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BookJ:^3G3>
/
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
OF
DECATUR COUNTY
NDIANA
COMPENDIUM OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY
CHICAC.O
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1900
Fssz
I N 13 E
PART
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF NATIONAL CELEBRITIES.
Abbott, Lyman, 144. Adams, Charles Komlill, i4,v Adams,' John, 25. Adams, John Quincy, 61. Agassiz. Louis J. R., 137. Alger, Russfll A., 17.V Allison, William B., 131. Allston, Washington, igo. •Altgeld, John Peter, 140. Andrews. Elisha B., 184. .'Xnthony, Susan B., 62. Armour. Philip D., 62. Arnold. Benedict. 84. Arthur. Chester Allen, 168. Astor. John Jacob, 139. Au<lul)ciii. John James. 166.
Bailey. James Montgomery. 177. Bancroft, George. 74. Barnard, Frederick .A. P., lyg. Barnum. Phincas T.. 41 Barrett. Lawrence. 156. Barton, Clara. 209. Bayard, Thomas Francis. 200. Beard, William H., 196. Beauregard, Pierre G. T., 203. Beecher, Henry Ward, 26. Bell, Alexander Graham. 96. Bennett, James Gordon, 206. Benton. Thomas Hart. 53. Bergh, Henry, 160. Bicrstadt, .\lbcrt, 197. Billings, Josh. 166. Blaine, James Gillespie, 22. Bland, Richard Parks, 106. Boone, Daniel, 36.
Booth. F.dwin. 51.
Booth, Junius Brutus, 177.
Brice. Calvin S.. 181.
Brooks, Phillips, 130.
Brown. John. 51.
Browne, Charles Farrar, 91.
Brush, Charles Francis, 153.
Bryan. William Jennings, 158.
Bryant, William Cullcn, 44.
Buchanan, Franklin. 105.
Buchanan. James, 128."
Buckner, Simon Bolivar. 188.
Burdettc. Robert J., 103.
Burr, .'\aron, in.
Butler. Benjamin Franklin, 24.
Calhoun, John Caldwell, 2,^. Cameron, James Donald, 141. Cameron, Simon, 141. Cammack, Addison, 197. Campbell, Alexander, iSo. Carlisle, John G.. 133. Carnegie. Andrew. 73. Carpenter, Matthew Hale, 178. Carson. Christopher (Kit). 86. Cass. Lewis. 1 10. Chase, Salmon Portland, 65. Childs. George W.. 83. Choate, Rufus. 207. Claflin, Horace Brigham, 107. Clay, Henry, 21.
Clemens, Samuel Langhorne, 8( Cleveland, Grover, 174. Clews, Henry, 153. Clinton. DeWitt, no Colfax, Schuyler, i3<). Conkling, .Alfred, 32. Conkling. Roscoe, 32
iii
Cooley. Thomas Mclntyre, 140. Cooper. Jaines Fenimore. 58. Cooper. Peter, 37. Copely. John Singleton. 191. Corbin. Austin. 205. Corcoran, W. W.. 196. Cornell, Ezra, 161. Cramp, William, 189. Crockett, David. 76. Cullom, Shelby Moore. 116. Curtis, George William, 144. Cushman. Charlotte. 107. Custer. George A.. 95.
D.
Dana, Charles A., 88. "Danbury News Man." 177. Davenport, Fanny, 106. Davis. Jefferson. 24. Deb.s, Eugene V., 132. Decatur. Stephen. loi. Deering. William, 198. Dcpew. Chauncey Mitchell. Jcx). Dickinson. -Anna. 103. Dickinson, Don M., 139. Dingley. Nelson, Jr., 215. Donnelly, Ignatius, 161. Douglas. Stephen Arnold, 53. Douglass. Frederick. 43. Dow, Neal, 108. Draper. John William, 184. Drcxel. .Anthony Joseph. 124. Oupont. Henry. 198.
Edison, Thomas ,Mva, 55. Edmunds, George F.. 201. Ellsworth. Oliver. 168. Emerson, Ralph Waldo. 57.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF NATIONAL CELEBRITIES.
Ericsson, John. 127. Evarts, William }.h
dl. 89.
Farragut, David Glascoc. 80. Field, Cyrus West, 173. Field, David Dudley. 126. Field. Marshall, 59. Field, Stephen Johnson, 216. Fillmore, Millard, T13. Foote, Andrew Hull, 176. Foraker, Joseph B., I43- Forrest. Edwin. 92. Franklin, Benjamin, 18. Fremont, John Charles, 29. Fuller, Melville Weston, 168. Fulton, Robert, 62.
Gage, Lyman J.. 71- Gallatin, Albert, 112. Garfield. James A., 163. Garrett, John Work, 200. Garrison, William Lloyd, 50. Gates, Horatio, 70. Catling, Richard Jordan. 116. George. Henry. 203. Gibbons. Cardinal Jatnes, 209. Gilmore, Patrick Sarsfield, 77. Girard, Stephen, 137. Gough, John B., 131. Gould, Jay. 5^- Gordon. John B., 215. Grant, Ulysses S.. 153. Gray, Asa, 88. Gray. Elisha, 149, Greeley, Horace, 20. Greely, Adolphus W., 142- Greene, Nathaniel, 69. Gresham. Walter Quintin. 183.
H.
Hale. Edward Everett. 79. Hall. Charles Francis, 167. Hamilton. Alexander. 31, Hamlin, Hannibal, 214. Hampton, Wade, 192. Hancock, Winfield Scott, 146. Hanna, Marcus Alonzo, 169, Harris, Isham G., 214. Harrison. William Henry, 87. Harrison, Benjamin. 182.
Harvard, John, 129.
Havemeyer, John Craig, 182.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 135.
Hayes, Rutherford Birchard, 157.
Hendricks, Thomas Andrew, 212.
Henry, Joseph, 105.
Henry, Patrick, 83.
Hill, David Bennett, 90,
Hobart, Garrett A., 213.
Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 206.
Hooker, Joseph, 52.
Howe, Elias, 130.
Howells, William Dean, 104.
Houston, Sam, 120.
Hughes. Archbishop John, 157.
Hughitt, Marvin, 159.
Hull, Isaac, 169.
Huntington, Collis Potter, 94.
I.
Ingalls, John James, 114. Ingersoll, Robert G., 85. Irving, Washington, 33.
J.
Jackson, Andrew, 71. Jackson, "Stonewall," 67. Jackson. Thomas Jonathan, 67. Jay, John, 39. Jefferson, Joseph, 47. Jefferson, Thomas, 34. Johnson, Andrew, 145. Johnson, Eastman. 202. Johnston, Joseph Eccleston, 85. Jones, James K., 171. Jones, John Paul, 97. Jones, Samuel Porter, 115.
Kane. Elisha Kent. 1 Kearney, Philip, 210. Kenton. Simon, 188. Knox, John Jay, 134.
Lamar, Lucius Q. C 201. Landon. Melville D.. 109. iee. Robert Edward. 38. Lewis, Charles B.. 193. Lincoln, Abraham, 135. Livermore, Mary Ashton, 131 Locke, David Ross, 172.
Logan, John A., 26.
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworlh,
37- Longstreet, James, 56. Lowell, James Russell, 104.
:\L
Mackay, John William. 148. Madison, James, 42. Marshall, John, 156. Mather, Cotton, 164. blather. Increase. 163. Maxim, Hiram S., 194. McClellan, George Brinton, 47. McCormick, Cyrus Hall, 172. McDonough, Com. Thomas, 167. McKinley, William, 217. Meade, George Gordon, 75. Medill, Joseph, 159. Miles, Nelson A., 176. Miller, Cincinnatus Heine. 218. Miller. Joaquin, 218. Mills, Roger Quarles, 211. Monroe, James. 54. ]\Ioody, Dwight L., 207. ^loran, Thomas, 98. Morgan, John Pierpont, 208. Morgan John T.. 216. Morris, Robert, 165. Morse, Samuel F. B., 124. Morton. Levi P.. 142. Morton. Oliver Perry. 215. Motley. John Lathrop. 130.
"Nye. Bill." 59.
Nye. Edgar Wilson. 59.
O'Conor. Charles, 18 Olney, Richard, 133.
Paine, Thomas, 147. Palmer. John M.. I95- Parkhurst, Charles Henry, 160. "Partington, Mrs.." 202. Peabody. George, 170. Peck. George W., 187. Peffer. William A., 164, Perkins, Eli, 109. Perry. Oliver Hazard, 97.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OP NATIONAL CELEBRITIES.
Phillips. Wendell, 30. Pierce, Franklin. 122. Pingree, Hazcn S.. 212. Plant. Henry B., 192. Poe. Edgar Allen, 6g. Polk, James Knox, 102. Porter, David Dixon, 68. Porter, Noah, 93. Prentice, George Dcnison, 119. Prcscott. William Hickling. g6. Pullman, George Mortimer, 121
Quad. M. 193. Quay. Matthew S..
Randolph. Edmund. 146. Read. Thomas Buchanan. 132. Reed. Thomas Brackctt. 208. Reid. Whitelavv. 149. Roach. John. 190. Rockefeller. John Davison. 195. Root. George Frederick. 218. Rotherniel. Peter F.. 113- Rulledge. John. 57.
Sage. Russell, 211.
Schofield. John McAllister. 199.
Schurz. Carl. 201.
Scott, Thomas -Alexander, 204.
Scott. Winfield. 79.
Seward. William Henry. 44.
Sharon. William. 165.
Shaw. Henrv W.. 166.
Sheridan, Phillip Henry, 40. Sherman, Charles R., 87. Sherman. John, 86. Shillaber, Benjamin Penhallow.
202. Sherman. William Tecumseh, 30. Smith, Edmund Kirby, 114. Sousa. John Philip, 60. Sprecklcs, Claus, 159. Stanford, Leiand, loi. Stanton, Edwin McMasters, 179. Stanton. Elizabeth Cady. 126. Stephens, Alexander Hamilton,
32. Stevenson, Adiai Ewing. 141. Stewart, .Alexander T., 58. Stewart. William Morris, 213. Stowe, Harriet Elizabeth Beecher,
66. Stuart. James E. B.. 122. Sumner. Charles. 34.
Talmage. Thomas DeWitt. 60. Taney, Roger Brooke, 129. Taylor. Zachary, 108. Teller, Henry M., 127. Tesia, Nikola, 193. Thomas. George H.. 73. Thomas. Theodore, 172. Thurman. Allen G.. 90. Thurston. John ^f.. 166. Tilden. Samuel J.. 48. Tillman. Benjamin Ryan. 119. Toombs. Robert. 205. "Twain, Mark," 86. Tyler, John, 93.
Van Buren, Martin, 78. Vanderbilt, Cornelius, 35. Vail, Alfred, 1S4- Vest, George Graham, 214. Vilas. William Freeman. 140. Voorhees. Daniel Wolsey, 95.
Waite, Morrison Remich. 125. Wallace. Lewis, 199. Wallack. Lester, 121. Wallack. John Lester, 121. Wanamaker. John. 89. Ward. ".Artemus," 91. Washburnc, Elihu Benjamin. 18 Washington, George, 17. Watson, Thomas E.. 178. Watterson, Henry. 76. Weaver. James B., 123. Webster, Daniel. 19. Webster. Noah, 49. Weed. Thurlow, 9r. West. Benjamin. 115. Whipple. Henry Benjamin. i6r. White. Stephen V.. 162. Whitefield. George. 150. Whitman, Walt. 197. Whitney Eli. 120. Whitney, William Collins, 92. Whittier, John Greenleaf, 67. Willard. Frances E., 133. Wilson, William L., 180. Winchell, Alexander, 175. Windom, William, 138.
PORTRAITS OF N.4TIONAL dfLEBRITlHS.
|
A. |
Booth, Edwin, 63. |
Clay, Henry, 81. |
|
Bryan, Wm. J., 63. |
Cleveland. Grover, 45. |
|
|
Alger, Russell A., 16. |
Bryant, William Cullen. i8s. |
Cooper. Peter. 99. |
|
Allison. William B., 99- |
Buchanan. James. 81, |
|
|
Anthony. Susan B.. 63. |
Buckner. Simon B.. 16. |
D. |
|
Armour. Philip D.. 151. |
Butler. Benjamin F.. 151. |
Dana. Charles A.. 151. |
|
Arthur. Chester A.. 81. |
Depew. Chauncey ^r., 117. |
|
|
B. |
c. |
Douglass. Fred, 63. |
|
B.irnum. Phineas T.. 117. |
Carlisle, John G., 151. |
E. |
|
Beecher. Henry Ward. 27. |
Chase, Salmon P.. 16. |
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. 27. |
|
Blaine. James G.. 151. |
Childs. George W.. 99- |
Evarts. William M., 99. |
PORTRAITS OF NATIONAL CELEBRITIES.
|
F. |
J. |
S. |
|
|
Farragut, Com. D. G., 185. |
Jackson. Andrew, 45. |
Sage, Russell, 117. |
|
|
Field, Cyrus W., 63. |
Jefferson. Thomas. 45. ■ |
Scott. Gen. Winfield. 185. |
|
|
Field, Marshall, 117. |
Johnston. Gen. J. E.. 16. |
Seward, William H.. 45. |
|
|
Franklin, Benjamin. 6^. |
Sherman. John. 99. |
||
|
Fremont, Gen. John C, 16. |
L. |
Sherman. Gen. W. T., i^ |
I, |
|
G. |
Lee. Gen. Robert E.. 185. |
Stanton, Elizabeth Cady |
27. |
|
Lincoln. Abraham, 81. |
Stowe, Harriet Beecher, |
27. |
|
|
Gage, Lyman J., 151. Garfield, James A., 45- Garrison, William Lloyd. 63. George. Henry, 117. Gould. Jay, 99. |
Logan, Gen. John A.. 16. Longfellow, Henry W.. 185. Longstreet, Gen. James, 16. Lowell. James Russell. 27. |
Sumner, Charles, 45. T. |
|
|
Grant. Gen. U. S,. 185. |
M. |
Talmage. T. DeWitt. 62.. |
|
|
Greeley, Horace. 81. |
Teller. Henry M.. 99. |
||
|
McKinley. William. 45. |
Thurman, Allen G., 81. |
||
|
H. |
Morse, S. F. B., 185. |
Tilden, Samuel J., 117. |
|
|
Hampton, Wade. 16. |
P. |
||
|
Hancock. Gen. Winfield S., 185. |
V. |
||
|
Hanna. Mark A., 117. |
Phillips, Wendell, 27. |
||
|
Harrison. Benjamin. 81. |
Porter. Com. D. D.. 185. |
Van Buren. Martin. 81. |
|
|
Hayes, R. B., 45. |
Pullman. George M,. 117. |
Vanderbilt. Commodore. |
99. |
|
Hendricks. Thomas A.. 81. |
|||
|
Holmes, Oliver W., 151. |
Q. |
W. |
|
|
Hooker, Gen. Joseph, 16. L |
Quay. M, S., 99. |
Webster. Daniel, 27. |
|
|
R. |
Whittier, John G., 27. |
||
|
Ingersoll. Robert G.. 117. |
Washington, George, 45. |
||
|
Irving. Washington. 27. |
Reed. Thomas B., 151. |
Watterson, Henry, 63. |
PART 11.
BIOGRAPHICAL COMPENDIUM OF DECATUR COUNTY.
|
A. |
Gilchrist. Archibald C. 278. |
Loyd, Creth J., 331. |
|
Gilmour. .Andrew S.. 276. |
Lugenbell, John F., 361. |
|
|
Ardery. David A., 292. |
Gosnell, Ale.xander, 240. |
|
|
Gosnell, Benjamin, 231. |
M. |
|
|
B. |
Goyert, August, 33i- |
|
|
Grover, Ira G., 335. |
Matthews, Harry O., 299. |
|
|
Bartlctt, Robert A., 248. |
Grover, Marshall. 335. |
.McCoy, Isaiah, 228. |
|
Bonner. SnmucI A., 225. Bonner, Walter W., 316. |
H. |
McCrackcn, Hugh T., 319. .McCullough, W. F., 407. |
|
Boyd, Harry, 402. |
Meek, Jethro C, 395. |
|
|
Boyer, James M., 394. |
Hamilton, David N., 3M. |
Mendenhall, Edgar N., 336. |
|
Bracken. William, 392. |
Hamilton, Robert A., 262. |
Mendcnhall. James E., 365, |
|
Hraden. l.mhcr D., 290. |
Hamilton, R. P., 315. |
Miller, H. C, .305. |
|
Harper, James S., 260. |
Miller, John D., 35+ |
|
|
C. |
Harper, Mary E., 260. |
Miller, Theophilus E. F., 247. |
|
Hause, William, 351. |
-Montgomery, Robert S., 420. |
|
|
Clark, Janu-s B., 4.5. |
Hendricks Family, The, .?48. |
-Montgomery, Sarah A., 267. |
|
Coombs, Jacob, 377. |
Hittle, John P., 324. |
Moor. A. S., 413- |
|
Craven, Herman J., 225. |
Hogg, William, 390. |
-Moor, Milton G., 235. |
|
Cumback, William, 254. |
Holcomb. John W., 233. |
Moore, Benjamin F., 317. |
|
Hood, William T., 250. |
Morgan, David L., 293. |
|
|
D. |
-Morgan, James, 350. |
|
|
J. |
Morrison, John, 367. |
|
|
Davis, Aaron, 423. |
Moss. David, 421. |
|
|
Deem, Oliver, 286. |
Jackson, John H., 418. |
|
|
Donnell, Samuel A.. 280. |
Jenkins, Benjamin, 379. |
N. |
|
Dunn, George H., .^80. |
Jerman, Elmer C, 321. Johnson, Harry, 416. |
|
|
Johnson, Robert, 409. |
Nation. John W., 362. |
|
|
E. |
Johnson, Thomas, 271. |
Newhouse. Marshall E., 302. |
|
Elder, Dyer C. 241. |
p |
|
|
Ewing, Cortez, 230. |
K. |
|
|
Ewing, James K., 230. Ewing, Putnam, 251. |
Kammerling. Henry, 384. Kemble, Charles, 372. |
Parker, John W.. 30S. Parsons, -Milton F.. 37i- |
|
F. |
Kerrick, Nimrod, 419. Kincaid, William J., 353. |
Penington, Eli, .W7. |
|
Pleak, Coleman T., 404. |
||
|
Foley. James B.. 239. |
Pleak. Joseph D., 398. |
|
|
Foley, John J.. 240. |
L. |
Pleak, William R., 289. |
|
Forsyth, E. R., 285. |
Lambert. Paschal T., 298. |
Porter, Matthew E., 329. |
|
G. |
Lalhrop, James B., 296. Linch, Benjamin F., 388. |
R. |
|
Gardner. George P.. 417. |
Link, Henry. 386. |
Rcdington, John M., 337. |
|
Gaston, Benjamin F., 300. |
Logan, Samuel H., 426. |
Robbins, Frank R., 339- |
BIOGRAPHICAL COMPENDIUM OF DECATUR COUNTY.
|
Robbins, James G., 326. |
Sefton, James. 376. |
V. |
|
Robbins, William A., 322. |
Shannon. William P., 343- |
|
|
Robbins, William H., 272. |
Shera, Elizabeth. 313- |
Van Bnskirk. Daniel R,, 243. |
|
Roberts, George L., 253. |
Shirk, Thomas A., 310. |
W. |
|
Robison, J. B., 246. |
Shoemaker, Gcm-ge P., 359- |
|
|
Robinson, William J., 288. |
Smith, Williani, 411- |
Walker, Joseph R,. 356. |
|
Ross, Marine D., 232. |
Stewan, I'aiil, j^;. |
Watson, William A., 386. |
|
Stimson. Samuel M., 223. |
White, Benjamin S., 328. Williams, Williain A., 385. |
|
|
S. |
Willoughby, Andrew M., 383. |
|
|
T. |
Wood, James M., 355- |
|
|
Schofield, J. v., 289. |
Wooden, John L., 400. |
|
|
Schnhz, E. G., 382. |
Talbott, Henry H., 308. |
Wooden, William H., 402. |
|
Sefton, Edward B.. 374. |
Thomson Family, The, 364. |
Woodfill. James M., 2,32,- |
|
Sefton, Isaac, 283. |
Tincher, Frank S., 373. |
Woodfill, William S., 368. |
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<^^ IRTR0DWeT0RY [
|HE greatest of English historians, Macaulay, and one of the most brilliant writers and profound thinkers of the present centurj', has said: "The history of a country is best told in a record of the lives of its people." This is a fact which is becoming more and more recognized as our people advance in education and intelli- gence, and our own great Emerson, whose name stands at the head of American writers of his day, in carrying forward and emphasizing the great fact expressed by Macaulay, says: "Biog- raphy is the only true history." It was for the purpose of gathering and preserving this biographical matter in enduring form that the design for this volume originated.
COMPENDIUM OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY.
