Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/531

Rh oiis quality, Forines's deep bass was altogether unequalled. In "Robert le Diable," "Don Giovanni," and the " Huguenots," he dwarfed all competition. His stately presence and intuitively fine dramatic action, both in comedy and tragedy, added to the completeness of his representations. Nor was he less imposing in rendering the dramatic songs of Robert Franz, Schubert, and other German composers, and in the oratorios of Handel, Haydn, and Mendelssohn. In 1857 he came to the United States, making his first appearance in Meyerbeer's "Robert le Diable," at the Academy of Music in New York city. He subsequently sang with much success in the principal cities of the Union. After a time his representations suffered from carelessness, and his business all'airs seemed to lack proper management; his voice also was impaired by frequent hoarseness and habitual flatness of intonation. These conditions lost him pre-eminence, and his last years in New York city were spent as a teacher of vocal music. Of late years Formes had resided chiefly in this country, and in 1887 he became an inhabitant of the far west.

FORNARIS, Jose (for-nah'-res), b. in Bavamo, Cuba, in 1826 : d. 8 Sept., 1890. He studied at the University of Havana, was admitted to the bar in 1858, settled in that city, and devoted himself to literature and teaching. His first volume of poems was published in 1851: a second volume (1857) made him popular throughout the island. A third, under the title of "Flores y Lagrimas," was published in 1862, and shortly afterward his "Cantos del Siboney," in which the habits and traditions of the primitive inhabitants of Cuba are described. "La Hija del Pueblo," a drama (1865), and " Amor y Sacrificio," a drama (1866), were his next productions. In 1871 F'ornaris travelled in Europe, and in 1878 published in Paris "El Arpa del Hogar." and later another volume of poems under the title of " Cantos Tropicales." He returned to Havana in 1881, where he died.

FORNEY, John Weiss, journalist, b. in Lancaster, Pa., 30 Sept., 1817; d. in Philadelphia, 9 Dec., 1881. He began life as a shop-boy in a village store, but, being ambitious, gave up the work and at the age of sixteen entered the printing-office of the Lancaster, Pa., &ldquo;Journal.&rdquo; In his twentieth year he purchased the Lancaster &ldquo;Intelligencer,&rdquo; a strongly Democratic journal, and in 1840 he published the paper in whose office he had entered as apprentice seven years before, in connection with his previous purchase, under the name of the &ldquo;Intelligencer and Journal.&rdquo; His journal attained a wide reputation, and in 1845 President Polk appointed him deputy surveyor of the port of Philadelphia. He then disposed of his paper, bought a half share in the &ldquo;Pennsylvania,&rdquo; one of the most decided of the Democratic journals in the state, and conducted it editorially until 1851. In that year he was chosen clerk of the house of representatives and re-elected two years later, serving until 1855. During this term of office he continued to write for the &ldquo;Pennsylvania,&rdquo; and edited the Washington &ldquo;Union,&rdquo; the foremost Democratic paper at the capital. While clerk of the house of representatives it became Mr. Forney's duty to preside during the protracted struggle for the speakership in 1855, which resulted in the election of Nathaniel P. Banks, when, by his tact as presiding officer, he won the applause of all parties. In 1856 he returned to Pennsylvania and was chosen chairman of the Democratic state committee. In January, 1857, he was the Democratic candidate for U. S. senator, but was defeated by Simon Cameron. In August, 1857, he began the

publication of the &ldquo;Press,&rdquo; an independent Democratic journal in Philadelphia. Having exhausted his fund in the political campaign, he purchased the type on credit, and the paper was printed for months in the office of the &ldquo;Sunday Dispatch.&rdquo; The &ldquo;Press&rdquo; ardently espoused the opinions of Stephen A. Douglas, and supported Buchanan's administration up to the adoption of the Lecompton constitution, and the effort to secure the admission of Kansas into the Union under it. Mr. Forney resolutely opposed that measure, and his action caused a disruption of the friendly relations which had previously existed between the president and himself. Few men in the country contributed more than Mr. Forney to strengthen the Republican party, and to prepare it for the contest of 1860. In December, 1859, he was again elected clerk of the house of representatives, and soon afterward started in Washington the. &ldquo;Sunday Morning Chronicle,&rdquo; which was afterward, in October, 1862, converted into a daily. He was elected secretary of the U. S. senate in 1861, and for six years was one of the most influential supporters of the administration. On the death of Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Forney supported Andrew Johnson for a short time, but afterward became one of the foremost in the struggle which resulted in the president's impeachment. He sold the &ldquo;Chronicle&rdquo; in 1870, and in March, 1871, became collector of the port of Philadelphia. He held the office but one year, but during that time perfected the system of direct transportation of imports in bond without appraisement and examination at the port of original entry. When the Centennial exhibition was proposed, he was one of its most active promoters, and went to Europe in its interests in 1875. On his return he sold his interest in the &ldquo;Press,&rdquo; and in 1879 established &ldquo;The Progress,&rdquo; a weekly paper, in Philadelphia. In 1880 he supported Winfield S. Hancock for the presidency. He was the author of &ldquo;Letters from Europe&rdquo; (Philadelphia, 1869); &ldquo;What I saw in Texas&rdquo; (1872); &ldquo;Anecdotes of Public Men&rdquo; (2 vols., New York, 1873); &ldquo;A Centennial Commissioner in Europe&rdquo; (Philadelphia, 1876); &ldquo;Forty Years of American Journalism&rdquo; (1877); and &ldquo;The New Nobility&rdquo; (New York, 1882).

FORNEY, Peter, soldier, b. in Lincoln county, N. C., in April, 1756; d. there, 1 Feb., 1834. He was of Huguenot descent, and during the war of the Revolution served in the American army. He afterward engaged in the manufacture of iron, and was a member of the legislature of North Carolina in 1794-'6, and of the state senate in 1801-'2. He was elected to congress from North Carolina, and served from 24 May,1813, till 3 March, 1815. He was a presidential elector on the Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Jackson tickets. — His son. Daniel M., soldier, b. in Lincoln county, N.C., in May, 1784; d. in Lowndes county, Ala., in October, 1847. He was a major in the war of 1812, and was elected a representative in congress from North Carolina for two successive terms, serving from 4 Dec, 1815, till 1818, when he resigned. He was appointed by President Monroe in 1820 a commissioner to treat with the Creek Indians, and was a member of the state senate of North Carolina in 1823-'6. He removed to Alabama in 1834. — His grandson, William Henry, soldier. b. in Lincolnton, N. C., 9 Nov., 1823; d. 17 Jan., 1894. He was graduated at the University of Alabama, and in the war with Mexico served as 1st lieutenant in the 1st Alabama volunteers. He afterward studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1848, and engaged in practice for twenty-five years. He was elected to the legislature in 1859, entered the Confederate army as captain in 1861, and rose