The

Richard Hubbell, Sen., who with his son Richard, Jr., were among the nine male members of the Stratfiel church at its formation in 1695 (now the First Congregational church, Bridgeport). Their home was on the spot now occupied by Mr. Chas. A. Hotchkiss on Clinton avenue. subject of this sketch married Charlotte Baldwin, of Poughkeepsie, New York, and had eight children, four of whom survive and are residents of this city, viz.: Edward Hubbell, Mary Louisa, Mrs. Russell T. Curtis, now Mrs. J. H. Osgood, Captain John B. Hubbell of the Bridgeport Steamboat Company, Charlotte B., wife of G. W. Arnold. Jane Elizabeth, wife of Doctor H. L. W. Burritt, Walter, Louis Henry and Frances Ann, are deceased.

Mr. Hubbell united with the First Congregational Church, October, 7th, 1821, at which time there was a large accession. Among them such names as John Brooks, Jr., Sherwood Sterling, William Wright, and Burr Knapp. In 1831 he was dismissed with thirty other male and seventy female members to form the Second or South Church, with which he ever retained his membership. He has been a great reader of the Scriptures and has read the Bible through five times in the last eight years."

WALTER HUBBELL, of Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York, born February 25, 1795, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, was the son of Abijah Hubbell and Clarissa Fitch.

Mr. Hubbell graduated at Union College, Schenectady, New York, in 1814, and the same year went to Canandaigua, New York, where he entered the law office of N. W. Howell and John Greig. He was admitted to the Bar in 1817 and continued the practice of his profession until his death, March 25, 1848.

GEORGE WILLIAM HUBBELL, of Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut, eldest son of Ezekiel and Catharine Hubbell, was born November 26, 1796, in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut. His parents were desirous he should receive a collegiate education, and he partially prepared himself for such a course, but his inclinations leading him to choose a commercial life, he entered, at the age of sixteen, the counting-room of Smith & Hubbell, of New York.

In 1815, immediately after the war with England, when he was nineteen years of age, Smith & Hubbell employed him as Supercargo, with the business of the brig Cannon, under the command of Captain Paul Delano, on a voyage to Portugal and Gibraltar. In 1816-Buenos Ayres, then fighting for her independence—he was again employed by the same house to embark in the brig Ellen Tooker, under the command of Captain Adam Pond, to take the consignment of the vessel and cargo, consisting of materials of war and ammunition of all kinds. This adventure, arriving at a time the Provinces of Uruguay and Buenos Ayres were still at war with Spain, favorable results were looked for. On the contrary, finding an over-supply of similar investments, as he did, and

consequent competition and delay to realize, the result proved disastrous to all concerned. After the sale of the vessel and cargo he lingered some time in the La Plata, closing up his business, and returned home late in the year 1817.

The following spring, in the month of June, he took charge of the business of the ship Citizen, under the command of Captain James Loring, and as Supercargo made a voyage to Manilla, where he loaded her for Europe, and arrived at Hamburgh in May, 1820. Disposing of her cargo, and despatching the ship on another voyage to Manilla, under instructions from the owners in the United States, and placing her in charge of Captain Loring as Master and Supercargo, he returned to New York, where he arrived in February, 1821. In March following he married Mary Ann, only daughter of Enoch Foote, Esq., of Bridgeport, Connecticut.

ness.

In April, 1821, he and his brother Henry Wilson Hubbell, the second son of Ezekiel and Catharine Hubbell-born in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut, October 30, 1805-embarked as passengers in the new ship Ajax, commanded by their father, and sailed for Manilla. Henry had just finished his education at the Wilton Academy, Connecticut, under the tuition of Hawley Olmstead, afterwards Professor of Astronomy, at Yale College. The object of George was to establish a mercantile house at Manilla—with his brother Henry as one of the clerks at the start—and transact a general busiThe ship arrived out in August, 1821, having on board 90,000 dollars in Spanish coin, with several invoices of English, French and miscellaneous goods. Part of these funds were for the Citizen, belonging to the same owners, which ship arrived at Manilla from Hamburgh many months before the Ajax. An establishment was soon arranged and organized for business, and on the first of January, 1822, commercial circulars, under the firm name of George W. Hubbell were issued. These two ships both loaded and sailed in the regular monsoon on their return to New York. The Citizen was wrecked on the coast of New Jersey; and the Ajax arrived safely, April 15, 1822. It may be here specially noticed and recorded that the name of the Hubbells was fairly and permanently established at Manilla in 1822, and has continued, now Peele, Hubbell & Co., to the present period of 1881. This firm and the house of Russell & Co., in China, established at Canton, in 1825, are the only two American houses of ancient standing in existence at the present day, eastward of the Cape of Good Hope. The house has been successful and favorably known in all the commercial centres of the world as a responsible and highly respected firm. At the time of his death, as hereinafter referred to, Mr. George W. Hubbell, the original founder of the house, had been the United States Consul for many years, and was the first recognized by Spain in her East India possessions.