Regarding the fore part of this volume, "Part I," which is devoted to a "Com- pendium OF National Biography," but little need be said. The lives of the great men and celebrities of America are so inaccessible to the general public, and are so often in demand without being accessible, that it has been deemed wise to gather together a vast number of the biographies of our nation's greatest men and include them in this work as a fitting preface to the life histories and biographies of the local parties which follow and embrace the latter part of the volume. It is not given to all men to become great in a national sense, but the life history of those who do, makes up the history of our nation, and as such the history of their lives should be in every home and library as a means of reference and education.
compendium of local biography. That portion of the volume devoted to a "Compendium of Local Biography," or "Part II," is of the greatest value, and its value will increase as the years go by. In this department of local biography is carried out the object which led to the com- pilation of this work, in gathering together and placing in enduring form, before it becomes too late, the life history of those who have helped to build up this region and who have taken part in the progress and development in business, political, social, and agricultural affairs. The rank that any county holds among its sister counties depends largely upon the achievements of its citizens. Some add to its rep- utation by efficient public service, some by increasing its manufacturing or commercial
12 INTRODUCTORY.
interests, and some by adding to the general wealth and prosperity in cultivating and improving its lands. To give a faithful account of the lives of old settlers and rep- resentative citizens of this region is to write its history in the truest sense. Each year, as it rolls its endless way along the mighty pathway of time, is thinning the ranks of those hardy pioneers and old settlers whose lives are so thoroughly identi- fied with this region. The relentless hand of death, pursuing its remorseless and unceasing avocation, is cutting down, one by one, those whose life histories should be preserved as a part of the history of the growth and development of this region. The necessity for the collection and preservation of this matter, before it becomes too late, is the object of this work.
Instead of going to musty records and taking therefrom dry statistical matter and official generalities, which can be appreciated by but few, our corps of writers have gone direct to the people, to the men and women who have by their enterprise and industry, brought about the development found in this region, and from their lips have written the story of their life struggles. No more interesting or instructive mat- ter could be presented to an intelligent public. In this department, devoted to Local Biography, will be found a record of many whose lives are worthy the imitation of coming generations. It tells how some, commencing life in poverty, by industry and economy have accumulated wealth. It tells how others, with limited advantages for securing an education, have become learned men and women, with an influence widely extended. It tells of men who have risen from the lower walks of life to eminence, and whose names have become famous. It tells of those in every walk in life who have striven to succeed, and records how success has usually crowned their efforts. It tells, also, of many, very many, who, not seeking the applause of the world, have pursued "the even tenor of their way," content to have it said of them as Christ said of the woman performing a deed of mercy, — "they have done what they could." It tells how many, in the pride and strength of young manhood, left the plow and the anvil, the lawyer's office and the counting room, left every trade and profession, and at their country's call went forth valiantly "to do or die," for the cause and principles they held so dear. In the life of every man and of every woman is a lesson that should not be lost upon those who follow after.
Coming generations will appreciate this volume and preserve it as a sacred treas- ure, from the fact that it contains so much that would never find its way into pub- lic records, and which would otherwise be inaccessible and lost forever. Great care has been taken in the compilation of this work, and every opportunity for revision possible given to those represented to insure correctness in what has been written, and the publishers feel warranted in saying that they give to their readers a work with very few, if any, errors of consequence.
In closing this brief introductory the memorable words of Carlyle fittingly express the hope, aim, and desire of the publishers in the compilation of this volume: "Let the record be made of the men and things of to-day, lest they pass out of memory to-morrow and are lost. Then perpetuate them, not upon wood or stone that crum- bles to dust, but chronicled in picture and in words that endure forever."
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^ RORGE WASHINGTON
the first president of the Unit- ed States, called the "Father •nirmn^mmm^ of his Country," was one of the most celebrated characters in history. He was born Feb- ruary 22, 1732, in Washing- ton Parish, Westmoreland county, Virginia. His father, Augustine Washington, first married Jane Butler, who bore him four children, and March fc, 1730, he ■ married Mary Ball. Of six children by his second marriage, George was the eldest.
Little is known of the early years of Washington, beyond the fact that the house in which he was born was burned during his early childhood, and that his father there- upon moved to another farm, inherited from hii paternal ancestors, situated in Stafford county, on the north bank of the Rappahan- nock, and died there in 1743. From earliest childhood George developed a noble charac- ter. His education was somewhat defective, being confined to the elementary branches taught him by his mother and at a neighbor- ing school. On leaving school he resided some time at Mount Vernon with his half
brother, Lawrence, who acted as his guar dian. George's inclinations were for a sea- faring career, and a midshipman's warrant was procured for him; but through the oppo- sition of his mother the project was aban- doned, and at the age of sixteen he was appointed survejor to the immense estates of the eccentric Lord Fairfax. Three years were passed by Washington in a rough fron- tier life, gaining experience which afterwards proved very essential to him. In 175 1, when the Virginia militia were put under training with a view to active service against France, Washington, though only nineteen years of age, was appointed adjutant, with the rank of major. In 1752 Lawrence Washington died, leaving his large property to an infant daughter. In his will George was named one of the executors and as an eventual heir to Mount Vernon, and by the death of the infant niece, soon succeeded to that estate. In 1753 George was commis- sioned adjutant-general of the Virginia militia, and performed important work at the outbreak of the French and Indian war, was rapidly promoted, and at the close of that war we find him commander-in-chief of
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COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY.
all the forces raised in Virginia. A cessation of Indian hostilities on the frontier having followed the expulsion of the French from the Ohio, he resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Virginia forces, and then proceeded to Williamsburg to take his seat in the Virginia Assembly, of which he had been elected a member.
January 17, 1759, Washington married Mrs. Martha (Dandridge) Curtis, a young and beautiful widow of great wealth, and devoted himself for the ensuing fifteen years to the quiet pursuits of agriculture, inter- rupted only by the annual attendance in winter upon the colonial legislature at Williamsburg, until summoned by his coun- try to enter upon that other arena in which his fame was to become world-wide. The war for independence called Washington into service again, and he was made com- mander-in-chief of the colonial forces, and was the most gallant and conspicuous figure in that bloody struggle, serving until Eng- land acknowledged the independence of each of the thirteen States, and negotiated with them jointly, as separate sovereignties. December 4, 1783, the great commander took leave of his officers in most affection- ate and patriotic terms, and went to An- napolis, Maryland, where the congress of the States was in session, and to that body, when peace and order prevailed everywhere, resigned his commission and retired to Mount Vernon.
It was in 1789 that Washington was called to the chief magistracy of the na- tion. The inauguration took place April 30, in the presence of an immense multi- tude which had assembled to witness the new and imposing ceremony. In the manifold de- tails of his civil administration Washington proved himself fully equal to the requirements of his position. In 1792, at the second presi-
dential election, Washington was desirous to retire; but he yielded to the general wish of the country, and was again chosen presi- dent. At the third election, in 1796, he was again most urgently entreated to con- sent to remain in the executive chair. This he positively refused, and after March 4, 1797, he again retired to Mount Vernon for peace, quiet, and repose.
Of the call again made on this illustrious chief to quit his repose at Mount Ver- non and take command of all the United States forces, with rank of lieutenant-gen- eral, when war was threatened with France in 1798, nothing need here be stated, ex- cept to note the fact as an unmistakable testimonial of the high regard in which he was still held by his countrymen of all shades of political opinion. He patriotic- ally accepted this trust, but a treaty of peace put a stop to all action under it. He again retired to Mount Vernon, where he died December 14, 1799, in the sixty-eighth year of his age. His remains were depos- ited in a family vault on the banks of the Potomac, at Mount Vernon, where they still lie entombed.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, an eminent American statesman and scientist, was born of poor parentage, January 17, 1706, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was appren- ticed to his brother James to learn the print- er's trade to prevent his running away and going to sea, and also because of the numer- ous family his parents had to support (there being seventeen children, Benjamin being the fifteenth). He was a great reader, and soon developed a taste for writing, and pre- pared a number of articles and had them published in the paper without his brother's knowledge, and when the authorship be- came known it resulted in difficulty for the
LOMPHNDIUM OF BIOGRAr H7.
young apprentice, although his articles had been received with favor by the public. James was afterwards thrown into prison for political reasons, and young Benjamin con- ducted the paper alone during the time. In 1823, however, he determined to endure his bonds no longer, and ran away, going to Philadelphia, where he arrived with only three pence as his store of wealth. With these he purchased three rolls, and ate them as he walked along the streets. He soon found employment as a journeyman printer. Two years later he was sent to -England by the governor of Pennsylvania, and was promised the public printing, but did not get it. On his return to Philadelphia he estab- lished the "Pennsylvania Gazette," and soon found himself a person of great popu- larity in the province, his ability as a writer, philosopher, and politician having reached the neighboring colonies. He rapidly grew in prominence, founded the Philadelphia Li- brary in 1842, and two years later the American Philosophical Society and the University of Pennsylvania. He was made Fellow of the Royal Society in London in 1775. His world-famous investigations in electricity and lightning began in 1746. He became postmaster-general of the colonies in 1753, having devised an inter-colonial postal system. He advocated the rights of the colonies at all times, and procured the repeal of the Stamp Act in 1766. He was elected to the Continental congress of 1775, and in 1776 was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, being one of the commit- tee appointed to draft that paper. He rep- resented the new nation in the courts of Europe, especially at Paris, where his simple dignity and homely wisdom won him the admiration of the court and the favor of the people. He was governor of Pennsylvania four years; was also a member of the con-
vention in 1787 that drafted the constitution of the United States.
His writings upon political topics, anti- slavery, finance, and economics, stamp him as one of the greatest statesmen of his time, while his "Autobiography" and "Poor Richard's Almanac " give him precedence in the literary field. In early life he was an avowed skeptic in religious matters, but later in life his utterances on this subject were less extreme, though he never ex- pressed approval of any sect or creed. He died in Philadelphia April 17, 1790.
DANIEL WEBSTER.— Of world wide reputation for statesmanship, diplo- macy, and oratory, there is perhaps no more prominent figure in the history of our coun- try in the interval between 181 5 and 1861, than Daniel Webster. He was born at Salisbury (now Franklin), New Hampshire. January 18, 1782, and was the second son of Ebenezer and Abigail (Eastman) Webster. He enjoyed but limited educational advan- tages in childhood, but spent a few months in 1797, at Phillip Exeter Academy. He completed his preparation for college in the family of Rev. Samuel Wood, at Boscawen, and entered Dartmouth College in the fall of 1797. He supported himself most of the time during these years by teaching school and graduated in 1801, having the credit of being the foremost scholar of his class. He entered the law office of Hon. Thomas W. Thompson, at Salisbury. In 1802 he con- tinued his legal studies at Fryeburg, Maine, where he was principal of the academy and copyist in the office of the register of deeds. In the office of Christopher Gore, at Boston, he completed his studies in 1804-5, ^"'l W3S admitted to the bar in the latter year, and at Boscawen and at Ports- mouth soon rose to eminence in his profes-
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COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHT.
sion. He became known as a federalist but did not court political honors; but, at- tracting attention by his eloquence in oppos- ing the war with England, he was elected to congress in 1812. During the special session of May, 18 13, he was appointed on the committee on foreign affairs and made his maiden speech June 10, 1813. Through- out this session (as afterwards) he showed his mastery of the great economic questions of the day. He was re-elected in 18 14. In 1 8 16 he removed to Boston and for seven years devoted himself to his profession, earning by his arguments in the celebrated "Dartmouth College Case" rank among the most distinguished jurists of the country. In 1820 Mr. Webster was chosen a member of the state convention of Massachusetts, to revise the constitution. The same year he delivered the famous discourse on the " Pil- grim fathers," which laid the foundation for his fame as an orator. Declining a nomi- nation for United States senator, in 1822 he was elected to the lower house of congress and was re-elected in 1824 and 1826, but in 1827 was transferred to the senate. He retained his seat in the latter chamber until 1 841. During this time his voice was ever lifted in defence of the national life and honor and although politically opposed to him he gave his support to the administra- tion of President Jackson in the latter's con- test with nullification. Through all these years he was ever found upon the side of right and justice and his speeches upon all the great questions of the day have be- come household words in almost every family. In 1841 Mr. Webster was appointed secretary of state by President Harrison and was continued in the same office by President Tyler. While an incumbent of this office he showed consummate ability as a diplomat in the negotiation of the " Ash-
burton treaty " of August 9, 1849, which settled many points of dispute between the United States and England. In May, 1843, he resigned his post and resumed his pro- fession, and in December, 1845, took his place again in the senate. He contributed in an unofficial way to the solution of the Oregon question with Great Britain in 1847. He was disappointed in 1848 in not receiv- ing the nomination for the presidency. He became secretary of state under President Fillmore in 1850 and in dealing with all the complicated questions of the day showed a wonderful mastery of the arts of diplomacy. Being hurt in an accident he retired to his home at Marshfield, where he died Octo- ber 24, 1852.
HORACE GREELEY.— As journalist, author, statesman and political leader, there is none more widely known than the man whose name heads this article. He was born in Amherst, New Hampshire, Feb- ruary 3, 181 1, and was reared upon a farm. At an early age he evinced a remarkable intelligence and love of learning, and at the age of ten had read every book he could borrow for miles around. About 1821 the family removed to Westhaven, Vermont, and for some years young Greeley assisted in carrying on the farm. In 1826 he entered the office of a weekly newspaper at East Poultney, Vermont, where he remained about four years. On the discontinuance of this paper he followed his father's family to Erie county, Pennsylvania, whither they had moved, and for a time worked at the printer's trade in that neigh- borhood. In 1 83 1 Horace went to New York City, and for a time found employ- ment as journeyman printer. January, 1833, in partnership with Francis Story, he published the Moniing Post, the first penny
compel: DiLwr of biographt.
paper ever printed. This proved a failure and was discontinued after three weeks. The business of job printing was carried on, however, until the death of Mr. Story in July following. In company with Jonas Winchester, March 22, 1834, Mr. Greeley commenced the publication of the New Yorker, a weekly paper of a high character. For financial reasons, at the same time, Greeley wrote leaders for other papers, and, in 1838, took editorial charge of the Jeffer- soiiian, a Whig paper published at Albany. In 1840, on the discontinuance of that sheet, he devoted iiis energies to the Log- Cabin, a campaign paper in the interests of the Whig party. In the fall of 1841 the latter paper was consolidated with the Nezu Yorker, un- der the name of the Tribune, the first num- ber of which was issued April 10, 1841. At the head of this paper Mr. Greeley remained until the day of his death.
In 1848 Horace Greeley was elected to the national house of representatives to fill a vacancy, and was a member of that body until March 4, 1849. In 1851 he went to Europe and served as a juror at the World's Fair at the Crystal Palace, Lon- don. In 1855, he made a second visit to the old world. In 1859 he crossed the plains and received a public reception at San Francisco and Sacramento. He was a member of the Republican national con- vention, at Chicago in i860, and assisted in the nomination of Abraham Lincoln for President. The same year he was a presi- dential elector for the state of New York, and a delegate to the Loyalist convention at Philadelphia.
At the close of the war, in 1865, Mr. Greeley became a strong advocate of uni- versal amnesty and complete pacification, and in pursuance of this consented to be- come one of the bondsmen for Jefferson
Davis, who was imprisoned for treason. In 1867 he was a delegate to the New York state convention for the revision of the constitution. In 1870 he was defeated for congress in the Si.xth New York district. At the Liberal convention, which met in Cincinnati, in May, 1872, on the fifth ballot Horace Greeley was nominated for presi- dent and July following was nominated for the same office by the Democratic conven- tion at Baltimore. He was defeated by a large majority. The large amount of work done by him during the campaign, together with the loss of his wife about the same time, undermined his strong constitution, and he was seized with inflammation of the brain, and died November 29, 1872.
In addition to his journalistic work, Mr. Greeley was the author of several meritori- ous works, among which were: "Hints toward reform," "Glances at Europe," " History of the struggle for slavery exten sion," "Overland journey to San Francis- co," "The American conflict," and " Rec- ollections of a busy life."
HENRY CLAY. — In writing of this em- inent American, Horace Greeley once said: "He was a matchless party chief, an admirable orator, a skillful legislator, wield- ing unequaled influence, not only over his friends, but even over those of his political antagonists who were subjected to the magic of his conversation and manners. " A law- yer, legislator, orator, and statesman, few men in history have wielded greater influ- ence, or occupied so prominent a place in the hearts of the generation in which they lived.
Henry Clay was born near Richmond, in Hanover county, \'irginia, April 12, 1777, the son of a poor Baptist preacher who died when Henry was but five years
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COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY.
old. The mother married again about ten years later and removed to Kentucky leav- ing Henry a clerk in a store at Richmond. Soon afterward Henry Clay secured a posi- tion as copyist in the office of the clerk of the high court of chancery, and four years later entered the law office of Robert Brooke, then attorney general and later governor of his native state. In 1797 Henry Clay was licensed as a lawyer and followed his mother to Kentucky^ opening an office at Lexington and soon built up a profitable practice. Soon afterward Kentucky, in separating from Virginia, called a state convention for the purpose of framing a constitution, and Clay at that time took a prominent part, publicly urging the adoption of a clause providing for the abolition of slavery, but in this he was overruled, as he was fifty years later, when in the height of his fame he again ad- vised the same course when the state con- stitution was revised in 1850. Young Clay took a very active and conspicuous part in the presidential campaign in 1800, favoring the election of Jefferson; and in 1803 was chosen to represent Fayette county in the state 'egislature. In 1806 General John Adair, then United States senator from Kentucky, resigned and Henry Clay was elected to fill the vacancy by the legislature and served through one session in which he at once assumed a prominent place. In 1807 he was again a representative in the legislature and was elected speaker of the house. At this time originated his trouble with Humphrey Marshall. Clay proposed that each member clothe himself and family wholly in American fabrics, which Afarshall characterized as the " language of a dema- gogue." This led to a duel in which both parties were slightly injured. In 1809 Henry Clay was again elected to fill a va- cancy in the United States senate, and two
years later elected representative in tne low- er house of congress, being chosen speaker of the house. About this time war was de- clared against Great Britain, and Clay took a prominent public place during this strug- gle and was later one of the commissioners sent to Europe by President Madison to ne- gotiate peace, returning in September, 181 5, having been re-elected speaker of the house during his absence, and was re-elect- ed unanimously. He was afterward re- elected to congress and then became secre- tary of state und^r John Quincy Adams. In 1 83 1 he was again elected senator from Kentucky and remained in the senate most of the time until his death.
Henry Clay was three times a candidate for the presidency, and once very nearly elected. He was the unanimous choice of the Whig party in 1844 for the presidency, and a great effort was made to elect him but without success, his opponent, James K. Polk, carrying both Pennsylvania and New York by a very slender margin, while either of them alone would have elected Clay. Henry Clay died at Washington Juije 29, 1852.
