American Biography

Napoleon Collins was a naval officer, born in Pennsylvania, May 4th 1814. He entered the U.S. Navy from Iowa as midshipman in 1834, studied at the naval school in Philadelphia in 1840, and became midshipman on July 16th 1840.

Collins was promoted to master mariner on August 15th 1846, and lieutenant on November 6th 1846. During the Mexican War he took part in the siege of Tuxpan and Tabasco on board the sloop of war Decatur.

In the Civil War Napoleon Collins commanded the Anacosta of the Potomac fleet in 1861, and was transferred to the gunboat Unadilla, with which he joined the South Atlantic squadron in the operations of 1861-62. On July 16th 1862, he was made commander of the Octorora of the West Indian squadron. Collins was transferred to the Wachusett in 1863, and directed his attention to the Confederate cruisers then operating against United States commerce. He captured the Florida in the harbor of Bahia, Brazil, October 7th 1864, under the guns of the Brazilian fleet, and towed his prize out of the harbor. He delivered her to the United States authorities at Hampton Roads, Virginia. While at anchor there she was run into by a transport and sunk. Brazil demanded her rendition, and Secretary Seward disavowed the act of Commander Collins who was tried by court-martial.

None the less, Collins was promoted to captain on July 25th 1866 and commodore on January 19th 1871. On August 9th 1874, he was made rear-admiral in command of the South Pacific squadron. He died exactly one year later at Callao, Peru, August 9th 1875.

Jacob M. Eberly was scion of a long line of Lancaster County Pennsylvania residents.

The earliest representatives of the Eberly family emigrated from Germany to America during the year 1700. They were followed by others, among whom was Michael Eberly, whose son Henry was married to a daughter of Ulrich Burkhard, and resided upon land now owned by the subject of this sketch, in conjunction with his brothers and sisters. The birth of Henry occurred in 1718, and his death in 1758. His three sons were Henry, John, and Jacob. The last named was born Jan. 27, 1752, and died Dec. 2, 1810. He married Anna, daughter of Michael Witmer, their nuptials having occurred Nov. 20, 1781. Their children were Henry, born in 1782; Mary, in 1784; Anna, in 1787; Jacob, in 1790; John, in 1796; and Henry, in 1798.

Jacob Eberly, who is the father of the subject of this biography, was born Dec. 30, 1790, on the homestead. He at an early age acquired the trade of a blacksmith, and later, became a farmer. He married Fanny, daughter of David Mellinger, of Manor township, on the 16th of February, 1819, and had children: Anna M., born Jan. 9, 1820; David M., whose birth occurred Sept. 30, 1821 (deceased); Elizabeth M., born Nov. 21, 1823; Jacob M.; Fanny M., born Oct. 1, 1826; John M., whose birth occurred Feb. 21, 1830; Benjamin M., born July 31, 1832; Christian M., born Feb. 2, 1835 (deceased); and Peter M., who died in infancy. Jacob M. was born Oct. 1, 1826, and spent his boyhood on the farm which was originally purchased from the government by Ulrich Burkhard, and has been for generations in possession of the Eberly family. His advantages of education were such as were afforded by the early schools of that period, after which he assisted his father at the blacksmith’s craft, and also gave substantial aid in the cultivation of the land.

On the death of his father, which occurred Oct. 14, 1867, he, with others of the family, inherited the paternal estate, which they still own and cultivate, with Jacob M. as business manager.

In politics Mr. Eberly was formerly a Democrat, and later embraced the principles of the Republican party, though not actively interested in the political issues of the day.

Much of his leisure is devoted to literary pursuits, his fine library of thirteen hundred volumes embracing all the standard works on history, science, art, and religion, together with the best editions of modern and contemporary poets. The current periodicals of the day are also found upon his table. Mr. Eberly was educated in the Mennonite faith, and is still one of its devout adherents, and a member of the Old Mennonite Church.

W. A. Jacoby was a marble cutter and carver, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 4th 1851. He learned his trade from his uncle, G. W. Jacoby. In 1872 W. A. Jacoby went to St. Paul, Minnesota, for a year of working and additional training at marble cutting.

Jacoby then went to New Mexico to try his hand on a stock ranch, and then spent some time in Houston, Texas. In 1875 he came to Rose Hill area of Chicago Illinois and worked as a marble cutter for J. H. Anderson, and later with J. H. Gall, of the Graceland area of Chicago. (Rose Hill, or Rosehill was given that name when a map-maker used it by mistake — the original name being Roe’s Hill.)

In the late 1870’s Jacoby mined and prospected in the Black Hills. Returning to Graceland he again went into the employ of Mr. Gall. Later he went to work for R. Hansen, of Rose Hill.

W. A. Jacoby was married to Miss Lizzie Bernhard, of Chicago, on March 29th 1880. Her father was superintendent of German Lutheran Cemetery, at Graceland, before moving to St. Paul, Minnesota. The Jacoby’s had two children, Charles C. and Isabella.