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Rh ton, D. C, in 1827. He was educated as a physi- cian, and lived for many years in Philadelphia, where he was well known in the circle of scientific men, being chosen a member of the American philosophical society on 19 Jan., 1787. He was a skilled architect, and designed the Philadelphia library building, which was completed in 1790. He removed to Washington, D. C, when the seat of government was transferred to that place, and drew the plans and superintended the erection of the first capitol building in its early stages. He was one of the first to act as commissioner of pub- lic buildings, and was the first head of the patent- office, being appointed superintendent in 1802, and serving till the time of his death. He published " Cadmus, or the Elements of Written Language " (Philadelphia, 1793).

THORNTON, Sir William, English soldier, b. in England about 1775 ; d. near Han well, Eng- land, 6 April, 1840. He was commissioned as ensign in the British army on 21 March, 1796, and had risen to the rank of major in August, 1807, when he was appointed military secretary to Sir James H. Craig, lieutenant-governor of Lower Canada. He returned to England in 1811, and in 1813 was assigned to the command of the 85th regiment. He served in Spain and southern France, took part in the battle of the Nive, was afterward sent to this country, in May, 1814, commanded the brigade of light infantry that formed the advance- guard of Gen. Robert Ross's expedition up the Chesapeake, and was seriously wounded and made prisoner at Bladensburg. Being exchanged for Com. Joshua Barney, he went with the army that was sent against New Orleans in the following October, commanded the advance on the landing of the troops, took part in the chief operations, and in the general attack on the American lines com- manded a detached force on the west bank of the Mississippi, and was severely wounded. He at- tained the rank of lieutenant-general in 1838.

THORNTON, William A., soldier, b. in New York state in 1803 ; d. on Governor's island, New York harbor, 6 April, 1866. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1825, and assigned to the artillery. He was made captain of ordnance on 7 July, 1838, commanded the ordnance depot in New York and the Watervliet and St. Louis ar- senals, served on boards for the trial of small arms and cannon, and was inspector of contract arms in 1858-'61. He was promoted major on 28 May, 1861, and was commander of Watervliet arsenal till 1863, and subsequently inspector of contract arms and ordnance till his death, being promoted lieutenant- colonel of ordnance on 3 March, 1863, colonel on 15 Sept., 1863, and brigadier-general by brevet on 13 March, 1865. During the last year of his life he was commandant of the New York arsenal on Governor's island.

THORNWELL, James Henley, clergyman, b. in Marlborough district, S. C, in 1812 ; d. in Char- lotte, N. C, 1 Aug., 1862. He was graduated at South Carolina college in 1829, and entered upon the study of the law. which he soon abandoned to devote himself to the ministry in the Presbyterian church. He was chosen, in 1836, professor of logic and belles-lettres in South Carolina college, in 1842 professor of the evidences of Christianity and chaplain, and in 1852 its president. In 1856 he became a professor in the Presbyterian theological seminary at Columbia. For a short time he was pastor of the Globe street Presbyterian church in Charleston. Dr. Thornwell was one of the ablest men that the south has ever produced. To logical and metaphysical faculties of a high order he added a fine literary style, and an easy and effect- ive address. He was an uncompromising cham- pion of the old-school Presbyterian theology, and in politics advocated extreme southern views. He was the author of several published sermons and addresses, "Arguments of Romanists Discussed and Refuted " (New York, 1845) ; " Discourses on Truth " (1854) ; " Rights and Duties of Masters " (1861) ; " The State of the Country " (1861) ; and numerous articles in defence of slavery and seces- sion in the " Southern Presbyterian Review." His collected works were edited by Rev. John B. Adger (2 vols., Richmond, 1874).

THORPE, Rose Hartwick, poet. b. in Misha- waka, Ind., 18 July, 1850. When she was ten years old her parents settled in Litchfield, Mich., where she received a common-school education. Her most popular poem, the ballad entitled " Cur- few Must not Ring To-Night," was written while she was a school-girl. When it was published in a Detroit paper in 1870 it obtained a wide cir- culation. An illustrated edition has been issued (Boston, 1882). She married Edmund C. Thorpe in September, 1871. In 1881 she edited three Sun- day-school papers in Chicago, 111. Subsequently she settled with her family in Pacific Beach, San Diego co., Cal. Mrs. Thorpe has been a contribu- tor to journals and magazines since 1880. She has written " The Station-Agent's Story," " Remember the Alamo," and other popular poems. Her pub- lications include " Fred's Dark Days," a story for children (Chicago, 1881) ; " The Yule Log," a book of poems (1881) ; " The Fenton Family " (Philadel- phia, 1884) ; " Nina Bruce " (1886) ; " The Chester Girls " (1887) ; " Temperance Poems " (Pent Water, Mich., 1887) ; and " Ringing Ballads " (Boston, 1887).

THORPE, Thomas Bangs, author, b. in West- field, Mass., 1 March, 1815 ; d. in New York city in October, 1878. He was for three years at Wesley- an university, and while at college gave evidence of literary and artistic talent. One of his earlv paint- ings, "The Bold Dragoon ."adapted from Washington lrving's story, was highly commended. After leaving college on account of his health, Mr. Thorpe made a tour of the south- west, and finally settled in Louisiana in 1836. His first literary production of note, "Tom Owen, the Bee-Hunter," was widely quoted, and his next contribution to periodical literature — the mirth-provoking sketch entitled " The Big Bear of Arkansas "—placed him in the foremost rank of early American humorists. He was for a time editor of a Whig newspaper in New Orleans. In 1844 he edited the " Concordia Intelligencer," and in 1846 established " The Conservator " at Baton Rouge, but sold the paper a few years later, and in 1859 became the editor and publisher of the New York "Spirit of the Times." Mr. Thorpe served in the Mexican war, and attained the rank of colonel. His contributions to periodical literature, particularly " Blackwood's.' the " Knickerbocker," and " Harper's Magazine," show versatile talent of a high order, and several of his