JAMES GILLESPIE BLAINE was one of the most distinguished of American statesmen and legislators. He was born January 31, 1830, in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and received a thorough edu- cation, graduating at Washington College in 1847. In early life he removed to Maine and engaged in newspaper work, becoming editor of the Portland "Advertiser." While yet a young man he gained distinction as a debater and became a conspicuous figure in political and public affairs. In 1862 he was elected to congress on the Republican ticket in Maine and was re-elected five times. Iti March, 1869, he was chosen speaker of the
COMPENDIUM OF BIOGIiAPJ/r.
house ot representatives and was re-elected in 1 87 1 and again in 1 873. In 1 876 he was a representative in the lower house of con- gress and during that year was appointed United States senator by the Governor to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Morrill, who had been appointed secretary of the treasury. Mr. Blaine served in the senate until March 5, 1881, when President Garfield appointed him sec- retary of state, which position he resigned in December, i88i. Mr. Blaine was nom- inated for the presidency by the Republic- ans, at Chicago in June, 1884, but was de- feated by Grover Cleveland after an exciting and spirited campaign. During the later years of his life Mr. Blaine devoted most of his time to the completion of his work "Twenty Years in Congress," which had a remarkably large sale throughout the United States. Blaine was a man of great mental ability and force of character and during the latter part of his life was one of the most noted men of his time. He was the origina- torof what is termed the " reciprocity idea" in tariff matters, and outlined the plan of carrying it into practical effect. In 1876 Robert G. Ingersoll in making a nominating speech placing Blaine's name as a candidate for president before the national Republican convention at Cincinnati, referred to Blaine as the " Plumed Knight " and this title clung to him during the remainder of his life. His death occurred at Washington, January 27, >893-
JOHN CALDWELL CALHOUN, a dis- tinguished American statesman, was a native of South Carolina, born in Abbeville district, March i8, 1782. He was given the advantages of a thorough education, graduating at Yale College in 1804, and adopted the calling of a lawyer. A Demo-
crat politically, at that time, he took a fore- most part in the councils of his party and was elected to congress in 18 1 1, supporting the tariff of 18 16 and the establishing of the United States Bank. In 18 17 he be- came secretary of war in President Monroe's cabinet, and in 1824 waselected vice-president of the United States, on the ticket with John Quincy Adams, and re-elected in 1 828, on the ticket with General Jackson. Shortly after this Mr. Calhoun became one of the strongest advocates of free trade and the principle of sovereignty of the states and was one of the originators of the doctrine that "any state could nullify unconstitutional laws of congress." Meanwhile Calhoun had be- come an aspirant for the presidency, and the fact that General Jackson advanced the interests of his opponent. Van Buren, led to a quarrel, and Calhoun resigned the vice- presidency in 1832 and was elected United States senator from South Carolina. It was during the same year that a convention was held in South Carolina at which the " Nul- lification ordinance " was adopted, the ob- ject of which was to test the constitution- ality of the protective tariff measures, and to prevent if possible the collection of im- port duties in that state which had been levied more for the purpose of ' ' protection " than revenue. This ordinance was to go into effect in February, 1833, and created a great deal of uneasiness throughout the country as it was feared there would be a clash between the state and federal authori- ties. It was in this serious condition of public affairs that Henry Clay came forward with the the famous "tariff compromise" of 1833, to which measure Calhoun and most of his followers gave their support and the crisis was averted. In 1843 Mr. Cal- houn was appointed secretary ot state in President Tyler's cabinet, and it was under
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COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHT.
his administration that the treaty concern- ing the annexation of Texas was negotiated. In 1845 he was re-elected to the United States senate and continued in the senate until his death, which occurred in March, 1850. He occupied a high rank as a scholar, student and orator, and it is conceded that he was one of the greatest debaters America has produced. The famous debate between Calhoun and Webster, in 1833, is regarded as the most noted for ability and eloquence in the history of the country.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BUTLER, one of America's most brilliant and pro- found lawyers and noted public men, was a native of New England, born at Deer- field, New Hampshire, November 5, 18 18. His father. Captain John Butler, was a prominent man in his day, commanded a company during the war of 181 2, and served under Jackson at New Orleans. Benjamin F. Butler was given an excellent education, graduated at Waterville College, Maine, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1840, at Lowell, Massachusetts, where he commenced the practice of his profession and gained a wide reputation for his ability at the bar, acquiring an extensive practice and a fortune. Early in life he began taking an active interest in military affairs and served in the state militia through all grades from private to brigadier-general. In 1853 he was elected to the state legisla- ture on the Democratic ticket in Lowell, and took a prominent part in the passage of legislation in the interests of labor. Dur- ing the same year he was a member of the constitutional convention, and in 1859 rep- resented his district in the Massachusetts senate. When the Civil war broke out General Butler took the field and remained at the front most of the time during that
bloody struggle. Fart of the time he had charge of Fortress Monroe, and in Febru- ary, 1862, took command of troops forming part of the expedition against New Orleans, and later had charge of the department of the Gulf. He was a conspicuous figure dur- ing the continuance of the war. After the close of hostilities General Butler resumed his law practice in Massachusetts and in 1 866 was elected to congress from the Es- sex district. In 1882 he was elected gov- ernor of Massachusetts, and in 1884 was the nominee of the " Greenback" party for president of the United States. He con- tinued his legal practice, and maintained his place as one of the most prominent men in New England until the time of his death, which occurred January 10, 1893.
JEFFERSON DAVIS, an officer, states- man and legislator of prominence in America, gained the greater part of his fame from the fact that he was president of the southern confederacy. Mr. Davis was born in Christian county, Kentucky, June 3, 1808, and his early education and surround- ings were such that his sympathies and in- clinations were wholly with the southern people. He received a thorough education, graduated at West Point in 1828, and for a number of years served in the army at west- ern posts and in frontier service, first as lieutenant and later as adjutant. In 1835 he resigned and became a cotton planter in Warren county, Mississippi, where he took an active interest in public affairs and be- came a conspicuous figure in politics. In 1844 he was a presidential elector from Mississippi and during the two following years served as congressman from his dis- trict. He then became colonel of a iviissis- sippi regiment in the war with Mexico ana participated in some of the most severe cai-
COMPEXDIUM or BIOGRAPlir.
25
ties, being seriously wounded at Buena Vista. Upon his return to private life he again took a prominent part in political af- fairs and represented his state in the United States senate from 1847 to 185 1. He then entered President Pierce's cabinet as secre- tary of war, after which he again entered the United States senate, remaining until the outbreak of the Civil war. He then be- came president of the southern confederacy and served as such until captured in May, 1865, at Irwinville, Georgia. He was held as prisoner of war at Fortress Monroe, until 1867, when he was released on bail and finally set free in 1868. His death occurred December 6, 1889.
Jefferson Davis was a man of excellent abilities and was recognized as one of the best organizers of his day. He was a forceful and fluent speaker and a ready writer. He wrote and published the " Rise and Fall of the Southern Confederacy," a work which is considered as authority by the southern people.
JOHN ADAMS, the second president of the United States, and one of the most conspicuous figures in the early struggles of his country for independence, was born in the present town of Quincy, then a portion of Braintree, Massachusetts, October 30, 1735. He received a thorough education, graduating at Harvard College in 1755, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1758. He was well adapted for this profes- sion and after opening an office in his native town rapidly grew in prominence and public favor and soon was regarded as one of the leading lawyers of the country. His atten- tion was called to political affairs by the passage of the Stamp Act, in 1765, and he drew up a set of resolutions on the subject which were very popular. In 1768 he re-
moved to Boston and became one of the most courageous and prominent advocates of the popular cause and was chosen a member of the Colonial legislature from Boston. He was one of the delegates that represented Massachusetts in the first Con- tinental congress, which met in September, 1774. In a letter written at this crisis he uttered the famous words: "The die is now cast; I have passed the Rubicon. Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish with my country, is my unalterable determination." He was a prominent figure in congress and advocated the movement for independence when a majority of the members were in- clined to temporize and to petition the King. In May, 1776, he presented a resolution in congress that the colonies should assume the duty of self-government, which was passed. In June, of the same year, a reso- lution that the United States "are, and of right ought to be, free and independent," was moved by Richard H. Lee, seconded by Mr. Adams and adopted by a small majority. Mr. Adams was a member of the committee of five appointed June 1 1 to prepare a declaration of independence, in support of which he made an eloquent speech. He was chairman of the Board of War in 1776 and in 1778 was sent as commissioner to France, but returned the following year. In 1780 he went to Europe, having been appointed as minister to negotiate a treaty of peace and commerce with Great Britain. Con- jointly with Franklin and Jay he negotiated a treaty in 1782. He was employed as a minister to the Court of St. James from 1785 to 1788, and during that period wrote his famous " Defence of the American Con- stitutions." In 1789 he became vice-presi- dent of the United States and was re-elected in 1792.
In 1796 Mr. Adams was chosen presi-
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COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY.
dent of the United States, his competitor being Thomas Jefferson, who became vice- president. In 1800 he was the Federal candidate for president, but he was not cordially supported by Gen. Hamilton, the favorite leader of his party, and was de- feated by Thomas Jefferson.
Mr. Adams then retired from public life to his large estate at Quincy, Mass. , where he died July 4, 1826, on the same day that witnessed the death of Thomas Jefferson. Though his physical frame began to give way many years before his death, his mental powers retained their strength and vigor to the last. In his ninetieth year he was glad- dened by .the elevation of his son, John Quincy Adams, to the presidential office.
HENRY WARD BEECHER, one of the most celebrated American preachers and authors, was born at Litchfield, Connec- ticut, June 24,1813. His father was Dr. Ly- man Beecher, also an eminent divine. At an early age Henry Ward Beecher had a strong predilection for a sea-faring life, and it was practically decided that he would fol- low this inclination, but about this time, in consequence of deep religious impressions which he e.xperienced during a revival, he renounced his former intention and decided to enter the ministry. After having grad- uated at Amherst College, in 1834, he stud- ied theology at Lane Seminary under the tuition of his father, who was then president of that institution. In 1847 he became pas- tor of the Plymouth Congregational church in Brooklyn, where his oratorical ability and original eloquence attracted one of the larg- est congregations in the country. He con- tinued to served this church until the time of his death, March 8, 1887. Mr. Beecher also found time for a great amount of liter- ary work For a number of years he was
editor of the "Independent" and also the ' ' Christian Union. " He also produced many works which are widely known. Among his principal productions are ' 'Lectures to Young Men," " Star Papers, " "Life of Christ," "Life Thoughts," "Royal Truths" (a novel), "Norwood," " Evolution and Rev- olution," and " Sermons on Evolution and Religion. " Mr. Beecher was also long a prominent advocate of anti-slavery princi- ples and temperance reform, and, at a later period, of the rights of women.
JOHN A. LOGAN, the illustrious states- man and general, was born in Jackson county, Illinois, February 9, 1824. In his boyhood days he received but a limited edu- cation in the schools of his native county. On the breaking out of the war with Mexico he enlisted in the First Illinois Volunteers and became its quartermaster. At the close of hostilities he returned home and was elected clerk of the courts of Jackson county in 1849. Determining to supplement his education Logan entered the Louisville Uni- versity, from which he graduated in 1852 and taking up the study of law was admitted to the bar. He attained popularity and suc- cess in his chosen profession and was elected to the legislature in 1852, 1853, 1856 and 1857. He was prosecuting attorney from 1853 to 1S57. He was elected to congress in 1858 to fill a vacancy and again in i860. At the outbreak of the Rebellion, Logan re- signed his office and entered the army, and in September, 1861, was appointed colonel of the Thirty-first Illinois Infantry, which he led in the battles of Belmont and Fort Don- elson. In the latter engagement he was wounded. In March, 1862, he was pro- moted to be brigadier-general and in the following month participated in the battles of Pittsburg Landing. In November, 1862,
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29
f )r gallant conduct he was made major-gen- eral. Throughout the Vicksburg campaign he was in command of a division of the Sev- enteenth Corps and was distinguished at Port Gibson, Champion Hills and in the siege and capture cf Vicksburg. In October, 1S63, he was placed in command of the Fifteenth Corps, which he led with great credit. During the terrible conflict before Atlanta, July 22, 1864, on the death of General McPherson, Logan, assuming com- mand of the Army of the Tennessee, led it on to victory, saving the day by his energy and ability. He was shortly after succeeded by General O. O. Howard and returned to the command of his corps. He remained in coinmand until the presidential election, when, feeling that his influence was needed at home he returned thither and there re- mained until the arrival of Sherman at Sa- vannah, when General Logan rejoined his coinmand. In May, 1865, he succeeded General Howard at the head of the Army of the Tennessee. He resigned from the army in August, the same year, and in November was appointed minister to Mexico, but de- clined the honor. He served in the lower house of the fortieth and forty-first con- gresses, and was elected United States sena- tor from his native state in 1870, 1878 and 1885. He was nominated for the vice-presi- dency in 1884 on the ticiiet with Blaine, but was defeated. General Logan was the author of "The Great Conspiracy, its origin and history," published in 1885. He died at Washington, December 26, 1886.
JOHN CHARLES FREMONT, the first Republican candidate for president, was born in Savannah, Georgia, January 21^ 18 1 3. He graduated from Charleston Col- lege (South Carolina^ in 1830, and turned his
attention to civil engineering. He was shortly 2
afterward employed in the department of government surveys on the Mississippi, and constructing maps of that region. He was made lieutenant of engineers, and laid be- fore the war department a plan for pene- trating the Rocky Mountain regions, which was accepted, and in 1842 he set out upon his first famous exploring expedition and ex- plored the South Pass. He also planned an expedition to Oregon by a new route further south, but afterward joined his expedition with that of Wilkes in the region of the Great Salt Lake. He made a later expedi- tion which penetrated the Sierra Nevadas, and the San Joaquin and Sacramento river valleys, making maps of all regions explored. In 1845 he conducted the great expedi- tion which resulted in the acquisition of California, which it was believed the Mexi- can government was about to dispose of to England. Learning that the Mexican gov- ernor was preparing to attack tne American settlements in his dominion, Fremont deter- mined to forestall him. The settlers rallied to his camp, and in June, 1846, he defeated the Mexican forces at Sonoma Pass, and a month later completely routed the governor and his entire army. The Americans at once declared their independence of Mexico, and Fremont was elected governor of Cali- fornia. By this time Commodore Stockton had reached the coast with instructions from Washington to conquer California. Fre- mont at once joined him in that effort, which resulted in the annexation of California with its untold mineral wealth. Later Fremont became involved in a difficulty with fellow officers which resulted in a court martial, and the surrender of his commission. He declined to accept reinstatement. He af- terward laid out a great road from the Mis- sissippi river to San Francisco, and became the first United States senator from Califor-
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nia, in 1849. In 1856 he was nominated by the new RepubHcan party as its first can- didate for president against Buchanan, and received 114 electoral votes, out of 296.
In 1 86 1 he was made major-general and placed in charge of the western department. He planned the reclaiming of the entire Mississippi valley, and gathered an army of thirty thousand men, with plenty of artil- lery, and was ready to move upon the con- federate General Price, when he was de- prived of his command. He was nominated for the presidency at Cincinnati in 1864, but withdrew. He was governor of Arizona in 1878, holding the position four years. He was interested in an engineering enterprise looking toward a great southern trans-con- tinental railroad, and in his later years also practiced law in New York. He died July 1 3,
WENDELL PHILLIPS, the orator and abolitionist, and a conspicuous figure in American history, was born November 29, 181 1, at Boston, Massachusetts. He received a good education at Harvard College, from which he graduated in 1831, and then entered the Cambridge Law School . After completing his course in that institu- tion, in 1833, he was admitted to the bar, in 1834, at Suffolk. He entered the arena of life at the time when the forces of lib- erty and slavery had already begun their struggle that was to culminate in the Civil war. William Lloyd Garrison, by his clear- headed, courageous declafations of the anti- slavery principles, had done much to bring about this struggle. Mr. Phillips was not a man that could stand aside and see a great struggle being carried on in the interest of humanity and look passively on. He first attracted attention as an orator in 1837, at a meeting that was called to protest against
the murder of the Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy. The meeting would have ended in a few perfunctory resolutions had not Mr. Phillips by his manly eloquence taken the meeting out of the hands of the few that were in- clined to temporize and avoid radical utter- ances. Having once started out in this ca- reer as an abolitionist Phillips never swerved from what he deemed his duty, and never turned back. He gave up his legal practice and launched himself heart and soul in the movement for the liberation of the slaves. He was an orator of very great ability and by his earnest efforts and eloquence he did much in arousing public sentiment in behalf of the anti-slavery cause — possibly more than any one man of his time. After the abolition of slavery Mr. Phillips was, if pos- sible, even busier than before m the literary and lecture field. Besides temperance and women's rights, he lectured often and wrote much on finance, and the relations of labor and capital, and his utterances on whatever subject always bore the stamp of having emanated from a master mind. Eminent critics have stated that it might fairly be questioned whether there has ever spoken in America an orator superior to Phillips. The death of this great man occurred Feb- ruary 4, 1884.
WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN was one of the greatest generals that the world has ever produced and won im- mortal fame by that strategic and famous " march to the sea," in the war of the Re- bellion. He was born February 8, 1820, at Lancaster, Ohio, and was reared in the family of the Hon. Thomas Ewing, as his father died when he was but nine years of age. He entered West Point in 1836, wa? graduated from the same in 1840, and ap- pointed a second lieutenant in the Third
COMPEXDIUM OF HIOGRAPHT.
Artillery. He passed through the various grades of the service and at the outbreak of the Civil war was appointed colonel of the Thirteenth Ref^ular Infantry. A full history of General Sherman's conspicuous services would be to repeat a history of the army. He commanded a division at Shiloh, and was instrumental in the winning of that bat- tle, and was also present at the siege of Vicks- burg. On July 4, 1863, he was appointed brigadier-general of the regular army, and shared with Hooker the victory of Mission- ary Ridge. He was commander of the De- parvment of the Tennessee from October 27th until the appointment of General Grant as lieutenant-general, by whom he was appointed to the command of the De- partment of the Mississippi, which he as- sumed in March, 1864. He at once began organizing the army and enlarging his com- nuinications preparatory to his march upon Atlanta, which he started the same time of the beginning of the Richmond campaign by Grant. He started on May 6, and was op- posed by Johnston, who had fifty thousand men, but by consummate generalship, he captured Atlanta, on September 2, after several months of hard fighting and a severe loss of men. General Sherman started on his famous march to the sea November 15, 1864, and by December 10 he was before Savannah, which he took on December 23. This campaign is a monument to the genius of General Sherman as he only lost 567 men from Atlanta to the sea. After rest- ing his army he moved northward and occu- pied the following places: Columbia, Cheraw, Fayetteville, Ayersboro, Benton- ville, Goldsboro, Raleigh, and April 18, he accepted the surrender of Johnston's army on a basis of agreement that was not re- ceived by the Government with favor, but finally accorded Johnston the same terms as
Lee was given by General Grant. He was present at the grand review at Washington, and after the close of the war was appointed to the command of the military division of the Mississippi; later was appointed lieu- tenant-general, and assigned to the military division of the Missouri. When General Grant was elected president Sherman became general, March 4, 1869, and succeeded to the command of the army. His death oc- curred February 14, 1891, at Washington.
ALEXANDER HAMILTON, one of the most prominent of the early American statesmen and financiers, was born in Nevis, an island of the West Indies, January 11, 1757, his father being a Scotchman and his mother of Huguenot descent. Owing to the death of his mother and business reverses which came to his father, young Hamilton was sent to his mother's relatives in Santa Cruz; a few years later was sent to a gram- mar school at Elizabethtown, Nevv Jersey, and in 1773 entered what is now known as Columbia College. Even at that time he began taking an active part in public affairs and his speeches, pamphlets, and newspaper articles on political affairs of the day at- tracted considerable attention. In 1776 he received a captain's commission and served in Washington's army with credit, becoming aide-de-camp to Washington with rank of lieutenant-colonel. In 1781 he resigned his commission because of a rebuke from Gen- eral Washington. He next received com- mand of a New York battalion and partici- pated in the battle of Yorktown. After this Hamilton studied law, served several terms in congress and was a member of the convention at which the Federal Constitu- tion was drawn up. His work connected with " The Federalist " at about this time attracted much attention. Mr. Hamilton
COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY.
was chosen as the first secretary of the United States treasury and as such was the author of the funding system and founder of the United States Bank. In 1798 he was made inspector-general of the army with the rank of major-general and was also for a short time commander-in-chief. In 1 804 Aaron Burr, then candidate for governor of New York, challenged Alexander Hamilton to fight a duel, Burr attributing his defeat to Hamilton's opposition, and Hamilton, though declaring the code as a relic of bar- barism, accepted the challenge. They met at Weehawken, New Jersey, July 11, 1804. Hamilton declined to fire at his adversary, but at Burr's first fire was fatally wounded and died July 12, 1804.
ALEXANDER HAMILTON STEPH- ENS, vice-president of the southern confederacy, a former United States senator and governor of Georgia, ranks among the great men of American history. He was born February 11, 1812, near Crawfordsviile, Georgia. He was a graduate of the Uni- versity of Georgia, and admitted to the bar in 1834. In 1837 he made his debut in political life as a member of the state house of representatives, and in 1 841 declined the nomination for the same office; but in 1842 he was chosen by the same constituency as state senator. Mr. Stephens was one of the promoters of the Western and Atlantic Railroad. In 1843 he was sent by his dis- trict to the national house of representatives, which office he held for sixteen consec- utive years. He was a member of the house during the passing of the Compromise Bill, and was one of its ablest and most active supporters. The same year (1850) Mr. Stephens was a delegate to the state convention that framed the celebrated " Georgia Platform," and was also a dele-
gate to the convention that passed the ordi- nance of secession, though he bitterly op- posed that bill by voice and vote, yet he readily acquiesced in their decision after it received the votes of the majority of the convention. He was chosen vice-president of the confederacy without opposition, and in 1865 he was the head of the commis- sion sent by the south to the Hampton Roads conference. He was arrested after the fall of the confederacy and was con- fined in Fort Warren as a prisoner of state but was released on his own parole. Mr. Stephens was elected to the forty-third, forty-fourth, forty-fifth, forty-sixth and for- ty-seventh congresses, with hardly more than nominal opposition. He was one of the Jeffersonian school of American politics. He wrote a number of works, principal among which are: "Constitutional View of the War between the States," and a " Compendium of the History of the United States." He was inaugurated as governor of Georgia November 4th, 1882, but died March 4, 1883, before the completion of his term.
ROSCOE CONKLING was one of the most noted and famous of American statesmen. He was among the most fin- ished, fluent and eloquent orators that have ever graced the halls of the American con- gress; ever ready, witty and bitter in de- bate he was at once admired and feared by his political opponents and revered by his followers. True to his friends, loyal to the last degree to those with whom his inter- ests were associated, he was unsparing to his foes and it is said "never forgot an injury." Roscoe Conkling was born at Albany, New York, on the 30th of October, 1829, being a son of Alfred Conkling. Alfred Conkling was also a native of New York,
CO.VPEADICM OF BIOGRAPHl-
3R
born at East Hampton, October 12, 1789, ami became one of the most eminent law- yers in the Empire state; pubhshed several legal works; served a term in congress; aft- erw.ird as United States district judge for Northern New York, and in 1S52 was min- ister to Mexico. Alfred Conkling died in 1874.
