Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1889, volume 6).djvu/544

510 established in that city the business of manufac- turing steam-engines, stoves, and hollow-ware. He favored a system of gradual and compensated emancipation of the slaves, and advocated the colo- nization of the negroes on the west coast of Africa. He afterward removed to Washington, the head- quarters of the American colonization society, over which he presided, for two years edited its organ, the " African Repository," directed the affairs of the colony of Liberia, establishing commercial re- lations between it and Baltimore and Philadelphia, and gathered colonists wherever he could in the south.— His son Samuel, b. in Buffalo, N. Y., 9 May, 1817, was educated at Williams and Union, and was graduated at the latter in 1837. He was for twelve years a staff-writer on the New York " Tribune," and its war-correspondent in the Army of the Potomac, and was the editor and owner of the Buffalo " Democracy " and of the Albany " Evening Journal," having bought out Thurlow Weed in 1865. He has been secretary of the Northern Pacific railroad company since March, 1869. — The second Samuel's son, Bayard, b. in Albany, N. Y., 17 May, 1844; d. near Gettysburg, Pa., 1 July, 1863, in the first year of the civil war solicited and obtained a commission as 2d lieuten- ant in the 4th U. S. artillery. He served with his battery in and about Fortress Monroe and Nor- folk, and took part in the battle of Fredericksburg. He was promoted captain of his battery, and com- manded it at the battle of Gettysburg, where he was killed. He was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of artillery after his death for gallantry in battle. — Another son, Frank, b. in Buffalo, N. Y., 8 March, 1845, has contributed to the New York " Times," the New York u Sun," and other papers, and has published " Recollections of a Private Soldier in the Army of the Potomac " (New York, 1887). — Another son, Samuel, was one of the build- ers of Tacoma, on Puget sound.

WILKIE, Francis Bangs, journalist, b. in West Charlton, N. Y., 2 July, 1832. He was graduated at Union in 1857, during which period he had editorial charge of the " Daily Star " of Schenec- tady. Soon after he settled in Davenport, Iowa, where he established the " Evening News," and in 1861 became the war-correspondent of the " New York Times," having charge of all the military movements in the region west of the Alleghany mountains. He then became an editorial writer on the " Chicago Times " in 1864, which he held till the close of 1887. He was the correspondent of the latter during the Russo-Turkish war, and for several years was at the head of the European bureau of that journal. His published works are " Davenport, Past and Present " (Davenport, Iowa, 1858) ; « The Iowa First " (Dubuque, Iowa, 1862) ; " Walks about Chicago, and Army and Miscellane- ous Sketches " (Chicago, 1871) ; " The Chicago Bar " (1872) ; " Sketches beyond the Sea " (1879) ; " His- tory of the Great Inventions and their Influence on Civilization" (Cincinnati, 1883); "The Gambler," a novel (Chicago, 1888) ; and " Pen and Powder " (Boston, 1888). He signs his articles " Poliute."

WILKINS, Isaac, clergyman, b. in Withywood, Jamaica, W. I., 17 Dec, 1742 ; d. in Westchester, N. Y., 5 Feb., 1830. His father, Martin, who at one time held a seat on the bench of the island, brought the son to New York in early youth to be educated. He was graduated at Columbia in 1760, was a member from the borough of Westchester of the New York colonial legislature in 1772, and for several years was actively and efficiently engaged in public affairs. He supported the loyalist side of the controversy with the mother country, wrote political pamphlets which appeared in the " West- chester Farmer," and thereby rendered himself odious to the Whigs. He was compelled by the Sons of Liberty to leave this country in 1775, and the British government conferred upon him a life annuity of £125. Mr. Wilkins returned to New York before the end of the war, sold his property in Westchester, and resided on Long Island until the return of peace. In 1784 he removed to Shel- burne, Nova Scotia, purchased a farm, and took an active part in political affairs. He went to New York again in 1794, studied for the ministry, was ordained deacon in St. Peter's church, Westchester, in 1798, by Bishop Provoost, and called to the rec- torship, being ordained priest in the same church, 14 Jan., 1801, by the same bishop. He received the degree of D. D. from Columbia in 1811. He married Isabella, daughter of Lewis Morris. — His grandson, Lewis Morris, Canadian jurist, b. in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 24 May, 1801 ; d. in Wind- sor, Nova Scotia, 14 March, 1885, was the son of Lewis Morris Wilkins, who was a member of the house of assembly of Nova Scotia, a speaker of that body, and a judge of the supreme court. The son was graduated at King's college, Windsor, in 1819, studied law, was admitted to the bar, and practised at Windsor from 1823 till 1856, when he became judge of the supreme court of Nova Scotia, which post he held till 1876. Previous to his ap- pointment to the judiciary, he had served in both branches of the Nova Scotia legislature.

WILKINS, John, pioneer, b. in Donegal, Lancaster co.. Pa., 1 June, 1733; d. in Pittsburg, Pa., 11 Dec, 1809. His father, John, an early settler on Chiques creek, was an Indian trader, and took an active part against the Marylanders during the boundary difficulties, who offered £50 for his arrest. He was captured and taken to Annapolis jail, but subsequently released, John, the younger, removed to Carlisle in 1763, and ten years later to Bedford, engaging in mercantile pursuits. At the opening of the Revolution he organized a company of associators, and in 1776 was commissioned a captain in the Continental service, and was at Brandywine and Germantown. He was a member of the Pennsylvania constitutional convention of July, 1776, from Bedford county. In November, 1783, he removed to Pittsburg, entered into business, and, upon the organization of Alleghany county, was appointed one of the associate judges of the court. He served as member of the supreme executive council in 1790, was chief burgess of the borough of Pittsburg, commissioner of public buildings, and county treasurer from 1794 till 1803. — His son, William, b. in Carlisle, Pa., 20 Dec., 1779; d. in Homewood, Alleghany co., Pa., 23 June, 1865, attended Dickinson college for a short time, read law at Carlisle, and was admitted to the bar at Pittsburg on 28 Dec, 1801. He practised law there for more than fifty years, except when engaged in the performance of public duties. He was president of the common councils of the city in 1816-'19, was elected to the legislature in 1820, and was a candidate for speaker, but was defeated and made chairman of the judiciary committee. He resigned on 18 Dec, 1820, when he was appointed president-judge of the 5th judicial district of Pennsylvania. He held this office until 25 May, 1824, when he was made judge of the U. S. district court for western Pennsylvania. While on the bench in 1828, he was elected to congress, but declined to serve. In 1831 he was chosen U. S. senator for the full term of six years, and gave up the judgeship. He was a supporter of Andrew Jackson in opposition to John C. Calhoun's doctrines,