Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/472

440 collect materials for a supplement to Michaux and Nuttall's Sylva. He was assistant geologist and naturalist of the Texas geological survey in 1860-'l, and from 1862 till 1865 was connected with the U. S. sanitary commission. He was state geologist of Texas from 1866 till 1867, and again from 1874 till 1877, and prepared two geological maps of the state. He showed by his investigations that Texas had deposits of iron and coal of much greater extent than had been supposed. In 1871-'2 he was scientific editor of the "State Gazette," Austin, Tex. From 1877 till 1881 he was engaged in preparing a work on the geology and natural history of the state. He was a member of various learned societies, and contributed largely to scientific publications. He also published several valuable reports as state geologist. A list of his scientific papers may be found in "Alumni Record of Wesleyan Universitv " (Middletown, Conn., 1883).

BUCKMINSTER, Joseph, clergyman, b. in Rutland, Mass., 14 Oct., 1751; d. in Readsboro, Vt., 10 June, 1812. He was graduated in 1770 at Yale, studied three years longer on a Berkeley scholarship, and was a tutor from 1774 till 1778. Thomas, his ancestor, came early to Boston, and died in Brookline in 1656. He was the son of Joseph Buckminster, nephew of Col. William Buckminster, and minister of Rutland, Mass., who published several sermons, and died 27 Nov., 1792, aged seventy-two years. He became attached, while at New Haven, to a lady of reputation and celebrity, whose history is the basis of Miss Foster's story, “The Coquette.” He was ordained in January, 1779, pastor of the North church in Portsmouth, N. H. After a ministry of thirty-three years, his health becoming greatly impaired, he left home, 2 June, 1812, accompanied by his wife and two friends, but died a few days after. He was an earnest preacher, distinguished for fervent eloquence, and was interested in the controversy that led to a division in the Congregational church, adhering to conservative and orthodox principles, while his son adopted liberal views. He published about twenty-five sermons and a short sketch of Dr. McClintock, and was part author of the “Piscataqua River Prayer-Book.” Eliza B. Lee, his daughter, published “Memoirs of the Rev. Joseph Buckminster, D. D., and of his Son, the Rev. Joseph Stevens Buckminster” (Boston, 1851).—His son, Joseph Stevens, clergyman, b. in Portsmouth, N. H., 26 May, 1784; d. 9 June, 1812. He was graduated at Harvard in 1800, studied theology and general literature, and was for a time an assistant in Phillips Exeter academy, where he had Daniel Webster as one of his pupils. In October, 1804, he preached in Boston for the first time, and accepted, in 1805, an invitation from the Brattle street society there. A voyage to Europe was rendered necessary for the restoration of his health; and in 1806-'7 he travelled in England and on the continent. While in London he purchased many books for the Boston Athenæum. He was an active member of the anthology club, famous for the gifted men it included, and for having originated one of the first purely literary periodicals of this country. In 1809 he delivered before the Phi Beta Kappa society of Harvard an address on “The Dangers and Duties of Men of Letters.” He was a celebrated preacher and a contributor to periodicals. The new edition of the Greek Testament of Griesbach was directed by him in 1808. In 1811 he was appointed the first lecturer on biblical criticism at Harvard; but, while preparing for this office, he was attacked with epilepsy, a disease with which he was affected

during his entire life, and died after a few days. In 1808 he published a collection of hymns for the use of his society. A volume of his sermons was published, with a memoir of his life and character, by Samuel C. Thacher, in 1814. His collected works were issued in two volumes (Boston, 1839).

BUCKMINSTER, William, soldier, b. in Framingham, Mass., 15 Dec, 1736; d. 22 June, 1786; removed to Barre in 1757, commanded the minute-men in 1774, was lieutenant-colonel of Brewer's regiment at Bunker Hill, and received there a wound that crippled him for life.

BUCKMINSTER, William J., journalist, b. in Maine in 1813 ; d. in Maiden, Mass., 2 March, 1878. He was a son of the founder of the “Massachusetts Ploughman,” and was for twenty-one years one of its editors and publishers. He was graduated at Harvard college in 1835. His father, William, died at Framingham, Mass., in June, 1865, aged eighty-two years.

BUCKNER, Alexander, senator, b. in Indiana; d. in St. Louis, Mo., 15 June, 1833. He settled in Missouri, was a member of the state constitutional convention in 1820, was several terms in the legislature, and was elected to the U. S. senate, serving from 4 March, 1831, until his death.

BUCKNER, Simon Bolivar, soldier, b. in Kentucky in 1823. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1844. Entering the 2d infantry, he was, from August, 1845, till May, 1846, assistant professor of ethics at West Point. He was brevetted first lieutenant for gallantry at Contreras and Churubusco, where he was wounded, and captain for gallantry at Molino del Rey. He was appointed assistant instructor of infantry tactics at West Point, August, 1848, and resigned 25 March, 1855. He was superintendent of construction of the Chicago custom-house in 1855, and colonel of the volunteers raised in Illinois in that year for the Utah expedition, but not mustered into service. He then practised law, and became the most prominent of the Knights of the Golden Circle in Kentucky. After the civil war began he was made commander of the state guard of Kentucky and adjutant-general of the state. On 12 Sept., 1861, he issued from Russellville an address to the people of Kentucky, calling on them to take up arms against the usurpation of Abraham Lincoln, after which he occupied Bowling Green. After the capture of Fort Henry he evacuated that place and withdrew to Fort Donelson, where he commanded a brigade in the battles of 13. 14, and 15 Feb., 1862, and, after the escape of Pillow and Floyd, surrendered the fort, 16 Feb., to Gen. Grant, with 16,000 prisoners and vast stores. He was imprisoned at Fort Warren, Boston, until exchanged in August, 1862. He subsequently commanded the 1st division of Gen. Hardee's corps in Bragg's army in Tennessee. Later he was made a major-general, and assigned to the 3d grand division, was in the battles of Murfreesboro and Chickamauga, and surrendered with Kirby Smith's army to Osterhaus, at Baton Rouge, 26 May, 1865. Gen. Buckner's first wife was a daughter of Maj. Kingsbury. He was one of the pall-bearers at Gen. Grant's funeral. He was elected governor of Kentucky in 1887.

BUDD, Charles Henry, physician, b. in Pemberton, N. J., 8 Dec, 1822; d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 22 Oct., 1880. He was educated at Marshall college, Mercersburg, Pa., and studied medicine at the university of Pennsylvania, after which he began to practise in Darby, Pa. At the beginning of the civil war he received an appointment at the Chestnut Hill hospital, and afterward at the Nicetown hospital, Philadelphia. Subsequent to the