Roscoe Conkling, whose name heads this article, at an early age took up the study of law and soon became successful and prominent at the bar. About 1846 he re- moved to Utica and in 1858 was elected mayor of that city. He was elected repre- sentative in congress from this district and was re-elected three times. In 1867 he was elected United States senator from the state of New York and was re-elected in 1873 and 1879. In May, 1881, he resigned on account of differences with the president. In March, 1882, he was appointed and con- firmed as associate justice of the United States supreme court but declined to serve. His death occurred April 18, 1888.
WASHINGTON IRVING, one of the most eminent, talented and popu- lar of American authors, was born in New York City, April 3, 1783. His father was William Irving, a merchant and a native of Scotland, who had married an English lady and emigrated to America some twenty years prior to the birth of Washington. Two of the older sons, William and Peter, were partially occupied with newspaper work and literary pursuits, and this fact naturally inclined Washington to follow their example. Washington Irving was given the advantages afforded by the common schools until about sixteen years of age when he began studying law, but continued to acquire his literary training by diligent perusal at home of the older English writers.
When nineteen he made his first literary venture by printing in the ' ' Morning Chroni- cle," then edited by his brother, Dr. Peter Irving, a series of local sketches under the nom-dc-plumc oi " Jonathan Oldstyle." In 1804 he began an extensive trip through Europe, returned in 1806, quickly com- pleted his legal studies and was admitted to the bar, but never practiced the profession. In 1807 he began the amusing serial "Sal- magundi," which had an immediate suc- cess, and not only decided his future career but long determined the charac- ter of his writings. In 1808, assisted by his brother Peter, he wrote " Knickerbock- er's History of New York," and in 18 10 an excellent biography of Campbell, the poet. After this, for some time, Irving's attention was occupied by mercantile interests, but the commercial house in which he was a partner failed in 1817. In 1814 he was editor of the Philadelphia "Analectic Maga- zine." About 1 81 8 appeared his "Sketch- Book, " over the nom-de-plumc of ' 'Geoffrey Crayon," which laid the foundation of Ir- ving's fortune and permanent fame. This was soon followed by the legends of "Sleepy Hollow," and " Rip Van Winkle," which at once took high rank as literary productions, and Irving's reputation was firmly established in both the old and new worlds. After this the path of Irving was smooth, and his subsequent writings ap- peared with rapidity, including "Brace- bridge Hall," "The Tales of a Traveler," " History of the Life and \'oyages of Chris- topher Columbus," "The Conquest of Granada," "The Alhambra," " Tour on the Prairies," "Astoria," "Adventures of Captain Bonneville," "Wolfert's Roost." " Mahomet and his Successors," and "Life of Washington," besides other works.
Washington Irving was never married.
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COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHT.
He resided during the closing years of his hfe at Sunnyside (Tarrytown) on the Hud- son, where he died November 28, 1859.
CHARLES SUMNER.— Boldly outlined on the pages of our history stands out the rugged figure of Charles Sumner, states- man, lawyer and writer. A man of unim- peachable integrity, indomitable will and with the power of tireless toil, he was a fit leader in troublous times. First in rank as an anti-slavery leader in the halls of con- gress, he has stamped his image upon the annals of his time. As an orator he took front rank and, in wealth of illustration, rhetoric and lofty tone his eloquence equals anything to be found in history.
Charles Sumner was born in Boston, Massachusetts, January 6, 181 1, and was the son of Charles P. and Relief J. Sumner. The family had long been prominent in that state. Charles was educated at the Boston Public Latin School; entered Harvard Col- lege in 1826, and graduated therefrom in 1830. In 1 83 1 he joined the Harvard Law School, then under charge of Judge Story, and gave himself up to the study of law with enthusiasm. His leisure was devoted to contributing to the American Jurist. Ad- mitted to the bar in 1834 he was appointed reporter to the circuit court by Judge Story. He published several works about this time, and from 1835 to 1837 and again in 1843 was lecturer in the law school. He had planned a lawyer's life, but in 1845 he gave his attention to politics, speaking and working against the admission of Te.xas to the Union and subsequently against the Mexican war. In 1848 he was defeated for congress on the Free Soil ticket. His stand on the anti- slavery question at that time alienated both friends and clients, but he never swerved from his convictions. In 1851 he was elected
to the United States senate and took his seat therein December i of that year. From this time his life became the history of the anti-slavery cause in congress. In August, 1852, he began his attacks on slavery by a masterly argument for the repeal of the fugitive slave law. On May 22, 1856, Pres- ton Brooks, nephew of Senator Butler, of South Carolina, made an attack upon Mr. Sumner, at his desk in the senate, striking him over the head with a heavy cane. The attack was quite serious in its effects and kept Mr. Sumner absent from his seat in the senate for about four years. In 1857, 1863 and 1869 he was re-elected to the office of senator, passing some twenty-three years in that position, always advocating the rights of freedom and equity. He died March 11, 1874-
THOMAS JEFFERSON, the third pres- ident of the United States, was born near Charlottesville, Albemarle county, Vir- ginia, April 13, 1743, and was the son of Peter and Jane (Randolph) Jefferson. He received the elements of a good education, and in 1760 entered William and Mary Col- lege. After remaining in that institution for two years he took up the study of law with George Wythe, of Williamsburg, Virginia, one of the foremost lawyers of his day, and was admitted to practice in 1767. He ob- tained a large and profitable practice, which he held for eight years. The conflict be- tween Great Britain and the Colonies then drew him into public life, he having for some time given his attention to the study of the sources of law, the origin of liberty and equal rights.
Mr. Jefferson was elected to the Virginia house of burgesses in 1769, and served in that body several years, a firm supporter of liberal measures, and, although a slave-
COMPEXDir.^r OF B/OGRAPH}'.
holder himself, an opponent of slavery. With others, he was a leader among the op- position to the king. He took his place as a member of the Continental congress June 21, 1775, and after serving on several com- mittees was appointed to draught a Declara- tion of Independence, which he did, some corrections being suggested by Dr. Franklin and John Adams. This document was pre- sented to congress June 28, 1776, and after si.x days' debate was passed and was signed. In the following September Mr. Jefferson resumed his seat in the Virginia legislature, and gave much time to the adapting of laws of that state to the new condition of things. He drew up the law, the first ever passed by a legislature or adopted by a government, which secured perfect religious freedom. June I, 1779, he succeeded Patrick Henry as governor of Virginia, an office which, after co-operating with Washington in de- fending the country, he resigned two years later. One of his own estates was ravaged by the British, and his house at Monticello was held by Tarleton for several days, and Jefferson narrowly escaped capture. After the death of his wife, in 1782, he accepted the position of plenipotentiary to France, which he had declined in 1776. Before leaving he served a short time in congress at Annapolis, and succeeded in carrying a bill for establishing our present decimal sys- tem of currency, one of his most useful pub- lic services. He remained in an official ca- pacity until October, 1789, and was a most active and vigilant minister. Besides the onerous duties of his office, during this time, he published "Notes on Virginia," sent to the United States seeds, shrubs and plants, forwarded literary and scientific news and gave useful advice to some of the leaders of the French Revolution.
Mr. Jefferson landed in Virginia Novem-
ber 18, 1789, having obtained a leave of absence from his post, and shortly after ac- cepted Washington's offer of the portfolio of the department of state in his cabinet. He entered upon the duties of his office in March, 1791, and held it until January i, 1794, when he tendered his resignation. About this time he and Alexander Hamilton became decided and aggressive political op- ponents, Jefferson being in warm sympathy with the people in the French revolution and strongly democratic in his feelings, while Hamilton took the opposite side. In 1796 Jefferson was elected vice-president of the United States. In 1800 he was elected to the presidency and was inaugurated March 4, 1801. During his administration, which lasted for eight years, he having been re-elected in 1804, he waged a successful war against the Tripolitan pirates; purchased Louisiana of Napoleon; reduced the public debt, and was the originator of many wise measures. Declining a nomination for a third term he returned to Monticello, where he died July 4, 1826, but a few hours before the death of his friend, John Adams.
Mr. Jefferson was married January i, 1772, to Mrs. Martha Skelton, a young, beautiful, and wealthy widow, who died September 6, 1782, leaving three children, three more having died previous to her demise.
COI^NELIUS VANDERBILT,known as ' ' Commodore " Vanderbilt, was the founder of what constitutes the present im- mense fortune of the Vanderbilt family. He was born May 27, 1794, at Port Richmond, Staten Island, Richmond county, New York, and we find him at sixteen years run- ning a small vessel between his home and New York City. The fortifications of Sta- ten and Long Islands were just in course of
36
COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHT.
construction, and he carried the laborers from New York to the fortifications in his " perianger, " as it was called, in the day, and at night carried supplies to the fort on the Hudson. Later he removed to New York, where he added to his little fleet. At the age of twenty-three he was free from debt and was worth $9,000, and in 18 17, with a partner he built the first steamboat that was run between New York and New Brunswick, New Jersey, and became her captain at a salary of $1,000 a year. The next year he took command of a larger and better boat and by 1824 he was in complete control of the Gibbon's Line, as it was called, which he had brought up to a point where it paid $40,000 a year. Commodore Vanderbilt acquired the ferry between New York and Elizabethport, New Jersey, on a fourteen years' lease and conducted this on a paying basis. He severed his connections with Gibbons in 1829 and engaged in business alone and for twenty years he was the leading steamboat man in the country, building and operating steamboats on the Hudson River, Long Island Sound, on the Delaware River and the route to Boston, and he had the monopoly of trade on these routes. In 1850 he determined to broaden his field of operation and accordingly built the steamship Prometheus and sailed for the Isthmus of Darien, where he desired to make a personal investigation of the pros- pects of the American Atlantic and Pacific Ship Canal Company, in which he had pur- chased a controlling interest. Commodore Vanderbilt planned, as a result of this visit, a transit route from Greytown on the At- lantic coast to San Juan del Sud on the Pa- cific coast, which was a saving of 700 miles over the old route. In 1851 he placed three steamers on the Atlantic side and four on the Pacific side to accommodate the enor-
mous traffic occasioned by the discovery of gold in California. The following year three more vessels were added to his fleet and a branch line established from New Orleans to Greytown. In 1853 the Com- modore sold out hisNicarauguaTransit Com- pany, which had netted him $1,000,000 and built the renowned steam yacht, the "North Star." He continued in the ship- ping business nine years longer and accu- mulated some $10,000,000. In 1861 he presented to the government his magnifi- cent steamer " Vanderbilt, " which had cost him $800,000 and for which he received the thanks of congress. In 1844 he became interested in the railroad business which he followed in later years and became one of the greatest railroad magnates of his time. He founded the Vanderbilt University at a cost of $1,000,000. He died January 4, 1877, leaving a fortune estimated at over $ 1 00, 000, 000 to his children.
DANIEL BOONE was one of the most famous of the many American scouts, pioneers and hunters which the early settle- ment of the western states brought into prominence. Daniel Boone was born Feb- ruary II, 1735, in Bucks county, Pennsyl- vania, but while yet a young man removed to North Carolina, where he was married. In 1769, with five companions, he pene- trated into the forests and wilds of Kentucky — then uninhabited by white men. He had frequent conflicts with the Indians and was captured by them but escaped and continued to hunt in and explore that region for over a year, when, in 1771, he returned to his home. In the summer of 1773, he removed with his own and five other families into what was then the wilderness of Kentucky, and to defend his colony against the savages, he built, in 1775, ^ ^^^'^ ^^ Boonesborough,
co^rrExnn■^^ of BTOcRArnr.
on the Kentucky river. This fort was at- tacked by the Indians several times in 1777, but they were repulsed. The following year, however, Boone was surprised and captured by them. They took him to De- troit and treated him with leniency, but he soon escaped and returned to his fort which he defended with success against four hun- dred and fifty Indians in August, 1778. His son, Enoch Boone, was the first white male child born in the state of Kentucky. In 1795 Daniel Boone removed with his family to Missouri, locating about forty-five miles west of the present site of St. Louis, where he found fresh fields for his favorite pursuits — adventure, hunting, and pioneer life. His death occurred September 20, 1820.
HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFEL- LOW, said to have been America's greatest "poet of the people," was born at Portland, Maine, February 27, 1807. He entered Bowdoin College at the age of four- teen, and graduated in 1825. During his college days he distinguished himself in mod- ern languages, and wrote several short poems, one of the best known of which was the " Hymn of the Moravian Nuns." After his graduation he entered the law office of his father, but the following year was offered the professorship of modern languages at Bowdoin, with the privilege of three years study in Europe to perfect himself in French, Spanish, Italian and German. After the three years were passed he returned to the United States and entered upon his profes- sorship in 1829. His first volume was a small essay on the "Moral and Devotional Poetry of Spain" in 1833. In 1835 he pub- lished some prose sketches of travel under the title of "Outre Mer, a Pilgrimage be- yond the Sea." In 1S35 he was elected to the chair of modern languages and literature
at Harvard University and spent a year in Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland, culti- vating a knowledge of early Scandinavian literature and entered upon his professor- ship in 1836. Mr. Longfellow published in 1839 " Hyperion, a Romance," and "Voices of the Night, " and his first volume of original verse comprising the selected poems of twenty years work, procured him immediate recognition as a poet. " Ballads and other poems" appeared in 1842, the "Spanish Student " a drama in three acts, in 1843, "The Belfry of Bruges " in 1846, "Evan- geline, a Tale of Acadia," in 1847, which was considered his master piece. In 1845 he published a large volume of the "Poets and Poetry of Europe," 1849 " Kavanagh, a Tale," ''The Seaside and Fireside" in 1850, "The Golden Legend" in 185 1, "The Song of Hiawatha " in 1855, "The Court- ship of Miles Standish " in 1858, " Tales of a Wayside Inn " in 1863; " Flower de Luce" in 1866;" "New England Tragedies" in 1869; "The Divine Tragedy" in 1871; "Three Books of Song" in 1872; "The Hanging of the Crane " in 1874. He also published a masterly translation of Dante in 1867-70 and the " Morituri Salutamus," a poem read at the fiftieth anniversary of his class at Bowdoin College. Prof. Long- fellow resigned his chair at Harvard Univer- sity in 1854, but continued to reside at Cam- bridge. Some of his poetical works have been translated into many languages, and their popularity rivals that of the best mod- ern English poetry. He died March 24, 1882, but has left an imperishable fame as one of the foremost of American poets.
PETER COOPER was in three partic- ulars— as a capitalist and manufacturer, as an inventor, and as a philanthropist — connected intimately with some of the most
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important and useful accessions to the in- dustrial arts of America, its progress in in- vention and the promotion of educational and benevolent institutions intended for the benefit of people at large. He was born in New York city, February 12, 1791. His life was one of labor and struggle, as it was with most of America's successful men. In early boyhood he commenced to help his father as a manufacturer of hats. He at- tended school only for half of each day for a single year, and beyond this his acquisi- tions were all his own. When seventeen years old he was placed with John Wood- ward to learn the trade of coach-making and served his apprenticeship so satisfactorily that his master offered to set him up in busi- ness, but this he declined because of the debt and obligation it would involve.
The foundation of Mr. Cooper's fortune was laid in the invention of an improvement in machines for shearing cloth. This was largely called into use during the war of 18 1 2 with England when all importations of cloth from that country were stopped. The machines lost their value, however, on the declaration of peace. Mr. Cooper then turned his shop into the manufacture of cabinet ware. He afterwards went into the grocery business in New York and finally he engaged in the manufacture of glue and isin- glass which he carried on for more than fifty years. In 1830 he erected iron works in Canton, near Baltimore. Subsequently he erected a rolling and a wire mill in the city of New York, in which he first success- fully applied anthracite to the puddling of iron. In these works, he was the first to roll wrought-iron beams for fire-proof build- ings. These works grew to be very exten- sive, including mines, blast furnaces, etc. While in Baltimore Mr. Cooper built in 1830, after his own designs, the first loco-
motive engine ever constructed on this con- tinent and it was successfully operated on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. He also took a great interest and invested large cap- ital in the extension of the electric telegraph, also in the laying of the first Atlantic cable; besides interesting himself largely in the New York state canals. But the most cherished object of Mr. Cooper's life was the establishment of an institution for the instruction of the industrial classes, which he carried out on a magnificent scale in New York city, where the "Cooper Union" ranks among the most important institu- tions.
In May, 1876, the Independent party nominated Mr. Cooper for president of the United States, and at the election following he received nearly 100,000 votes. His death occurred April 4, 1883.
GENERAL ROBERT EDWARD LEE, one of the most conspicuous Confeder- ate generals during the Civil war, and one of the ablest military commanders of mod- ern times, was born at Stratford House. Westmoreland county, Virginia, January 19, 1807. In 1825 he entered the West Point academy and was graduated second in his class in 1829, and attached to the army as second lieutenant of engineers. For a number of years he was thus engaged in en- gineering work, aiding in establishing the boundary line between Ohio and Michigan, and superintended various river and harbor improvements, becoming captain of engi- neers in 1838. He first saw field service in the Mexican war, and under General Scott performed valuable and efficient service. In that brilliant campaign he was conspicu- ous for professional ability as well as gallant and meritorious conduct, winning in quick succession the brevets of major, lieutenant-
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colonel, and colonel for his part in the bat- tles of Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Cherubusco, Chapultepec, and in the capture of the city Mexico. At the close of that war he re- sumed his engineering work in connection with defences along the Atlantic coast, and from 1852 to 1855 was superintendent of the Military Academy, a position which he gave up to become lieutenant-colonel of the Second Cavalry. For several years there- after he served on the Texas border, but happening to be near Washington at the time of John Brown's raid, October 17 to 25, 1859, Colonel Lee was placed in com- mand of the Federal forces employed in its repression. He soon returned to his regi- ment in Texas where he remained the greater part of i860, and March 16, 1861, became colonel of his regiment by regular promotion. Three weeks later, April 25, he resigned upon the secession of Virginia, went at once to Richmond and tendered his services to the governor of that state, being by acclamation appointed commander-in- chief of its military and naval forces, with the rank of major-general.
He at once set to work to organize and develop the defensive resources of his state and within a month directed the occupation in force of Manassas Junction, ^^eanwhile Virginia having entered the confederacy and Richmond become the capitol, Lee became one of the foremost of its military officers and was closely connected with Jefferson Davis in planning the moves of that tragic time. Lee participated in many of the hardest fought battles of the war among which were Fair Oaks, White Lake Swamps, Cold Harbor, and the Chickahominy, Ma- nassas, Cedar Run, Antietam, Fredericks- burg, Chancellorsville, Malvern Hill, Get- tysburg, the battles of the Wilderness cam- paign, all the campaifjns about Richmond,
Petersburg, Five Forks, and others. Lee's surrender at Appomatox brought the war to a close. It is said of General Lee that but few commanders in history have been so quick to detect the purposes of an opponent or so quick to act upon it. Never surpassed, if ever equaled, in the art of winning the passionate, personal love and admiration of his troops, he acquired and held an influ- ence over his army to the very last, founded upon a supreme trust in his judgment, pre- science and skill, coupled with his cool, stable, equable courage. A great writer has said of him: "As regards the proper meas- ure of General Lee's rank among the sol- diers of history, seeing what he wrought with such resources as he had, under all the disadvantages that ever attended his oper- ations, it is impossible to measure what he might have achieved in campaigns and bat- tles with resources at his own disposition equal to those against which he invariably contended."
Left at the close of the war without es- tate or profession, he accepted the presi- dency of Washington College at Lexington, Virginia, where he died October 12, 1870.
JOHN JAY, first chief-justice of the United States, was born in New York, December 12, 1745. He took up the study of law, graduated from King's College (Columbia College), and was admitted to the bar in 1768. He was chosen a membei of the committee of New York citizens to protest against the enforcement by the British government of the Boston Port Bill, was elected to the Continental congress which met in 1774, and was author of the addresses to the people of Great Britian and of Canada adopted by that and the suc- ceeding congress. He was chosen to the provincial assembly of his own state, and
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resigned from the Continental congress to serve in that body, wrote most of its public papers, including the constitution of the new state, and was then made chief-justice. He was again chosen as a member of the Con- tinental congress in 1778, and became presi- dent of that body. He was sent to Spain as minister in 1780, and his services there resulted in substantial and moral aid for the struggling colonists. Jay, Franklin, and Adams negotiated the treaty of peace with Great Britain in 1782, and Jay was ap- pointed secretary of foreign affairs in 1784, and held the position until the adoption of the Federal constitution. During this time he had "contributed strong articles to the "Federalist" in favor of the adoption of the constitution, and was largely instru- mental in securing the ratification of that instrument by his state. He was appointed by \\'ashington as first chief-justice of the United States in 1789. In this high capac- ity the great interstate and international questions that arose for immediate settle- ment came before him for treatment.
In 1794, at a time when the people in gratitude for the aid that France had ex- tended to us, were clamoring for the privilege of going to the aid of that nation in her struggle with Great Britain and her own op- pressors, John Jay was sent to England as special envoy to negotiate a treaty with that power. The instrument known as "Jay's Treaty " was the result, and while in many of its features it favored our nation, yet the neutrality clause in it so angered the masses that it was denounced throughout the entire country, and John Jay was burned in effigy in the city of New York. The treaty was finally ratified by Washington, and approved, in August, 1795. Having been elected governor of his state for three consecutive terms, he then retired from
active life, declining an appointment as chief-justice of the supreme court, made by John Adams and confirmed by the senate. He died in New York in 1829.
