Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/302

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DWIGHT
DWIGHT


daily work, carried on a voluminous correspondence with prominent Christians in all parts of the world. He travelled extensively in connection with his laboi's, his last long journey being a solitary horseback ride of thousands of miles through Asia Minor, in 1859-'60. He revisited the United States for the sixth time in November, 1861, and was killed in a railroad accident in Vermont while on his way to attend a missionary anniversary in Canada. Hamilton gave him the degree of D. D. in 1852. Dr. Dwight wrote books and tracts in the languages of the east, translated portions of the Bible, and published " Researches of Smith and Dwight in Armenia" (Boston, 1833); " Memoir of Mrs. Elizabeth B. Dwight," his wife (New York, 1840) ; and " Christianity Revived in the East" (1850; London, 1854). He also contributed to the journal of the American oriental society a " Complete Catalogue of Literature in Armenia," and left many unpublished manuscripts. — His son, WlUiam Buck, scientist, b. in Constantinople, Turkey, 22 May, 1833, came to the United States in 1850, and was graduated at Yale in 1854, at Union theological seminary. New York, in 1857, and at the Y^ale scientific school in 1859. He took part in founding the village of Englewood, N. J., in 1859, and established a young ladies' schpol there, of which he was principal till 18G5. He was occupied in mining explorations in Virginia and Missouri in 1865-7, taught at West Point in 1867-'70, and in 1870-8 was assistant principal and professor of natural science in the State normal school at New Britain, Conn., also editing the Connecticut " School Journal " in 1872-'5. He was chosen professor of natural history and cura- tor of the museum at Vassar college in 1878, and in 1882 was also made curator of the museum of the Vassar Brothers' institute, Poughkeepsie. N. Y. In 1885 he invented a machine for making thin slices and other sections of rocks and fossils. Mr. Dwight has given special attention to the geology and [)alo()nt<)l()gy of the lower Silurian rocks. Since 1879 he has carried on an extended investi- gation in the Wappinger valley limestones of Dutchess county, N. Y., developing a new group of fossils for which he proposes the name " Roch- dale group." He has also investigated the Taconic limestones of Canaan, N. Y. Many of his results have been published in the proceedings of the National academy and the American association, and in scientific periodicals, and when complete they are to be issued in book-form, illustrated. — Mary Ann, author, granddaughter of Gen. Joseph's brother Josiah. b. in Northampton, Mass., 17 Sept., 1800 ; d. in Morrisania, N. Y., 4 Nov., 1858. Her taste was formed in her father's excellent library, and she became a teacher of drawing and painting. She published " Grecian and Roman Mythology " (New York, 1849) ; " Introduction to the Study of Art " (1856) ; an elementary astronomy ; " Poetry for the Young ; " and an edition, with notes, of Cowper's translation of the " Iliad." She had also prepared for publication an abridgment of Lanzi's "History of Painting." — Edmund, merchant, grandson of Gen. Joseph's brother Edmund, b. in Springfield, Mass., 28 Nov., 1780; d. in Boston, Mass.. 1 April, 1849, was graduated at Yale in 1799, and studied law with Fisher Ames, but never practised. After travelling in Europe in 1802-'4 he became a merchant in Springfield, and in 1815 established the house of William H. & J. W. Dwight, which founded the manufacturing villages of Chicopee Fails in 1822, Chicopee in 1831, and Ho) yoke in 1847. His firm had for several years the direction of factories in which 3,000 persons were constantly employed. Mr. Dwight took an early and active part in the con- struction of the Western railroad from Worcester to Albany, and was one of its directors for many years, becoming president in the year of his death. He made a liberal use of his large fortune for objects of public importance, rendering especially great service to the cause of popular education. It was chiefly through his exertions that the Mas- sachusetts state board of education was established, and he was the first to propose the present normal- school system. In 1838 he pledged' $10,000 for its establishment, on condition that the legislature should appropriate an equal amount, which was promptly done. Mr. Dwight was for many years a member of the Massachusetts legislature, and one of the founders of the American antiquarian society in 1812. — His son, Edmund, merchant, b. in Boston, 3 Sept., 1824, was graduated at Harvard in 1844. In 1871 he went abroad to superintend the distribution of the fund raised by subscription in Boston for the relief of the suffering caused in France by the war with Germany, and on his re- turn he published an interesting " Report to the Executive Committee of the French Relief Fund" (Boston, 1872). — The elder Edmund's nephew, Francis, educator, son of James Scutt Dwight, b. in Springfield, Mass., 14 March, 1808 ; d. in Albany, N. Y., 15 Dec, 1845, was graduated at Harvard in 1827, and at the law-school in 1830. After a tour in Europe he was admitted to the bar in 1834, and practised in the states of Massachusetts, Michi- gan, and New York, but gave up his profession in 1838, and established at Albany, in 1840, the District School Journal," under state patronage, which he conducted until his death. He was active in devising and establishing the present code of public instruction in the state of New York. — WilHam, soldier, grandson of Edmund's brother Jonathan, b. in Springfield, Mass., 14 July, 1831 ; d. in Boston, Mass., 21 April, 1888, was at the United States military academy. West Point, in 1849-'53, but resigned before he was graduated and became a manufacturer in Boston, and afterward in Philadelphia. He was commissioned captain in the 13th U. S. infantry on 14 May, 1861, and in June of that year became lieutenant-colonel of the 70th New York volunteers, of which Daniel E. Sickles was colonel. At the battle of Williamsburg half the regiment were killed or wounded. Col. Dwight being wounded three times and left for dead on the field. For his gallantry on this occasion he was promoted to brigadier-general of volunteers on 29 Nov., 1862, and assigned to the 1st brigade of Grover's division, which he led in the attack on Port Hudson. He also served on the commission to settle the terms of surrender of that place. In May, 1864, he was Gen. Banks's chief of staif in the Red river expedition, succeeding Charles P. Stone, and in July of that year was put in command of the 1st division of the 19th army corps, under Sheridan, with which he rendered important ser- vice at Winchester, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek. He remained in the army till 15 Jan., 1866, and subsequently removed to Cincinnati, Ohio. — His brother. Wilder, soldier, b. in Springfield, Mass., 23 April, 1833 ; d. in Boonsborough, Md., 19 Sept.. 1862, was graduated at Harvard in 1853, and at the law-school in 1855. He practised in Boston from 1857 till 24 May, 1861, when he became major of the 2d Massachusetts infantry. He distinguished himself in Gen. Banks's retreat through the Shenandoah valley, and was taken prisoner at Winchester on 25- May, 1862. He was made lieu- tenant-colonel on 18 June, 1862, was mortally