Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/505

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of St. Louis, reported a volume of debates in the Constitutional convention of Missouri, and in 1849 was secretary of legation at Berlin. In 1850-'l he was U. S. consul at Venice, and also correspondent for several New York journals. On his return, in February, 1852, he at once took charge of a Democratic paper in St. Louis, and edited it during the presidential campaign of that year. He was afterward placed at the head of the bureau of statistics in the Department of state at Washington, and prepared, by order of congress, a report on the commercial relations of the United States with all foreign nations (4 vols., 185(j-'7). This, with reports on the cotton and tobacco trades, and numerous annual statements respecting for- eign commerce and emigration, have made Mr. Flagg's name familiar to merchants, not only throughout the country, but in Europe. Having resigned his office in the state department, Mr. Flagg acted, in 1858-60, as Washington cor- respondent of the western press. From 1861 till 1870 he had charge of copyrights in the Depart- ment of the interior, and afterward resided near Falls Church, Fairfax co., Va., where he prac- tised law. In 1836 Mr. Flagg wrote " Sketches of a Traveller " for the " Louisville Journal," afterward included in '• The Far W^est " (New York, 1838). He also contributed to Park Ben- jamin's " New World " a series of seven historical romances, based on the dramas of Victor Hugo. In 1848 he was awarded a prize of flOO for a novel entitled '• The Howard Queen," and in 1850 a simi- lar prize for " Blanche of Artois." He also wrote " Edmond Dantes," a sequel to " Monte Christo " (Philadelphia, 1849 ; new ed., 1884) ; " Venice, the City of the Sea, 1797-1849," his chief work (3 vols., New York, 1853) ; " North Italy since 1849 " ; and " De Molai, the Last of the Military Grand Mas- ters," an historical romance, the last two not yet published. He has also written " Mary Tudor " and other dramas, which have been put on the stage, and had in pi'e|)aration his " Keminiscences."


FLAGG, George Whiting, artist, b. in New Haven, Conn., 26 June, 1816; d. in Nantucket, 5 Jan., 1897. He passed his boyhood in Charles- ton, S. C, studied art with his uncle, Washington Allston, and exhibited precocity, as shown in a portrait of Bishop England, and other efforts. " A Boy Listening to a Ghost Story," ' " A Young Greek," and " Jacob and Rachel at the Well," be- long to this period of his career. A picture en- titled the "Murder of the Princes," from "Richard III.," procured him the patronage of Luman Read, of New York, through whose aid he spent three years in study in Europe, and afterward lived for six years in London. He afterward returned to New Haven, and subsequently removed to New York city. Plis works comprise historical and genre pictures, with some portraits. Among those best known may be mentioned " Landing of the Pilgrims " ; " Landing of the Atlantic Cable " ; " Washington Receiving his Mother's Blessing," which has been' frequently engraved ; " The Good Samaritan " ; and " Columbus and the Egg " (1867). "The Match Girl," " Haidee," and "The Scarlet Letter " were painted in London. Mr. Flagg was elected a member of the National academy of de- sign in 1851. The "London Art Journal" refers to his " Haidee " as " a single figure painted with rnuch tenderness." The same authority said of his "Columbus " : " It is generally low in tone, but rich and harmonious in color,"and the heads are distinguished by much nobility of charactei-." Ou account of ill health, Mr. Flagg painted but little of late years. — His brother, Jared Bradley, artist, b. in New Haven, Conn., 16 June, 1820, studied painting with George Whiting Flagg, and also received instruction from Washington Allston. When only sixteen years old, he exhibited in the National academy a portrait of his father, which was favorably noticed by the critics. He settled in Hartford, but in 1849 removed to New York, and the following year was elected an academician. He pursued the study of theology at intervals in connection with that of art, and entered the min- istry of the Protestant Episcopal church in 1854. He received the degree of A. M. from Trinity college in 1861, and that of S. T. D. from Columbia in 1863. For ten years he devoted himself to the discharge of his duties, when he returned to the practice of his art. Dr. Flagg has occasionally painted ideal figure pictures, but still makes portraits a specialty. Among the more notable of the latter are pictures of several of the judges of the New York court of appeals, including a three-quarter lengtli of Chief- Justice Church, which have been placed in the new capitol ; a life-size full-length of William M. Evarts, also to be hung in the capitol (1887) ; and several portraits of Commodore Vanderbilt, one of which hangs in the directors' room at the Grand Central depot, New Yoi'k. His other pictures include " Holy Thoughts " and " Paul before Felix " (1849), and " Angelo and Isabella " (1850).

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FLAGG, Henry Collins, lawyer, b. near Charleston, in the parish of St. Thomas, S. C, 5 Jan., 1792 ; d. in New Haven, Conn., 8 March, 1863. He was gi'aduated at Yale in 1811, studied Jaw, and began practice in New Haven. He took an active part in politics, opposing the Federalist party in Connecticut, both as a public speaker and as editor and proprietor of the " Connecticut Herald." He was also clerk of the New Haven county court. In 1824 he returned to South Carolina, where he practised law until 1833, when he again took up his residence in New Haven, in order to educate his children. He retired from the bar in 1842. From 1834 till 1839 he held the office of mayor. His attachment to his native state was strong, but his devotion to the Union was stronger, and, in com- mon with his friend, James L. Petigru, he stead- fastly opposed the nuUifiers of 1832.


FLAGG, John Foster Brewster, physician, b. in Boston, Mass., 12 May, 1804 ; d. in West Ches- ter, Pa.. 8 Sept., 1872. Pie was educated in his native city, and received the degree of M. D. from the Rhode Island medical society. Between 1850 and 1860 he was professor of anatomy and physi- ology in the Philadelphia college of dentistry, and subsequently held a chair in the Pennsylvania col- lege of dental sui-gery. He is the author of a standard work entitled "Ether and Chlorofoi'm, their Employment in Surgery, Dentistry, Mid- wifery, etc. " (Philadelphia, 1851).


FLAGG, Wilson, naturalist, b. in Beverly, Mass., 5 Nov., 1805 ; d. in J^orth Cambridge, Mass., 6 May, 1884. He was educated at Phillips Andover academy, and entered Harvard in 1823, but remained there only three months, leaving to devote himself to the study of medicine ; he, however, never practised. In early manhood he made a pedestrian tour alone from Tennessee to Virginia, and thence home. He also delivered lectures about the same time on natural science. Meanwhile he had developed a taste for political discussion, and became a frequent contributor to the Boston " Weekly Magazine " and the Boston " Post." In 1840 he ceased writing on political subjects, and turned his attention almost exclusively to the agricultural journals. His papers in " Hovey's Magazine of Horticulture " formed the basis of