From 1822 to 1825 the Ajax made three successive voyages under the same command, consigned to George W. Hubbell. The ship Sabina, also commanded by Ezekiel Hubbell, in 1825-26, loaded at Manilla for New York. Meanwhile the business of the house increased, particularly with New York and Salem.

In 1823 the house purchased and loaded the brig Cadet, of Boston, with a valuable cargo of sugars and China silks, adapted to the wants of Chili and Peru. Henry, then under eighteen years of age, was entrusted with the business of the voyage as Supercargo. Aside from the knowledge he had derived during the two years he was in the office of his brother George, he had only been commissioned with a small adventure from Manilla to China and back in July and August, 1823. Full and careful instructions for his guidance were prepared, the voyage mapped out, and then left to his judgment to act for the best as circumstances might render necessary.

The Cadet, under command of Captain James Bennett, sailed from Manilla January 15, 1824. Passing down the China Sea, the Indian Ocean, and to the southward of New Holland and New Zealand, she arrived at Valparaiso in the month of April, following. During the voyage the crew became mutinous and the vessel arrived with several men in irons. This difficulty weighed upon Captain Bennett's mind to such a degree, that, soon after his arrival he destroyed himself. Without delay Mr. Hubbell engaged a suitable man to fill his place, and the business of the vessel went on without interruption. Part of the cargo was sold at Valparaiso. The accounts closed, the vessel was soon made ready for sea. At this time the Spaniards, still in possession of the Castle of Callao, and control of the city of Lima, and the port reported to be under blockade by the limited naval forces of Peru, and several Spanish armed cruisers on the coast, he joined the Supercargos of the ships Liberty and Governor Clinton, of New York, and sought convoy down the coast from the United States Sloop of War Peacock, then at Valparaiso, which was unhesitatingly granted by Captain Carter, in command. After seven days' passage, calling at Coquimbo en route, the Cadet and her companions, in the absence of the blockading fleet, safely anchored in the harbor of Callao unmolested.

Lima at that time was alternately in temporary possession of the Spanish and Peruvian forces. Completely demoralized, as that beautiful city was, with no sale for anything except flour and provisions, he decided, after idling away a month or more, to proceed down the coast to Truxillo.* He did so; and disposed of a further portion of his cargo at that place. Meanwhile, leaving the silver received for the proceeds of his goods, he concluded to return to Lima, and make one more effort to realize for the balance of the cargo, and

* Named after Truxillo, in Spain, the birth-place of Pizarro.

