Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/424

400 He was especially successful in the construction of quartz-mills, water-works, and chlorinizing fur- naces. In 1865 he became superintendent of the Ophir mine, and in 1867 of the Hale and Norcross. In the latter year he also formed a partnership with John W. Mackay, James C. Flood, and Will- iam S. O'Brien, and purchased the control of sev- eral well-known mines. The yield of gold and sil- ver in these mines during Mr. Fair's service as superintendent is estimated to have reached $200,- 000.000. Mr. Fair was elected to the U. S. senate from Nevada, as a Democrat, to succeed William Sharon, Republican, and served form 1881 till 1887. He was largely interested in manufactories on the Pacific coast.

FAIRBANKS, Erastus, manufacturer, b. in Brimfield. Mass., 28 Oct., 1792; d. 24 Nov., 1864. He was fifth in descent from Jonathan Fairbanks, who came from England and settled in Dedham, Mass., in 1633. The old Fairbanks house in Ded- ham, built by Jonathan's brother, John, and still in possession of the family, is represented in the ac- companying illustration. Erastus began to study law, but gave it up on account of an affection of the eyes, and engaged in trade in various places,

finally removing to St. Johnslnxry. Vt. He formed a partnership with his brother Thaddeus in 1824, and began the manufacture of cast-ii'on plows and stove-castings. In 1826 the firm, with several oth- ers, formed the St. Johnsbury hemp-dressing com- pany, and in 1831 the brothers gave their entire attention to making the platform-scales invented by Thaddeus. Erastus remained at the head of the firm till his death. He was a member of the legislature in 1836-'8, president of the Passumpsic railroad company in 1849, and was elected gov- ernor of Vermont in 1851 and 1860. rendering effi- cient aid to the government in the early days of the civil war. — His brother, Thaddeus, inventor, b. in Brimfield, Mass., 17 Jan., 1796; d. in St. Johnsbury, Vt., 12 April, 1886, removed with his father in 1815 to St. Johnsbury, Vt., and aided him in a saw- and grist-mill, also making carriages. He had an aptitvide for mechanics, and in 1826, while engaged in the business of dressing hemp, observed the rudeness of the methods in use for weighing it. The result was the invention of his platform-scale, for which he received a patent on 21 June, 1831. Platform-scales were not unknown before that time, but had been little used. The most essential improvements invented by Mr. Fair- banks were the employment of only two levers, and the use of knife-edge bearings, resting on plane polished steel surfaces. Other improvements, cov- ered by about fifty patents, were afterward made, and the Fairbanks scales are now used in all parts of the world. It has been estimated that they weigh a million-million pounds a week. The scales have received medals at eight international exhibitions, and Thaddeus Fairbanks received in 1873, from the emperor of Austria, the cross of the- order of Francis Joseph. — Another brother, Joseplt Paddock, b. in Brimfield. Mass., 26 Nov., 1806 ; d. 15 May, 1855, studied law, but became a member of the firm in 1834, and took charge of the intrc- duction of the scales into general use. — Erastus's son, Horace, b. in Barnet, Vt., 21 March, 1820 ; d. in New York city, 18 March, 1888, succeeded his father as manager of the firm, and became president of the Fairbanks scale company, 24 Nov., 1874. He has served as state senator, and in 1876 was elected governor of Vermont. Mr. Fairbanks manifested the same benevolent traits that had characterized his father. Among his many benefactions the principal one is the St. Johnsbury athenanim— an institution boasting a library of over ten thousand volumes and a gallery that contains not a few gems of the painter's art, among them Bierstadt's " Yosemite." — Another son. Franklin, b. 18 June, 1828 ; d. 24 April. 1895, contributed inventions toward perfecting the scales, and also patented modifications of the special ma- chinery used in their manufacture. He was a member of the Vermont legislature in 1871-'2, and was speaker of the house. — Thaddeus's only son, Henry, b. in St. Johnsbury, Vt., 6 May, 1830, wa& graduated at Dartmouth in 1853, and at Andover theological seminary in 1857. He was ordained in 1858. held pastorates in Burke and Barnet, Vt., and in 1859 became professor of natural philoso- phy at Dartmouth. He exchanged this chair for that of natural history in 1865, and since 1868 has resided at St. Johnsbury, giving his time to me- elianical experiments. He has patented several in- ventions relating to the manufacture of scales and to other industries. He has been a member of the board of trustees of Dartmouth college since 1870.

FAIRCHILD, Ashbel Green, clergyman, b. in Hanover. N. J., 1 May, 1795; d. in SmitlifieJd, Pa., in 1864. He was graduated at Princeton in 1813, studied theology, and was licensed as a preacher in 1816, ordained in 1818, and served in various places as a missionary. From 1822 till 1854 he was pastor at George's Creek, whence he went to Tent, Pa., where he remained imtil his death. Besides frequent contributions to the re- ligious press, he published many tracts and dis- courses. His principal work was the " Great Sup- per," which was translated into German and had a circulation larger, with one or two exceptions, than any other book published by the Presbyteriaxi board. Among his other works are "Baptism," "Faith and Works," and "Confession of Faith."

FAIRCHILD, Cassius, soldier, b. in Kent, Ohio, 16 Dec, 1828 ; d. in Milwaukee, Wis., 26 Oct., 1868. In 1846 his father settled at Madison, Wis., where, as state treasurer and in other responsible offices, his time was so fully occupied that Cassius, the eldest living son, devoted himself mainly to the care of his father's private business. He was elected a member of the state legislature in 1860. On President Lincoln's first call for troops in 1861, he was commissioned major of the 16th Wisconsin volunteers. In the battle of Shiloh. 6 April, 1862, he received a wound that disabled him until 18 April, 1863, when he rejoined his regiment at Lake Providence, and took command of it on 18 June. He served on general court-martial at Vicksburg, Miss., from 10 Oct., 1863, till 7 March, 1864, at which date he again took command of his regiment, participated in the march from Clifton, Tenn., to Ackworth, Ga., and was engaged in the battles of Big Shanty and Kenesaw Mountain, and many other conflicts. He was detached on recruiting