,  lie  liad  ohercil  to  take  in  [)ayment  tlie  dix'ountetl 
paper  of  the  Bank  of  Washington,  and  the  15oard  of  Direc- 
tors would  not  listen  to  it.  Upon  this  information  Doctor 
(riinton,  who  had  then  l)een  elected  President  jiru  tempore, 
called  the  Directors  together,  who  agreetl  tt)  the  proposal. 
He  then  had  to  make  arrangements  for  a  debt  of  820,000 
held  by  the  liank  of  the  Metropolis,  and  for  another  debt 
of  $;20,000  hel.l  by  a  New  York  bank.  To  succeetl  in  this 
etf.rt  he  [iroposed  to  liorrow  S2r»,()()0on  a  note  to  be  signed 
i)y  the  individual  members  of  the  lioaid,  and  othei-  stock- 
holders, and  all  did  sign  it  but  Mr.  Miiui-oe,  the   I're.-ideiu 


08 


-  „!;...     -      ,1     .    ';:;   7V-V 


■Ml  /  ;     i',y<\    \ 


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V    .  ::■'.  ,A.:    1,,. !)...■/!    h:c-, 

'■:'\-'it^    }■<  i^\  .'.\  ..    ■<')    ■;Ui',; 
,;  jl'  ■••■jif.  :;>.    <>.j    1)Mj;    -'ii.'.i 

!  )■  i     T.iii..'  ();ii;  .}:-fM'f    ■■lit 


••   .:■:■' :fi.)..(. 


DK.   WriJJAM    GUNTON.  31 

of  the  Bank,  wlio  dcclartMl  that  ])efuiv  putting  his  signature 
to  the  note  he  would  ri'sign  liis  dHlcc.  The  money  was, 
however,  obtained,  and  Dr.  Guntoii,  aflerwanis,  in  January, 
1835,  was  elfcted  President  of  tlie  Hank,  a  |)()sition  whicli, 
after  the  kpse  of  forty-tliive  years,  he  still  li(»lds.  In  iour 
months  after  he  entered  it,  thi'  Bank  resumed  oprralions, 
and  in  one  year  from  that  date  all  its  liabilities  luid  been 
paid. 

During  the  period  from  1887  to  1844  a  deej)  prejudice 
against  the  banks  of  lh,.  country  seems  to  have  perva<led 
the  Congress  of  the  Unite<l  States,  and  under  its  inlluence 
the  National  Legislature  determiiu'd  not  to  grant  or  renew 
any  further  bank  charters.  The  baid;s  of  the  District  of 
CoUunbia  were  on  the  eve  of  the  expiration  of  their  charters, 
and  sutK-ri'd  more  than  tliose  in  any  other  part  ol'  the 
countrv  from  the  disposition  of  Congress  to  make  the  Dis- 
trict a  scene  of  all  manner  of  tinancial  experiments.  4die 
prospect  of  the  future  was  dark  indeed.  In  this  emer- 
gency separate  meetings  of  the  stockholders  of  the  several 
l)anks  in  the  District  were  called,  and  a  gi'ueral  concert  of 
action  ensued  by  which  the  respective  Cashiers  of  the  sev- 
eral banks  were  ordered  to  transfer  all  descriptions  of  the 
proi)erty  of  the  bank.-,  to  Trustees  appianti'd  by  thestoek- 
h(jlders,  with  power  to  transact  the  business  of  ihe  banks 
as  nearlvas  jjossible  in  conl'ormity  with  the  firmer  banking 
usages.  This  prevailing  hostility  to  the  haiddng  system 
as  it  then  t'xisted,  in  connection  with  the  indi\idual  re- 
sponsibilities  which   the  stockhohlers   were    obliged     to    as- 


v-]  n;    .'i.i...i  iin.  :■,!  ,cM,,... ,"•     ■  ■  .,  ;  ;.:•  ■•-.■■.■ 


'■  /.'        ••:)■•■»!  t;  .  .'1  •       ',.;■. ;;.;(.).     ' 
I'.iH'      ■'.    .     ■'  i        .li  ,  •li'll      ;!'  •'' 

■■■■■.  :-.    ^:i.    -n  -•.J.vi.r.r-.     ,.,: 

i!j    ■)"     -.  <■'.,:■[■•)  ^■'  'h     :•.•    "i-''    .-.1 
1   M^    /-•     -".'UA.'.ihl       Wl     n.l      Vj,',     - 


82  DR.   WILLIAM    GUNTON. 

Slime,  liad  a  most  depressing-  effect,  and  tlie  stock  of  tlie 
Bank  could  1k'  ivadUy  huii-ht  at  that  time  at  a  discount 
of  forty  ))er  (H'nt. 

