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MARTIN KALBFLEISCH, chemist, a native of Flushing, Netherlands, born Feb.
8, 1804, died in Brooklyn, N. Y., Feb. 12, 1873. In 1822, the youth sailed to the island
of Sumatra, but finding that the Asiatic cholera was raging there, he promptly returned
with his ship to Antwerp Thence he went to Havre, France, and spent four years in
commercial enterprise. In 1826, he came to the United States with small means but
splendid pluck. In New York city, hard work as a clerk and chemist brought him a
little money and, in 1835, he started a manufactory of colors and chemicals in Harlem.
After several changes of location, the business, which had prospered under his energetic
management, was finally moved to Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn. The works now
occupy eleven acres of ground on Newtown creek. Mr. Kalbfleisch was a man of clear
head, strong common sense and ability. He served in various public offices in Brook¬
lyn and was elected Mayor in 1861. In 1862, his fellow citizens sent him to Congress
and in 1867 and 1871 again made him Mayor. Later, they offered him the nomination
for Governor of the State on the same ticket with Horace Greeley. In 1854, he was
married to Elizabeth Harvey. Eleven children were born to them: Elizabeth W.,
wife of Robert Robinson; Frederick W. Kalbfleisch; Helen M., wife of Rodney Thursby ;
Edward L. G., Charles H., Albert M., and Franklin H. Kalbfleisch; Josephine M. L.,
wife of Robert S. Fleet ; Isabella G., wife of James E. Weaver; and John and George
Kalbfleisch. He retired from business in 1868 in favor of his sons, who thereupon
organized the firm of Martin Kalbfleisch's Sons, which controlled the business until
1886. The sons extended the business and operated not only The Bushwick Chemical
Works in Brooklyn, but The Chemical Works in Bayonne, N. J., The Buffalo Chemical
Works in Buffalo, N. Y., and The Baltimore Acetate Works in Baltimore. The plant,
the largest in this industry in the country, was, a few years ago, sold to a syndicate,
composed of men in the clothing business and a few lawyers, who are now operating it.

JAMES ROBERT KEENE, a conspicuous speculator in Wall street, was born in
England in 1838, the son of a London merchant. At an early age, he was placed under
the care of a tutor and pursued his studies in Lincolnshire until he was prepared to
enter a large private school. Remaining in Lincolnshire for three years, he was then
sent to Dublin to prepare for a higher course of education in the home of an old master
of Trinity. The father of Mr. Keene met with a serious impairment of his fortune at
this juncture through injudicious ventures, and thereupon in 1852 took his family to
California and settled in Shasta county in the northern part of the State.

Although only fourteen years of age, the subject of this biography, who had ac¬
quired an unusually good English education and a fair training in French and Latin,
already displayed all the energy and ambition, which have since contributed greatly to
his success. His fi.rst employment was obtained at Fort Reading in the modest capacity
of one of the guards of the animals of the post, which was then in the Indian country.
After three months' service, having earned enough money to buy a miner's outfit, he
joined the throng of bold and adventurous men who were prospecting every canyon,
gulch and stream in search of gold. For several years, he spent his time in mining,
freighting, stock raising and milling with indifferent success, and then edited a news-
 

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