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OBITUARIES, AMERICAN. 



party. He was appointed, by President Taylor, 

 Collector of the Port of Albany, but resigned 

 the office under Fillmore. In 1868 he as- 

 sumed the editorship of the New York " Com- 

 mercial Advertiser, 1 ' and ere long gave it a 

 tone and character which were as striking 

 as they were effective. The paper increased 

 largely in circulation, and did good service to 

 the cause in which Mr. Hastings's deepest con- 

 victions ware enlisted. He was a warm sup- 

 porter of Gen. Grant ; criticised Mr. Hayes's 

 administration ; and, on President Arthur's tak- 

 ing the lamented Garfield's place, he rendered 

 him all the help in his power. His death was 

 mainly the result of his being thrown from 

 his phaeton, while driving along Broadway, 

 Long Branch. His wife and two daughters 

 survive him. 



Hatfield, Edwin F., an American clergyman, 

 born in Elizabethtown, N. J., Jan. 9, 1807 ; 

 died in Summit, N. J., Sept. 22, 1883. He was 

 graduated at Middlebury College, Vermont, in 

 1839, and then spent two years at Andover 

 Seminary. He was ordained in May, 1832, by 

 the United Presbytery of New York, and di- 

 rectly after became pastor of the Second Pres- 

 byterian Church in St. Louis, Mo. Three 

 years later he removed to New York city, and 

 took the pastorate of the Seventh Presby- 

 terian Church, which post he held for twenty- 

 one years (1835-'56). Dr. Hatfield was a del- 

 egate of the New School Presbyterians in 

 1846 ; was elected stated clerk ; was re-elected 

 every year until the union of the two schools 

 again in 1870, when he was elected to the same 

 office ; and continued in this responsible trust 

 until the last year, when he was elected mod- 

 erator. Owing to ill health he stopped preach- 

 ing in 1863, and was financial agent of the 

 Union Theological Seminary for several years. 

 He was very successful in raising funds for 

 the institution. Dr. Hatfield published " Uni- 

 versalism as it is" (1841), "St. Helena and 

 the Cape of Good Hope 1 ' (1852), "History 

 of Elizabeth, N. J." (1868), "The Church 

 Hymn Book," and " The Chapel Hymn Book " 

 (1872-78). 



Head, Natt, Governor of New Hampshire, 

 born in Hooksett, N. H., May 20, 1828; died 

 there, November 12, 1883. He received his 

 early educational training at Pembroke Acad- 

 emy, and when he became of age he entered 

 actively and zealously upon agricultural and 

 other pursuits. He took deep interest also in 

 the military affairs of the State, in connection 

 with the service of the troops during the civil 

 war. In 1876 he was elected State Senator 

 by a large majority, and in 1878 was chosen 

 Governor of New Hampshire. He served out 

 his term of two years with great acceptance, 

 and was not a candidate for re-election. Gov. 

 Head was prominent in the Masonic and Odd- 

 Fellowship ranks, was Vice-President of the 

 Historical Society, and a director in various 

 savings-banks, insurance companies, railroads, 

 etc. He was highly esteemed for his integ- 



rity, his genial spirit, his love for his native 

 State, and his unfailing efforts to promote 

 peace, good-will, and prosperity among his fel- 

 low-citizens. 



Jeffers, William N., an American naval officer, 

 born in Gloucester co., N. J., in 1823 ; died 

 in Washington, D. 0., July 23, 1883. Mr. 

 Jeffers was destined by his parents for the 

 law, but exhibiting early a taste for the sea, he 

 was appointed midshipman Sept. 25, 1840. 

 His first cruise was in the Pacific, under Com- 

 modore A. C. Jones, and he took part in the 

 capture of Upper California by the forces com- 

 manded by that officer in 1842. When the 

 Mexican War broke out he was ordered to the 

 steamer Vixen, and was a participator in all 

 the naval operations in the Gulf. In 1852 he 

 was selected by Commodore Perry to accom- 

 pany the Japan Expedition; but, as the vessel 

 to which he was assigned (the Princeton) proved 

 to be unfit for service, he was given leave of 

 absence, and joined E. G. Squier in his explor- 

 ing expedition into Honduras. In the autumn 

 of 1853 he was ordered to the Brazil squad- 

 ron, and took part in the exploration of the La 

 Plata river. While he was thus occupied his 

 vessel was fired upon by a Paraguayan bat- 

 tery, which he gallantly attacked and silenced. 

 Daring his command of the Water Witch he 

 rescued from wreck the Spanish steamer Car- 

 tagena, which service was acknowledged by 

 the Queen of Spain, in the presentation of a 

 handsome sword. He was next assigned to 

 the ordnance-ship Plymouth, stationed in the 

 Gulf to protect the American flag. Obtaining 

 leave of absence, he was again with Mr. Squier 

 in Honduras, as hydrographic engineer. On 

 his return he served in the war-steamer Brook- 

 lyn on the coast of Mexico for two years, and 

 subsequently as one of the commissioners on 

 the " Chiriqui grants " in New Granada. Dur- 

 ing the civil war his most noted service was 

 as commander of the Monitor, when Lieut. 

 Worden had been disabled. After that time 

 he was occupied chiefly on shore-duty. 



Kirkbiide, Thomas S., an American physi- 

 cian, born near Morrisville, Pa., July 31, 1809; 

 died in Philadelphia, Dec. 16, 1863. He re- 

 ceived his educational training at Trenton, 

 N. J., after which he entered the medical de- 

 partment of the University of Pennsylvania, 

 and obtained the degree of M. D. in March, 

 1833. He was immediately appointed resident 

 physician at the Quaker Insane Asylum, Frank- 

 ford, where he remained for a year, and then 

 took the same post in the Pennsylvania Hos- 

 pital for two years. For several years after 

 this he was engaged in private practice in 

 Philadelphia. In the autumn of 1840 he was 

 elected superintendent of the new Institution 

 for the Insane (now connected w r ith the Penn- 

 sylvania Hospital), and remained at its head 

 until his death. Dr. Kirkbride stood high in 

 the profession in his specialty ; he was a 

 member of numerous medical societies, au- 

 thor of several valuable books, and contri- 