But  by  the  faitlifulness  and  eneruy  of  its  new  President 
this  state  of  tliiiiL^s  soon  passed  away.  The  Bank  has  >:(.ne 
throiiLcli  the  most  severe  money  panics  tlial  liavc  transpired 
in  tlie  country,  hut  dui-inu'  all  of  thum  it  has  maintained  its 
charactiM',  hciim-  amoiii:'  the  last  to  susj)enil  specie  payments 
and  the  lirst  to  resume  ;  and  durin,--  liie  la>t  four  years  of 
deep  linancial  emharrassmeiit,  so  L^eneral  and  \\  ide-sprea<l, 
it  has  proved  to  he  one  of  the  firmest  and  most  pros|)erous 
institutions  in  the  country.  And  to-day,  after  au  expei'i- 
ence  of  nearly  thirty-ii\e  years,  this  Baid;  has  derlared 
dividends  equal  to  nearly  half  a  million  of  dollars.  And 
the  stock  of  the  I^auk  cannot  now  he  purchased  f  )r  f  >rty 
per  cent.  ai)ove  ])ar.  And  th(»ui;h  tlu're  -dw  ahout  seventy 
stockhohU'rs,  yet  such  is  the  irem^ral  eoniidenee  in  the  man- 
a,i,^ement  of  the  Bank,  that  althon,-h  frcfpient  ap])lications 
have  heen  ma(K'  fir  the  purchase  (»f  its  <toek,  not  a  simple 
share  has  chaut;c(l  hands  foi-  a  iMind)er  of  yeai'S  past.  This 
is  the  highest  praise  that  can  he  accorded  to  its  manai^e- 
mentand  to  its  venerahle  and  honored  f*resident. 

Of  course  a  business  career  so  estalihshed  and  successful 
could  not  fail  to  point  out  the  man  who  math'  it,  fir  otlier 
positions  of  trust  and  disjiiity.  It  is  <»nly  necessary  to  enu- 
merate the  ori^-anizations  with  \\liit-h  the  name  of  Dr. 
(iunton  has  heen  at  one  time  or  other  (hn-int:-  the  \u>\  tiftv 
years    associated,   to   realize    how   busy  and   n-pon.-ihlv'   iiis 


'  /[il.i,       .'  I-lui'u  AnsiH 

in  '!>•<;-:■.'''  ,!,    ,y      i(liM,l;fi;T    ■•li)     III    .i.iH 

'  U;  ■■:■  <  «<(    ■  :i         I  1    :  '!    "     i;  V.   .•'     /;  }ru':,Ui]:i 

„M):  «i.j--,  :'!i:  V    liU!,    i(:-j'iii'.:.;  ■:   .;i'i   i:i     ■.'■■:    .>    !■■.    .";''.    ;.''■ 

.:):     '1.:.;^^,,                   ■  ■     ;.(()        .    K.r      fj  .    ;    ;    : /.   h|       .-'    J: 

-!TM/-;    .'J  V    fv  .                 ,:         .    ';.;jii;-tn 

'      ..'>;«    -;:('     ,i.;.;i!      'Iiir  ,ii!i.''V       '     '■      ill"     ('m.-U    V.'    f>:>UO 

•■:    A          ■',:;!  .!■  ■(,.    Lwiilmi  i:  >!,»,;     ..;■;  ,.■      ■        -,  .:,■        ■        '     <:  . 


DK.   WILLIAM    GUNTON.  33 

life  has  been,  uiul  how  large  a  place  he  has  filled  in  the 
community. 

In  addition  to  his  seven  years  connection  witii  tlie  Patri- 
otic Bank  as  Director,  and  his  forty-five  years  coiniection 
with  tlie  Bank  of  Washin,ii-ton,  he  was  President  of  tiie 
Eastern  Braiicli  Bridge  Comi)any  and  of  tlie  Navy-yard 
Bridge  (^.lupany  until  the  sah;  of  llu-  bridges  to  the  (uurral 
G(AH'rnincnl.  lie  was  for  eiglit  ycais  a  Director  of  the 
Chesapeake  and  Ohio  Canal  Company.  For  twelve  years 
he  was  Foreman  of  the  (fraud  Jury  of  ihe  District  ol'  Co- 
lunihia.  For  loiuleen  years  he  was  a  mend)er  of  the  Wasli- 
ingtou  City  Covernment.  Since!  1847  he  has  l>eeu  a  Di- 
rector of  th(!  ('olumhiau  LInivei'sity,  and  he  was  recently 
elected  Vice-President  of  the  Board.  Since  1840  he  has 
been  a  Director  of  the  American  Colonization  Society. 
Since  18;{(;  he  has  been  President  of  the  C(4uiiibia  Turn- 
pike-roads Couqjany.  For  sixteen  years  he  was  a  member, 
and  for  seven  years  of  the  time,  the  President  of  the  Board 
of  Trusiees  (jf  the  National  lIo.-,pital  fir  the  In^-ane.  But 
in  June,  1877,  his  conimis>i(in  ex|>lred,  ihwugh  not  without 
the  regrets  of  those  with  wlioiu  he  had  been  >o  n-iion.-ibly 
and  so  ha[)pil\'  associated.  This  is  an  a|>pointment  by  the 
President  of  the  ILiited  States,  and  was  tendered  to  Dr. 
Gunton  under  a  number  of  A<lniinis(rations.  lie  was  also 
President  of  the  Baltimore  and  Washington  Xavigaiion 
C!ompany.  More  re<'entl\'  he  has  become  a  Director  in  the 
Washington  and  ( Jenrge'town  Streel-Pailroad  Conijiany. 
lie  is  Vice-President  of  the  Oldest  Inhabitants'  Association 


