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420 York, 1866). He became editor of the New York &ldquo;Commercial Advertiser&rdquo; in 1867, but was compelled to resign that office the next year, owing to failing health, and did not again engage in regular work. Mr. Weed was tall, with a large head, overhanging brows, and massive person. He had great natural strength of character, good sense, judgment, and cheerfulness. From his youth he possessed a geniality and tact that drew all to him, and it is said that he never forgot a fact or a face. He was a journalist for fifty-seven years, and, although exercising great influence in legislation and the distribution of executive appointments, he refused to accept any public office. He was one of the earliest advocates of the abolition of imprisonment for debt, was a warm opponent of slavery, supported the policy of constructing and enlarging the state canals, and aided various railway enterprises and the establishment of the state banking system. He took an active part in the promotion of several New York city enterprises &mdash; the introduction of the Croton water, the establishment of the Metropolitan police, the Central park, the harbor commission, and the Castle Garden depot and commission for the protection of immigrants. He gave valuable aid to many charitable institutions, and devoted a large part of his income to private charity. He published some interesting &ldquo;Reminiscences&rdquo; in the &ldquo;Atlantic Monthly&rdquo; (1876), and after his death his &ldquo;Autobiography,&rdquo; edited by his daughter, appeared (Boston, 1882), the story of his life being completed in a second volume by his grandson, Thurlow Weed Barnes (1884).

WEEDON, George, soldier, b. in Fredericks- burg, Va., about 1730; d. there after 1790. He was an inn-keeper in his native town previous to the Revolution, and a zealous patriot. Dr. John D. F. Smythe, who made a tour of this country, of which he published an account (2 vols., London, 1784), says of him in 1772: "He was very active in blowing the seeds of sedition." Weedon was Dr. Smythe's host during his visit to Fredericksburg. He became lieutenant-colonel of the 3d Virginia regiment in February, 1776, and in August of the same year was transferred with the same rank to the 1st Virginia regiment. He was commissioned brigadier-general, 23 Feb., 1777, participated in the battles of the Brandy wine and Germantown, in the former battle supporting the brigade in Gen. Na- thanael Greene's division that rendered valuable service in arresting the British pursuit and rally- ing the routed army. In consequence of a question of supremacy in rank with Gen. William Wood- ford, Weedon retired from the service shortly after the battle of Germantown, but he resumed the com- mand of a brigade in 1780, and during the siege of Yorktown in October, 1781, was in charge of the Virginia militia at Gloucester.

WEEKS, Edwin Lord, artist, b. in Boston, Mass., in 1849. He studied under Jean L. Gorome and Leon Bonnat in Paris, and has travelled through Egypt, Syria, and other oriental countries, where the scenes of most of his works are laid. He has exhibited frequently at the salon in Paris, receiving honorable mention in 1885. Among his paintings are " A Cup of Coffee in the Desert," " A Scene in Tangiers," " Pilgrimage to the Jordan," "Jerusalem to the Bethany Road." "Alhambra Windows," " They Toil not. neither do they Spin," " A Prayer in the Desert," and " A Blacksmith's Shop in Tangiers." His "An Arab Story-Teller" was at the Centennial exhibition (Philadelphia, 1876), "A Moorish Camel-Driver" at the salon of 1878, and his " Departure for the Hunt, India" (1884), is in the Corcoran gallery, Washington.

WEEKS, John M., inventor, b. in Litchfield, Conn., 22 May, 1788 ; d. in Salisbury, Vt., 1 Sept., 1858. He removed with his parents to Salisbury in 1789, was educated in that town, and subse- quently resided there until his death. He was a constant contributor to agricultural journals, made a study of bees, and invented the "Vermont bee- hive." He is the author of a "Manual on Bees" (New York, 1854) ; and a " History of Salisbury, Vt., with a Memoir of the Author," by George A. Weeks (Middlebury, Vt,. 1860). He left a "His- tory of the Five Nations " in manuscript.

WEEKS, Robert Kelley, poet, b. in New York city, 21 Sept., 1840; d. there, 13 April, 1876. He was graduated at Yale in 1862 and at Columbia law-school in 1864, and was admitted to the bar of New York in the same year, but relinquished that profession and devoted himself thenceforth to literary pursuits. He published " Poems " (New York, 1866) and " Episodes and Lyric Pieces " (1870). A third volume of his poems appeared shortly after his death (1876).

WEEKS, William Raymond, clergyman, b. in Brooklyn, Conn., 6 Aug., 1783; d. in Oneida, N. Y., 27 June, 1848. He was graduated at Prince- ton in 1809, studied at Andover theological semi- nary, and was pastor of Presbyterian churches in New York state from 1812 till 1832, when he ac- cepted a charge in Newark, N. J., which he held till 1846. Williams gave him the degree of D. D. in 1828. He is the author of "Nine Sermons" (1813), a series of tracts (1834-'41), and a posthu- mous volume entitled " Pilgrim's Progress in the Nineteenth Century " (1849).

WEEMS, Mason Locke, historian, b. in Dumfries, Va., about 1760; d. in Beaufort. S. C., 23 May, 1825. He studied theology in London, took orders in the Protestant Episcopal church, and for several years was rector of Pohick church. Mount Vernon parish, Va., of which Washington was an attendant. The necessities of Weems's large family compelled him to resign that charge about 1790, and he became a book agent for Mathew Carey, the Philadelphia publisher. He was remarkably successful in that employment, &ldquo; travelling throughout the south with his books in his saddle-bags, equally ready for a stump, a fair, or a pulpit.&rdquo; He was eccentric in mind and manner, and whenever he heard of a public meeting he would attend it, and, collecting a crowd around him, urge on his hearers the merits of his books, interspersing his remarks with anecdotes and humorous sallies. With his temperance pamphlet, entitled the &ldquo;Drunkard's Glass,&rdquo; illustrated with cuts, he would enter taverns, and, by mimicking the extravagances of the drunkard, so amuse and delight his audiences that he had no trouble in selling his wares. He was an expert violin-player, on which he performed for young people to dance, thereby causing much scandal in pious communities. On one occasion he had promised to assist at a merry-making, but, fearing for his clerical character, he decided to play behind a screen. In the course of the evening it was overturned, disclosing the parson to the jeers of the company. On another occasion he was obliged to pass through a dangerous district of South Carolina, which at that time was infested with robbers. Just at nightfall his wagon sank into a quagmire; two ruffians appeared and were about to seize him, when he took out his violin and so charmed them by his music that they lifted his wheels out of the mud and let him go. &ldquo;I took precious care,&rdquo; says Weems, &ldquo;to say nothing of my name. When they pressed the question my fiddle drowned their words and mine too.&rdquo; Of his