PHILLIP HENRY SHERIDAN was one of the greatest American cavalry generals. He was born March 6, 1831, at Somerset, Perry county, Ohio, and was ap- pointed to the United States Military Acad- emy at West Point, from which he graduat- ed and was assigned to the First Infantry as brevet second lieutenant July i, 1853. After serving in Texas, on the Pacific coast, in Washington and Oregon territories until the fall of 1861, he was recalled to the states and assigned to the army of south- west Missouri as chief quartermaster from the duties of which he was soon relieved. After the battle of Pea Ridge, he was quar- termaster in the Corinth campaign, and on May 25 he was appointed colonel of the Second Michigan Cavalry. On July i, in command of a cavalry brigade, he defeated a superior force of the enemy and was com- missioned brigadier-general of volunteers. General Sheridan was then transferred to the army of the Ohio, and commanded a division in the battle of Perrysville and also did good service at the battle of Murfrees- boro, where he was commissioned major- general of volunteers. He fought with great gallantry at Chickamauga, after which Rosecrans was succeeded by General Grant, under whom Sheridan fought the battle of Chattanooga and won additional renown. Upon the promotion of Grant to lieutenant- general, he applied for the transfer of Gen- eral Sheridan to the east, and appointed him chief of cavalry in the army of rtie Potomac. During the campaign of 1864 the cavalry covered the front and flanks of the infantry until May 8, when it was wiiv,
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drawn and General Sheridan started on a raid against the Confederate Hnes of com- munication with Richmond and on May 25 he rejoined the army, having destroyed con- siderable of the confederate stores and de- feated their cavalry under General Stuart at Yellow Tavern. The outer line of defences around Richmond were taken, but the sec- ond line was too strong to be taken by as- sault, and accordingly Sheridan crossed the Chickahominy at Meadow Bridge, reaching James River May 14, and ther.ce by White House and Hanover Court House back to the army. The cavalry occupied Cold Harbor May 31, which they held until the arrival of the infantry. On General Sheri- dan's next raid he routed Wade Hampton's cavalry, and August 7 was assigned to the command of the Middle Military division, and during the campaign of the Shenan- doah Valley he performed the unheard of feat of " destroying an entire army." He was appointed brigadier-general of the reg- ular army and for his victory at Cedar Creek he was promoted to the rank of major-gen- eral. General Sheridan started out Febru- ary 27, 1865, with ten thousand cavalry and destroyed the Virginia Central Railroad and the James River Canal and joined the army again at Petersburg March 27. He commanded at the battle of Five Forks, the decisive victory which compelled Lee to evacuate Petersburg. On April 9, Lee tried to break through Sheridan's dismounted command but when the General drew aside his cavalry and disclosed the deep lines of infantry the attempt was abandoned. Gen- eral Sheridan mounted his men and was about to charge when a white flag was flown at the head of Lee's column which betokened the surrender of the army. After the war Gen- eral Sheridan had command of the army of the southwest, of the gulf and the depart-
ment of Missouri until he was appointed lieutenant-general and assigned to the di- vision of Missouri with headquarters at Chi- cago, and assumed supreme command of the army November i, 1883, which post he held until his death, August 5, 1888.
PHINEAS T. BARXUM, the greatest showman the world has ever seen, was born at Danbury, Connecticut, July 5, 1810. At the age of eighteen years he began buii- ness on his own account. He opened a re- tail fruit and confectionery house, including a barrel of ale, in one part of an old car- riage house. He spent fifty dollars in fitting up the store and the stock cost him seventy dollars. Three years later he put in a full stock, such as is generally carried in a country store, and the same year he started a Democratic newspaper, known as the "Herald of Freedom." He soon found himself in jail under a sixty days' sentence for libel. During the winter of 1834-5 he went to New York and began soliciting busi- ness for several Chatham street houses. In
1835 he embarked in the show business at Niblo's Garden, having purchased the cele- brated "Joice Heth" for one thousand dol- lars. He afterward engaged the celebrated athlete, Sig. Vivalia, and Barnum made his ' ' first appearance on any stage, " acting as a "super" to Sig. Vivalia on his opening night. He became ticket seller, secretary and treasurer of Aaron Turner's circus in
1836 and traveled with it about the country. His next venture was the purchase of a steamboat on the Mississippi, and engaged a theatrical company to show in the princi- pal towns along that river. In 1840 he opened Vaux Hall Garden, New York, with variety performances, and introduced the celebrated jig dancer, John Diamond, to the public. The next year he quit the show
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business and settled down in New York as agent of Sear's Pictorial Illustration of the Bible, but a few months later again leased Vaux Hall. In September of the same year he again left the business, and became ' ' puff " writer for the Bowery Amphitheater. In December he bought the Scudder Museum, and a year later introduced the celebrated Tom Thumb to the world, taking him to England in 1844, and remaining there three years. He then returned to New York, and in 1849, through James Hall Wilson, he en- gaged the "Swedish Nightingale," Jenny Lind, to come to this country and make a tour under his management. He also had sent the Swiss Bell Ringers to America in 1844. He became owner of the Baltimore Museum and the Lyceum and Museum at Philadelphia. In 1850 he brought a dozen elephants from Ceylon to make a tour of this country, and in 1851 sent the " Bateman Children " to London. During 1851 and 1852 he traveled as a temperance lecturer, and became president of a bank at Pequon- nock, Connecticut. In 1852 he started a weekly pictorial paper known as the " Illus- trated News." In 1865 his Museum was destroyed by fire, and he immediately leased the Winter Garden Theatre, where he played his company until he opened his own Museum. This was destroyed by fire in 1868, and he then purchased an interest in the George Wood Museum.
After dipping into politics to some ex- tent, he began his career as a really great showman in 1871. Three years later he erected an immense circular building in New York, in which he produced his panoramas. He has frequently appeared as a lecturer, some times on temperance, and some times on other topics, among which were "Hum- bugs of the World," "Struggles and Triumphs," etc. He was owner of the im- |
mense menagerie and circus known as the "Greatest Show on Earth," and his fame extended throughout Europe and America. He died in i8qi.
JAMES MADISON, the fourth president of the United States, 1809-17, was born at Port Conway, Prince George coun- ty, Virginia, March 16, 17 51. He was the son of a wealthy planter, who lived on a fine estate called " Montpelier," which was but twenty-five miles from Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. Mr. Madison was the eldest of a family of seven children, all of whom attained maturity. He received his early education at home under a private tutor, and consecrated himself with unusual vigor to study. At a very early age he was a proficient scholar in Latin, Greek, French and Spanish, and in 1769 he entered Prince- ton College, New Jersey. He graduated in 1 77 1, but remained for several months after his graduation to pursue a course of study under the guidance of Dr. Witherspoon. He permanently injured his health at this time and returned to Virginia in 1772, and for two years he was immersed in the study of law, and at the same time made extend- ed researches in theology, general literature, and philosophical studies. He then directed his full attention to the impending struggle of the colonies for independence, and also took a prominent part in the religious con- troversy at that time regarding so called persecution of other religious denominations by the Church of England. Mr. Madison was elected to the Virginia assembly in 1776 and in November, 1777, he was chosen a member of the council of state. He took his seat in the continental congress in March, 1780. He was made chairman of the committee on foreign relations, and drafted an able memoranda for the use of
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the American ministers to the French and Spanish governments, that established the claims of the republic to the territories be- tween the Alleghany Mountains and the Mississippi River. He acted as chairman of the ways and means committee in 1783 and as a member of the Virginia legislature in 1784-86 he rendered important services to the state. Mr. Madison represented Vir- giana in the national constitutional conven- tion at Philadelphia in 17S7, and was one of the chief framers of the constitution. He was a member of the first four congresses, 1789-97, and gradually became identified with the anti-federalist or republican party of which he eventually became the leader. He remained in private life during the ad- ministration of John Adams, and was secre- tary of state under President Jefferson. Mr. Madison administered the affairs of that post with such great ability that he was the natural successor of the chief magistrate and was chosen president by an electoral vote of 122 to 53. He was inaugurated March 4, 1809, at that critical period in our history when the feelings of the people were embittered with those of England, and his first term was passed in diplomatic quarrels, which finally resulted in the declaration of war, June 18, 1812. In the autumn of that year President Madison was re-elected by a vote of 128 to 89, and conducted the war for three years with varying success and defeat in Canada, by glorious victories at sea, and by the battle of New Orleans that was fought after the treaty of peace had been signed at Ghent, December 24, 1814. During this war the national capitol at Washington was burned, and many valuable papers were destroyed, but the declaration of independence was saved to the country by the bravery and courage of Mr. Madi- son's illustrious wife. A commercial treaty
was negotiated with Great Britain in 181 5, and in April, 18 16, a national bank was in- corporated by congress. Mr. Madison was succeeded, March 4, 1 817, by James Monroe, and retired into private life on his estate at Montpelier, where he died June 28, 1836.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS, a noted American character, was a protege of the great abolitionist, William Lloyd Garri- son, by whom he was aided in gaining his education. Mr. Douglass was born in Tuck- ahoe county, Maryland, in February, 1817, his mother being a negro woman and his father a white man. He was born in slav- ery and belonged to a man by the name of Lloyd, under which name he went until he ran away from his master and changed it to Douglass. At the age of ten years he was sent to Baltimore where he learned to read and write, and later his owner allowed him to hire out his own time for three dollars a week in a shipyard. In September, 1838, he fled from Baltimore and made his way to New York, and from thence went to New Bedford, Massachusetts. Here he was mar- ried and supported himself and family by working at the wharves and in various work- shops. In the summer of 1841 he attended an anti-slavery convention at Nantucket, and made a speech which was so well re- ceived that he was offered the agency of the Massachusetts Anti-slavery Society. In this capacity he traveled through the New En- gland states, and about the same time he published his first book called " Narrative of my E.xperience in Slavery." Mr. Doug- lass went to England in 1845 and lectured on slavery to large and enthusiastic audi- ences in all the large towns of the country, and his friends made up a purse of seven hundred and fifty dollars and purchased his freedom in due form of law.
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Mr. Douglass applied himself to the de- livery of lyceum lectures after the abolition of slavery, and in 1870 he became the editor of the " New National Era " in Washington. In 1 87 1 he was appointed assistant secretary of the commission to San Domingo and on his return he was appointed one of the ter- ritorial council for the District of Colorado by President Grant. He was elected presi- dential elector-at-large for the state of New York and was appointed to carry the elect- oral vote to Washington. He was also United States marshal for the District of Columbia in 1876, and later was recorder of deeds for the same, from which position he was removed by President Cleveland in 1886. In the fall of that year he visited England to inform the friends that he had made while there, of the progress of the colored race in America, and on his return he was appointed minister to Hayti, by President Harrison in 1889. His career as a benefactor of his race was closed by his death in February, 1895, near Washington.
WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT.— The ear for rhythm and the talent for graceful expression are the gifts of nature, and they were plentifully endowed on the above named poet. The principal charac- teristic of his poetry is the thoughtfulness and intellectual process by which his ideas ripened in his mind, as all his poems are bright, clear and sweet. Mr. Bryant was born November 3, 1794, at Cummington, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, and was educated at Williams College, from which he graduated, having entered it in 18 10. He took up the study of law, and in 181 5 was admitted to the bar, but after practicing successfully for ten years at Plainfield and Great Barrington, he removed to New York in 1825. The following year he became
the editor of the "Evening Post," which he edited until his death, and under his di- rection this paper maintained, through a long series of years, a high standing by the boldness of its protests against slavery be- fore the war, by its vigorous support of the government during the war, and by the fidelity and ability of its advocacy of the Democratic freedom in trade. Mr. Bry- ant visited Europe in 1834, 1845, 1849 and 1857, and presented to the literary world the fruit of his travels in the series of "Let- ters of a Traveler," and "Letters from Spain and Other Countries." In the world of literature he is known chiefly as a poet, and here Mr. Bryant's name is illustrious, both at home and abroad. He contributed verses to the "Country Gazette " before he was ten years of age, and at the age of nine- teen he wrote " Thanatopsis, " the most im- pressive and widely known of his poems. The later outgrowth of his genius was his translation of Homer's "Iliad" in 1870 and the "Odyssey" in 1871. He also made several speeches and addresses which have been collected in a comprehensive vol- ume called " Orations and Addresses." He was honored in many ways by his fellow citizens, who delighted to pay tributes of respect to his literary eminence, the breadth of his public spirit, the faithfulness of his service, and the worth of his private char- acter. Mr. Bryant died in New York City June 12, 1878.
WILLIAM HENRY SEWARD, the secretary of state during one of the most critical times in the histoiy of our country, and the right hand man of Presi- dent Lincoln, ranks among the greatest statesmen America has produced. Mr. Seward was born May 16, 1 801, at Florida, Orange county, New York, and with such
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facilities as the place afforded he fitted him- self for a college course. He attended Union College at Schenectady, New York, at the age of fifteen, and took his degree in the regular course, with signs of promise in 1820, after which he diligently addressed himself to the study of law under competent instructors, and started in the practice of his profession in 1823.
Mr. Seward entered the political arena and in 1828 we find him presiding over a convention in New York, its purpose being the nomination of John Quincy Adams for a second term. He was married in 1824 and in 1830 was elected to the state senate. From 1838 to 1842 he was governor of the state of New York. Mr. Seward's ne.xt im- portant position was that of United States senator from New York.
W. H. Seward was chosen by President Lincoln to fill the important office of the secretary of state, and by his firmness and diplomacy in the face of difficulties, he aided in piloting the Union through that period of strife, and won an everlasting fame. This great statesman died at Auburn, New York, October 10, 1872, in the seventy-second year of his eventful life.
TOSEPH JEFFERSON, a name as dear »J as it is familiar to the theater-going world in America, suggests first of all a fun- loving, drink-loving, mellow voiced, good- natured Dutchman, and the name of "Rip Van Winkle " suggests the pleasant features of Joe Jefferson, so intimately are play and player associated in the minds of those who have had the good fortune to shed tears of laughter and sympathy as a tribute to the greatness of his art. Joseph Jefferson was born in Philadelphia, February 20, 1829. His genius was an inheritance, if there be such, as his great-grandfather, Thomas
Jefferson, was a manager and actor in Eng- land. His grandfather, Joseph Jefferson, was the most popular comedian of the New York stage in his time, and his father, Jos- eph Jefferson, the second, was a good actor also, but the third Joseph Jefferson out- shone them all.
At the age of three years Joseph Jeffer- son came on the stage as the child in "Pi- zarro," and his training was upon the stage from childhood. Later on he lived and acted in Chicago, Mobile, and Texas. After repeated misfortunes he returned to New Orleans from Texas, and his brother-in-law, Charles Burke, gave him money to reach Philadelphia, where he joined the Burton theater company. Here his genius soon as- serted itself, and his future became promis- ing and brilliant. His engagements through- out the United States and Australia were generally successful, and when he went to England in 1865 Mr. Boucicault consented to make some important changes in his dramatization of Irving's story of Rip Van Winkle, and Mr. Jefferson at once placed it in the front rank as a comedy. He made a fortune out of it, and played nothing else for many years. In later years, however, Mr. Jefferson acquitted himself of the charge of being a one-part actor, and the parts of "Bob Acres," "Caleb Plummer" and "Golightly " all testify to the versatility of his genius.
GEORGE BRINTON McCLELLAN, a noted American general, was born in Philadelphia, December 3, 1826. He graduated from the University of Pennsyl- vania, and in 1S46 from West Point, and was breveted second lieutenant of engineers. He was with Scott in the Mexican war, taking part in all the engagements from Vera Cruz to the final capture of the Mexi-
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can capital, and was breveted first lieuten- ant and captain for gallantry displayed on various occasions. In 1857 he resigned his commission and accepted the position of chief engineer in the construction of the Illinois Central Railroad, and became presi- dent of the St. Louis & Cincinnati Railroad Company. He was commissioned major- general by the state of Ohio in 1861, placed in command of the department of the Ohio, and organized the first volunteers called for from that state. In May he was appointed major-general in the United States army, and ordered to disperse the confederates overrunning West Virginia. He accomplished this task promptly, and received the thanks of congress. After the first disaster at Bull Run he was placed in command of the department of Wash- ington, and a few weeks later of the Army of the Potomac. Upon retirement of General Scott the command of the en- tire United States army devolved upon Mc- Clellan, but he was relieved of it within a few months. In March, 1862, after elabor- ate preparation, he moved upon Manassas, only to find it deserted by the Confederate army, which had been withdrawn to im- pregnable defenses prepared nearer Rich- mond. He then embarked his armies for Fortress Monroe and after a long delay at Yorktown, began the disastrous Peninsular campaign, which resulted in the Army of the Potomac being cooped up on the James River below Richmond. His forces were then called to the support of General Pope, near Washington, and he was left without an army. After Pope's defeat McClellan was placed in command of the troops for the de- fense of the capital, and after a thorough or- ganization he followed Lee into Maryland and the battles of Antietam and South Moun- tain ensued. The delay which followed
caused general dissatisfaction, and he was re- lieved of his command, and retired from active service.
In 1864 McClellan was nominated for the presidency by the Democrats, and over- whelmingly defeated by Lincoln, three states only casting their electoral votes for McClellan. On election day he resigned his commission and a few months later went to Europe where he spent several years. He wrote a number of military text- books and reports. His death occurred October 29, 1885.
SAMUEL J. TILDEN.— Among the great statesmen whose names adorn the pages of American history may be found that of the subject of this sketch. Known as a lawyer of highest ability, his greatest claim to immortality will ever lie in his successful battle against the corrupt rings of his native state and the elevation of the standard of official life.
Samuel J. Tilden was born in New Leb- anon, New York, February 9, 18 14. He pursued his academic studies at Yale Col- lege and the University of New York, tak- ing the course of law at the latter. He was admitted to the bar in 1841. His rare ability as a thinker and writer upon public topics attracted the attention of President Van Buren, of whose policy and adminis- tration he became an active and efficient champion. He made for himself a high place in his profession and amassed quite a fortune as the result of his industry and judgment. During the days of his greatest professional labor he was ever one of the leaders and trusted counsellors of the Demo- cratic party. He was a member of the conventions to revise the state constitution, both in 1846 and 1867, and served two terms in the lower branch of the state leg-
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islature. He was one of the controlling spirits in the overthrow of the notorious "Tweed rin;; " and the reformation of the government of the city of New York. In 1874 he was elected governor of the state of New York. While in this position he assailed corruption in high places, success- fully battling with the iniquitous "canal ring " and crushed its sway over all depart- ments of the government. Recognizing his character and e.xecutive ability Mr. Tilden was nominated for president by the na- tional Democratic convention in 1876. At the election he received a much larger popu- lar vote than his opponent, and 184 uncon- tested electoral votes. There being some electoral votes contested, a commission ap- pointed by congress decided in favor of the Republican electors and Mr. Hayes, the can- didate of that party was declared elected. In 1880, the Democratic party, feeling that Mr. Tilden had been lawfully elected to the presidency tendered the nomination for the same office to Mr. Tilden, but he declined, retiring from all public functions, owing to failing health. He died August 4, 1886. By will he bequeathed several millions of dollars toward the founding of public libra- ries in New York City, Yonkers, etc.
NOAH WEBSTER.— As a scholar, law- yer, author and journalist, there is no one who stands on a higher plane, or whose reputation is better established than the honored gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He was a native of West Hartford, Connecticut, and was born October 17, 1758. He came of an old New England family, his mother being a descendant of Governor William Bradford, of the Ply- mouth colony. After acquiring a solid edu- cation in early life Dr. Webster entered Yale College, from which he graduated in
1778. For a while he taught school in Hartford, at the same time studying law, and was admitted to the bar in 1781. He taught a classical school at Goshen, Orange county. New York, in 1782-83, and while there prepared his spelling book, grammar and reader, which was issued under the title of "A Grammatical Institute of the English Language," in three parts, — so successful a work that up to 1876 something like forty million of the spelling books had been sold. In 1786 he delivered a course of lec- tures on the English language in the seaboard cities and the following year taught an academy at Philadelphia. From December 17, 1787, until November, 1788, he edited the "American Magazine, "a periodical that proved unsuccessful. In 1789-93 he prac- ticed law in Hartford having in the former year married the daughter of William Green- leaf, of Boston. He returned to New York and November, 1793, founded a daily paper, the "Minerva," to which was soon added a semi-weekly edition under the name of the " Herald." The former is still in e.xistence under the name of the "Commercial Adver- tiser." In this paper, over the signature of "Curtius," he published a lengthy and schol- arly defense of "John Jay's treaty."
In 1798, Dr. Webster moved to New Haven and in 1807 commenced the prepar- ation of his great work, the ' ' American Dic- tionary of the English Language," which was not completed and published until 1828. He made his home in Amherst, Massachu- setts, for the ten years succeeding 1812, and was instrumental in the establishment of Amherst College, of which institution he was the first president of the board of trustees. During 1824-5 he resided in Europe, pursu- ing his philological studies in Paris. He completed his dictionary from the libraries of Cambridge University in 1825, and de-
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voted his leisure for the remainder of his life to the revision of that and his school books.
