OBITUARIES, AMERICAN. 



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O 



OBITUARIES, AMERICAN. Sketches of some 

 of the more noted Americans that died in 1888 

 will be tbnnd in their alphabetical places in 

 this volume, accompanied by portraits. 



Abell, Anmah Shepherdson, publisher, born in East 

 Providence, R. I., Aug. 10, 1806 : died in Baltimore, 

 Mel.. April 19, 1888. He learned the printer's trade, 

 and. with two partners, issued the first number of the 

 Philadelphia " Public Ledger," on March 25, 1836. 

 In 1837 he went to Baltimore, and on May 17 brought 

 out the first number of the "Sun." He retained his 

 interest in the Philadelphia ''Public Ledger" till 

 1864, and in the Baltimore "Sun" till death. Mr. 

 Abell was associated with Prof. Morse in establishing 

 the magnetic telegraph, published the first message 

 sent over the wires between Washington and Balti- 

 more in 1844, and received for publication the first 

 presidential message ever transmitted by wire, May 

 11. lS-t'5. At the time of his death he was believed to 

 be the wealthiest citizen of Baltimore, and had an es- 

 tate near the city that originally cost him $500,000, 

 and on which he subsequently expended $1,000,000 in 

 improvements. 



Adam, John Johnston, railroad official, born in Pais- 

 ley. Scotland, Oct. 30, 1807 ; died in Tecumseh, Mich., 

 July 4. IS^S. He was graduated at the University of 

 iw in 1826, removed to the United States, and 

 >n afterward appointed principal of Meadville, 

 Pa., academy. In 1831 he removed to Michigan; 

 in 1835 was a member of the convention that framed 

 the first Constitution of the State ; in 1836-'40 was 

 Secretary of the State Senate; and, alter a service in 

 the State House of Representatives, was elected State 

 Treasurer. He was appointed Auditor-General of 

 Michigan in 1845, and in January, 1851, resigned the 

 office to accept one with the Michigan Central Rail- 

 road. Two years afterward he became auditor of the 

 Michigan Southern Railroad Company, with which he 

 remained until 1863. Mr. Adam was a member of the 

 f.vo first boards of regents, under which the State 

 University was reorganized. 



Agnew, "Cornelins Bea, surgeon, born in New York, 

 Aug. 8, 1830; died there, 'April 18, 1888. He was 

 graduated at Columbia College in 1849, and at the 

 College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1852, and be- 

 came connected with the New York Hospital. Sub- 

 sequently lie studied at the Lying-in Asylum in Dub- 

 lin, attended Prof. Ferguson's Clinical Lectures in 

 London, and applied himself to the study of diseases 

 of the eye and skin in Paris. On his return to New 

 York, he assumed the duties of surgeon to the Eye 

 and Ear Infirmary and engaged in private practice. 

 In 1858 Gov. Morgan appointed him Surgeon-General 

 of the State of New "i ork, and shortly after his re- 

 election in 1860 made him Medical Director of the 

 State Volunteer Hospital. He was one of the founders 

 of the United States Sanitary Commission, and as a 

 commissioner devoted almost his entire time to its 

 service during the civil war. He joined three other 

 eentlcmen in establishing the Union League Club of 

 New York. In 1866 he established ophthalmia clinics 

 in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and three 

 years later was elected Clinical Professor of dis< 

 the Eye and Ear. In 1870 he organized the Brooklyn 

 Eye and Ear Hospital, and the Manhattan Eye and 

 E.ir Hospital in ^New York; and he was one of the 

 organizers of the School of Mines in Columbia College, 

 and became a trustee of the college in 1874. He was 

 a manager of the State Lunatic' Asylum at Pough- 

 keepsie, and secretary of the executive committee of 

 its board : president of the Board of Education of 

 New York ; a governor of the New York Women's 



Medical College ; secretory of the first sanitary reform 

 association organized in New York ; and president ot 

 the New York State Medical Societv in 1872. He was 

 a popular and effective lecturer, and published, among 

 many works, "A Contribution to the Surgery ot 

 Divergent Squint," " Trephining the Cornea to Re- 

 move a Foreign Body," and " Cauthoplasty as a Rem- 

 edy in Certain Diseases of the Eye." 



