Page:A Compendium of Irish Biography.djvu/613

 month after his liberation he formed the rash project of visiting his family and friends in Belfast before leaving for the United States, and, with Anthony McCann, (Campbell's "Exile of Erin") crossed to Drogheda. The authorities got wind of their arrival, seized the vessel, and imprisoned the captain; but Neilson managed to reach Dublin in safety, and was concealed by his friends. He proceeded to Belfast where he secretly saw his relatives, and returning to Dublin, lay hidden at the house of a friend at Irishtown for some weeks, until the American vessel could sail in which his passage was taken. Neilson succeeded in reaching the United States, and was about making arrangements for the reception and settlement of his wife and family, when he was seized with yellow fever and died at of Poughkeepsie, State of New York, 29th August 1803, age 41—or according to the inscription that marks his resting-place at Poughkeepsie aged 44. His widow a noble-spirited woman, embarked in business in Belfast, and her five children attained respectable positions in life. She died in November 1811, and was buried at Newtown Breda. The eldest son, William, a promising young man, died, also of yellow fever, in Jamaica, 7th February 1817, aged 22. It is not necessary here to examine the baseless charges that have been made against Samuel Neilson in connexion with the arrest of Lord Edward FitzGerald. 

O'Mahony, Connor, (page, line 46).—For "1829," read "1826." 

O'Connell, Daniel, (page, col. 1, line 8). After "29th," insert "April." 

O'Connor, J. A., a self-taught artist, was born about 1790, as it is believed, in Dublin, where he kept a print-shop early in the present century. Danby attracted by his talents made his acquaintance, and took him to London, where they worked together for some time. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1828. He spent some years in Brussels, was driven back to London by the Revolution of 1830, and continued to exhibit annually until 1840, about which time he died in considerable distress, owing, it is said, to intemperate habits, Ottley says: "O’Connor works, of which may be mentioned his painted rustic landscapes, chiefly scenes in Ireland, with a fine eye and feeling for nature; and although he executed his works with great rapidity, often painting a picture in a day, he displayed a peculiar richness of impasto, particularly in foliage. &hellip; O'Connor’s more carefully finished pictures are in considerable request with collectors. 

Pakenham, Sir Edward Michael, Major-General second son of Baron Longfield, was born about 1779. He commanded two British regiments which garrisoned Stralsund in 1812, and was afterwards more actively employed in Holland. He distinguished himself dining the Peninsular War, where he acted for a time as quartermaster-general to his brother-in-law, Lord Wellington, receiving the thanks both Houses of Parliament He was in command, and fell, in the unsuccessful attack on New Orleans, 8th January 1815. The Gentleman's Magazine, in its account of the battle says: "The brave commander of the forces, who never in his life could refrain from being at the post of honour and sharing the danger to which the troops were exposed, as soon as from his station he had made the signal for the troops to advance, galloped on to the front to animate them by his presence and he was seen with his hat off, encouraging them on the crest of the glacis: and it was there (almost at the same time) he received two wounds, one in his knee, and another, which was almost instantly fatal, in his body." His death caused a wavering in the column, the British fell back in the greatest confusion, and the battle of New Orleans was lost. Major-General Pakenham was aged 36 when he fell. 

Sacrobosco Johannes a, philosopher and mathematician, who lived in the 13th century, is supposed to have been born at Hollywood ("Sacrobosco"), County of Wicklow. He is said to have been educated at Oxford, and spent most of his life in Paris, where he died about 1235. The inscription on his tomb in the Convent of St. Maturine is given in Harris's Ware. He was the author of numerous treatise De Sphæra, first printed in Venice in 1518.  [. 589