Dr. Webster was a member of the legis- latures of both Connecticut and Massachu- setts, was judge of one of the courts of the former state and was identified with nearly all the literary and scientific societies in the neighborhood of Amherst College. He died in New Haven, May 28, 1843.
Among the more prominent works ema- nating from the fecund pen of Dr. Noah Webster besides those mentioned above are the following: "Sketches of American Policy," " Winthrop's Journal," " A Brief History of Epidemics," " Rights of Neutral Nations in time of War," "A Philosophical and Practical Grammar of the English Lan- guage," "Dissertations on the English Language," "A Collection of Essays," "The Revolution in France," "Political Progress of Britain," "Origin, History, and Connection of the Languages of Western Asia and of Europe ," and many others.
WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON, the great anti-slavery pioneer and leader, was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, December 12, 1804. He was apprenticed to the printing business, and in 1828 was in- duced to take charge of the "Journal of the Times" at Bennington, Vermont. While supporting John Quincy Adams for the presi- dency he took occasion in that paper to give expression of his views on slavery. These articles attracted notice, and a Quaker named Lundy, editor of the "Genius of Emancipation," published in Baltimore, in- duced him to enter a partnership with him for the conduct of his paper. It soon transpired that the views of the partners were not in harmony, Lundy favoring grad- ual emancipation, while Garrison favored
immediate freedom. In 1850 Mr. Garrison was thrown into prison for libel, not being able to pay a fine of fifty dollars and costs. In his cell he wrote a number of poems which stirred the entire north, and a mer- chant, Mr. Tappan, of New York, paid his fine and liberated him, after seven weeks of confinement. He at once began a lecture tour of the northern cities, denouncing slavery as a sin before God, and demanding its immediate abolition in the name of re- ligion and humanity. He opposed the col- onization scheme of President Monroe and other leaders, and declared the right of every slave to immediate freedom.
In 1 83 1 he formed a partnership with Isaac Knapp, and began the publication of the "Liberator" at Boston. The "imme- diate abolition " idea began to gather power in the north, while the south became alarmed at the bold utterance of this jour- nal. The mayor of Boston was besought by southern influence to interfere, and upon investigation, reported upon the insignifi- cance, obscurity, and poverty of the editor and his staff, which report was widely published throughout the country. Re- wards were offered by the southern states for his arrest and conviction. Later Garri- son brought from England, where an eman- cipation measure had just been passed, some of the great advocates to work for the cause in this country. In 1835 a mob broke into his office, broke up a meeting of women, dragged Garrison through the street with a rope around his body, and his life was saved only by the interference of the police, who lodged him in jail. Garrison declined to sit in the World's Anti-Slavery convention at London in 1S40, because that body had refused women representa- tion. He opposed the formation of a po- litical party with emancipation as its basis.
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He favored a dissolution of the union, and declared the constitution which bound the free states to the slave states " A covenant with death and an agreement with hell." In 1843 he became president of the Amer- ican Anti-Slavery society, which position he held until 1S65, when slavery was no more. During all this time the " Liberator " had continued to promulgate anti-slavery doc- trines, but in 1865 Garrison resigned his position, and declared his work was com- pleted. He died May 24, 1879.
JOHN BROWN ("Brown of Ossawato- mie"), a noted character in American history, wasbornatTorrington, Connecticut, May 9, 1800. In his childhood he removed to Ohio, where he learned the tanner's trade. He married there, and in 1855 set- tled in Kansas. He lived at the village of Ossawatomie in that state, and there began his fight against slavery. He advocated im- mediate emancipation, and held that the negroes of the slave states merely waited for a leader in an insurrection that would re- sult in their freedom. He attended the convention called at Chatham, Canada, in 1 8 59, and was the leading spirit in organiz- ing a raid upon the United States arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. His plans were well laid, and carried out in great secrecy. He rented a farm house near Harper's'Terry in the summer of 1859, and on October i6th of that year, with about twenty follow- ers, he surprised and captured the United States arsenal, with all its supplies and arms. To his surprise, the negroes did not come to his support, and the next day he was attacked by the Virginia state militia, wounded and captured. He was tried in the courts of the state, convicted, and was hanged at Charlestown, Decembers, 1859. The raid and its results had a tremendous
effect, and hastened the culmination of the troubles between the north and south. The south had the advantage in discussing this event, claiming that the sentiment which inspired this act of violence was shared by the anti-slavery element of the country.
EDWIN BOOTH had no peer upon the American stage during his long career as a star actor. He was the son of a famous actor, Junius Brutus Booth, and was born in 1833 at his father's home at Belair, near Baltimore. At the age of si.xteen he made hi.«i first appearance on the stage, at the Boston Museum, in a minor part in "Richard III.'' It was while playing in California in 1851 that an eminent critic called general atten- tion to the young actor's unusual talent. However, it was not until 1863, at the great Shakspearian revival at the Winter Garden Theatre, New York, that the brilliancy ol his career began. His Hamlet held the boards for 100 nights in succession, and from that time forth Booth's reputation was established. In 1S68 he opened his own theatre (Booth's Theater) in New York. Mr. Booth never succeeded as a manager, however, but as an actor he was undoubted- ly the most popular man on the American stage, and perhaps the most eminent one in the world. In England he also won the greatest applause.
Mr. Booth's work was confined mostly to Shakspearean roles, and his art was characterized by intellectual acuteness, fervor, and poetic feeling. His Hamlet, Richard II, Richard III, and Richelieu gave play to his greatest powers. In 1865, when his brother, John Wilkes Booth, enacted his great crime, Edwin Booth re- solved to retire from the stage, but waspur- suaded to reconsider that decision. The odium did not in any way attach to the
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great actor, and his popularity was not affected. In all his work Mr. Booth clung closely to the legitimate and the traditional in drama, making no experiments, and offer- ing little encouragement to new dramatic authors. His death occurred in New York, June 7, 1894.
JOSEPH HOOKER, a noted American officer, was born at Hadley, Massachu- setts, November 13, 1814. He graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1837, and was appointed lieutenant of artillery. He served in Florida in the Seminole war, and in garrison until the outbreak of the Mexican war. During the latter he saw service as a staff officer and was breveted captain, major and lieutenant-colonel for gallantry at Monterey, National Bridge and Chapultepec. Resigning his commission in 1833 he took up farming in California, which he followed until 1861. During this time he acted as superintendent of military roads in Oregon. At the outbreak of the Rebel- lion Hooker tendered his services to the government, and, May 17, i86r, was ap- pointed brigadier-general of volunteers. He served in the defence of Washington and on the lower Potomac until his appointment to the command of a division in the Third Corps, in March, 1862. For gallant con- duct at the siege of Yorktown and in the battles of Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Fra- zier's Farm and Malvern Hill he was made major-general. At the head of his division he participated in the battles of Manassas and Chantilly. September 6, 1862, he was placed at the head of the First Corps, and in the battles of South Mountain and An- tietam acted with his usual gallantry, being wounded in the latter engagement. On re- joining the army in November he was made brigadier-general in the regular army. On
General Burnside attaining the command of the Army of the Potomac General Hooker was placed in command of the center grand division, consisting of the Second and Fifth Corps. At the head of these gallant men he participated in the battle of Fred- ericksburg, December 13, 1862. In Janu- ary, 1863, General Hooker assumed com- mand of the Army of the Potomac, and in May following fought the battle of Chan- cellorsville. At the time of the invasion of Pennsylvania, owing to a dispute with Gen- eral Halleck, Hooker requested to be re- lieved of his command, and June 28 was succeeded by George G. Meade. In Sep- tember, 1863, General Hooker was given command of the Twentieth Corps and trans- ferred to the Army of the Cumberland, and distinguished himself at the battles of Look- out Mountain, Missionary Ridge, and Ring- gold. In the Atlanta campaign he saw almost daily service and merited his well- known nickname of "Fighting Joe." July 30, 1864, at his own request, he was re- lieved of his command. He subsequently was in command of several military depart- ments in the north, and in October, 1868, was retired with the full rank of major-gen- eral. He died October 31, 1879.
JAY GOULD, one of the greatest finan- ciers that the world has ever produced, was born May 27, 1836, at Roxbury, Dela- ware county. New York. He spent his early years on his father's farm and at the age of fourteen entered Hobart Academy, New York, and kept books for the village black- smith. He acquired a taste for mathematics and surveying and on leaving school found employment in making the surveyor's map of Ulster county. He surveyed very exten- sively in the state and accumulated five thou- sand dollars as the fruits of his labor. He
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was then stricken with typhoid fever but re- covered and made the acquaintance of one Zadock Pratt, who sent him into the west- ern part of the state to locate a site for a tannery. He chose a fine hemlock grove, built a sawmill and blacksmith shop and was soon doing a large lumber business with Mr. Pratt. Mr. Gould soon secured control of the entire plant, which he sold out just before the panic of 1857 and in this j'ear he became the largest stockholderintheStrouds- burg, Pennsylvania, bank. Shortly after the crisis he bought the bonds of the Rutland & Washington Railroad at ten cents on the dollar, and put all his money into railroad securities. For a long time he conducted this road which he consolidated with the Rensselaer & Saratoga Railroad. In 1859 he removed to New York and became a heavy investor in Erie Railroad stocks, en- tered that company and was president until its reorganization in 1872. In December, 1880, Mr. Gould was in control of ten thou- sand miles of railroad. In 18S7 he pur- chased the controlling interest in the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad Co., and was a joint owner with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Co. of the western portion of the Southern Pacific line. Other lines soon came under his control, aggregat- ing thousand of miles, and he soon was rec- ognized as one of the world's greatest rail- road magnates. He continued to hold his place as one of the master financiers of the century until the time of his death which occurred December 2, 1892.
TIIOM.\S HART BENTON, a very prominent United States senator and | statesman, was born at Hillsborough, North Carolina, March 14, 1782. He removed to Tennessee in early life, studied law, and be- gan to practice at Nashville about 18 10.
During the war of 1812-1S15 he served as colonel of a Tennessee regiment underGen- eral Andrew Jackson. In 18 15 he removed to St. Louis, Missouri, and in 1820 was chosen United States senator for that state. Having been re-elected in 1826, he sup- ported President Jackson in his opposition to the United States bank and advocated a gold and silver currency, thus gaining the name of " Old Bullion," by which he was familiarly known. For many years he was the most prominent man in Missouri, and took rank among the greatest statesmen of his day. He was a member of the senate for thirty years and opposed the extreme states' rights policy of John C. Calhoun. In 1852 he was elected to the house of rep- resentatives in which he opposed the repeal of the Missouri compromise. He was op- posed by a powerful party of States' Rights Democrats in Missouri, who defeated him as a candidate for governor of that state in 1856. Colonel Benton published a considerable work in two volumes in 1854-56, entitled "Thirty Years' View, or a History of the Working of the American Government for Thirty Years, 1820-50." He died April 10, 1858.
STEPHEN ARNOLD DOUGLAS.— One of the most prominent figures in politic- al circles during the intensely e.xciting days that preceded the war, and a leader of the Union branch of the Democratic part}' was the gentleman whose name heads this sketch.
He was born at Brandon, Rutland coun- ty, Vermont, April 23, 181 3, of poor but respectable parentage. His father, a prac- ticing physician, died while our subject was but an infant, and his mother, with two small children and but small means, could give him but the rudiments of an education.
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At the age of fifteen young Douglas engaged at work in the cabinet making business to raise funds to carry him through college. After a few years of labor he was enabled to pursue an academical course, first at Bran- don, and later at Canandaigua, New York. In the latter place he remained until 1833, taking up the study of law. Before he was twenty, however, his funds running low, he abandoned all further attempts at educa- tion, determining to enter at once the battle of life. After some wanderings through the western states he took up his residence at Jacksonville, Illinois, where, after teaching school for three months, he was admitted to the bar, and opened an office in 1834. Within a year from that time, so rapidly had he risen in his profession, he was chosen attorney general of the state, and warmly espoused the principles of the Democratic party. He soon became one of the most popular orators in Illinois. It was at this time he gained the name of the "Little Giant." In 1835 he resigned the position of attorney general having been elected to the legislature. In 1841 he was chosen judge of the supreme court of Illinois which he resigned two years later to take a seat in congress. It was during this period of his life, while a member of the lower house, that he established his reputation and took the side of those who contended that con- gress had no constitutional right to restrict the extension of slavery further than the agreement between the states made in 1820. This, in spite of his being opposed to slav- ery, and only on grounds which he believed to be right, favored what was called the Missouri compromise. In 1847 Mr. Doug- las was chosen United States senator for six years, and greatly distinguished himself. In 1852 he was re-elected to the same office. During this latter term, under his leader-
ship, the " Kansas-Nebraska bill " was car- ried in the senate. In 1858, nothwith- standing the fierce contest made by his able competitor for the position, Abraham Lin- coln, and with the administration of Bu- chanan arrayed against him, Mr. Douglas was re-elected senator. After the trouble in the Charleston convention, when by the withdrawal of several state delegates with- out a nomination, the Union Democrats, in convention at Baltimore, in i860, nomi- nated Mr. Douglas as their candidate for presidency. The results of this election are well known and the great events of 1861 coming on, Mr. Douglas was spared their full development, dying at Chicago, Illinois, June 3, 1 861, after a short illness. His last words to his children were, " to obey the laws and support the constitution of the United States."
JAMES MONROE, fifth president of the United States, was born in Westmore- land county, Virginia, April 28, 1758. At the age of sixteen he entered William and Mary College, but two years later the Declaration of Independence having been adopted, he left college and hastened to New York where he joined Washington's army as a military cadet.
At the battle of Trenton Monroe per- formed gallant service and received a wound in the shoulder, and was promoted to a captaincy. He acted as aide to Lord Ster- ling at the battles of Brandywine, German- town and Monmouth. Washington then sent him to Virginia to raise a new regiment of which he was to be colonel. The ex- hausted condition of Virginia made this im- possible, but he received his commission. He next entered the law office of Thomas Jefferson to study law, as there was no open- ing for him as an officer in the army. In
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1782 he was elected to the Virginia assem- bly, and the next year he was elected to the Continental congress. Realizing the inade- quacy of the old articles of confederation, he advocated the calling of a convention to consider their revision, and introduced in congress a resolution empowering congress to regulate trade, lay import duties, etc. This resolution was referred to a committee, of which he was chairman, and the report led to the Annapolis convention, which called a general convention to meet at Phila- delphia in 1787, when the constitution was drafted. Mr. Monroe began the practice of law at Fredericksburg, Virginia, and was soon after elected to the legislature, and ap- pointed as one of the committee to pass upon the adoption of the constitution. He opposed it, as giving too much power to the central government. He was elected to the United States senate in 1789, where he allied himself with the Anti-Federalists or "Republicans," as they were sometimes called. Although his views as to neutrality between France and England were directly opposed to those of the president, yet Wash- ington appointed him minister to France. His popularity in France was so great that the antagonism of England and her friends in this country brought about his recall. He then became governor of Virginia. He was sent as envoy to France in 1802; minister to England in 1803; and envoy to Spain in 1805. The next year he returned to his estate in Virginia, and with an ample in- heritance enjoyed a few years of repose. He was again called to be governor of Virginia, and was then appointed secretary of state by President Madison. The war with Eng- land soon resulted, and when the capital was burned by the British, Mr. Monroe be- came secretary of war also, and planned the measures for the defense of New Orleans.
The treasury being exhausted and credit gone, he pledged his own estate, and thereby made possible the victory of Jackson at New Orleans.
In 1 817 Mr. Monroe became president of the United States, having been a candi- date of the "Republican" party, which at that time had begun to be called the ' ' Demo- cratic" party. In 1820 he was re-elected, having two hundred and thirty-one electoral votes out of two hundred and thirty-two. His administration is known as the "Era of good-feeling, " and party lines were almost wiped out. The slavery question began to assume importance at this time, and the Missouri Compromise was passed. The famous "Monroe Doctrine" originated in a great state paper of President Monroe upon the rumored interference of the Holy Alli- ance to prevent the formation of free repub- lics in South America. President Monroe acknowledged their independence, and pro- mulgated his great "Doctrine," which has been held in reverence since. Mr. Monroe's death occurred in New York on July 4, 1831.
THOMAS ALVA EDISON, the master wizard of electrical science and whose name is synonymous with the subjugation of electricity to the service of man, was born in 1847 at Milan, Ohio, and it was at Port Huron, Michigan, whither his parents had moved in 1854, that his self-education began — for he never attended school for more than two months. He eagerly de- voured every book he could lay his hands on and is said to have read through an encyclo- pedia without missing a word. At thirteen he began his working life as a trainboy upon the Grand Trunk Railway between Port Huron and Detroit. Much of his time was now spent in Detroit, where he found increased facilities for reading at the public libraries.
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He was not content to be a newsboy, so he got together three hundred pounds of type and started the issue of the " Grand Trunk Herald." It was only a small amateur weekly, printed on one side, the impression being made from the type by hand. Chemi- cal research was his next undertaking and a laboratory was added to his movable pub- lishing house, which, by the way, was an old freight car. One day, however, as he was experimenting with some phosphorus, it ignited and the irate conductor threw the young seeker after the truth, chemicals and all, from the train. His office and laboratory were then removed to the cellar of his fa- ther's house. As he grew to manhood he decided to become an operator. He won his opportunity by saving the life of a child, whose father was an old operator, and out of gratitude he gave Mr. Edison lessons in teleg- raphy. Five months later he was compe- tent to fill a position in the railroad office at Port Huron. Hence he peregrinated to Stratford, Ontario, and thence successively to Adrian, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Cin- cmnati, Memphis, Louisville and Boston, gradually becoming an expert operator and gaming experience that enabled him to evolve many ingenious ideas for the im- provement of telegraphic appliances. At Memphis he constructed an automatic re- peater, which enabled Louisville and New Orleans to communicate direct, and received nothing more than the thanks of his em- ployers. Mr. Edison came to New York in 1870 in search of an opening more suitable to his capabilities and ambitions. He hap- pened to be in the office of the Laws Gold Reporting Company when one of the in- struments got out of order, and even the inventor of the system could not make it work. Edison requested to be allowed to attempt the task, and in a few minutes he
had overcome the difficulty and secured an advantageous engagement. For several years he had a contract with the Western Union and the Gold Stock companies, whereby he received a large salary, besides a special price for all telegraphic improve- ments he cojuld suggest. Later, as the head of the Edison General Electric com- pany, with its numerous subordinate organ- izations and connections all over the civil- ized world, he became several times a millionaire. Mr. Edison invented the pho- nograph and kinetograph which bear his name, the carbon telephone, the tasimeter, and the duplex and quadruplex systems of telegraphy.
JAMES LONGSTREET, one of the most conspicuous of the Confederate generals during the Civil war, was born in 1820, in South Carolina, but was early taken by his parents to Alabama where he grew to man- hood and received his early education. He graduated at the United States military academy in 1842, entering the army as lieutenant and spent a few years in the fron- tier service. When the Mexican war broke out he was called to the front and partici- pated in all the principal battles of that war up to the storming of Chapultepec, where he received severe wounds. For gallant conduct at Contreras, Cherubusco, and Mo- lino del Rey he received the brevets of cap- tain and major. After the close of the Mexican war Longstreet served as adjutant and captain on frontier service in Texas un- til 1858 when he was transferred to the staff as paymaster with rank of major. In June, 1 86 1, he resigned to join the Confederacy and immediately went to the front, com- manding a brigade at Bull Run the follow- ing month. Promoted to be major-general in 1862 he thereafter bore a conspicuous
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part and rendered valuable service to the Confederate cause. He participated in many of the most severe battles of the Civil war including Bull Run (first and second), Seven Pines, Gainei,' Mill, Fraziers Farm, Malvern Hill, Antietam, Frederickburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, the Wilderness, Petersburg and most of the fighting about Richmond.
When the war closed General Long- street accepted the result, renewed his alle- giance to the government, and thereafter labored earnestly to obliterate all traces of war and promote an era of good feeling be- tween all sections of the country. He took up his residence in New Orleans, and took an active interest and prominent part in public affairs, served as surveyor of that port for several years; was commissioner of engineers for Louisiana, served four years as school commissioner, etc. In 1875 he was appointed supervisor of internal revenue and settled in Georgia. After that time he served four years as United States minister to Turkey, and also for a number of 3'ears was United States marshal of Georgia, be- sides having held other important official positions.
