Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/183

Rh was engaged in examining the ruins of the ancient Pueblos, and in studying the sedentary Indians of New Mexico. He visited Central America in 1881, and for a time during 1883-'84 was in northern Mexico and Arizona. His papers and reports of progress have been published in the &ldquo;Proceedings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science,&rdquo; and among the &ldquo;Papers of the Archaeological Institute of America.&rdquo; He is the author of &ldquo;Art of War and Mode of Warfare&rdquo; (Boston, 1877); &ldquo;Tenure of Lands, and Inheritances of Ancient Mexicans&rdquo; (1878); &ldquo;Social Organization and Government of Ancient Mexicans&rdquo; (1878); and &ldquo;An Archaeological Tour into Mexico&rdquo; (1880).

BANDINI, Juan, politician, b. in Lima, Peru, in 1800; d. in Los Angeles, Cal., in 1859. In 1831 he took part in a revolution against Gov. Victoria. In 1834 he was connected with a famous and disastrous Mexican scheme for a new colony in California, and in 1836-'38 he was leader of the southern opposition to Alvarado. These latter years were the culmination of his political activity, and with his failure in the conflict with Alvarado he retired from party leadership. But he continued to hold various minor offices, and early espoused the cause of the Americans in 1846.

BANGS, Francis Cannon, actor, b. in Alexandria, Va., 13 Oct., 1833. His first appearance on the stage was in 1852, in the Old National theatre, Washington, D. C. He played in New York for the first time, at Laura Keene's theatre, in the spring of 1858, at Wallack's in December of that year, and at the Winter Garden in 1860, after which he retired from the stage until 1865, when he appeared as William Tell at the National theatre, Washington. He played Old Tom in &ldquo;After Dark&rdquo; at Niblo's Garden in November, 1868, and in 1869 appeared as the Duke of Alva in &ldquo;Patrie&rdquo; at the Grand Opera-House. He took part in the Shakesperian revival at Booth's theatre in 1875, and afterward played with Charles Thorne in the &ldquo;Corsican Brothers.&rdquo; In 1884 he appeared in the role of Willie Denver in &ldquo;The Silver King.&rdquo;

BANGS, Nathan, clergyman, b. in Stratford, Conn., 2 May, 1778 ; d. in New York city, 3 May, 1862. He received a limited education, taught school, and in 1799 went to Canada, where he spent three years as a teacher and land-surveyor. Uniting with the Methodist church, he labored for six years as an itinerant minister in the Canadian provinces, and, on returning to New York, took a prominent part in the councils of the denomination. In 1820 he was transferred from a pastorate in New York to the head of the Methodist book concern. Under his management debts were paid off and the business much extended. He was also editor of the "Methodist Magazine." In 1828 he was appointed editor of the "Christian Advocate." When the "Methodist Quarterly Review" replaced the " Methodist Magazine " in 1832, the general conference continued Dr. Bangs in the editorship. He was the principal founder and secretary of the Methodist missionary society. Besides his editorial labors he exercised the censorship over all the publications of the book concern. When appointed secretary of the missionary society in 1836. he devoted his chief energies to its service, until appointed president of the Wesleyan university, at Middletown, Conn., in 1841. In 1842 he resumed pastoral work in New York, and in 1852 retired and employed himself during his remaining years chiefly in literary labors. His most important work was a "History of the Methodist Episcopal Church from its Origin in 1776 to the General Conference of 1840" (4 vols., New York, 1839-'42). His other published works were a volume directed against "Christianism," a new sect in New England (1809) ; "Errors of Hopkinsianism" (1815); "Predestination Examined" (1817); "Reformer Reformed" (1818) ; "Methodist Episcopacy" (1820); "Life of the Rev. Freeborn Garettson" (1832); "Authentic History of the Missions Under the Care of the Methodist Episcopal Church" (1832); "Letters to a Young Preacher " (1835); "The Original Church of Christ" (1836); "Essay on Emancipation" (1848); "State and Responsibilities of the Methodist Episcopal Church " (1850); "Letters on Sanctification" (1851); "Life of Arminius"; "Scriptural Vindication of the Oi'ders and Powers of the Ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church"; and numerous occasional sermons. See "Life and Times of Nathan Bangs. D. D.," by Abel Stevens (New York, 1863).—His son, Francis Nehemiah, lawyer, b. in New York city, 23 Feb., 1828 ; d. in Ocala, Florida, 30 Nov., 1885. He was educated at Wesleyan university, Middletown, Conn., and at the university of the City of New York, where he was graduated in 1845. He then studied at Yale, was admitted to the bar in New York in 1850, formed a partnership with John Sedgwick, and soon became prominent in his profession, with abundance of business in bankruptcy cases. On his elevation to the bench in 1871, Judge Sedgwick retired from the firm, which was afterward known as a railroad law firm, in charge of several important international cases. Mr. Bangs was active in the Cesnola suits, the Havermeyer estate suits, and various phases of the litigation growing out of the failure of Grant & Ward. He displayed great activity in his professional career from its beginning to its close, and it is believed that his death resulted from overwork. He was one of the original members of the Bar Association of New York, and was its president in 1882 and 1883. He was active in the proceedings instituted by the bar against Judges Bar- nard and Cardozo in 1872, and was a witness at the trial of Barnard, who was convicted on every charge in regard to which Mr. Bangs testified. Interesting anecdotes are related of his courage and address in resisting some of the acts of Judge Barnard and Judge McCunn during the period of ring rule. Mr. Bangs was a republican in politics, and was one of the originators of the Union League Club in New York citv.

BANISTER, John, botanist, b. in England; d. in Virginia in 1692. He is said to have been an English clergyman, who, after spending some years in the West Indies, emigrated to America, and settled near Jamestown, Va. Here he devoted himself almost exclusively to botanical pursuits, and wrote a natural history of Virginia. He was killed by a fall while on a botanical expedition. To the second volume of Ray's "History of Plants" he contributed a catalogue of plants discovered by him in Virginia. Among his other publications are "Observations on the Natural Productions of Jamaica"; "The Insects of Virginia" (1700); "Curiosities in Virginia"; "Observations on the Musca lupus"; "On Several Sorts of Snails"; and "A Description of the Snakeroot, Pistolochia or Serpentaria Virginiania."—His son, John, soldier, b. in Virginia ; d. near Hatcher's Run, Dinwiddle co., Va., in 1787, received a classical education in England, studying law at the Temple. After his return to America he was prominent in the patriotic movements just before the revolution, and during the war a colonel in the Virginia line. He was a member of the state assembly, and of the continental congress from 16 March, 1778, to 24 Sept., 1779. In 1781, as lieutenant-colonel of Vir-