Calvin Stewart Brice was an American railroad builder and senator. He is regarded for his service as a president of the Lake Erie and Western Railroad and appreciated for his contributive work in building of the Nickel Plate Road in 1882.
Background
Calvin Stewart Brice was born on September 17, 1845 and was descended on his father's side from the Bruces of Kinnaird, Scotland, and on the maternal side from the fifth Lord Livingston, who died about 1553.
His father, William K. Brice, was a Presbyterian minister, a graduate of Hanover College and Princeton Theological Seminary, who came from Maryland to Ohio in 1840 and settled in the village of Denmark, Morrow County, where Calvin Stewart Brice was born. The latter's mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Stewart, was a native of Carroll County, Ohio, and is described as "a woman of fine education and exemplary traits of character. "
Education
While his early education was obtained in the common schools, it is clear that the instruction of his parents had a decided effect upon his mental development, for at the age of thirteen Calvin entered the preparatory department of Miami University, at Oxford, Ohio, and after only a year he was admitted to the freshman class. But his studies were interrupted by the war.
On April 1, 1861, though only fifteen years of age, he enlisted in the cause of the Union but was rejected on account of his youth; the following year he enlisted again and served for three months, when he returned to Oxford to complete his college course. He graduated in June 1863 and after teaching three months he recruited Company E of the 180th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, became its captain, and served until July 1865.
After being promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel for meritorious service, he was then just of age and took up the study of law in the University of Michigan.
Career
A few days before the close of the war Brice was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel for meritorious service. After receiving law degree from the University of Michigan, in the spring of 1866 he was admitted to the bar at Cincinnati. He soon gained distinction as a corporation lawyer, a training that fitted him for the part he was to play in the business and financial world, for in 1870 he gave up the active practise of law and embarked upon railroad enterprise, both as projector and manager.
He first attracted notice in the business world when General Ewing and other capitalists planned a railroad from Toledo to the Ohio coal fields. This brought him in contact with Allen G. Thurman, Judge Ranney, and Governor Foster of Ohio. The plan as Brice out, lined it was finally followed and he was given a free hand to carry the project to completion.
In the winter of 1870-71 he went to Europe to procure a loan for the purpose of completing the line of the Lake Erie & Louisville Railroad as far as Lima, Ohio. This road afterward became the Lake Erie & Western of which he became president in 1887. Besides his connection with this road he helped in the construction of the division of the Erie Railroad, known as the Chicago & Atlantic, and was responsible for the location in his home town of Lima of the machine shops of the Lake Erie & Western and the Dayton & Michigan railroads. His ability was now generally recognized and he entered upon many new ventures, all of which were successful.
The conception, building, and profitable sale of the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railway, commonly known as the "Nickel Plate, " was in great measure due to him. He was connected with ten other railroads, between Duluth, the Atlantic, and the South, as an investor and an official.
In addition to his extensive railroad activities, he was a promoter and stockholder in many of the local interests of his home city of Lima; he was identified with the Chase National Bank of New York and one of the leading spirits and directors of the Southern Trust Company.
On retiring from the Senate he took up his residence in New York City and became prominent in financial circles; but after the advent of Bryan and free silver, he took little interest in politics.
He died suddenly and unexpectedly in New York City of an acute attack of pneumonia in 1898.
Achievements
Calvin Brice rose to political prominence in Ohio, serving as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Chairman. He was elected as a Democratic Senator from Ohio to the United States Senate, serving a single term from 1891 to 1897.
In 1879, he became president of the Lake Erie and Western Railroad and built the Nickel Plate Road in 1882. But perhaps his greatest project was a railroad in China under concessions from the imperial government to the China-American Development Company, known as "The Brice Chinese Syndicate, " which had the exclusive right of way between Canton and Hankow with adjacent mining rights. Unfortunately his death prevented him from completing the undertaking.
He was also a founding member of the American Asiatic Association, an organization responsible for pursuing American trade interests in China under the Open Door Policy. After retiring from the Senate, Brice became one of the leading spirits and directors of the Southern Trust Company.
As a Democrat he was on the electoral ticket of Tilden in 1876 and of Cleveland in 1884. In 1888 he was delegate at large from Ohio to the national Democratic convention at St. Louis where he was elected a member of the national Democratic committee and chairman of the national campaign committee for the ensuing campaign. On the death of William H. Barnum in 1889, he was unanimously elected chairman of the Democratic national committee, and in 1890 he was elected to the United States Senate, to succeed Henry B. Payne, for the term commencing March 4, 1891. He soon became one of the leaders on the Democratic side, being a member of the steering committee and also a member of the Committee on Appropriations. While he took little part in public discussions in the Senate, he followed the proceedings closely, was a skilful questioner, and always commanded respect from the leaders of both parties.
Membership
Brice became a member of the Ohio Bar Association in 1866 and of the American Asiatic Association.
Personality
Quotes from others about the person
The Way Bill, commenting upon his services, says: "In all Mr. Brice's official relations with various railroads and other corporate properties, he never accepted a dollar of salary for his services. We do not know of another man in a similar position of whom the same can be said".
Connections
Calvin Brice was married in 1870 to Catherine Olivia Meily of Lima, Ohio, by whom he had four sons and two daughters.
associates:
Allen G. Thurman
Judge Ranney
Governor Foster of Ohio
associates:
John A. McMahon
George H. Payne
In 1890 Brice won the nomination over John A. McMahon as his party's candidate to succeed George H. Payne, the outgoing U.S. Senator from Ohio.
Daughter :
Margaret Kate Brice
1873–1911
Daughter:
Helen Olivia Brice
1871–1950
wife :
Catherine Olivia Meily Brice
1840–1900
mother :
Elizabeth Stewart Brice
1820–1852
Son:
Walter Kirkpatrick Brice
1874–1926
Son :
John Francis Brice
1877–1937
Son :
Stewart Meily Brice
1870–1910
Brother :
James Alexander Brice
1852–1853
Brother :
William Lowrie Brice
1848–1890
Father :
William Kirkpatrick Brice
1812–1870
associate:
William Henry Vanderbilt
He later sold this road for a generous profit to William Henry Vanderbilt, who recognized it as a dangerous competitor.