JO'.rMi  )  -;': 


'U  ])i:.    WILLIAM    GUKTON. 

of  the  District  uf  Culuml»ia.  In  1841  he  was  elected  Chair- 
man of  the  Temporai  Conimittee  of  tlie  First  Presltyturian 
Church  of  Washingliin,  and  was  annually  elected  to  the 
same  position  for  a  perioil  ui'  twenty-tive  years.  Since  1828 
he  has  been  President  of  the  Washing-ton,  Alexandria  and 
Georgetinvn  Steam  Packet  Cnnipany,  which  iov  many  years 
kept  a  line  of  steamers  plying,  by  the  Potomac  Kiver  and 
the  Chesapeake  Bay,  between  Georgetown  and  Baltimore. 
In  1844  an  invention  called  "The  Sickles  Cut-olf"  was 
patented,  and  the  parties  piMfessing  tn  own  the  patent  pro- 
posed to  Dr.  Gnnton,  as  tlie  I'resident  of  this  company,  to 
put  on  one  of  the  boats,  calleil  the  "  Columbia,"  tliis  "Cut- 
off," at  their  own  expense,  in  order  to  test  its  utility,  and 
with  the  si)ecial  object  of  bringing  it  to  the  iavorablc  notice 
of  the  Navy  Department  of  the  Cieneral  CJovernment,  and 
with  the  understanding  that  if  it  did  not  succeed,  the  owners 
of  it  would,  alter  a  certain  time,  remove  it  without  cost  to 
the  comi>any,  and  restore  the  vessel  lo  its  Ibrmer  condition. 
But  if,  ui)on  experiment,  the  invention  should  be  apiu-oved 
by  the  comiiany,  then  they  wca-e  to  have  the  use  of  it  on  as 
low  terms  as  the  steamer  "  Augusta"  or  any  other  vessel 
using  it.  On  these  terms  the  iiatentees  were  allowed  to  put 
their  invention  on  the  boat.  After  some  months  time  these 
parties  sent  in  to  the  company  a  bill  for  a  certain  amount, 
which  they  claimed  as  due  ihem  for  the  use  of  their  patent. 
Dr.  Gunton  replied  to  them,  stating  his  understanding  of  the 
terms  of  the  verbal  agreement  and  reciting  the  delays  and 
tlisadvantaues  which  had   resulted  from  a  failure  to   make 


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DR.   WILIJAM    GUNTON.  OO 

good  tlieir  represciilations.  Tliey  thru  instituted  suit  against 
tlio  coinpany  in  llu-  Courts  of  tlie  District  to  collect  the  sums 
claimed  to  he  due,  from  time  to  time,  upon  a  calculation 
made  by  tluMU  uiiiUt  the  lerms  of  their  pretended  contract. 
The  verdicts  in  the  lower  Ooui'ts  were  usuall}'  i-endered 
against  the  com[)any  under  the  exeei)tions  allowetl  by  these 
Courts.  On  these  proceedings,  the  cases  were  severally  aj)- 
l)ealed  to  the  Su]»remc  Court  of  the  United  States,  with  the 
exception  of  the  case  in  tla^  year  1S5G,  which,  through  the 
culpable  negligence  of  the  attorney  of  the  com])any,  in 
failing  to  ])repare  and  present  the  case  bid'oro  the  Supreme 
Court  as  he  sIkjuM  have  doiu;  within  the  timiMvhicli  the 
rules  prescribed,  was,  on  this  ai;count,  summarily  dismissed 
with  costs.  The  effect  of  this  was  to  exact  from  the  company 
the  sum  of  three  thousand  d.-llai's,  besides  a  large  hill  of  cost.s. 
In  all  the  other  cases  the  dei'isions  of  the  Ljwer  (Jourts  were 
invariably  revcrsi'd,  and  the  furlher  eifirts  of  these  claimants 
have  resulted  in  a  liual  reference  of  the  case,  which  is  now 
so  narroweil  down  that  the  interest  is  comjiaratively  trilling, 
and  the  controversy  may  be  regarded  as  virtually  at  an 
end.  SfJl796S 

But  all  the  documents  sho\v  how  a  case  of  litigation  may 
be  commenced  and  carried  on  i'oy  a  period  of  forty  years  by 
a  set  of  unscrupulous  men,  and  the  cidpable  nciiligence  of 
attorneys,  an<l  how  all  of  them  may  eonlinue  to  make  large  ■ 
sums  of  money  out  of  indiviiluals  or  Coi'porati(ms  \\\u>  have 
the  ability  to  ])ay,  and  who  arc  thus  f  tived  by  the  techui- 
caltiesof  the  law  to  reward  them  in  their  chicanery.     It  has 


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36  DK.    WILLIAM    GUNTON. 

become  one  of  the  famous  cases  in  the  records  of  the  C'cnirts 
uf  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  the  "Sickles  Cut-oif"  c-ase 
will  long  be  remembered  by  the  Washington  Bar  as  one  of 
the  most  successful  rivals  of  the  British  suits  in  Chancery. 

Dr.  Gunton  was  also  President  of  the  old  Perseverance 
Fire  Company,  which  many  years  ago  rendered  valuable 
service  in  the  protection  of  the  property  of  the  city.  lie  was 
likewise  a  stockholder  in  the  Firemen's  Insurance  Company 
of  Washington  and  Georgetown  from  the  beginning,  and 
was  elected  its  first  President,  July  L'.Sth,  1837,  whirh  ottice 
he  held  for  three  years,  when  he  was  succeeded  in  it  li\-  his 
estimable  friend,  llie  late  Mr.  James  Ailams,  who  eonliiiued 
in  it  till  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  likewise  in  the 
Uniformed  Volunteer  Artillery  (Company  of  Ca})tain  Peter 
Force,  and  was  afterwards  oll'ei'ed  the  captaincy  of  a  militia 
conijiany  of  the  District,  whirh  honor  his  advanring  \ears 
and  other  nunienjus  engagements — it  being  in  a  time  of  pro- 
found peace — -constrained  liim  t(j  decline. 

Daring  the  terrible  ci-isis  of  the  late  civil  war  he  was 
among  the  f)ixMnost  of  American  citizens  in  hi>  loyall\-  to 
the  Government  of  the  Union,  and,  though  exempt  b}-  age 
from  military  service,  he  procui'ed  a  sub,>titute,  and  thus 
represented  himself  among  the  soldiers  who  frnght  fur  the 
preservation  of  the  Union,  and  I'endercMl  n  noble  example 
of  the  devotion  of  a  man  who,  though  born  on  Fnglish  soil, 
was  yet  fired  with  a  lofty  zeal  for  the  triumph  of  the  causi' 
of  his  ado})ted  couniry,  and  for  the  sovereignty  of  the  Stars 


•  KlOOV/.J^'   i-r, 


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DE.  -^Tl.LTAlNr   GUNTON.  37 

and  Stripe^,  to  which  his  early  allee-iauce  had  been  given, 
and  whicli  he  rejoices  now  to  see  floating  over  every  i)art  of 
the  domain  of  an  nndivided  liepnhlic. 

In  all  these  stations  of  trust  and  responsibility  Dr.  Gun- 
ton  has  never  failed  to  coinnuind  the  entire  respect  ami 
confidence  of  the  comnnniily,  and  his  name  thus  came  to 
be  a  tower  of  strength  to  any  cause  to  -which  he  was  dis- 
posed to  lend  it.  In  I808  his  affairs  had  so  extended  that 
he  gave  up  the  business  of  the  store  and  sold  out  the  stock 
and  patronage. 

Through  a  comprehension  which  time  has  justified,  and  a 
far-seeing  discretion,  he  extended  his  business  with  his 
growing  years.  His  investments  in  real  estate  have  greatly 
increased  in  value,  while  his  profits  from  various  other 
sources  have  steadily  aj)preciated,  till  now  his  income  is 
considerable — so  ample  that  it  would  be  both  delicate  ami 
ditiicult  to  say  precisely  what  it  is.  He  has  carried  the 
same  care  and  caution,  with  a  proportionate  success,  into 
all  his  i)ublic  trusts,  so  that  on  the  whole,  his  life  as  a  busi- 
ness man  can  only  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  im])ressive 
examples  of  stern  integrity,  unfaltering  diligence,  and  si>und 
judgment,  totally  distinct  from  the  wild  spirit  of  si)ecula- 
tion  and  colossal  adventures  which  has  ruiued,  in  later 
times,  so  many  men  of  mark. 

Though  Dr.  Gunttin  has  been  so  hnig  engaged  in  the 
public  and  private  undertakings  already  indicated,  these, 
by  no  means,  complete  the  sum  of  his  manifold  labors. 
His  aid  has  often  been  extended  in  manv  other  directions — 


t!i;  ;,■     -f  .fu-. 


,;  I,       ,■•).   ■■i.;-'     .:!.V,'r     ''':i<:r(u_     ■-<•'.     ■   ',/v  ,    -'  ■;      I    :.■:■■'.  ;:■'. 

'     '{■'■     h!  ...  ..  ■■■■-    1'"i     -'i.^MM.'..     .,c.:j,:;i-U    v>U    V^f 


38  DK.   WILLIAM   GUNTON. 

in  the  management  of  difficult  and  cumi)licated  e:states ;  in 
the  enlargement  of  churches,  and  the  countless  olyects  of 
philanthropy  and  charity  that  have  made  to  him  their  in- 
cessant apjjeals.  In  these,  as  in  all  other  instances,  he 
has  never  courted  })ul)licity,  never  sought  for  display  or 
ostentation.  Fond  >>f  old  friends,  old  places,  old  associa- 
tions, and  clinging  to  them  with  the  greatest  tenacity,  his 
mode  of  living  may  be  descril)ed  as  one  of  economical  abun- 
dance and  elegant  simi)licity.  It  is  only  within  a  few  years 
past  that  he  has  been  persuaded  to  quit  his  old  quarters  at 
the  corner  of  Ninth  street,  and  remove  to  his  new  dwelling 
on  K  street  —  a  spacious,  substantial  brick  edifice,  ^vith 
every  modern  convenience,  and  httingly  furnished,  n(jt  tor 
extravagance,  but  thv  ;dl  propriity  and  comfort. 

Tiie  family  of  the  Guntons  have,  however,  suffered  the 
vicissitudes  of  nature.  ^Ir.  Fischer,  having  purchased  the 
business  in  Frederick,  was  married  to  ]Miss  Harriet  Guuton, 
in  the  house  of  her  brother,  at  the  cw-ner  oi'  Ninth  street. 
The  next  day,  in  cuuvi'yiug  his  bride  liomoward,  ids  vicious 
horse  kicked  tlie  carriage  t(j  pieces.  Tliis  was  somi^what  of 
a  dolorous  omen,  but  tiiey  were  fortunate  iu  esca[)ing  with 
their  lives.  IIu  continued  his  business  in  Frederick  till  the 
year  1833,  when  he  disposed  of  it  to  his  lirother  and  remcn'ed 
to  Washington.  He  purchased  and  t)pened  a  store  for  Sta- 
tionery, which  stood  on  the  site  next  to  what  is  now  known 
as  the  "  >Slu-pherd  Building,"  on  the  corner  of  Twelith 
street  and  rennsylvania  avonue.  This  business  he  pursued 
till  his  deatii. 


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DR.    WILTJAM    GUXTON.  39 

Mrs.  Tbonms  Gunton,  the  mother,  died  in  1818. 

Mr.  Tlioiaas  Gunton,  tlie  father,  died  in  1821. 

After  this  tlie  members  of  tlie  family,  excepting  the 
Fischers  and  their  sister  Anne,  lived  together  f)r  many 
years  in  the  old  dwelling  of  Dr.  Guuton  at  the  corner  of 
Ninth  street. 

To  Dr.  (fiinton  were  born  the  fdlowing-  children: 

Mary  Jane,  who  was  married  to  Mr.  Edward  Temple  in 
18(;2.  :\lr.  d\'mi)le  is  Viced'resident  of  the  Bank  of  \Va:^h- 
ington  and  i,ngaii\'d  in  other  i)ul)lic  enteri)riscs,  and  for 
manv  years  lia:^  l)een  a  welbliiiown  and  higldy  esteemed 
mendH'r  of  the  commnnily. 

Harriet  Anne,  who  died  in  1837. 

Tiiomas,  who  dieil  in  iuiancy. 

EHzabelh,  who,  in  bS-Jl,  married  the  Rev.  Dr.  AVilliam 
Ives  Budlngton,  l'oi-  many  yuuv  a.  distinguished  ^linisler  ol 
the  ('oiiLiregational  Denomination,  and  for  nearly  a  (piarter 
of  a  century  I'astor  of  the  CMinlon  Avenue  Church  in  the 
City  ..f  I5ro(,klyn,  X.  Y.  ;   and-— 

William  Alexander,  who  married  Miss  Mary  K.  ^l.  .Mul- 
likla  in  184S. 

To  Mr.  and  ^Irs.  Fischer  were  born  several  children, 
tlie  only  surviving  oiie  being  Harriet  Anne  Fischer,  wdio 
married  ^Ir.  Wm.  C.  Zant/Jnger. 

Mrs.  Dr.  William  Gunton  died  in  1839. 

Their  daughter,  .Mrs.  Elizabeth  Gunton  Budingtop, 
died  in  LSjI,  leaving  her  husband,  BeV.  Dr.  Budington, 
and  their  surviving  children. 


./•■>'l  ',■•-_!,-.       'J. 


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40  DU.    WILLIAM    GUNTON. 

Mrs.  Williiun  A.  Giuitoii  died  in  185:5,  leaving  her  hus- 
band and  two  L-hil<h\'n  ;  one  ol'  which  only  now  survives, 
and  several  niuuths  alter — 

Mr.  William  A.  Gunton,  her  husband,  was  killed  by 
bein;!-  thrown  iVoni  a  horse  on  Eleventh  street  southwest, 
near  the  river,  in  l(Sr)4. 

This  was  a  iieculiarly  alilietive  stroke  to  his  lather  and 
family,  as  by  his  ileath  the  name  heroines  exlinet,  and  with 
it  the  li-ht  of  a  ran-  c-xam|.lc  of  the  yoim-  manhood  of  the 
times.  A  -raduate  of  Yalo  ("oUo.-v  in  IS  17— favored  with 
all  that  paivntal  f.ndner-s  (.r  nvnerosily  could  hestow^his 
mind  inl'ormcd,  his  taste  attuned  to  the  cndiellishniciits  of 
art,  his  character  ennobled  \>y  classic  iiilliiciicc  and  polished 
in  the  schools — of  a  spii'it,  at  the  same  time,  sim[)le  ami  <le- 
vout — he  died  lamentid  by  many  friends,  and  hi.-  memor\- 
will  be  forever  cherished   by  those  who  knew  him  bi'st. 

Mr.Thomasfiunton,brotherof  Dr.  (iunton,diediii  1H;)3. 

The  sister,  l<:ii/,abeth,  died  in  1S5S. 

The  sister,  Mary,  died  in  1870. 

The  sister,  Anne,  in  1877. 

The  brother-in-law,  Mr.   William    Fi>clier,  died   in    1852. 

His  wife,  :\Irs.  Harriet  JMscher,  died  in  185i». 

So  of  all  this  noted  family,  very  many  have  pas-^ed 
away,  leaving  but  a  rinuianl  of  the  once  wide  cii'cle  that 
in  other  (Jays  surrounded  J  )r.  William  <  Junton  as  the  cen- 
tral ligure. 

There  remain  now  the  f  )llowin!j;  of  the  ilimily  blood  and 
name : 


0! 


V'.iii  ■,•''•'"  'i*'ii> 


('    '•;    /ii.ii; 


■(  ■',11 


BR.   WriXIAM    GUNTON.  41 

Dr.  William  Guuton,  iu  the  88tli  year  of  his  age,  still  as 
vigorous  and  active  as  a  man  of  three-score  years. 

Mr.  Edward  Temple,  husband  of  his  daughter. 

jMrs.  Mnvy  Jam;  ( Junlon  Temple,  his  sole  surviving  child. 

The  (.'hildren  (jl"  his  daughter,  Elizabetli  Guuton  Buding- 
Um,  namely  : 

Elizabeth  Hester  Budington,  who  married  Dr.  A.  D.  Will- 
son,  a  distinguished  physician  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and  who 
died  in  LS72. 

aMary  Jane  Budington,  who  married  Mr.  George  Wilcox, 
an  allonuy-at-hiw  of  high  standing. 

Dr.  W^illiaiu  Gunton  JkidingLon,  a  surgeon  of  some  prom- 
inence, and  unmarried. 

Julia  Budington,  who  married  Mr.  F.  E.  Dana,  a  suc- 
cessl'ul  attuniey-at-law  ;   and 

Thomas  Gunton  Budington,  also  recently  married,  and  a 
young  gentleman  of  great  promise. 

And  also  .Mary  M.  Giuit(jn,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  William 
A.  Gunton,  who  married  Mr.  Henry  Carlc.'r,  of  iMaryland, 
iin  engineer  of  ntarked  ability  in  his  profession. 

When  Dr.  Wm.  Gunton  settled  in  Wasliington  in  1820, 
his  wife  became  a  member  of  the  First  Bresbyterian  Church 
of  Washington,  and  subsequently  his  tlu-ee  daugliters,  and 
this  Church  has  ever  since  been  tlic  home  of  the  members 
of  the  Gunton  family  residing  in  Wasliington. 

Dr.  William  Gunton,  though  not  himself  a  member  of 
the  Churcii,  yet  for  many  years  identified  liimself  elfectu- 
ally  with  the  congregation. 


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42 


DR.    WILLIAM    OUNTON. 


Ilis  (laugliter,  Mary  Jane  Guiiton  Toniplc,  liceaino  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Church  in  \HV2,  and  t^o  continues  to  this  dav. 

Her  father,  Dr.  (lunton,  was,  in  the  jM'ime  ol'  iiis  lii'c,  a 
very  })iliar  of  su[)port  in  many  ways  to  the  ( 'hurch  of  liis 
family,  and  took  tlie  most  active  intcrt'^t  in  its  [iros|)ci-itv. 
In  the  year  1^59  the  church  cdificf;  was  remo(hdcd  and  i-n- 
larired  at  a  cost  of  $L'7,U0U.  Dv.  (innton  was  ClKiinnaii  nf 
the  liuildinij,- Committee,  and  Ijy  his  wclhknown  aliilily  of 
management  and  pecuniary  aid  lie  contributed  more  lai-uely 
than  any  other  sinti'lo  individual  to  the  success  cd' that  im- 
portant enterprise,  and  the  (!hurch  stands  to  this  dav  as  it 
was  tlu'n  left  hy  him  and  his  associates,  a  soliil,  massive 
brick  buildin^•,  with  the  largest  audience-room  of  any 
Protestant  Church  in  the  city  (d"  Washini^ton.  Here  it  was 
that  <lurin-  the  intense  and  troubled  period  of  the  i^reat  war 
f  )r  the  Union,  immense  a^send)lies  weekly  gathered,  and 
here  the  heart  of  Christian  Patriotism  from  all  cpiarters  (d' 
the  land  lookcil  for  words  of  eucouragemeid  in  the  darkest 
and  most  perilous  peri(»ds  of  the  conllict. 

Dr.  ffunton's  religious  opinions  have  long  been  matters 
of  convicti(jn,  and  though  dilU'riug  in  some  things  I'rom  the 
standards  of  faith  and  doctrine  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  — 
so  that  he  could  m^t  see  his  way  cKvir  to  adopt  them  all,  as 
a  conditii^n  of  church  meud)ership — yet  his  reverence  Idr 
the  Deity  as  our  Heavenly  Father  was  ever  deep  and  al- 
ways (j[)eidy  avowed.  His  views  of  ihe  mystei-ies  (d'  the 
relation  uf  Christ  to  the  divine  and  human  naluri',  were  the 
principal  (djstaeles  iu  his   way.      >So   that  it  resulted  more 


.•■■■•''  >  ^uV/  :,<;'!■;;  I  ,,(  !       .Ml'-'  •-   ,     -.       ,     .    .  _        : 
■■  ■    .:     '::'!'  /;'   .-.i.l    ;.;    i  .,  ■      ,  ■         v.  •         ■•.,.;       i. 


i   !^'-.i:^    .(' 


DR.   WILLIAM    (UINTON.  43 

from  an  intellectual  estimate  of  the  prufdund  ijuestion,  than 
from  any  promptings  of  his  heart,  that  he  felt  theditticulty 
of  coming  to  any  conclusive  ilecision  concerning  it. 

Perha[»s  the  best  indication  of  his  idea  of  jn'actical  re- 
ligion may  be  found  in  the  citation  he  wrote  with  his  own 
hand  in  a  Hook  ol'  (!omin(»n  Prayer  which  some  years  since 
he  gave  to  his  grancUlaughter,  I\Irs.  W^illson  : 

Micali  G:  8.  "  lie  hath  showed  thee,  O  man,  what  is 
good;  and  what  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee  but  to  do 
justly  iind  to  love  mer<'y  and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy 
God." 

But  he  was  never  di-;nosed  to  religious  controversy,  and 
never  sought  even  to  know,  much  less  to  cherish  or  to  })ropa- 
gate  the  numberless  cavils  and  sophistries  advanced  against 
the  doctrines  of  Christianity,  and  continuously  cx[)ressed 
his  earnest  desire  to  bi'lieve  and  to  adopt  the  exact  truth, 
not  only  citiiccrning  the  nature  and  nn'ssion  of  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  l>ut  concerning  every  other  essentitd  teaching  of 
the  Word  oi'(Tod.  And  it  is  a  circumstance  to  Ijc  specially 
noted  in  this  connection,  that  he  has  never  been  actively 
associated  with  any  congregation  save  that  of  his  wife  and 
daughters  during  his  long  experience  and  course  of  lifu. 

In  this  Cliurch,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  bricf'iuter- 
vals,  he  has  always  worshipped,  and  as  a  mendjer  of  its 
congregation  he  is  likely  to  continue  to  the  day  of  his  death. 

In  personal  asj)L'ct  Dr.  (lunton  is  one  of  the  iinest  speci- 
mens of  the  ])hysical  man.  In  former  days  he  was  often 
described  as  "  the  handsome  young  Englishman."     At  full 


.y,rny.\}\)   i,-,i, 


).-..  .:,^  :-r  Vi 


ei  ;■•  ' '?  ,.i,-;f;i  « '  .colli   !'-)v.'t:iii' 

■  'I    fiii',7     •I'l'Ul'it    ■/!';/>•/    oJ    !'i 


J     •  '1      V'j-    ) 


:.;..';1.)  ■■■  ;a; 


.      Dfi'  '..   ! 

if-.f'J    ••  .1.; 


44  DR.   WILLTA:\r    GTIXTON. 

miitiirity  lie  stood  about  five  ll'Ot  eiu'ht  inclios  in  hcitrht — 
of  snlid  ami  wcll-proportiniKMl  fonn — with  a  head  of  vcisu- 
lar  and  im|ti'es<ive  lunuld — his  hair  a  (hirk  hrowu,  liis  eyes 
bhic  and  of  .-iiiii'ular  hriuditiicss  and  [)ciio1  ratinu'  power;  an 
always  sinoolh-shaveii  face,  a  cMiuph'xion  ruddy  and  indi- 
caliu'j,'  r.ihu^t  hcallh,  an  expression  of  niai'l<.ed  iieniizuilv 
minified  wilh   determination,  and  an  appearance  aho-clher 

