Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/423

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FAGNANI
FAIR
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permanently, and he remained there till his death. Father Fabregat's works are of great value, as he was one of the first to explain the signification of Aztec manuscripts, and therefore we owe to him all knowledge of Mexican history before the Spanish conquest. It is much to be regretted that Father Fabregat died before the completion of his labors, and left behind him but few notes, for since his time but little advance has been made in knowl- edge on these subjects. Had he lived a few years longer, many points would have been decided that to this day" remain contested. Father Fabregat left a manuscript in Italian in the Vatican library entitled " Explicatione delli figuri hieroglifichi del Codice Mexican©." This work was published by Ramirez (1827), and opened the way to important discoveries.


FAGNANI, Joseph (fan-yah'-nee), artist, b. in Naples, Italy. 34 Dec, 1S1!J ; d. in New York city, 22 May, 1873. lie studied art in the Royal academy of Naples, and began his career at an early age. His reputation was established by several crayon por- traits, among the most remarkable of which was that of Baron Smucker. He removed to Vienna, and painted a portrait of the Archduke Charles. In 1842 he accepted the offer from the queen regent of Spain. Maria Christina, to make album-portraits of the distinguished persons that shared her exile. While under this engagement he formed the ac- quaintance of Sir Robert Peel and Sir Henry Bul- wer, with whom he came to New York in 1851, and there married an American. In 1858 he vis- ited Europe, and was ordered by Queen Christina, then at Malmaison, to paint two portraits of her- self and portraits of the Prince and Princess La- dislas Czartoriski. In 1860 he painted two por- traits of Richard Cobden, one of which was given by Fagnani to the New York sanitary fair, where it was bought by Morris Ketchum, Esq., who pre- sented it to the New York chamber of commerce; the other was purchased by the National portrait gallery of London. His principal works are the portraits of Garibaldi, Victor Emanuel, the Prime Minister Ratazzi and Gen. Cialdini, Sir Henry Bulwer, Lord Byron, the ex-Empress Eugenie, and the Countess Guicciola. Among his drawings is a sketch of President Taylor, taken after his death, and a portrait of Sir Henry Bulwer, executed in Madrid in 1846. His house in New York contained many rare specimens of art, collected from all parts of Europe. This collection was sold shortly after his death. His paintings of the " Nine Muses," now in the Metropolitan museum of art, New York, attracted much attention, as well-known American beauties had served as models.


FAGOAGA, Francisco (fah-go-ah'-gah), Mexi- can philanthropist, b. in the city of Mexico, 7 Feb., 1788 ; d. there, 20 July, 1851. He was a son of the first Marquis of Apartado. Fagoaga entered the College of San Ildefonso in 1799, where he studied philosophy, went to Paris in 1808 to finish his studies, and afterward travelled through Europe. After his return to Mexico he was elected, in 1820, deputy for the province of Mexico to the Spanish eortes, and, sympathizing with the struggle for in- dependence in his native country, spoke often 'in defence of its political rights, and, together with Ramos Arispe, prepared tiie recognition of its in- dependence. He returned to Mexico after the fall of Iturbide in 1823, and was immediately elected president of the municipal council of Mexico, where he made many improvements. In 1832 he was a{)pointed secretary of foreign rela- tions by Bustamante, but, the government of the latter having been overthrown by Santa Anna. Fagoaga was forced to emigrate to Europe, where he lived for several years. After his return ad- verse circumstances obliged hira, in 1841, to make an assignment, and, giving up his art collection and his library to his creditors, he retired from public life. When his elder brother, the Marquis of Apartado, died, leaving the greater part of his fortune for charitable purposes, Fagoaga was ap- pointed trustee, and soon was recognized as one of the public benefactors of Mexico. He rebuilt and endowed the Foundling hospital, the convents of the Capuchin nuns and of Corpus Christi, the hospital of San Juan de Dios and the insane asy- lum of San Hipolito, the Charitable home, and many other kindred institutions. In the Acordada prison he endowed the School of bookbindery and the Lancasterian schools, established, together with Luis de la Rosa, the School of design, and with Francisco Carvajal, the School for trades and mechanical teaching. Moreover, privately and without ostentation, he relieved innumerable needy families. He was elected senator in three legislatures, a member of the board of mines, and of several scientific associations and public boards. At his death the inmates of the Charitable home petitioned that his body be buried in the chapel of the institution, which was done.


FAHY, Anthony D., clergyman, b. in Loughrea, Ireland, in 1804; d. in Buenos Ayres in 1871. He studied theology in St. Clement's Irish convent of Dominicans, Rome, where he became a member of the order. After being ordained priest he came to the United States, and for more than ten years was employed in missionary duty in Ohio and Ken- tucky. In 1843 he was invited by the Irish resi- dents of Buenos Ayres to become their pastor, and went thither. In 1857 he brought out Sisters of Mercy from Ireland, by whose aid he founded the Irish "convent, and in 1861 he erected a large build- ing for them in the Calle Rio Bamba. As his coun- trymen increased in numbers and prosperity, he pro- vided them with chaplains at Luxan, Mercedes, Capilla del Senor, San Antonio, and in all the min- ing districts. He founded burses -in the missionary college of All-Hallows, Dublin, specially for this purpose, and also established Irish reading-rooms, libraries, and schools. Notwithstanding his age and ill-health, he continued his attendance on the sick during the yellow-fever epidemic of 1871, un- til he was prostrated by the disease three days be- fore his death. He died so poor that his funeral expenses had to be borne by his parishioners.


FAILLON, Michel Etienne, author, b. in Tarascon, France, in 1799; d. in Paris, 25 Oct., 1870. He was a Sulpician of Paris, and came to Montreal in 1854 as a visitor to the houses of that congregation in America. His contributions to the history of Canada embrace lives of the Ven. M. Olier "(1853) ; Margaret Bourgeoys, foundress of the Congregation Sisters (1852); Mile. Maure, foundress of the Hotel Dieu (1854) ; Madame d'Youville, foundress of the Grey Sisters (1852); Mile, le Ber, the recluse (1860) ; and an extended history of the French colony in Canada, of which three volumes (1865-'6) appeared before his death, embracing only a small portion of his plan.


FAIR, Janes Graham, capitalist, b. near Belfast. Ireland, 3 Dec, 1831 ; d. in San Francisco, 29 Dec, 1894. He came to the U. S. in 1843, and settled in Illinois, attending the public schools. He completed his education in Chicago, received a business training there, and paid much attention to scientific studies. He went to California in 1849, and after engaging in mining till 1860, he removed to Nevada, where he amassed a fortune of $50,000,000.