Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/75

Rh tion for the revision of the constitution of the state. In February, 1845, he was appointed chan- cellor under the new constitution, and became ex- officio president of the court of errors and appeals. His terra of office expired in February, 1852, and he then gave all his time to the pursuit and appli- cation of his life-long studies m philology. He published, beside several legal works, "The The- ologv of the Bible" (Newark, 1866): and "The Book called Job " (1875).— His son, Oliver Spen- cer, lawyer, b. in Elizabeth, N. J., in 1827 ; a. in Newark, N. J., 9 July, 1871, was known as " Pet " Halsted. He was active in politics during the war, and was a warm friend of Gen. Philip Kearny and President Lincoln. His address, persistency, and assurance made him potent in Washington during the war and for a year or two afterward in regard to appointments and removals, especially in New Jersey. — His son, George Bruce, mathematician, b. in "Newark. N. J., 25 Nov., 1853, was graduated at Princeton in 1875, held fellowships there and in Johns Hopkins, where he received the degree of Ph. D. in 1879, and then studied in Berlin, Germany. He became instructor in post-gradu- ate mathematics in Princeton, and afterward ac- cepted the chair of mathematics in the University of Texas, which he still holds (1887). He was the first to give the received treatment of solid angles, originated " Halsted's prismoidal formula," and has published " Metrical Geometry " (3d ed., Bos- ton, 1883) ; " Elements of Geometry " (New York, 1885) ; and a " Bibliography of Hyper-Space and Non-Euclidean Geometry " (Baltimore), besides pa- pers in scientific journals.

HAMBLIN, Joseph Eldridge, soldier, b. in Yarmouth, Mass., in 1828 ; d. in New York city, 3 July, 1870. For many years prior to 1861 he was a member of the 7th militia regiment, and soon after the outbreak of the civil war became adju- tant of the 5th New York regiment. In Novem- ber, 1861, shortly after the formation of the 65th New York, he was transferred to that regiment. He rapidly rose to the command, and participated in Grant's campaign of 1864 from the Wilderness to Petersburg. In July, 1864, his regiment was transferred to the Shenandoah valley, to resist the demonstration of Breckinridge and Early against Washington and Maryland. Col. Hamblin par- ticipated in each of Sheridan's brilliant successes in the valley, and was severely wounded at Cedar Creek. For gallantry in this action he was bre- vetted brigadier-general, and placed in command of the brigade. Upon the return of the corps to Petersburg he was, in the spring of 1865, promoted to full rank, and participated in all the subsequent engagements of the Army of the Potomac to the surrender at Appomattox. For distinguished bra- very at Sailor's Creek, 6 April, 1865, the last en- gagement between the Confederates and the Army of the Potomac, he was brevetted major-general, and was mustered out with that rank at Washing- ton, 15 Jan., 1866. After the war he entered upon civil pursuits in New York.

HAMBLIN, Thomas Sowerby, actor, b. in Pen- ton ville, near London, England, 14 May, 1800; d. in New York city, 8 Jan., 1853. His parents in- tended him for a business career, but he became a supernumerary and occasional dancer in the Adel- phi theatre in London. At the age of nineteen Hamblin joined the corps of Sadlers Wells theatre, and at twenty became engaged at Drury Lane. On the termination of his London engagement he per- formed as a leading tragedian in Bath, ~ and Dublin. At this time he marriej" Blanchard, and soon afterward, far f/#cc~«Jk^ came to the United States. They appeared at the New York Park theatre in " Hamlet," followed by "The Stranger," "Macbeth," and "The Honey- moon," and afterward visited the principal cities of the Union. In 1830 Hamblin, in connection with James H. Hackett, leased the first Bowery theatre, and, after brief joint management, ac- quired the entire control. At that time the Bow- ery was the largest and handsomest structure of the kind in this country. After a prosperous career it was de- stroyed by fire on 16 Sept., 1836. Hamblin was only partly in- sured, and a heavy loser. He then visited London, and appeared as Hamlet, Othello, Coriolanus, Rolla.and Virginius, but with- out success. He leased the newly erected second Bow- ery theatre in 1837, and conducted it on the old plan with his former success until 1845, when it was again burned. He accepted the management of the third Bowery theatre in 1847, and in 1848 leased the Park theatre, and for several months conducted it in connection with the Bowery. On 16 Dec. of the same year this house also was destroyed by fire, making the fourth theatre burned under his man- agement. His loss on this occasion amounted to about $17,000. Thereafter he conducted the Bow- ery theatre alone until the day of his death. With him the historic career of the New York Bowery theatre began and ended. Hamblin was prompt, liberal, and popular, and noted as a helper of worthy aspirants. An important feature of his management was the frequent representation of tragedies and standard dramas. The elder Booth, Forrest, Cooper, and himself were occasionally cast for characters in the same play. Sudden attacks of asthma rendered his performances unequal, but in his best days he fell little short of the popularity of Forrest and the elder Booth. He was tall and strikingly majestic, and the public knew him fa- miliarly as " handsome Tom Hamblin." — Ham- blin's fourth wife came to the United States with her first husband, a physician named Shaw, and appeared at the New York Park theatre, 28 Feb., 1836, in " The Wife." In 1839 she became a mem- ber of the Bowery theatre company, and ten years later was married to the manager. As Mrs. Shaw she was one of the most beautiful actresses of her day. In forcible roles, like Lady Macbeth and Queen Katharine, she was excelled by Miss Kem- ble and Miss Cushman, but as Desdemona and Ophelia it was generally admitted that Mrs. Hamblin was superior to all other performers.

HAMER, Thomas L., soldier, b. in Pennsylvania; d. in Monterey, Mexico, 2 Dec, 1846. He emigrated to Ohio when quite young, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1821, and began practice at Georgetown - in that state. He served for several years in the Ohio house of representatives, where he was once speaker, and was elected to congress as a Democrat, serving from 2 Dec., 1833, to 3 March, 1839. While he was a representative in congress he nominated Ulysses S. Grant, the son of a constituent, to be a cadet at the U. S. military academy. He served in the Mexican war, olunteering as a private, and receiving the next