call at Truxillo, on his return to Manilla, for the funds he had left at that place. With the knowledge that Callao was again blockaded, he felt some little doubt. as to safely reaching his destination. Nevertheless, he was determined to attempt it. Instructing Captain Woodbury in writing to proceed to Callao at all hazards, which relieved him as commander of any responsibility, they weighed anchor. After seven days at sea, about sunset, the port then fifty miles distant and the wind favorable to shape a course for the harbor, they pressed forward in that direction. About midnight, atmosphere hazy, stars dim and sea smooth, with a steady southeast trade wind blowing, they quietly glided between two vessels of the blockading squadron, a frigate on the one side, and a brig upon the other, and only discovered their proximity by faintly hearing the watch cry of " All's well;" and immediately on the other side the same repeated. Still quietly following their course, unnoticed by the enemy, they found themselves at the break of day safely under the guns and protection of the United States Frigate United States, at anchor in the harbor of Callao. Commodore Hull, then in command of the United States Naval forces in the Pacific, having very little respect for the blockade, and although somewhat surprised, he was very much pleased at the safe arrival of the Cadet, and kindly offered any assistance needed. [These details are embodied in this brief sketch more for the purpose of showing the then political disturbed state of the country and trade, which confronted a young man of limited experience, and little knowledge of the world, carrying the responsibility which he did, and at a time, when Spain was struggling to save the last of her Vice-Royalties in America: the whole country in the hands of lawless bands; trade irregularly conducted: duties evaded, and vessels exposed to capture: the ship China of New York seized, and both vessel and cargo confiscated by the Spanish authorities: the ship General Carrington of Providence, Rhode Island, captured and brought into port and condemned: the late William S. Wetmore, of New York, her Supercargo imprisoned: to which when we add temptations surrounding him of every kind, to which he was exposed, and which once fallen into would have been ruin to himself and friends, it can be readily seen that his position was one of great responsibility even for a man of mature years.] In the midst of this disturbed. state of things, he immediately proceeded to Lima, with grave doubts as to whether he could succeed in negotiating the business he had in view. Nevertheless, he did make arrangements with his friends Messrs. Richard Price & Co., a responsible and influential English firm, to make him moderate advances upon the balance of his cargo still unsold. These advances were shipped on board the Cadet in bar silver, and the goods landed, and safely stored in Lima. Instructions were given to sell the consignment so soon as the fate of Peru was determined (which was looked for daily, as the two hostile armies in the interior were rapidly approaching each other), and remit to the United States any bal

ance of account there might be realized. He then hastened back to Truxillo, where he took on board the silver awaiting his arrival, and on December 10, 1824, sailed on his return voyage to Manilla, where he arrived in March, 1825, after an absence of fourteen months. [On the 8th of December, only two days before he sailed from Huanchaco*, the battle of Ayacucho was fought, under General Sucre in command of the Peruvian forces, which resulted in the defeat of the Spanish Army, under command of the Viceroy General Laserna, who was in this final struggle killed. The terms of this victory resulted in a capitulation which included the surrender of the Castles of Callao and the garrisons throughout Peru, and a reasonable time allowed the Spanish Officers to embark for their homes in Spain. This surrender, which secured the independence of Peru, severed the last link of the vast Spanish possessions in America, over which Spain had held uninterrupted dominion for nearly three hundred years, and the old Empire of the Incas was again under the control of a degenerated Peruvian population.] On the return of the Cadet to Manilla the owner, George W. Hubbell, loaded and embarked in her for Cadiz and Gibraltar; at the former port, she delivered a cargo of sugar; and proceeded to the latter, where she was sold. Mr. Hubbell then returned to America. He arrived at New York in October, 1825, after an absence of four years and six months.

His brother Henry he left in charge of his business at Manilla, where he remained until January, 1826. He returned home with his father Captain Hubbell, in the ship Sabina, and arrived at New York on the 22d of April following, after an absence of five years, leaving the business of the house for a short time in charge of competent and reliable parties.

[We cannot overlook in our numerous interviews with Mr. H. W. Hubbell, the vivid recollection and reference that he makes to the exciting subject, which engrossed the attention of the public on this his first landing from a long sojourn abroad: that of the building of two ships of war for Greece, by Messrs. Leroy, Bayard & Co., and G. G. & S. Howland; the latter at a later period, under the firm name of Howland & Aspinwall, with whom in our sketch hereafter Mr. Hubbell becomes closely related. Probably no question ever engaged the feeling and interest of the citizens of New York in those days, to the extent which this absorbing topic did. Occurring in the height of the deep sympathy for the Greeks in their desperate struggle for independence, the most remarkable in history, the eloquent speeches from Webster, Clay and Everett, intensified the feeling. The million of dollars contributed in money, in addition to provisions and clothing, largely by America, to build two small frigates of 44 guns each, resulted in the sale of the one to the United States to cover the cost of the two. Finally, the Greek agent, Mr. Contostavlos, a gentle

* Huanchaco is the port of the City of Truxillo, about eight miles distant in a Northwesterly direction.