Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1889, volume 6).djvu/455

Rh the-Maine, came to Pennsylvania in December, 1755, and settled in Philadelphia, where he was one of the founders of the German society, and its president in 1783-'4. He was commissioned by the executive council of the province, 20 May, 1786, a justice of the peace, and on 26 May a justice of the court of common pleas. He edited " Collection of the Laws of Pennsylvania" (1760-'2). Horace Bin- ney says of this collection : " It is valuable for several old laws not to be found in other editions, and especially for many proceedings in the privy council of England, repealing or disallowing certain of the laws of the province."

WEISS, Susan Archer Talley, poet, b. in Hanover county, Va., 14 Feb., 1835. Her father, Thomas Talley, a lawyer, removed in 1842 to Richmond, where she went to school for one year. At the age of eleven she became deaf, and afterward educated herself. During the civil war she was accused by the National authorities of being a spy, and was arrested and imprisoned at Fort McHenry, Baltimore. While there in 1863 she married Col. von Weiss, a German officer, who died in 1869. She has thrown new and favorable light on Poe's domestic character in a paper published in &ldquo;Scribner's Monthly&rdquo; in March, 1876.

WEISSE, John Adam (wys), philologist, b. in Ropperville, Lorraine, 3 Dec., 1810; d. in New York city, 12 Jan., 1888. He was graduated in classics and natural sciences at the college in Bitsche, and in chemistry and philosophy at the seminary in Metz, and subsequently became professor of French in the Imperial school in Vienna. He emigrated to this country in 1840, and during an eight-years' residence in Boston published a &ldquo;Key to the French Language.&rdquo; He went to Brussels in 1849, was graduated in medicine there in 1850, and settled in New York city, where he passed the remainder of his life. He retired from active practice several years previous to his death, devoting his later life to literary pursuits and lecturing before learned societies. He was president of the New York philological society. He published &ldquo;Origin, Progress, and Destiny of the English Language and Literature,&rdquo; which was favorably criticised by William E. Gladstone and Max Milller (New York, 1873), and &ldquo;The Obelisk and Freemasonry&rdquo; (1881).

WEISSENFELS, Frederick H, Baron de, soldier, b. in Prussia in 1738; d. in New Orleans, La., 14 May, 1806. During his early life he was an officer in the British service, but he emigrated to this country, and in 1763 settled in Dutchess county, N. Y. He became lieutenant-colonel of the 3d New York battalion in 1776, and afterward commanded the 2d New York battalion at White Plains, Trenton, the surrender of Burgoyne, and the battle of Monmouth. He accompanied Gen. John Sullivan's expedition against the Six Nations in 1779, and fought at Newton. The war left him impoverished, and at the time of his death he filled a minor office in New Orleans.

WEITZEL, Godfrey, soldier, b. in Cincinnati, Ohio, 1 Nov., 1835; d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 19 March, 1884. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1855, became 1st lieutenant of engineers in 1860, and was attached to the staff of Gen. Benjamin F. Butler as chief engineer of the Department of the Gulf. After the capture of New Orleans he became assistant military commander and acting mayor of the city. He was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers, 29 Aug., 1862, routed a large force of the enemy at Labadieville, La., in October of that year, and was brevetted major in the U. S. army for that service. He became captain of engineers, 3 March, 1863,

commanded the advance in Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks's operations in western Louisiana in April and May, 1863, a division at the siege of Port, Hudson, La., and a division in the 19th army corps in the Lafourche campaign. On 8 July, 1863, he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel, U. S. army, &ldquo;for gallant and meritorious services at the siege of Port Hudson.&rdquo; He joined in the western Louisiana campaign, and from May till September, 1864, was chief engineer of the Army of the James, being engaged at Swift's Creek, the actions near Drury's Bluff, and in constructing the defences of Bermuda Hundred, James River, and Deep Bottom. In August, 1864, he was brevetted major-general of volunteers &ldquo;for meritorious and distinguished services during the civil war.&rdquo; He commanded the 18th army corps from September till December, 1864, was brevetted colonel in the U. S. army &ldquo;for gallant and meritorious services at the capture of Fort Harrison, 30 Sept., 1864,&rdquo; became full major-general of volunteers on 7 Nov., was second in command of the first expedition to Fort Fisher, and in March and April, 1865, was in charge of all troops north of Potomac river during the final operations against Gen. Robert E. Lee's army, taking possession of Richmond, 3 April, 1865. In March, 1865, he was brevetted brigadier-general in the regular army for services in that campaign, and major-general in the same rank &ldquo;for gallant and meritorious services in the field during the civil war.&rdquo; He commanded the Rio Grande district, Texas, in 1865-'6, and was mustered out of volunteer service on 1 March of the latter year. He became major of engineers in 1866, and lieutenant-colonel in 1882, and from that date was in charge of various works of improvement in and near Philadelphia, and chairman of the commission advisatory to the board of harbor commissioners of that city.

WELBY, Amelia B. Coppuck, poet, b. in St. Michael's, Md., 3 Feb., 1819 ; d. in Louisville, Ky., 3 May, 1852. She removed with her parents to Kentucky in childhood, and. after residing in Lexington and Louisville, married in 1838 George B. Welby, a merchant of the latter city. She began in 1837 to contribute poems to the Louisville "Journal," under the name of "Amelia," by which she gained some reputation. They were highly praised by George D. Prentice, Rufus W. Griswold., Edgar A Poe, and other critics. A small collection (Boston, 1844) passed through several editions, and a larger one was afterward published, with illustrations, by Robert W. Weir (New York, 1850).

WELCH, Adonijah Strong, senator, b. in East Hampton, Conn., 12 April, 1821. He removed to Michigan in 1839, and was graduated at the State university in 1846, after serving as principal of its preparatory department from 1844. He then studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1847, but in that year became principal of Jonesville high-school. He went to California in 1849, and on his return in 1851 took charge of the