Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/83

Rh ALSTON, Willis, statesman, b. in Halif:-ix co., N. C. He first appears in the colonial records of the Halifax district, N. C, in 1776, was a member of the provincial house of commons 1791-'93, and meml)er of congress from 1799-1803. — His son, Willis, Jr., d. 10 April, 1837, was a member of the state legislature in 1794 and afterward, and a member of congress in 1803-15 and in 1825-'31. During the war of 1812-'15 with Great Britain, he was chairman of the ways and means committee of the house of representatives.

ALTAMIRANO, Igiiacio M. (al-tah-me-rah'- no), Mexican jurist, b. of pure Indian parentage, in the state of Guerrero. He studied law under the protection of a Spanish gentleman, was graduated with distinction, devoted himself to politics, and soon became noted for his brilliant and fiery ora- tory against his opponents of the conservative party, he belonging to the extreme radical faction. During the French invasion and the empire of Maximilian, Altamirano fought bravely against the foreign troops, but at the end of the war he retired from the army. Since that time he has filled with success many high offices in different depart- ments, and has been a member of the congress several times. He is considered the first of Mexi- can orators, and a great Oriental, Greek, German, English, French, and Italian scholar. He has pub- lished much, both in prose and verse.

ALTHAM, John, missionary, d. in 1641. He was one of the two Jesuits who accompanied Leon- ard Calvert to Maryland in 1633. On landing he obtained a hut from its Indian owner, which he fitted up for religious service, and it was after- ward known as "the first chapel in Maryland." He studied the Indian dialects at St. Mary's, and then preached the gospel throughout the common- wealth, travelling as far as the mouth of the Sus- quehanna. He converted several chiefs, and by his nifluence with the Indians did much to strengthen the infant settlement.

ALVARADO, Aloiizo d', Spanish soldier, b. in Burgos, Spain; d. in 1553. As an officer under Cortes, he participated in the conquest of Mexico (1519), and went thence to Peru, where he served as one of Pizarro's subordinates in the subjugation of the Incas. In 1537 he was sent with 500 men to reenforce the Pizarros who were fighting their brother Spaniards under Almagro in Peru. He was intercepted, defeated, and made prisoner by Al- magro before he could join the opposing force. Pizarro and Almagro were soon killed by their soldiers, and the strange warfare proceeded be- tween the survivors, Alvarado joining De Castro to crush Almagro the younger. He was lieuten- ant-general of the force"that suppressed the rebel- lion of Gonzalo Pizarro in 1548, and was made captain-general of Peru, but was vanquished in 1553, and did not long survive the mortification of his defeat.

ALVARADO, Juan Bautista, governor of Cali- fornia from 1836 till 1842. He was the leader of the Californian revolt against Mexican authority. Figueroa, the legitimate governor of the province, died in Septeraber,1835, and Chico, a very obnoxious person in the eyes of Californians, was appointed in his stead by the Mexican government. His rule was so unpopular that he was forced to retire, upon which Alvarado. in November, 1836, rallied a force, including sundry adventurers from the United States, and other foreigners, seized Monterey, and sent the deputy, whom Chico had left, to Mexico. Independence was formally declared, and the legislature elected Alvarado governor ad interim. Southern California remained loyal for a time ; but Alvarado, partly by a show of force, and parti ]> through shrewd diplomacy, won over Santa Barbara Hiul Los Angelos, and in January, 1837, pro- claimed the whole of California free and united. In June of the same year a Mexican commissioner was sent to negotiate with the revolted provinces, but the self-made governor, with characteristic ad- dress, won him over and sent him back to plead his (Alvarado's) cause. In the meantime the Mexican government had appointed a new and somewhat warlike governor for California, without consulting Alvarado, and hostilities forthwith be- gan. A single " battle " took place at San Buena- ventura, in which one man was killed, the Mexican forces were routed, and Alvarado was soon recog- nized by the central government as governor of what was then designated as the •• Department of California." For two years his jurisdiction was not seriously disputed, but in 1842 the Mexican gov- ernment sent a new military representative, and Alvarado was deposed. He appeared subsequently as an intriguer of some ability, but never came to the front again in the character of a successful leader. The conquest by the United States fol- lowed in time to prevent further instances of the local tendency to revolution.

ALVARADO, Pedro de (al-vah-rah'-do), one of the conquerors of Spanish America, b. in Bada- joz, Spain, about 1485; d. in Guadalajara, New Galicia, 4 July, 1541. In 1518 he sailed with his four brothers for Cuba, whence he accompanied Gri- jalva in his ex- ploring expedi- tion along the coast of the Amer- ican continent. Grijalva was so delighted with the aspect of the country that he called it New Spain, and sent Alvarado back to Cuba to report to Gov. Velasquez what they had seen and heard, for the first time, about the im- mense empire of Montezuma. In February, 1519, he accompanied Cor- tes, and took an active part in all the incidents of the conquest of Mexico. Cortes, while engaged in the battle against Narvaez, left the city of Mexico under charge of Alvarado, who by his "cruelty and rapacity caused an insurrection, and narrowly escaped 'with his life. In the famous retreat of the night of 1 July, 1520 {La noche triste), Alvarado distinguished himself, and to commemorate his bravery an enormous ditch over which he leaped to escape from the hands of the enemy is called to this day " El salto de Alvarado." On his return to Spain he was received with great honor by Charles V. and appointed governor of Guatemala, which he had conquered in 1523. He married a daughter of the illustrious house of La Cueva, from which the dukes of Albuquerque are descended, and returned to America