Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/621

Rh Unitarian doctrines were the delight of Boston theologians. He delivered the annual election sermon in 1843, in 1843 the " Dudleian lecture," and in that year was given the degree of 1). D. by Harvard. He took part in a second controversy which arose in the Unitarian denomination, and, circumscribed as he was by his infirmity, he did a large amount of ministerial and literary work. He was president of the American Unitarian asso- ciation in 1847-'51, of the Benevolent fraternity of churches in 1857-'62, and an overseer of Har- vard in 1835-'58. On the bronze bas-reliefs of the soldiers' monument on Boston common his face appears in the sanitary commission group ; and the Freedman's aid society had his best labors in its behalf. He was killed by a railway accident.

GANNON, Mary, actress, b. in New York city, 8 Oct., 1829; d. there, 23 Feb., 1868. She was placed on the stage by her parents when she was three years of age, in the Richmond Hill theatre, and at the age of six appeared at the Bowery the- atre. For years she played child's parts, and later appeared in medley performances that involved song, dance, and rapid changes of character. In 1854 Miss Gannon married George W. