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MARSHALL COLLEGE
Class of 1856 Obituaries
Calvin Mark DUNCAN, Esq., the second son of Adam
Seth Enos and Mary (Mark) Duncan, was born in Cashtown, Adams county, Pa., May 28, 1831. He died at
Chambersburg, Pa., March 22, 1894. He prepared for college at Mercersburg, entered the Freshman class, and was
graduated in 1856, delivering the salutatory. He was a member of the Diagnothian Literary Society, and of the Chi Phi
fraternity. The late Hon. William A. Duncan (1857), of Gettysburg, Pa., was his brother.
Mr. Duncan read law with the late Hons. Wilson Reilly
and J. McDowell Sharpe, and was admitted to the Franklin county bar in 1858, and for twenty-five years was associated
with the late Theodore McGowan. At the time of his death he was the second oldest lawyer at the Franklin county bar.
From 1865 to 1872 he represented Franklin and Adams
counties in the State Senate, where he introduced and secured the passage of measures beneficial to his
constituency, among them the " Border Claims Bill," for reimbursing the citizens of Chambersburg for the destruction of that
town by fire at the hands of the Confederate army. He was actively interested in the Democratic organization of
Chambersburg and the county, and frequently represented it in State and National conventions, having been a delegate
to the convention that nominated General Hancock for the Presidency in 1880.
December 16, 1858, he married Miss Mary Grace
Metzger, of Lancaster, Pa., who, with four sons—Calvin Mark, Frank Metzger, Robert Spencer, and John McClurg
Duncan—survives him. Augustus Duncan, ex-Fish Commissioner of Pennsylvania, is his only surviving brother.
He was also a member of the Masonic order, and one of the charter members of his lodge. Mr. Duncan is buried
at Chambersburg.
[Frank M. Duncan.]
Rev. Adam Christian KENDIG, son of Adam and Anna
(Haverstick) Kendig, was born in Conestoga township, Lancaster county, Pa., January 8, 1828. He was a direct
descendant of Martin Kendig, a Swiss Mennonite refugee, who settled in Lancaster county in 1709. He attended the
schools of his native township (one of his teachers being Casper Hiller), and for three years, from 1847, taught in
the public schools. In April, 1850, he entered Marshall Academy, and the Freshman class of College in 1852,
concluding his course in four years. He was a member of the Goethean Literary Society.
He taught school at Safe Harbor, Pa., for a year after
graduation, and subsequently studied theology under Dr. Herman Rust (1848), in Cincinnati, Ohio.
He was licensed by Miami Classis, July 27, 1857, ordained to the Gospel ministry and became pastor (Oct. 1, 1857) of the West
Alexandria charge in Ohio, remaining pastor for four years. After living in retirement for a year, at his home in
Pennsylvania, his recovered health enabled him to resume work, and he became pastor of the Basil charge, Fairfield county,
Ohio, January 1, 1863.
December 20, 1863, he was married to Miss Sarah
Elizabeth Bowers, of West Alexandria. He died January 16, 1864. His life-long faith found expression in his dying
words, " Victory over death, Mother." A daughter, Mary Anna, now Mrs. D. E. Stubbs, of Eaton, Ohio, was born
to him after his death.
Mr. Kendig was an earnest and devoted Christian
gentleman, modest, quiet, retiring; a good student, clear thinker, good sermonizer, and acceptable preacher. He wrote for
the Western Missionary, now The Christian World.
[The Fathers, 4: 431; Rev. John M. Kendig, D. D.]
Cyrus Valentine MAYS, A. M., son of Benjamin and
Margaret (Valentine) Mays, was born at Schaefferstown, Lebanon county, Pa., December 22, 1830. He died September 22,
1876. After having completed his preparation in the village school he entered the Freshman class of Marshall
College in 1852, and was graduated from Franklin and Marshall in 1856. He received the degree A. M. in course,
and was a member of the Goethean Society.
Previous to his graduation he was assistant to Rev. C. R.
Kessler in the Allentown Seminary. In 1857 he took charge of the parochial school of the Reformed Church,
in Harrisburg, Pa., at the same time pursuing theological studies under Rev. Daniel Gans (1847), with a view of
entering the ministry. In the fall of 1863 he took charge of the Germantown Academy, founded in 1760. He
reorganized the school and brought it to a most flourishing state. In 1872 Franklin and Marshall opened a
Preparatory Department and Mr. Mays became the principal. A desire to advance the interests of his Alma Mater induced
him to undertake the task. In consequence of the imperfect heating and ventilation of the Academy building, he
took a severe cold, from the effects of which he died.
The first number of the College Student contains several
of his poems, written during his student days. He also contributed to The Guardian.
Mr. Mays was married to Miss Hannah L.
Romig, daughter of Dr. John Romig, of Allentown, Pa., December 27, 1866. They had an only child, Miss Edith R., who
was educated at Mt. Holyoke College.
[College Student, I: 7; J. M. Mays.]
Van Lear PERRY, M. D., son of Judge Thomas and
Mary Louisa (Van Lear) Perry, was born in Cumberland, Md., April 20, 1837. He attended the Allegany Academy,
one of the oldest State academies, and entered the Freshman class of Lafayette College, Easton, Pa., in the fall of 1852,
where he remained until the end of his Sophomore year. Then he joined the Junior class of Franklin and Marshall
College, graduating in 1856. His graduating thesis was Professional Inability. He was a member of the Goethean
Literary Society, and of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity. After graduation he studied medicine with Drs. Smith
and Ohr, of Cumberland. He matriculated in the University of Maryland in 1858, and took his M. D. at Jefferson
Medical College, Philadelphia, March 15, 1859. The subject of his thesis was Scarletina. After graduating he
practiced medicine in Cumberland for some months. He then went to Missouri, where he practiced medicine until the
war broke out, when he returned to Virginia, entering Company G, 2d Virginia Infantry, Stonewall Brigade, as a
private.
On account of special chemical knowledge Dr. Perry was
subsequently detailed for service in a laboratory at Petersburg, Va., where he was intimately associated with Dr.
Snowden Piggott. The laboratory being later removed to Lincolnton, N. C., Drs. Perry and Piggott also moved to
Lincolnton, where they continued their laboratory work. In 1864 he was detailed as assistant surgeon of the 57th
Va. regiment, in the Confederate army, his duties taking him as far south as Mississippi, in which State he probably
was at the time of the surrender.
While in Lincolnton Dr. Perry married Miss Elizabeth
M. Gibson, daughter of the Rev. Churchill J. Gibson, D. D., rector of Grace Protestant Episcopal church, of
Petersburg, August 18, 1863. Mrs. Perry died in July, 1864, leaving no children.
In the fall of 1865 he was sent by the Navassa Phosphate
Company of Baltimore to Navassa, West Indies, as surgeon and assistant superintendent of the island.
He stayed in Navassa about a year, returning in the fall
of 1866, settling in Wyckliffe, Clarke county, Va. Here he practiced until the summer of 1867, when he moved to
Buckeystown, Md. While living at Buckeystown he married, October 31, 1867, Miss Eliza Mayo Atkinson, of
Charlestown, W. Va., daughter of Rev. Wm. M. Atkinson, D. D., pastor of Kent Street Presbyterian church at Winchester,
Va. Both his wives were nieces of Bishop Atkinson of North Carolina.
In March, 1868, Dr. and Mrs. Perry moved to Harper's
Ferry, W. Va., where he stayed until the fall of that year, when, at the urgent request of the Navassa Phosphate
Company, he returned to Navassa as medical director and superintendent of that island, where, October 26, 1869, he died of
yellow fever. His remains were brought home, and are buried in Charlestown. His wife and son, Van Lear Perry
(Jefferson Medical College, 1892), of Charlestown, survive him.
Van Lear Perry was an enthusiastic Master Mason. He
was an earnest and consistent Christian, and devoted much time to church and Sunday-school work.
[Mrs. Eliza M. Perry; Van Lear Perry, M. D.; Mrs. S. V. L.
Shriven]
Herman Kelchner RHOADS, son of Daniel and Hannah
Rhoads, was born in Lehigh county, Pa., February 1, 1831, and was descended from a family which was prominent in
the early history of eastern Pennsylvania. At an early age he manifested unusual fondness for study, and made himself
familiar with the works of the masters of English literature. Several of his relatives having been engaged in teaching he
was naturally drawn to the same employment; and for several years he taught in the public schools during the winter
months, while in summer he pursued his studies at a local academy. In October, 1854, he entered the Junior class
of college and became a member of the Diagnothian Society. As a student he was modest and retiring, but never
failed in his duty. He was a fluent writer in prose and verse, and contributed to several periodicals. He was
graduated with his class in 1856. It had been his intention to enter the ministry of the Reformed Church, but failing
health prevented the accomplishment of his purpose.
He was married to Lydia Schwartz, of Catasauqua, Pa., and
died at Allentown, Pa., September 11, 1857, and is buried there.
[Prof. J. H. Dubbs.]
John Merrell RUBY, Esq., was a son of Samuel
(educated at Franklin College) and Elizabeth (Rupp) Ruby. He was born September 27, 1834, in Cumberland county,
near Harrisburg, Pa., prepared for college in Mechanicsburg, Pa., and entered the Freshman class of Marshall
College in 1852, and was graduated in 1856. He was a member of the Goethean Literary Society.
After graduation Mr. Ruby read law for a time in
Pennsylvania and afterwards with his brother, M. G. Ruby (1852), in Missouri, where he was admitted to the bar, at
Albany, in 1858. He practiced in the courts of Gentry, De Kalb, Worth and Harrison counties, and, after the war,
at St. Joseph, Mo. He was deputy circuit clerk in Gentry county for several years.
In 1861 he enlisted at Leavenworth, Kan., as a volunteer
in the 7th Kansas Cavalry. lie served during the war, and participated in some of the most difficult cavalry
engagements in the West. His regiment was sent to St. Louis to be recruited, in 1864, and there he was detailed as clerk in
the Western War Department. His ability in this capacity was soon recognized and he was made chief clerk of the
department, which position he held until sickness compelled him to resign, in 1865. For a year or two thereafter he
was assistant assessor at St. Joseph.
A fluent writer, he contributed largely to magazines and
other periodicals. Mr. Ruby died at St. Joseph, December 26, 1868. A member of the Masonic fraternity, he was
buried with the rites of the order.
[Prof. J. H. Dubbs; M. G. Ruby, Esq.]
Source: Franklin and Marshall College
Obituary Record, Edited for the Alumni Association, Vol. 1, No.1, Lancaster,
Pa. Published by the Alumni Association of Franklin and Marshall
College, June 1897.
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