Alexander, Edmnnd Brooke, soldier, born in Havmar- 

 ket, Ya.. Oct. 6. 1802; died in Washington. D. C., 

 Jan. 3, 1888. He was graduated at the United - 

 Military Academy in 1^23, i.ssieneel to the Sixth In- 

 fantry as brevet s'econd lieutenant, promoted captain, 

 and appointed assistant quartermaster in 1838, ana 

 transferred to the general staff. He resigned his staff 

 appointment, and, as senior captain, commaneled the 

 Third Infantry through the Mexican War. His regi- 

 ment carried the enemy's breastworks with the bayo- 

 net at Cerro Gordo ; and he was brevetted major for 

 this action, and lieutenant-colonel for gallantry at 

 Contreras and Chnrubusko. After the war he serveel 

 in New Mexico, was promoted major and assigned to 

 the Eighth Infantry, and was selected by President 

 Pierce for one of tlic new colonelcies on the enlarge- 

 ment of the army in 1855. He was in command -at 

 Fort Laramie at the beginning of the civil war, and 

 was kept at remote frontier posts as chief mustering 

 officer; was brevetted brigadier-general for faithful 

 services ; and retired, after forty-nine years of contin- 

 uous service, in 1872. 



Ayres, Eomeyn Beck, soldier, born in East Creek, 

 Montgomery County. N. Y., Dec. 20, 1825: died in 

 Fort Hamilton, New York harbor, Dec. 4, 1888. He 

 was graduated at the United States Military Acad- 

 emy in 1847, served in the Mexican War as second 

 lieutenant hi the Third United States Artillery, and 

 after its close was on garrison duty at Fort Preble, 

 Mexico, and on similar and frontier duty in the United 

 .States till 1859, when he was ordered to the Artillery 

 School at Fort Monroe. With the exception of a three 

 months' sick-leave, he was actively engaged through 

 the civil war. He was promoted first lieutenant in 

 March, 1852 ; captain in May, 1861 ; brevet-major, 

 July 2, 1863 ; lieutenant-colonel. May 5. 1864 ; colonel, 

 Aug. 18, 1864; brigadier-general and major-general. 

 March 13, 1865 ; was mustered out the volunteer serv- 

 ice as full major-general, April 30, 1866, and was pro- 

 moted lieutenant-colonel, Twenty-eighth United States 

 Infantry, July 28, 1866 : transferred to Third United 

 States Artillery, Dec. 15, 1870, and promoted colonel, 

 Second United States Artillery. July 18, 1879. His 

 brevets were conferred for gallant 'and meritorious 

 services in the battle of Gettysburg, in the Wilder- 

 11 the Weldon Railroad, at Five Forks, and dur- 

 ing the war, and for conspicuous gallantry in the \\ il- 

 derness, at Spottsylvania Court-House, Jericho Mills, 

 Bethesda Church ."Petersburg, and Globe Tavern. 



Bacon, John William, jurist, born in Natiek. Mass., 

 in 1818 ; died in Taunton Mas*., March 21, 1888. He 

 was graduated at Harvard in 1843, admitted to the bar 

 in 1-4''.. ck-cted a State Senator in 1859 and 1862, ap- 

 pointed chief-iustice of the municipal court of Boston 

 m 1866, and elevated to the bench of the Superior 

 Court in 1871. He was suddenly taken ill while hold- 

 ing court. In the evening he w'as stricken with apo- 

 plexy, and died in a tew minutes. 



Baker, William Emerson, manufacturer, born in Bos- 

 ton, Mass., April 16. 1828; died there, Jan. 5. 1888. 

 He began business life in a dry -goods store, and sub- 

 sequently joined W. O. Grover informing the Grover 

 & Baker Sewing - Machine Company. Mr. Baker 

 spent several years abroad, contesting patent suits, and 

 on returnin/to the United States bought Ridsxe Hill 

 farm at Wellesley, Mass., and spent the remainder of 