JOHN RUTLEDGE, the second chief- justice of the United States, was born at Charleston, South Carolina, in 1739. He was a son of John Rutledge, who had left Ireland for America about five years prior to the birth of our subject, and a brother of Edward Rutledge, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. John Rut- ledge received his legal education at the Temple, London, after which he returned to Charleston and soon won distinction at the bar. He was elected to the old Colonial congress in 1765 to protest against the " Stamp Act," and was a member of the
South Carolina convention of 1774, and of the Continental congress of that and the succeeding year. In 1776 he was chairman of the committee that draughted the con- stitution of his state, and was president of the congress of that state. He was not pleased with the state constitution, how- ever, and resigned. In 1779 he was again chosen governor of the state, and granted e.xtraordinary powers, and he at once took the field to repel the British. He joined the army of General Gates in 1782, and the same year was elected to congress. He was a member of the constitutional con- vention which framed our present constitu- tion. In 1 789 he was appointed an associate justice of the first supreme court of the United States. He resigned to accept the position of chief-justice of his own state. Upon the resignation of Judge Jay, he was appointed chief-justice of the United States in 1795. The appointment was never con- firmed, for, after presiding at one session, his mind became deranged, and he was suc- ceeded by Judge Ellsworth. He died at Charleston, July 23, 1800.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON was one of the most noted literary men of his time. He was born in Boston, Massachu- setts, May 25, 1803. He had a minister for an ancestor, either on the paternal or ma- ternal side, in every generation for eight generations back. His father. Rev. Will- iam Emerson, was a native of Concord, Massachusetts, born May 6, 1769, graduated at Harvard, in 1789, became a Unitarian minister; was a fine writer and one of the best orators of his day; died in 181 1.
Ralph Waldo Emerson was fitted for college at the public schools of Boston, and graduated at Harvard College in 1821, win- ning about this time several prizes for es-
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says. For five years he taught school in Boston; in 1826 was Hcensed to preach, and in 1S29 was ordained as a colleague to Rev. Henry Ware of the Second Unitarian church in Boston. In 1832 he resigned, making the announcement in a sermon of his un- ;villingness longer to administer the rite of .he Lord's Supper, after which he spent about a year in Europe. Upon his return he began his career as a lecturer before the Boston Mechanics Institute, his subject be- ing "Water. " His early lectures on "Italy" and "Relation of Man to the Globe" also attracted considerable attention; as did also his biographical lectures on Michael Angelo, Milton, Luther, George Fox, and Edmund Burke. After that time he gave many courses of lectures in Boston and became one of the best known lecturers in America. But very few men have rendered such con- tinued service in this field. He lectured for forty successive seasons before the Salem, Massachusetts, Lyceum and also made re- peated lecturing tours in this country and in England. In 1835 Mr. Emerson took up his residence at Concord, Massachusetts, where he continued to make his home until his death which occurred April 27, 1882.
Mr. Emerson's literary work covered a wide scope. He wrote and published many works, essays and poems, which rank high among the works of American literary men. A few of the many which he produced are the following: "Nature;" "The Method of Nature;" " Man Thinking;" "The Dial;" "Essays;" "Poems;" "English Traits;" "The Conduct of Life;" "May-Day and other Poems " and " Society and Solitude;" besides many others. He was a prominent member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, of the American Philosophical Society, the Massachusetts Historical Society and other kindred associations.
ALEXANDER T. STEWART, one of the famous merchant princes of New York, was born near the city of Belfast, Ire- land, in 1803, and before he was eight years of age was left an orphan without any near relatives, save an aged grandfather. The grandfather being a pious Methodist wanted to make a minister of young Stewart, and accordingly put him in a school with that end in view and he graduated at Trinity Col- lege, in Dublin. When scarcely twenty years of age he came to New York. His first employment was that of a teacher, but accident soon made him a merchant. En- tering into business relations with an ex- perienced man of his acquaintance he soon found himself with the rent of a store on his hands and alone in a new enterprise. Mr. Stewart's business grew rapidly in all directions, but its founder had executive ability sufficient for any and all emergencies, and in time his house became one of the greatest mercantile establishments of mod- ern times, and the name of Stewart famous. Mr. Stewart's death occurred April 10, 1876.
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER. — In speaking of this noted American nov- elist, William Cullen Bryant said: " He wrote for mankind at large, hence it is that he has earned a fame wider than any Amer- ican author of modern times. The crea- tions of his genius shall survive through centuries to come, and only perish with our language." Another eminent writer (Pres- cott) said of Cooper: " In his productions every American must take an honest pride; for surely no one has succeeded like Cooper in the portraiture of American character, or has given such glowing and eminently truth- ful pictures of American scenery." I James Fenimore Cooper was born Sep-
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tember 15, 1789, at Burlington, New Jer- sey, and was a son of Judge William Cooper. About a year after the birth of our subject the family removed to Otsego county, New York, and founded the town called " Coop- erstown." James Fenimore Cooper spent his childhood there and in 1802 entered Yale College, and four years later became a midshipman in the United States navy. In 181 1 he was married, quit the seafaring life, and began devoting more or less time to lit- erary pursuits. His first work was " Pre- caution," a novel published in 18 19, and three years later he produced "The Spy, a Tale of Neutral Ground," which met with great favor and was a universal success. This was followed by many other works, among which may be mentioned the follow- ing: "The Pioneers," "The Pilot," "Last of the Mohicans," "The Prairie, "" The Red Rover," "The Manikins," "Home- ward Bound," "Home as Found," "History of the United States Navy," "The Path- finder," "Wing and Wing," "Afloat and Ashore," "The Chain-Bearer," "Oak- Openings," etc. J. Fenimore Cooper died at Cooperstown, New York, September 14, 1851.
MARSHALL FIELD, one of the mer- chant princes of America, ranks among the most successful business men of the cen- tury. He was born in 1835 at Conway, Massachusetts. He spent his early life on a farm and secured a fair education in the common schools, supplementing this with a course at the Conway Academy. His natural bent ran in the channels of commer- cial life, and at the age of seventeen he was given a position in a store at Pittsfie'.d, Massachusetts. Mr. Field remained there four years and removed to Chicago in 1856. He began his career in Chicago as a clerk
in the wholesale dry goods house of Cooley, Wadsworth & Company, which later be- came Cooley, Farwell & Company, and still later John V. Farwell & Company. He remained with them four years and exhibit- ed marked ability, in recognition of which he was given a partnership. In 1865 Mr. Field and L. Z. Leiter, who was also a member of the firm, withdrew and formed the firm of Field, Palmer & Leiter, the third partner being Potter Palmer, and they continued in business until 1867, when Mr. Palmer retired and the firm became Field, Leiter & Company. They ran under the latter name until 1881, when Mr. Leiter re- tired and the house has since continued un- der the name of Marshall Field & Company. The phenomenal success accredited to the house is largely due to the marked ability of Mr. Field, the house had become one of the foremost in the west, with an annual sale of $8,000,000 in 1870. The total loss of the firm during the Chicago fire was $3,500,000 of which $2,500,000 was re- covered through the insurance companies. It rapidly recovered from the effects of this and to-day the annual sales amount to over $40,000,000. Mr. Field's real estate hold- ings amounted to $10,000,000. He was one of the heaviest subscribers to the Bap- tist University fund although he is a Presby- terian, and gave $1,000,000 for the endow- ment of the Field Columbian Museum — one of the greatest institutions of the kind in the world.
EDGAR WILSON NYE. who won an im- mense popularity under the pen name of " Bill Nye," was one of the most eccen- tric humorists of his day. He was born Au- gust 25, 1850, at Shirley, Piscataqua coun- ty, Maine, "at a very early age " as he e.\- presses it. He took an academic course in
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River Falls, Wisconsin, from whence, after his graduation, he removed to Wyoming Territory. He studied law and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1876. He began when quite young to contribute humorous sketches to the newspapers, became connected with various western journals and achieved a brilliant success as a humorist. Mr. Nye settled later in New York City where he devoted his time to writing funny articles for the big newspaper syndicates. He wrote for publication in book form the following : "Bill Nye and the Boomerang," "The Forty Liars," "Baled Hay," "Bill Nye's Blossom Rock," "Remarks," etc. His death occurred February 21, 1896, at Ashe- ville, North Carolina. '
THOMAS DE WITT TALMAGE, one of the most celebrated American preach- ers, was born January 7, 1832, and was the youngest of twelve children. He made his preliminary studies at the grammar school in New Brunswick, New Jersey. At the age of eighteen he joined the church and entered the University of the City of New York, and graduated in May, 1853. The exercises were held in Niblo's Garden and his speech aroused the audience to a high pitch of en- thusiasm. At the close of his college duties he imagined himself interested in the law and for three years studied law. Dr. Tal- mage then perceived his mistake and pre- pared himself for the ministry at the Reformed Dutch Church Theological Semi- nary at New Brunswick, New Jersey. Just after his ordination the young minister re- ceived two calls, one from Piermont, New York, and the other from Belleville, New Jersey. Dr. Talmage accepted the latter and for three years filled that charge, when he was called to Syracuse, New York. Here it was that his sermons first drew large
crowds of people to his church, and from thence dates his popularity. Afterward he became the pastor of the Second Reformed Dutch church, of Philadelphia, remaining seven years, during which period he first entered upon the lecture platform and laid the foundation for his future reputation. At the end of this time he received three calls, one from Chicago, one from San Francisco, and one from the Central Presbyterian church of Brooklyn, which latter at that time consisted of only nineteen members with a congregation of about thirty-five. This church offered him a salary of seven thousand dollars and he accepted the call. He soon induced the trustees to sell the old church and build a new one. They did so and erected the Brooklyn Tabernacle, but it burned down shortly after it was finished. By prompt sympathy and general liberality a new church was built and formally opened in February, 1874. It contained seats for four thousand, six hundred and fifty, but if necessary seven thousand could be accom- modated. In October, 1878, his salary was raised from seven thousand dollars to twelve thousand dollars, and in the autumn of 1889 the second tabernacle was destroyed by fire. A third tabernacle was built and it was for- mally dedicated on Easter Sunday, 1891.
JOHN PHILIP SOUSA, conceded as being one of the greatest band leaders in the world, won his fame while leader of the United States Marine Band at Washing- ton, District of Columbia. He was not originally a band player but was a violinist, and at the age of seventeen he was conduc- tor of an opera company, a profession which he followed for several years, until he was offered the leadership of the Marine Band at Washington. The proposition was re- pugnant to him at first but he accepted the
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offer and then ensued ten years of brilliant success with that organization. When he first took the Marine Band he began to gather the national airs of all the nations that have representatives in Washington, and compiled a comprehensive volume in- cluding nearly all the national songs of the different nations. He composed a number of marches, waltzes and two-steps, promi- nent among which are the "Washington Post," "Directorate," "King Cotton," "High School Cadets," "Belle of Chica- go," "Liberty Bell March," "Manhattan Beach," "On Parade March," "Thunderer March," "Gladiator March," " El Capitan March," etc. He became a very extensive composer of this class of music.
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, sixth president of the United States, was born in Braintree, Massachusetts, July ii, 1767, the son of John Adams. At the age of eleven he was sent to school at Paris, and two years later to Leyden, where he entered that great university. He returned to the United States in 1785, and graduated from Harvard in 1788. He then studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1791. His practice brought no income the first two years, but he won distinction in literary fields, and was appointed minister to The Hague in 1794. He married in 1797, and went as minister to Berlin the same year, serving until 1801, when Jefferson became president. He was elected to the senate in 1803 by the Federalists, but was condemned by that party for advocating the Embargo Act and other Anti-Federalist measures. He was appointed as professor of rhetoric at Harvard in 1805, and in 1809 was sent as minister to Russia. He assisted in negotiat- ing the treaty of peace with England in 1814, and became minister to that power
the next year. He served during Monroe's administration two terms as secretary of state, during which time party lines were obliterated, and in 1824 four candidates for president appeared, all of whom were iden- tified to some extent with the new " Demo- cratic" party. Mr. Adams received 84 elec- toral votes, Jackson 99, Crawford 41, and Clay 37. As no candidate had a majority of all votes, the election went to the house of representatives, which elected Mr. Adams. As Clay had thrown his influence to Mr. Adams, Clay became secretary of state, and this caused bitter feeling on the part of the Jackson Democrats, who were joined by Mr. Crawford and his following, and op- posed every measure of the administration. In the election of 1828 Jackson was elected over Mr. Adams by a great majority.
Mr. Adams entered the lower house of congress in 1830, elected from the district in which he was born and continued to rep- resent it for seventeen years. He was known as " the old man eloquent," and his work in congress was independent of party. He opposed slavery extension and insisted upon presenting to congress, one at a time, the hundreds of petitions against the slave power. One of these petitions, presented in 1842, was signed by forty-five citizens of Massachusetts, and prayed congress for a peaceful dissolution of the Union. His enemies seized upon this as an opportunity to crush their powerful foe, and in a caucus meeting determined upon his expulsion from congress. Finding they would not be able to command enough votes for this, they de- cided upon a course that would bring equal disgrace. They formulated a resolution to the effect that while he merited expulsion, the house would, in great mercy, substitute its severest censure. When it was read in the house the old man, then in his seventy-fifth
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year, arose and demanded that the first para- graph of the Declaration of Independence be read as his defense. It embraced the famous sentence, "that whenever any form of government becomes destructive to those ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, etc., etc." After eleven days of hard fight- ing his opponents were defeated. On Febru- ary 2 1, 1848, he rose to address the speaker on the Oregon question, when he suddenly fell from a stroke of paralysis. He died soon after in the rotunda of the capitol, where he had been conveyed by his col- leagues.
SUSAN B. ANTHONY was one of the most famous women of America. She was born at South Adams, Massachusetts, February 15, 1820, the daughter of a Quaker. She received a good education and became a school teacher, following that profession for fifteen years in New York. Beginning with about 1852 she became the active leader of the woman's rights move- ment and won a wide reputation for her zeal and ability. She also distinguished herself for her zeal and eloquence in the temperance, and anti-slavery causes, and became a conspicuous figure during the war. After the close of the war she gave most of her labors to the cause of woman's suffrage.
PHILIP D. ARMOUR, one of the most conspicuous figures in the mercantile history of America, was born May 16, 1832, on a farm at Stockbridge, Madison county. New York, and received his early education in the common schools of that county. He was apprenticed to a farmer and worked faithfully and well, being very ambitious and desiring to start out for himself. At the age of twenty he secured a release from his
indentures and set out overland for the gold fields of California. After a great deal of hard work he accumulated a little money and then came east and settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He went into the grain receiving and warehouse busi- ness and was fairly successful, and later on he formed a partnership with John Flankin- ton in the pork packing line, the style of the firm being Plankinton & Armour. Mr. Ar- mour made his first great "deal " in selling pork "short" on the New York market in the anticipation of the fall of the Confed- eracy, and Mr. Armour is said to have made through this deal a million dollars. He then established packing houses in Chicago and Kansas City, and in 1875 he removed to Chicago. He increased his business by add- ing to it the shipment of dressed beef to the European markets, and many other lines of trade and manufacturing, and it rapidly assumed vast proportions, employing an army of men in different lines of the busi- ness. Mr. Armour successfully conducted a great many speculative deals in pork and grain of immense proportions and also erected many large warehouses for the storage of grain. He became one of the representative business men of Chicago, where he became closely identified with all enterprises of a public nature, but his fame as a great busi- ness man extended to all parts of the world. He founded the "Armour Institute " at Chi- cago and also contributed largely to benevo- lent and charitable institutions.
ROBERT FULTON.— Although Fulton is best known as the inventor of the first successful steamboat, yet his claims to distinction do not rest alone upon that, for he was an inventor along other lines, a painter and an author. He was born at Little Britain, Lancaster county, Pennsyl-
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vania, in 1765, of Scotch-Irish ancestry. At the age of seventeen he removed to Phila- delphia, and there and in New York en- gaged in miniature painting with success both from a pecuniary and artistic point of view. With the results of his labors he pur- :hased a farm for the support of his mother. He went to London and studied under the great painter, Benjamin West, and all through life retained his fondness for art and gave evidence of much ability in that line. While in England he was brought in contact with the Duke of Bridgewater, the father of the English canal system; Lord Stanhope, an eminent mechanician, and James Watt, the inventor of the steam en- gine. Their influence turned his mind to its true field of labor, that of mechanical in- vention. Machines for flax spinning, marble sawing, rope making, and for remov- ing earth from excavations, are among his earliest ventures. His "Treatise on the Improvement of Canal Navigation," issued in 1796, and a series of essays on canals were soon followed by an English patent for canal improvements. In 1797 he went to Paris, where he resided until 1806, and there invented a submarine torpedo boat for maritime defense, but which was rejected by the governments of France, England and the United States. In 1803 he offered to con- struct for the Emperor Napoleon a steam- boat that would assist in carrying out the plan of invading Great Britain then medi- tated by that great captain. In pursuance he constructed his first steamboat on the Seine, but it did not prove a full success and the idea was abandoned by the French government. By the aid of Livingston, then United States minister to France, Fulton purchased, in 1806, an engine which he brought to this country. After studying the defects of his own and other attempts in
this line he built and launched in 1807 the Clermont, the first successful steamboat. This craft only attained a speed of five miles an hour while going up North river. His first patent not fully covering his in- vention, Fulton was engaged in many law suits for infringement. He constructed many steamboats, ferryboats, etc., among these being the United States steamer " Fulton the First," built in 18 14, the first war steamer ever built. This craft never attained any great speed owing to some de- fects in construction and accidentally blew up in 1829. Fulton died in New York, Feb- ruary 21, 181 5.
SALMON PORTLAND CHASE, sixth chief-justice of the United States, and one of the most eminent of American jurists, was born in Cornish, New Hampshire, Jan- uary 13, 1808. At the age of nine he was left in poverty by the death of his father, but means were found to educate him. He was sent to his uncle, a bishop, who con- ducted an academy near Columbus, Ohio, and here young Chase worked on the farm and attended school. At the age of fifteen he returned to his native state and entered Dartmouth College, from which he gradu- ated in 1 826. He then went to Washington, and engaged in teaching school, and study- ing law under the instruction of William Wirt. He was licensed to practice in 1829, and went to Cincinnati, where he had a hard struggle for several years following. He had in the meantime prepared notes on the statutes of Ohio, which, when published, brought him into prominence locally. He was soon after appointed solicitor of the United States Bank. In 1837 he appeared as counsel for a fugitive slave woman, Ma- tilda, and sought by all the powers of his learning and eloquence to prevent her owner
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from reclaiming her. He acted in many other cases, and devolved the trite expres- ?;ion, "Slavery is sectional, freedom is na- tional." He was employed to defend Van Zandt before the supreme court of the United States in 1846, which was one of the most noted cases connected with the great strug- gle against slavery. By this time Mr. Chase had become the recognized leader of that element known as " free-soilers." He was elected to the United States senate in 1849, and was chosen governor of Ohio in 1855 and re-elected in 1857. He was chosen to the United States senate from Ohio in 1861, but was made secretary of the treasur}' by Lincoln and accepted. He inaugurated a financial system to replenish the exhausted treasury and meet the demands of the great- est war in history and at the same time to revive the industries of the country. One of the measures which afterward called for his judicial attention was the issuance of currency notes which were made a legal tender in payment of debts. When this question came before him as chief-justice of the United States he reversed his former action and declared the measure unconstitu- tional. The national banking system, by which all notes issued were to be based on funded government bonds of equal or greater amounts, had its direct origin with Mr. Chase. Mr. Chase resigned the treasury port- folio in 1864, and was appointed the same year as chief-justice of the United States supreme court. The great questions that came up before him at this crisis in the life of the nation were no less than those which confronted the first chief-justice at the for- mation of our government. Reconstruction, private, state and national interests, the constitutionality of the acts of congress passed in times of great excitement, the construction and interpretation to be placed
upon the several amendments to the national constitution, —these were among the vital questions requiring prompt decision. He received a paralytic stroke in 1870, which impaired his health, though his mental powers were not affected. He continued to preside at the opening terms for two years following and died May 7, 1873.
HARRIET ELIZABETH BEECHER STOWE, a celebrated American writ- er, was born June 14, 18 12, at Litchfield, Connecticut. She was a daughter of Lyman Beecher and asisterof Henry Ward Beecher, two noted divines; was carefully educated, and taught school for several years at Hart- ford, Connecticut. In 1832 Miss Beecher married Professor Stowe, then of Lane Semi- nary, Cincinnati, Ohio, and afterwards at Bowdoin College and Andover Seminary. Mrs. Stowe published in 1849 "The May- flower, or sketches of the descendants of the Pilgrims," and in 1851 commenced in the ' ' National Era " of Washington, a serial story which was published separately in 1852 under the title of "Uncle Tom's Cabin." This book attained almost unparalleled success both at home and abroad, and within ten years it had been translated in almost every lan- guage of the civilized world. Mrs. Stowe pub- lished in 1853 a "Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin" in which the data that she used was published and its truthfulness was corroborated. In 1853 she accompanied her husband and brother to Europe, and on her return pub- lished "Sunny Memories of Foreign Lands " in 1854. Mrs. Stowe was for some time one of the editors of the ' ' Atlantic Monthly " and the " Hearth and Home," for which she had written a number of articles. Among these, also published separately, are " Dred, a tale of the Great Dismal Swamp " (later published under the title of "Nina
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Gordon"); "The Minister's Wooing;" "The Pearl of Orr's Island;" "Agnes of Sorrento;" • 'Oldtown Folks;" " My Wife and I;" "Bible Heroines," and "A Dof;;'s Mission." Mrs. Stovve's death occurred July i, 1896, at Hartford, Connecticut.
