GEARY, JOH3T W. 



307 



The anniversaries of the French Protestant 

 religious and benevolent societies were held in 

 May. Their various reports give the following 

 facts in relation to their condition and opera- 

 tions : 



The receipts of the French Bible Society for 

 the year were 39,000 francs, and its expendi- 

 tures 33,000 francs. The society had sent 

 forth 16,784 copies of the Bible. The British 

 and Foreign Bible Society had also circulated 

 88,312 copies, of which 75,000 were sold. 

 The library of the French Protestant Historical 

 Society was increasing in interest and value by 

 occasional additions of manuscripts and docu- 

 ments. The important work, " La France Pro- 

 testante," was being supplemented by a com- 

 mittee, of which M. Berdier was president. 

 Papers wore read at the anniversary on " The 

 Origin of Protestantism in Hungary," and on 

 "Tho Foundation of a College in Geneva." 

 The Tract Society had met its deficit, and had 

 a capital of 25,000 francs. It was reprinting 

 the tracts which its efforts during the war had 

 exhausted. The legality of tract-distribution 

 was discussed. The conclusion was reached 

 that there is no possibility of placing one's 

 self in a perfectly legal position on this point. 

 The receipts of the Protestant Bible Society 

 were 39,000 francs, and its expenses 28,000 



francs. It had circulated 25,000 copies of the 

 Scriptures. The receipts of the French Mis- 

 sionary Society were 175,574 francs; its ex- 

 penses 191,862 francs. At the Basuto mission, 

 the French missionaries were assisted by 57 

 native catechists. The schools were attended 

 by 2,061 children, and 321 adults ; and 200 

 children had been baptized. Hopeful reports 

 were received from the missions at Senegal 

 and Tahiti. The receipts of the Central Prot- 

 estant Evangelization Society were 183,000 

 francs; its expenses were 199,000 francs. The 

 society employed 95 agents, and was acting on 

 200 different points in France. Twenty-five 

 stations had become official parishes. The 

 theological school at Batignolles was prosper- 

 ous. The receipts of the Society for the En- 

 couragement of Elementary Schools were 91,000 

 francs. The society needed a more liberal sup- 

 ply of funds. It had helped 168 schools. Its 

 normal school for girls at Boissy St.-Leger, 

 and that for boys at Courbesoie, were pros- 

 pering. The Protestant church at Reims had 

 built a very fine school establishment, at a 

 cost of 200,000 francs. The expenses of the 

 Sunday-school Society had been met ; 950 Sun- 

 day-schools were known to exist in France. 

 The celebrations of the 1st of May were at- 

 tended by 9,000 children of the Sunday-schools. 



GEARY, Jorrs WHITE, Governor of Kansas, 

 and of Pennsylvania, major-general of vol- 

 unteers in the late war, an American soldier 

 and statesman, born near Mount Pleasant, 

 Westmoreland County, Pa., December 30, 

 1819; died in Harrisbnrg, Pa., February 8, 1873. 

 His father was of Scotch-Irish descent, but a 

 highly-educated and refined gentleman. He 

 had attempted to give his sons, of whom John 

 was the fourth, a collegiate education, but his 

 loss of property and subsequent sudden death 

 compelled the son to leave Jefferson College, 

 which lie had entered, and contribute his part 

 toward the support of the family. He taught 

 school for a little time, then went into a com- 

 mercial house in Pittsburg, but presently 

 turned to mathematics and the study of civil 

 engineering, and at the same time studied law 

 and was admitted to the bar, but never prac- 

 tised. Finding ample employment as a civil 

 engineer in Kentucky, he after a little time 

 accumulated enough to pay off his father's 

 debts, which he did, through his mother. He 

 was next appointed assistant-superintendent 

 and engineer of the Alleghany Portage Rail- 

 road. He was thus engaged when war was 

 declared against Mexico in 1846. Pennsyl- 

 vania furnished two regiments for that war, 

 and the Highlanders recruited by Captain 

 Geary were attached to the Second Pennsyl- 

 vania Regiment, which organized by the elec- 

 tion of Wm. B. Roberts, of Uniontown, as 



colonel, John W. Geary as lieutenant-colonel, 

 and Wm. Brindle as Major. Early in January, 

 1847, this regiment left Pittsburg for New 

 Orleans, the First having gone a few days be- 

 fore. The regiment joined the army of General 

 Scott, at Vera Cruz, having been assigned to 

 Quitman's division, and participated in all the 

 battles and conflicts in and around the city of 

 Mexico. Colonel Roberts, from failing health, 

 was too ill to command his regiment at Con- 

 treras and Garita de Belen, in which engage- 

 ments Lieutenant-Colonel Geary commanded, 

 and handled his men with skill. After the 

 capture of the city of Mexico, Colonel Roberts 

 died, and Geary was elected to the colonelcy, 

 returning with his regiment after nearly two 

 years of arduous service. In January, 1849, 

 he was appointed, by President Pierce, first 

 Postmaster of San Francisco, with authority 

 to establish the postal service throughout Cali- 

 fornia. He was the first American Alcalde of 

 San Francisco, and " Judge of the First In- 

 stance in and for the District of San Fran- 

 cisco." These positions were of Mexican 

 origin, the alcalde being sheriff, probate 

 judge, etc., with the functions of a mayor or 

 police magistrate. The Judge of First In- 

 stance held a court, with civil and criminal 

 jurisdiction, as well as admiralty powers. The 

 manner in which Colonel Geary exercised these 

 varied functions may be inferred from the fact 

 that he was unanimously reflected, and con- 



