Trivia 5-25-18 & Bonus

[Trivia Master]

My military career got off to a bad start, so I became an attorney. When war with Mexico broke out, i was able to obtain a commission as a Second Lieutenant. After the war, I tried my luck in California and traveled to Central America. I've become well known because of my service during the rebellion- particularly at one big battle. I was wounded multiple times, captured and held for over six months before being exchanged. After the end of hostilities, I took an extended vacation, returning to enjoy some success in business.
Who am I?

credit: @WJC

Bonus:
In early 1861, when the city of Washington was feeling threatened by the Confederate Army, the "official standard of weights and measures" of the United States government were sent out of Washington, and delivered to this company that was in the business of "weights, scales and measurements".

1. What was the New England Town & State that held "the official standard of weights and measures" in safe keeping.
2. What is the Name of the Company

(Hint: Of course it didn't hurt that the governor, as a republican and friend of Lincoln, was also a founder of the company.)

credit: @DBF

 

[connecticut yankee]

BONUS:

Town: St. Johnsbury
State: Vermont
Company: E & T Fairbanks Co.

 

[connecticut yankee]

C. A. Johnson

Charles Adams Johnson
(1826 - 1891)

Home State: New York

Education: Yale College

A lawyer, he saw service during the Mexican War, being commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 1 April 1847, assigned to the 10th US Infantry on 9 April. He was honorably discharged on 14 August 1848. At the outbreak of the Civil War he enrolled 26 April 1861 in New York City at age 36 as Captain of Company D, 17th New York Infantry. He was offered the commission as Lieutenant Colonel of the 14th New York Infantry on 10 May 1861, but declined. He mustered as Major of the 17th Regiment on 24 May 1861. He transferred to the 25th New York Infantry 17th as major, and mustered in as Lieutenant Colonel on 4 October 1861. Promoted to Colonel on 21 February 1862. Wounded in action 27 May 1862 at Hanover Court House, VA.
He mustered out with his Regiment on 10 July 1863, at New York City.
He was honored by brevet to Brigadier General of Volunteers on 13 March 1865.

NEW-HAVEN, March 30 [1891].-- Gen. Charles Adams Johnson, a descendent of John Quincy Adams, committed suicide at his residence, 76 Howe Street, to-day, by shooting. For the past week he had been afflicted with a skin disease, and it is believed that his mind was temporarily deranged by the illness.

Edit - Johnson satisfies some of the clues, but not all of them.

hoosier

 

[MC44]

Main:

Bonus: St. Johnsbury, VT - E & T Fairbanks and Co. (later Fairbanks Scales)

 

[WJC]

My military career got off to a bad start, so I became an attorney. When war with Mexico broke out, i was able to obtain a commission as a Second Lieutenant. After the war, I tried my luck in California and traveled to Central America. I've become well known because of my service during the rebellion- particularly at one big battle. I was wounded multiple times, captured and held for over six months before being exchanged. After the end of hostilities, I took an extended vacation, returning to enjoy some success in business.
Who am I?

credit: @WJC

Bonus:
In early 1861, when the city of Washington was feeling threatened by the Confederate Army, the "official standard of weights and measures" of the United States government were sent out of Washington, and delivered to this company that was in the business of "weights, scales and measurements".

1. What was the New England Town & State that held "the official standard of weights and measures" in safe keeping.
2. What is the Name of the Company

(Hint: Of course it didn't hurt that the governor, as a republican and friend of Lincoln, was also a founder of the company.)

credit: @DBF

St. Johnsbury, Vermont.
E. & T. Fairbanks & Company.

 

[hughes]

Birkett Fry

Bonus: Colchester, CT
Hayward Rubber Company

Edit - William Buckingham, the Civil War Governor of Connecticut, was a Republican and a friend of Lincoln, and he did help to organize the Hayward Rubber Company. However, that isn't where the official standard of weights and measures was sent.

hoosier

 

[SWMODave]

On the bonus question, while I can find nothing that references "the official standard of weights and measures" other than a speech in Dec of 1861 where Congress was told we needed to establish our own as a country and stop using Europe's, I chose to look up the oldest scale manufacturer in the US and try from that route. Hoping there are not multiple Union governors that were in this business, I will go with the following answers.

1. St Johnsbury, Vermont
2. E. & T. Fairbanks & Company, known for their Fairbanks Scales (some sources, including Wikipedia, refer to te company name as Fairbanks Scales but the company website does not confirm this)

Source

Edit - It sure looks to me like the company website refers to the company name as Fairbanks Scales. But I will accept either Fairbanks Scales of E & T. Fairbanks & Company as a correct response to the final part of the bonus question.

hoosier

 

[Ole Miss]

1) Birkett D Fry
Bonus
1) St. Johnsbury, Vermont
2) Fairbank Scales
Regards
David

 

[BlueNGrey]

Bonus: The official U.S. weights and measures were sent to the E. & T. Fairbanks factory in St. Johnsbury, Vermont for safekeeping in a specially built vault.
caledonianrecord.com/opinion/letters/civil-war-sanctuary-in-st-j---chris-ryan/article_32217807-0b59-585f-9266-f61532b02d30.html

