Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1889, volume 6).djvu/600

WINSLOW, Benjamin Davis, clergyman, b. in Boston, Mass., 13 Feb., 1815 ; d. in Burlington, N. J., 21 Nov., 1839. He was graduated at Har- vard in 1835 and at the Episcopal general theo- logical seminary, New York, in 1838, and the same year became assistant to his uncle, Rev. Dr. (after- ward Bishop) George W. Doane, in the pastorate of St. Mary's church, Burlington, N. J. He was or- dained deacon in May, 1838, and priest in March, 1839. Mr. Winslow was a graceful writer and ac- complished preacher. His "Sermons and Poetical Remains " were edited by Bishop Doane, who pre- fixed a notice entitled " The True Catholic Church- man in his Life and Death " (New York, 1841).

WINSLOW. Charles Frederick, physician, b. in Nantucket, Mass., in 1811. He was graduated as a physician at Harvard in 1834. Dr. Winslow was appointed U. S. consul at Payta, Peru, in 1862, served for several years, visited the Sandwich islands and other countries, and was for many years a resident of California. He contributed to periodicals, and published " Cosmography, or Phil- osophical View of the Universe " (Boston, 1853) ; " Preparation of the Earth for the Intellectual Races," a lecture (1854) ; " The Cooling Globe " (1865); and "Force and Nature: Attraction and Repulsion, etc.," (Philadelphia, 1869).

WINSLOW, Edward, governor of Plymouth colony, b. in Droitwich, near Worcester, England, 18 Oct., 1595 ; d. at sea, 8 May, 1655. He was de- scended from an ancient English family. When he was a traveller on the continent he met Rev. John Robinson, of Leyden, with whose church he united in 1617. He sailed in the " Mayflower " with the band of first settlers at Plymouth, and on 22" March. 1621, he was deputed to negotiate with Massasoit, making a treaty that re- mained intact till it was broken by King Philip in 1675. In July, 1621, Winslow conducted the first embassy to the Indians, which was also the first

attempt of the

English to explore the interior. When, in March, 1628, Massasoit was likely to die, he was sent to the sachem, and by his skilful treatment saved the life of the valuable ally, who in his gratitude in- formed Winslow's guide of the plots among the surrounding tribes to cut off Thomas Weston's colony. He sailed, 10 Sept., 1623, for England, where he prepared for publication the following year his " Good Newes from New England." which drew much attention to the colony. On 16 March, 1624, he imported the first neat-cattle brought into New England. At the election that year he was chosen an assistant governor, in which office he was continued till 1647, excepting 1633, 163(5, and 1644, when he was chosen governor. Contrary to the advice of Winslow, the adventurers in London had sent John Lyford, a preacher, to Plymouth, who wrote letters "full of slander and falsehood to people in England. He therefore sailed that sum- mer (1624; for England, presented the matter at a meeting, and returned to Plymouth with the evi- dence against Lyford, who, with John Oldham, was promptly banished. The principal oversight of the commercial transactions of the colony was in his keeping during its period of development. Upon coming to the chief magistracy in 1633. he found that disputes had arisen with the Dutch in New York respecting the trade with the Connecti- cut-river Indians. The Massachusetts colony de- clining to unite in establishing a trading-fort on the river, Gov. Winslow despatched a vessel, which went a mile beyond the Dutch fort, on the site of Hartford, and erected the first house in Connecti- cut. In 1635 he sailed for England to defend the Plymouth and Massachusetts colonies against the accusations of Thomas Morton, and to represent to the government the encroachments of the French on the east and the Dutch on the west. Archbishop Laud, then at the head of the special commission established in 1634, secured his imprisonment on a frivolous pretence ; but, after seventeen weeks of confinement, obtaining his release by the privy council, he addressed an able paper to that body upon the object of his mission to the government. Under Winslow as governor, the court of associates, in November, 1636, enacted the elaborate code of laws and statutes that placed the government on a stable foundation. About 1 April, 1637. in behalf of the government, he replied to Winthrop's letter for advice in the conduct of the proposed Pequot war, and was selected to meet the authorities in Boston on 12 May, to whom he declared the war was none of Plymouth's quarrel. In the estab- lishment of the confederation known by the name of the United Colonies of New England, he was commissioner from his colony. This act of 1643 he seems to have anticipated in 1631. when he petitioned the royal commission for a warrant to the colonies to defend themselves unitedly against all foes. The Massachusetts government intrusted him in 1646 with the mission to answer the charges of Samuel Gorton and others in England, and to defend the colony from the accusation of religious intolerance. His book, " Hypocrisie Unmasked," was considered a complete vindication. Winslow advocated the civilization and conversion of the Indians, and published an address to parliament and council, with intelligence from New England upon the subject ; and by his influence an act was passed, 19 July, 1649, incorporating the Society for propagating the gospel in New England. The government appointed him one of three commissioners in 1654 to adjust the claims against Denmark for losses to English shipping. Much light is thrown upon the important service in which he was engaged on behalf of the colonies, during his sojourn in England (1646-"54), by the recent publication of the " Calendar of State Papers. Colonial Series. 1574-1660," edited by W. Noel Sainsbury (5 vols., London, 1860-80). When Cromwell planned an expedition against the Spaniards in the West Indies under Gen. Venables and Admiral Penn, he appointed Winslow head commis- sioner at a salary of £1,000. The general and admiral disagreed in their tempers and views, the control of the commission was of no avail, and the army was defeated at Santo Domingo. The fleet sailed for Jamaica, but on the passage Winslow died of a fever, and his body was committed to the deep with the honors of war. Among his accomplishments was a consummate address, which never failed him as the diplomatist of the colony. His piety was fervent, and for a day of in toleration he was often singularly tolerant to those who differed with him in matters of belief. Gov. Winslow married at Leyden, 16 May, 1618, Elizabeth Barker,