THOMAS JONATHAN JACKSON, bet- ter known as "Stonewall" Jackson, was one of the most noted of the Confeder- ate generals of the Civil war. He was a soldier by nature, an incomparable lieuten- ant, sure to execute any operation entrusted to him with marvellous precision, judgment and courage, and all his individual cam- paigns and combats bore the stamp of a masterly capacity for war. He was born January 21, 1824, at Clarksburg, Harrison county, West Virginia. He was early in life imbued with the desire to be a soldier and it is said walked from the mountains of Virginia to Washington, secured the aid of his congressman, and was appointed cadet at the United States Military Academy at West Point from which he was graduated in
1846. Attached to the army as brevet sec- ond lieutenant of the First Artillery, his Rrst service was as a subaltern with Magruder's battery of light artillery in the Mexican war. He participated at the reduction of Vera Cruz, and was noticed for gallantry in the battles of Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Moline del Rey, Chapultepcc, and the capture of the city of Mexico, receiving the brevets of captain for conduct at Contreras and Cher- ubusco and of major at Chapultepec. In the meantime he had been advanced by regular promotion to be first lieutenant in
1847. In 1852, the war having closed, he resigned and became professor of natural and experimental philosophy and artillery instructor at the Virginia State Military Institute at Lexington, Virginia, where he
remained until Virginia declared for seces- sion, he becoming chiefly noted for intense religious sentiment coupled with personal eccentricities. Upon the breaking out of the war he was made colonel and placed in command of a force sent to sieze Harper's Ferry, which he accomplished May 3, 1861. Relieved by General J. E. Johnston, May 23, he took command of the brigade of Valley Virginians, whom he moulded into that brave corps, baptized at the first Manassas, and ever after famous as the " Stonewall Brigade. " After this ' ' Stone- wall " Jackson was made a major-general, in 1861, and participated until his death in all the famous campaigns about Richmond and in Virginia, and was a conspicuous fig- ure in the memorable battles of that time. May 2, 1863, at Chancellorsville, he was wounded severely by his own troops, two balls shattering his left arm and another passing through the palm of his right hand. The left arm was amputated, but pneumonia intervened, and, weakened by the great loss of blood, he died May 10, 1863. The more his operations in the Shenandoah valley in 1862 are studied the more striking must the merits of this great soldier appear.
JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER.— kJ Near to the heart of the people of the Anglo-Saxon race will ever lie the verses of this, the "Quaker Poet." The author of "Barclay of Ury," "Maud Muller" and "Barbara Frietchie," always pure, fervid and direct, will be remembered when many a more ambitious writer has been forgotten. John G. Whittier was born at Haver- hill, Massachusetts, December 7, 1807, of Quaker parentage. He had but a common- school education and passed his boyhood days upon a farm. In early life he learned the trade of shoemaker. At the age of
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eighteen he began to write verses for the Haverhill '' Gazette." He spent two years after that at the Haverhill academy, after which, in 1829, he became editor of the "American Manufacturer," at Boston. In 1830 he succeeded George D. Prentice as editor of the "New England Weekly Re- view," but the following year returned to Haverhill and engaged in farming. In 1832 and in 1836 he edited the " Gazette." In 1835 he was elected a member of the legis- lature, serving two years. In 1 836 he became secretary of the Anti-slavery Society of Phil- adelphia. In 1838 and 1839 he edited the " Pennsylvania Freeman," but in the latter year the office was sacked and burned by a mob. In 1840 Whittier settled at Ames- bury, Massachusetts. In 1847 he became corresponding editor of the "National Era," an anti-slavery paper published at Washing- ton, and contributed to its columns many of his anti-slavery and other favorite lyrics. Mr. Whittier lived for many years in retire- ment of Quaker simplicity, publishing several volumes of poetry which have raised him to a high place among American authors and brought to him the love and admiration of his countrymen. In the electoral colleges of 1 860 and 1 864 Whittier was a member. Much of his time after 1876 was spent at Oak Knoll, Danvers, Massachusetts, but still retained his residence at Amesbury. He never married. His death occurred Sep- tember 7, 1892.
The more prominent prose writings of John G. Whittier are as follows: "Legends of New England," "Justice and Expediency, or Slavery Considered with a View to Its Abo- lition," " The Stranger in Lowell," "Super- naturalism in New England," " Leaves from Margaret Smith's Journal," "Old Portraits and Modern Sketches" and "Literary Sketches."
DAVID DIXON PORTER, illustrious as admiral of the United States navy, and famous as one of the most able naval offi- cers of America, was born in Pennsylvania, June 8, 1814. His father was also a naval officer of distinction, who left the service of the United States to become commander of the naval forces of Mexico during the war between that country and Spain, and through this fact David Dixon Porter was appointed a midshipman in the Mexican navy. Two years later David D. Porter joined the United States navy as midship- man, rose in rank and eighteen years later as a lieutenant he is found actively engaged in all the operations of our navy along the east coast of Mexico. When the Civil war broke out Porter, then a commander, was dispatched in the Powhattan to the relief of Fort Pickens, Florida. This duty accom- plished, he fitted out a mortar flotilla for the reduction of the forts guarding the ap- proaches to New Orleans, which it was con- sidered of vital importance for the govern- ment to get possession of. After the fall of New Orleans the mortar flotilla was actively engaged at Vicksburg, and in the fall of 1862 Porter was made a rear-admiral and placed in command of all the naval forces on the western rivers above New Orleans. The ability of the man was now con- spicuously manifested, not only in the bat- tles in which he was engaged, but also in the creation of a formidable fleet out of river steamboats, which he covered with such plating as they would bear. In 1864 he was transferred to the Atlantic coast to command the naval forces destined to oper- ate against the defences of Wilmington, North Carolina, and on Jan. 15, 1865, the fall of Fort Fisher was hailed by the country as a glorious termination of his arduous war service. In 1866 he was made vice-admiral
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and appointed superintendent of the Naval Academy. On the death of Farragut, in 1870, he succeeded that able man as ad- miral of the navy. His death occurred at Washington, February 13, 1891.
NATHANIEL GREENE was one of the best known of the distinguished gen- erals who led the Continental soldiery against the hosts of Great Britain during the Revolutionary war. He was the son of Quaker parents, and was born at War- wick, Rhode Island, May 27, 1742. In youth he acquired a good education, chiefiy by his own efforts, as he was a tireless reader. In 1770 he was elected a member of the Assembly of his native state. The news of the battle of Lexington stirred his blood, and he offered his services to the government of the colonies, receiving the rank of brigadier-general and the com- mand of the troops from Rhode Island. He led them to the camp at Cambridge, and for thus violating the tenets of their faith, he was cast out of the Society of Friends, or Quakers. He soon won the es- teem of -General Washington. In August,
1776, Congress promoted Greene to the rank of major-general, and in the battles of Trenton and Princeton he led a division. At the battle of Brandy wine, September 11,
1777, he greatly distinguished himself, pro- tecting the retreat of the Continentals by his firm stand. At the battle of German- town, October 4, the same year, he com- manded the left wing of the army with credit. In March, 1778, he reluctantly ac- cepted the office of quartermaster-general, but only with the understanding that his rank m the army would not be affected and that in action he should retain his command. On the bloody field of Monmouth, June 28,
1778, he commanded the right wing, as he
did at the battle of Tiverton Heights. He was in command of the army in 1780, dur- ing the absence of Washington, and was president of the court-martial that tried and condemned Major Andre. After General Gates' defeat at Camden, North Carolina, in the summer of 1780, General Greene was ap- pointed to the command of the southern army. He sent out a force under General Morgan who defeated General Tarleton at Cowpens, January 17, 1781. On joining his lieuten- ant, in February, he found himself out num- bered by the British and retreated in good order to Virginia, but being reinforced re- turned to North Carolina where he fought the battle of Guilford, and a few days later compelled the retreat of Lord Cornwallis. The British were followed by Greene part of the way, when the American army marched into South Carolina. After vary- ing success he fought the battle of Eutaw Springs, September 8, 1781. For the latter battle and its glorious consequences, which virtually closed the war in the Carolinas, Greene received a medal from Congress and many valuable grants of land from the colonies of North and South Carolina and Georgia. On the return of peace, after a year spent in Rhode Island, General Greene took up his residence on his estate near Savannah, Georgia, where he died June 19, 1786.
EDGAR ALLEN POE.— Among the many great literary men whom this country has produced, there is perhaps no name more widely known than that of Ed- gar Allen Poe. He was born at Boston, Massachusetts, February 19, 1809. His parents were David and Elizabeth (Arnold) Poe, both actors, the mother said to have been the natural daughter of Benedict Ar- nold. The parents died while Edgar was
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still a child and he was adopted by John Allen, a wealthy and influential resident of Richmond, Virginia. Edgar was sent to school at Stoke, Newington, England, where he remained until he was thirteen years old; was prepared for college by pri- vate tutors, and in 1826 entered the Virginia University at Charlottesville. He made rapid progress in his studies, and was dis- tinguished for his scholarship, but was ex- pelled within a year for gambling, after which for several years he resided with his benefactor at Richmond. He then went to Baltimore, and in 1829 published a 71 -page pamphlet called "Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems," which, however, at- tracted no attention and contained nothing of particular merit. In 1830 he was ad- mitted as a cadet at West Point, but was expelled about a year later for irregulari- ties. Returning to the home of Mr. Allen he remained for some time, and finally quarrelled with his benefactor and enlisted as a private soldier in the U. S. army, but remained only a short time. Soon after this, in 1833, Poe won several prizes for literary work, and as a result secured the position of editor of 1»he ' ' Southern Liter- ary Messenger," at Richmond, Virginia. Here he married his cousin, Virginia Clemm, who clung to him with fond devo- tion through all the many trials that came to them until her death in January, 1848. Poe remained with the "Messenger" for several years, writing meanwhile many tales, reviews, essays and poems. He aft- erward earned a precarious living by his pen in New York for a time; in 1839 be- came editor of "Burton's Gentleman's Magazine" ; in 1840 to 1842 was editor of " Graham's Magazine," and drifted around from one place to another, returning to New York in 1844. In i845 his .best
known production, "The Raven," appeared in the "Whig Review, " and gained him a reputation which is now almost world-wide. He then acted as editor and contributor on various magazines and periodicals until the death of his faithful wife in 1848. In the summer of 1849 he Was engaged to be mar- ried to a lady of fortune in Richmond, Vir- ginia, and the day set for the wedding. He started for New York to make prepara- tions for the event, but, it is said, began drinking, was attacked with dilirium tre- mens in Baltimore and was removed to a hospital, where he died, October 7, 1849. The works of Edgar Allen Poe have been repeatedly published since his death, both in Europe and America, and have attained an immense popularity.
HORATIO GATES, one of the prom- inent figures in the American war for Independence, was not a native of the col- onies but was born in England in 1728. In early life he entered the British army and attained the rank of major. At the capture of Martinico he was aide to General Monk- ton and after the peace of Aix la Chapelle, in 1748, he was among the first troops that landed at Halifax. He was with Braddock at his defeat in 1755, and was there severe- ly wounded. At the conclusion of the French and Indian war Gates purchased an estate in Virginia, and, resigning from the British army, settled down to life as a planter. On the breaking out of the Rev- olutionary war he entered the service of the colonies and was made adjutant-general of the Continental forces with the rank of brigadier-general. He accompanied Wash- ington when he assumed the command ol the army. In June, 1776, he was appoint- ed to the command of the army of Canada, but was superseded in May of the following
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year by General Schuyler. In August, 1777, however, the command of that army was restored to General Gates and Septem- ber 19 he fought the battle of Bemis Heights. October 7, the same year, he won the battle of Stillwater, or Saratoga, and October 17 received the surrender of General Burgoyne and his army, the pivotal point of the war. This gave him a brilliant reputation. June 13, 17S0, General Gates was appointed to the command of the southern military division, and August 16 of that year suffered defeat at the hands of Lord Cornwallis, at Camden, North Car- olina. In December following he was superseded in the command by General Nathaniel Greene.
On the signing of the peace treaty Gen- eral Gates retired to his plantation in Berkeley county, Virginia, where he lived until 1790, when, emancipating all his slaves, he removed to New York City, where he resided until his death, April 10, 1806.
LYMAN J. GAGE.— When President Mc- Kinley selected Lyman J. Gage as sec- retary of the treasury he chose one of the most eminent financiers of the century. Mr. Gage was born June 28, 1836, at De Ruy- ter, Madison county. New York, and was of English descent. He went to Rome, New York, with his parents when he was ten years old, and received his early education in the Rome Academy. Mr. Gage gradu- ated from the same, and his first position was that of a clerk in the post office. When he was fifteen years of age he was detailed as mail agent on the Rome & Watertown R. R. until the postmaster-general appointed regular agents for the route. In 1854, when lie was in his eighteenth year, he entered the Oneida Central Bank at Rome as a junior clerk at a salary of one hundred dol-
lars per year. Being unable at the end of one year and a half's service to obtain an increase in salary he determined to seek a wider field of labor. Mr. Gage set out in the fall of 1855 and arrived in Chicago, Illinois, on October 3, and soon obtained a situation in Nathan Cobb's lumber yard and planing mill. He remained there three years as a bookkeeper, teamster, etc., and left on account of change in the management. But not being able to find anything else to do he accepted the position of night watchman in the place for a period of six weeks. He then became a bookkeeper for the Mer- chants Saving, Loan and Trust Company at a salary of five hundred dollars per year. He rapidly advanced in the service of this company and in 1868 he was made cashier. Mr. Gage was next offered the position of cashier of the First National Bank and ac- cepted the offer. He became the president of the First National Bank of Chicago Jan- uary 24, 1891, and in 1 897 he was appointed secretary of the treasury. His ability as a financier and the prominent part he took in the discussion of financial affairs while presi- dent of the great Chicago bank gave him a national reputation.
ANDREW JACKSON, the seventh pres- ident of the United States, was born at the Waxhaw settlement. Union county, North Carolina, March 15, 1767. His parents were Scotch-Irish, natives of Carr- ickfergus, who came to this country in 1665 and settled on Twelve-Mile creek, a trib- utary of the Catawba. His father, who was a poor farm laborer, died shortly be- fore Andrew's birth, when the mother re- moved to Waxhaw, where some relatives lived. Andrew's education was very limited, he showing no aptitude for studj'. In 1780 when but thirteen years of age, he and his
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brother Robert volunteered to serve in the American partisan troops under General Sumter, and witnessed the defeat at Hang- ing Rock. The following year the boys were both taken prisoners by the enemy and endured brutal treatment from the British officers while confined at Camden. They both took the small pox, when the mother procured their exchange but Robert died shortly after. The mother died in Charleston of ship fever, the same year.
Young Jackson, now in destitute cir- cumstances, worked for about six months in a saddler's shop, and then turned school master, although but little fitted for the position. He now began to think of a pro- fession and at Salisbury, North Carolina, entered upon the study of law, but from all accounts gave but little attention to his books, being one of the most roistering, rollicking fellows in that town, indulging in many of the vices of his time. In 1786 he was admitted to the bar and in 1788 re- moved to Nashville, then in North Carolina, with the appointment of public prosecutor, then an office of little honor or emolument, but requiring much nerve, for which young Jackson was already noted. Two years later, when Tennessee became a territory he was appointed by Washington to the position of United States attorney for that district. In 1791 he married Mrs. Rachel Robards, a daughter of Colonel John Don- elson, who was supposed at the time to have been divorced from her former hus- band that year by act of legislature of Vir- ginia, but two years later, on finding that this divorce was not legal, and a new bill of separation being granted by the courts of Kentucky, they were remarried in 1793. This was used as a handle by his oppo- nents in the political campaign afterwards. Jackson was untiring in his efforts as United
States attorney and obtained much influence. He was chosen a member of the Constitu- tional Convention of 1796, when Tennessee became a state and was its first represent- ative in congress. In 1797 he was chosen United States senator, but resigned the fol- lowing year to accept a seat on the supreme court of Tennessee which he held until 1804. He was elected major-general of the militia of that state in 1801. In 1804, being unsuccessful in obtaining the govern- orship of Louisiana, the new territory, he retired from public life to the Hermitage, his plantation. On the outbreak of the war with Great Britain in 1812 he tendered his services to the government and went to New Orleans with the Tennessee troops in January, 181 3. In March of that year he was ordered to disband his troops, but later marched against the Cherokee Indians, de- feating them at Talladega, Emuckfaw and Tallapoosa. Having now a national reputation, he was appointed major-general in the United States army and was sent against the British in Florida. He con- ducted the defence of Mobile and seized Pensacola. He then went with his troops to New Orleans, Louisiana, where he gained the famous victory of January 8, 181 5. In 1817-18 he conducted a war against the Seminoles, and in 1821 was made governor of the new territory of Florida. In 1823 he was elected United States senator, but in 1824 was the contestant with J. Q. Adams for the presidency. Four years later he was elected president, and served two terms. In 1832 he took vigorous action against the nullifiers of South Carolina, and the next year removed the public money from the United States bank. During his second term the national debt was extinguished. At the close of his administration he retired to the Hermitage, where he died June 8, 1845.
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ANDREW CARNEGIE, the largest manu- facturer of pig-iron, steel rails and coke in the world, well deserves a place among America's celebrated men. He was born November 25, 1835, at Dunfermline, Scotland, and emigrated to the United States with his father in 1845, settling in Pittsburg. Two years later Mr. Carnegie began his business career by attending a small station- ary engine. This work did not suit him and he became a telegraph messenger with the Atlantic and Ohio Co., and later he became an operator, and was one of the first to read telegraphic signals by sound. Mr. Carnegie was afterward sent to the Pittsburg office of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co., as clerk to the superintendent and manager of the telegraph lines. While in this position he made the acquaintance of Mr. Woodruff, the inventor of the sleeping-car. Mr. Carnegie immediately became interested and was one of the organizers of the company for its con- struction after the railroad had adopted it, and the success of this venture gave him the nucleus of his wealth. He was promoted to the superintendency of the Pittsburg division of the Pennsylvania Railroad and about this time was one of the syndicate that purchased the Storey farm on Oil Creek which cost forty thousand dollars and in one year it yielded over one million dollars in cash dividends. Mr. Carnegie later was as- sociated with others in establishing a rolling- mill, and from this has grown the most ex- tensive and complete system of iron and steel industries ever controlled by one indi- vidual, embracing the Edgar Thomson Steel Works; Pittsburg Bessemer Steel Works; Lucy Furnaces; Union Iron Mills; Union Mill; Keystone Bridge Works; Hart- man Steel Works; Prick Coke Co.; Scotia Ore Mines. Besides directing his immense iron industries he owned eighteen English
newspapers which he ran in the interest of the Radicals. He has also devoted large sums of money to benevolent and educational purposes. In 1879 he erected commodious swimming baths for the people of Dunferm- line, Scotland, and in the following year gave forty thousand dollars for a free librar}'. Mr. Carnegie gave fifty thousand dollars to Bellevue Hospital Medical College in 1884 to found what is now called " Carnegie Lab- oratory," and in 1885 gave five hundred thousand dollars to Pittsburg for a public library. He also gave two hundred and fiftj' thousand dollars for a music hall and library in Allegheny City in 1886, and two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to Edinburgh, Scot- land, for a free library. He also established free libraries at Braddock, Pennsylvania, and other places for the benefit of his em- ployes. He also published the following works, "An American Four-in-hand in Britain;" "Round the World;" "Trium- phant Democracy; or Fifty Years' March of the Republic."
GEORGE H. THOMAS, the " Rock of Chickamauga," one of the best known commanders during the late Civil war, was born in Southampton county, Virginia, July 31, 1 8 16, his parents being of Welsh and French origin respectively. In 1836 young Thomas was appointed a cadet at the Mili- tary Academy, at West Point, from which he graduated in 1840, and was promoted to the office of second lieutenant in the Third Artillery. Shortly after, with his company, he went to Florida, where he served for two years against the Seminole Indians. In 1 84 1 he was brevetted first lieutenant for gallant conduct. He remained in garrison in the south and southwest until 1845, at which date with the regiment he joined the army under General Taylor, and participat
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ed in the defense of Fort Brown, the storm- ing of Monterey and the battle of Buena Vista. After the latter event he remained in garrison, now brevetted major, until the close of the Mexican war. After a year spent in Florida. Captain Thomas was or- dered to West Point, where he served as in- structor until 1854. He then was trans- ferred to California. In May, 1855, Thom- as was appointed major of the Second Cav- alry, with whom he spent five years inTe.xas. Although a southern man, and surrounded by brother officers who all were afterwards in the Confederate service, Major Thomas never swerved from his allegiance to the government. A. S. Johnston was the col- onel of the regiment, R. E. Lee the lieuten- ant-colonel, and W. J. Hardee, senior ma- jor, while among the younger officers were Hood, Fitz Hugh Lee, Van Dorn and Kirby Smith. When these officers left the regi- ment to take up arms for the Confederate cause he remained with it, and April 17th, 1 86 1, crossed the Potomac into his native state, at its head. After taking