 

[FarawayFriend]

Regular question:
My guess is that you are CS Brigadier General Birkett Davenport Fry

I found him after I had checked both books "Medical histories of Union Generals" as well as "Medical histories of Confederate Generals" for the word "exchanged".
Fry was wounded several times, so he could be found there.
Then I double checked with the Wikipedia article about Fry

As for the "bad start into his military career":
"He received his education at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, and attended the United States Military Academy, but did not graduate with the Class of 1846,[1] having failed mathematics and been subsequently dismissed. He then returned to his native Virginia to study law.[1]"

He served in the Mexican War, then went to California and travelled to Central America, precisely Nicaragua:

"Following the war, Fry moved to California as a "Forty-Niner." Fry practiced law in Sacramento City and was elected Justice of the Peace, Fourth Ward in 1852. In October 1856, he accompanied the filibusterer, William Walker, during his expedition to Nicaragua[1]as a colonel (and later general) in Walker's mercenary army. Fry returned to California, living there until 1859 when he moved to Alabama and engaged in cotton. "

He was captured at Gettysburg, where he participated in Pickett's Charge and was exchanged in 1864, which is more than 6 months later, just as the question required.

"He suffered yet another wound, and fell near the Union lines. Fry was treated in a local field hospital then held as a prisoner of war at Fort McHenry in Baltimore"
ter was forgotten.[3]

"Exchanged in 1864, Fry rejoined the Army of Northern Virginia in time for the beginning of the Siege of Petersburg.[4] "

After "the hostilities" he went to Cuba ("extended vacation") then returned in 1868 to the US to become a businessman, or as the question states "enjoy some success in business":

"After surrendering in Augusta, Fry emigrated to Cuba at the close of hostilities,[4] lodging in Havana hotels with several other former prominent Confederates, including Jubal A. Early, John C. Breckinridge, Robert A. Toombs, and John B. Magruder, among others.[5] He did not return to the United States until 1868, when he returned to Tallassee, Alabama as a businessman. "

I'd say that all requirements of the question are fulfilled. Should the question ask for a different name, then some more distinguishuing details would have been necessary.

 

[FarawayFriend]

Bonus:

1.)
New England town: St. Johnsbury
State: Vermont

2.)
Company: E. & T. Fairbanks and Company , co-founded by Vermont Governor Erastus Fairbanks and brother Thaddeus and concentrating on the production of accurate scales.

"Early in 1861, with the city of Washington in grave danger, the official standard weights of the United States Government were moved to St. Johnsbury for safekeeping. E. and T. Fairbanks and Co. began the manufacture of brass stirrups and brass trimmings for the Northern cavalry, as well as of artillery harness irons and curb bits. In addition the officials of the New York branch of E. and T. Fairbanks helped Governor Erastus Fairbanks secure supplies for both infantry and cavalry of the Vermont regiments."

http://danvillevthistorical.org/?p=1009

https://books.google.de/books?id=uT...vernor founded company weights scales&f=false

 

[Wallyfish]

What a ride on the first question. Very weary of looking but I think our guy is Birkett Davenport Fry. Big battle is Gettysburg. Most of the clues fit. Best I can do. Sad part, I knew about Fry from my Gettysburg reading.



Bonus. St Johnsbury, Vermont
E. and T. Fairbanks and Company

Worked my entire career in the steel business. Fairbanks scales are everywhere.
http://danvillevthistorical.org/?p=1009

 

[JOHN42768]

Main--

Bonus: E.&T. Fairbanks Co, St, Johnsbury, Vt.
source:

 

[Jimklag]

First question: You are Birkett Davenport Fry

Bonus: St. Johnsbury, Vermont - Fairbanks Scale Company or E & T Fairbanks and Co. Erastus Fairbanks, co-founder, was also Governor of Vermont and a friend of Abe's and one of the founders of the Republican Party.

 

[Schwallanscher]

regular:

birkett davenport fry

bonus:

1. st. johnsbury, vermont
   
2. e & t fairbanks company

full story

 

[hoosier]

Main question: Darned if I know.

All of the clues seem to be of a nature that could fit many different people. I don't know where to begin trying to search for an answer.

Bonus answer part 1A: St. Johnsbury
Bonus answer part 1B: Vermont
Bonus answer part 2: Fairbanks Scales

 

[roberts]

Birkett D. Fry

Bonus:

St. Johnsbury, Vermont
E & T Fairbanks Company

 

[Copperhead-mi]

Friday question - Birkett Davenport Fry

Friday Bonus - 1. St. Johnsbury, Vermont 2. E. & T. Fairbanks & Co.

 

[Stony]

Bonus- 1. Providence, Rhode Island
2. A & W Sprague Manufacturing Company

Edit - While Rhode Island Governor William Sprague IV was friendly to Lincoln, Sprague Manufacturing Company was not where the official standard of weights and measures was sent.

hoosier

 

[Eleanor Rose]

I'm stumped! Can't wait to see the answers!