And  when  to  this  it  is  added  that  he  has  been  a  man  of 
jnive  and  simple  habits  and  associations — that  he  was  tem- 
perate almost  to  the  deM-rcH' of  ab-iinenci' ;  that  he  never 
chewed  nor  smoked  tuliacco  ;  that  he  never  made  a  bet  of 
any  sort ;  that  he  never  induh^ed  in  any  of  the  iiumlred 
modes  of  men  wlio  resort  U>  wluit  may  be  called  pimbling 
or  speculation;  that  he  was  as  ignorant  of  the  places  of 
vice  and  di-sipa'i>)n  in  cities  as  a  child  unborn  ;  that  h(^ 
would  have  no  associates  of  (pu'stionable  virtue,  or  who 
could  inlbienc-e  him  to  doubtful  courses;  thai  even  his  ordi- 
nary ci)uversatiou  was  remarkably  i'v^'c  from  the  vuJLiar 
profanity  which  too  sadly  mars  the  speech  of  many  men  ; 
that  he  resulutt'ly  sultjecled  himself  to  the  laws  of  heallli  ; 
and  systematically  ap[)ortione(l  his  sleei>,  footl,  and  exercise 
to  the  reipfu'cnients  of  an  unvitiated  nature; — the-(>  things 
atlbrd  Si)me  clue-  at  least  to  the  secret  of  his  lonn  and  jti'os- 
perous  lile,  and  give  a  grateful  in-iL:ht  into  the  constitution 
of  the  n^an.  These  were  from  the  lli'st  the  settled  pi'inci- 
])les  of  his  character.  With  habits  of  strict  .sobriety  in  all 
things,  and   an  unswerviicj-  attention  to  the  leuiliuiate  busi- 


.V^lT>';*lT^^    t-'./t. 


(  :.  ;;<•.   .;  -.0/    li  .  -      rifl)    : 


!<  U:       ^'"'O 


■^'    ■;.< 


,r,r   >: 


DR.   WILLIAM    GUNTON.  45 

uess  in  liaud;  with  :i  qiiic^k  .sense  of  oljligatiun  to  every 
trust  inijjo.sed  in  liiiu  ;  with  the  highest  notions  of  integrity, 
honesty,  and  liunor;  with  a  lite-  of  singular  system,  temper- 
ance, and  nidderatiou,  and  witli  the  most  rigid  ideas  of 
ec()nomy,  frugaUty,  and  independenee,  and  yet  at  the  same 
time  with  a  spiiil  of  modesty,  a  shrinking  from  all  desire 
for  show  and  osleiilation,  he  was  one  wIk;  could  not  fail  to 
gain  the  [)uhhc  conlidence  and  to  achieve  a  large  success, 
while  at  the  same  time  he  was  selling  an  examjde  for  all 
young  men,  mo^t  worthy  of  imitation. 

.Such  has  been  the  history  of  <jne  of  the  most  notable  men 
now  living  in  the  Capital  of  the  Nation,  and  in  looking  upon 
the  exam])le  it  brings  before  us,  it  may  conlideully  be  said 
that  no  man  has  lieeu  more  free  from  that  -which  can  im- 
pair human  charaeler,  or  do  injury  to  soci(,dy,  than  he 
has  been.  Jjiving  through  a  long  period — the  most  event- 
ful and  [)i>rleiUous — with  ii  wide  business  ac-iiuainlance,  and 
a  musL  practical  knowleilge  of  atlaii's,  at  times  involved  in 
complicated  and  diliicult  ijuestious  of  dispute,  representing 
immense  [)i-;)perty  interest.-,  not  all  ol"  w  Inch  have  escaped 
the  contests  of  the  law,  he  lias  never  fuled  to  make  gtjod  his 
ciiosen  p:tsition,  or  to  be  vindicated  at  last  ljy  the  verdict  of 
revolving  time. 

Approaching  as  nearly  as  the  imperfection  of  all  human 
natuie  will  admii,  to  the  ,-laudard  ot'an  unsullied  manhood, 
he  m;iy  be  said  lo  be  a  child  (»f  that  good  ibriune  whitdi  an 
all-wise  Providence  s:imetimes  vouch^ali.-s  to  the  most  fav- 
ored sons  of  men. 


ii^il 


•Vi.'  y.'iiso/ 


..i.i  '1, 


Hi)   ,  ■:  V/'.tt! 


■"!     Cil'/h        ••'I'M'K/'-,  CiJ     f'JUjiW    ill     1 

Jtiil!  .•■i;iu..  ■•■!  'i     :  ;IJ|  V"  -  ^;;" 

ill   {>:!V.I>^'!     4;)M!i  .!),     rHUiil:    "ti        '     !:'4./...l..    ; 

t  1  -,'l.iiV  :''n: 


'Mii<i  liiir>  tin 
i'",j;('!   I -.Mill  h 

.  .ih'^j.si  :;    nil 


)>j;  'It'-'  ■    jjJun 


46  DR.   WTTXIAM    GUNTON. 

Let  the  young  men  of  our  coming  generations  :^tuily  tlie 
principles  of  such  a  character— imitate  the  virtues  on  which 
nearly  a  whole  century  has  set  the  seal  of  approbation,  and 
tliis  great  Repul)lic,  this  intense  American  civilization,  will 
be  built  u[)  upon  elcnneiits  slainh'ss  as  (he  honor  of  the 
sturicil  Diana,  Irce  and  lasting  as  the  rocks  uf  our  eternal 
hills. 


ill      :•   .     -.     'lull. 


Iv    -54,-,;/     ;::     ;i/,   £:ai;      '  ^^,t     .♦  ",   '