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Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Judson, Adoniram 1788-1845 (search)
Judson, Adoniram 1788-1845 Missionary; born in Malden, Mass., Aug. 9, 1788; graduated at Brown University in 1807, and Andover Theological Seminary in 1810. He was ordained on Feb. 6, 1812, and with his wife, Anne Hasseltine, sailed for Calcutta on the 19th. In Rangoon, Burma, he toiled nearly forty years, gathering around him thousands of converts and many assistants, Americans and Burmese. He translated the Bible into the Burmese language, and had nearly completed a dictionary of that language at the time of his death. His wife dying in 1826, he married (April, 1834) the widow of a missionary (Mrs. Sarah H. Boardman), who died in September, 1845. While on a visit to the United States in 1846, he married Miss Emily Chubbuck ( Fanny forester, the poet), who accompanied him back to Burma. His first wife, Anne Hasseltine, was the first American woman missionary in the East Indies. He died at sea, April 12, 1850.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Law, John 1671-1729 (search)
paper money. With others, he established, in Paris, the Banque Generale, in May, 1716. Notes were accepted in payment for taxes, and they even commanded a premium over specie. About the same time he secured control of the French territory in America called Louisiana. In 1717 the Compagnie d'occident was incorporated for the purposes of trade and colonization. This enterprise became known as The Mississippi scheme, or The system. Not long after this the same company got control of the East India and China companies, which were then called Compagnie des Indes. It also absorbed the African Company, the mint, and the powers of the receivers-general. Thus it became supreme in the financial affairs of France, both at home and abroad. In 1718 the Banque Generale was changed to the Banque Royal, and John Law was made director-general. For two or three years the Compagnie des Indes greatly prospered, and Law became a man of wide power. On Jan. 5, 1720, he was appointed comptroller-ge
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Mayer, Brantz 1809-1879 (search)
Mayer, Brantz 1809-1879 Author; born in Baltimore, Md., Sept. 27, 1809; was educated at St. Mary's College, Baltimore, and made a trip to the East Indies, visiting Sumatra, China, and Japan, returning in 1828. He was admitted to the bar in 1829; was appointed secretary of legation to Mexico in 1841, and afterwards published two important works on that country. He was an accurate and industrious writer, and issued several valuable publications, besides numerous occasional addresses. During the Civil War and afterwards, he held the office of paymaster in the army, and resided in California a few years. He was one of the judges at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876. He died in Baltimore, March 21, 1879.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Northeastern passage to India. (search)
Northeastern passage to India. The Dutch had large commercial interests in the East Indies. The Dutch East India Company was formed in 1602, and the establishment of similar companies to trade with the West Indies had been suggested by William Usselinx, of Antwerp. The Dutch had watched with interest the efforts of the English and others to find a northwest passage to India; but Linschooten, the eminent Dutch geographer, believed that a more feasible passage was to be found around the north of Europe. There was a general belief in Holland that there was an open polar sea, where perpetual summer reigned, and that a happy, cultivated people existed there. To find these people and this northeastern marine route to India, Willem Barentz (q. v.), a pilot of Amsterdam, sailed (June, 1594), with four vessels furnished by the government and several cities of the Netherlands, for the Arctic seas. Barentz's vessel became separated from the rest. He reached and explored Nova Zembla.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Palmer, James Shedden 1810-1867 (search)
Palmer, James Shedden 1810-1867 Naval officer; born in New Jersey in 1810; entered the navy as midshipman in 1825, and was promoted rear-admiral in 1866. He served in the East India seas in 1838, and in blockading the coast of Mexico from 1846 to 1848. At the beginning of the Civil War he was in the blockade fleet under Dupont. In the summer of 1863 he led the advance in the passage of the Vicksburg batteries, and later in the same year performed the same service. Palmer was Farragut's flag-captain in the expedition against New Orleans and Mobile, and fought the Confederate ram Arkansas. In 1865 he was assigned to the command of the North Atlantic squadron. He died in St. Thomas, W. I., Dec. 7, 1867.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Peacock, the (search)
