BACKUS.BACKUS.
supporting the cornice of the World building in New York, and his panels in the State normal art school of Massachusetts―the twenty or more figures being of heroic size. In 1895 he was married to Eleanor May Brown, a sculptor of ability, and a pupil of her husband for three years. Her Bacchante, exhibited at the Boston art club in 1895, evoked much favorable criticism. In 1895 Mr. Bachman exhibited a bust of Cupid at the exhibition of the Architectural league in New York.
BACKUS, Azel, educator, was born at Norwich, Conn., Oct. 13, 1765. He was graduated from Yale college in 1787, and, although brought up a Congregationalist, acquired deistic beliefs at college. Through the influence of his uncle, Rev. Charles Backus, he refrained from entering the army and became a Presbyterian minister. He served the church at Bethlehem, Conn., where he remained the pastor until 1812, when upon the founding of Hamilton college, Clinton, N. Y., he was elected its first president, holding the office up to the time of his death. Princeton and Hamilton conferred on him the degree of S. T. D. in 1810, and Yale the same degree in 1816. He died at Clinton, N. Y., Dec. 28, 1816. On his tombstone has been carved his biography in Latin, the translation of which is as follows: "Here lies buried, Azel Backus, D. D., a man of remarkable piety and learning, a zealous minister of the gospel, a distinguished president of Hamilton college; a man of extraordinary diligence, and greatly endeared to the members of the institution. In him were conspicuous the highest benevolence towards his fellow-men, incorruptible integrity and uncompromising truth. His wife survives to lament his loss; and we who knew him mourn also. The corporation of Hamilton college have erected this monument to the memory of their beloved and venerated president. He was pastor of the church in Bethlehem, Conn., twenty-two years, president of Hamilton college four years. He departed this life Dec. 28, A. D. 1816, aged fifty-two years."
BACKUS, Charles Chapman, financier, was born in Charlton, Saratoga county, N. Y., March 13, 1816, seventh in lineal descent from William Backus, who lived at Saybrook, Conn., as early as 1637, and was, with his son Stephen, among the original settlers of Norwich in 1659. In 1745 and and 1756, Timothy Backus, the great-grandfather of Charles C. Backus, maintained successfully a religious contention exercising all New England. His grandfather, Elisha Backus, fought at the battle of Bunker Hill, and was a major in the American revolutionary forces, and his father, Elisha Backus, was an American colonel in the second war with Great Britain. Charles C. married, in 1840, Harriet Newell, daughter of Edward Baldwin of Utica, N. Y. At the age of twenty-three he engaged in the book and publishing business at Utica, N. Y., as one of the firm of Bennett, Backus and Hawley, who also issued there the Baptist Register, which subsequently was merged in the Examiner of New York city, and became the leading paper of the Baptist denomination in the country. In 1840, Livingston, Wells & Pomeroy established an express business between New York city and Buffalo, and engaged Bennett, Backus & Hawley to act as their agent in Utica. The "express" consisted in the conveyance of money packages between the banks along the Line of the New York Central and Hudson River railroads, and Mr. Henry Wells was the sole messenger, his freight being carried in a handbag. The income at first was so small that, time and again, Mr. Wells was on the point of abandoning the enterprise, but Mr. Backus encouraged him to persevere, for he foresaw the vast capacities of the business, if extended, to include the carrying of merchandise. This was eventually done, and Mr. Backus became interested in it, and soon afterwards conceived and organized with others the American express company. Mr. Backus was one of the original promoters of the House telegraph system, and these interests demanding much of his time, he abandoned the book concern, and in 1850 removed to New York city in order to be at the centre of business operations. About 1861 Mr. Backus was placed, on behalf of the stockholders of the New York Central railroad, upon an examining committee, to inspect the road's financial affairs and general management. The disclosures arising from his thorough inquiry effected the installation of Dean Richmond as the new president of the road, and made an entire change in the financial methods and conduct of this great corporation. After 1865 Mr. Backus was constrained by impaired health to forego much of his earlier activity, yet his earnest interest in affairs, his valuable advice and his benefactions kept his name prominent. He died at the home of his son, Henry Clinton Backus, New York city, Feb. 13, 1899.
BACKUS, Franklin Thomas, lawyer, was born at Lee, Mass., May 6, 1813. He spent his boyhood ta working on a farm to support his widowed mother, and at the age of thirteen went to Cleveland. Ohio. He obtained employment in a lawyer's office, gained an elementary education and earned his way through Yale college. After his graduation in 1836 he studied law in Cleveland for three years, and was admitted to the bar. In 1841 he was prosecuting attorney for Cuyahoga county, and was elected state representative in 1846, and state senator in 1848. In 1861 he was a delegate to the peace conference at Washington. He died May 14, 1870.