hed the same port on May 4. This capture produced much exultation. Congress thanked Warrington in the name of the nation, and gave him a gold medal. In another cruise to the shores of Portugal soon afterwards, the Peacock captured fourteen vessels, and returned to New York at the end of October. In 1815, after parting with Biddle, Captain Warrington pursued his cruise in the Peacock, and on June 30, when off Anjer, in the Strait of Sunda, between Sumatra and Java, he fell in with the East India cruiser Nautilus, fourteen guns, Lieut. Charles Boyce. Broadsides were exchanged, when the Nautilus struck her colors. She had lost six men killed and eight wounded. the Peacock lost none. This event occurred a few days after the period set by the treaty of peace for the cessation of hostilities. Warrington was ignorant of any such treaty, but, being informed the next day of its ratification, he gave up the Nautilus and did everything in his power to alleviate the sufferings of her w
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Preble, Edward 1761-1807 (search)
; born in Portland, Me., Aug. 15, 1761. At the age of sixteen years he made a voyage to Europe in an American privateer, and in Edward Preble. Medal presented to Commodore Preble. 1779, when eighteen years of age, served as midshipman in the Protector. He was made prisoner and was in the Jersey prison-ship (q. v.) for a while. After the war he occupied himself as shipmaster until 1798, when he was named one of the five lieutenants appointed by the government. In 1799 he was commissioned captain, and made a voyage to the East Indies in the Essex for the protection of American commerce. In 1803 he took command of the frigate Constitution, and in June, as commodore, was placed in command of the squadron sent against Tripoli. By a series of skilful bombardments of Tripoli he brought its ruler to terms. He was superseded by Barron, in September, 1804, and returned home, when Congress voted him the thanks of the nation and a gold medal. He died in Portland, Me., Aug. 25, 1807.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), President, the (search)
es, above New London, was transferred to the President, forty-four guns, which Commodore Rodgers had left for the new ship Guerriere. In November he had under his command at New York a squadron composed of his flag-ship; the Hornet, eighteen guns,. Captain Biddle; the Peacock, eighteen, Captain Warrington, and Tom Bowline, store-ship. He had been watching the British who had ravaged the coasts in the vicinity of Chesapeake Bay. Finally he received orders to prepare for a cruise in the East Indies to spread havoc among the British shipping there. On the night of June 14, 1815, the President dropped down to Sandy Hook, leaving the other vessels of the squadron at anchor near Staten Island, and before morning she evaded the British blockaders and cleared the coast. Decatur kept the President close along the Long Island shore for a while, believing that a gale that blew on the 14th had driven the blockaders to the leeward. Then he sailed boldly out to sea, and by starlight that eve
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Rodgers, John 1771-1838 (search)
er Crane. She had arrived at New York just after Rodgers left, and went out immediately to cruise in the track of the West Indian fleet. The next day she was Commodore John Rodgers. captured by the Shannon, and her 106 men were made prisoners. This was the first vessel of war taken on either side in that contest. A prize-crew was placed in her, and she was made one of Broke's squadron. the Nautilus was retaken by Captain Warrington, June 30, 1815, between Java and the islands of the East India Archipelago. She was also the last vessel captured on either side during the war. Informed of the proclamation of peace, Warrington gave up the Nautilus to the English and returned home. While Commodore Porter was on his extended cruise in the Pacific Ocean (see Essex, the), Commodore Rodgers was on a long cruise in the North Atlantic in his favorite frigate, the President. He left Boston on April 27, 1813, in company with the Congress, thirty-eight guns, and, after a cruise of 148 da
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Sands, Joshua Ratoon 1795-1883 (search)
Sands, Joshua Ratoon 1795-1883 Naval officer; born in Brooklyn, N. Y., May 13, 1795; became a midshipman in 1812, serving under Chauncey on Lake Ontario. He was promoted commodore on the retired list in 1862, and rear-admiral in 1866. He served on the Mexican coast in 1847-48, and was at different times commander of the East India, Mediterranean, and Brazilian squadrons. He died in Baltimore, Md., Oct. 2, 1883. Sandusky, a city and port of entry in Erie county, O.; on Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Sandusky River. Near by is Johnson's Island, on which 2,500 Confederate officers who had been taken prisoners were confined in 1863. During the summer a plot was formed to liberate these prisoners and in connection with this act to burn or otherwise destroy Buffalo and other lake cities. An expedition for these objects was organized in Canada. The plans of the Confederate sympathizers became known to the American consulgeneral in Montreal, who immediately notified the Canadian
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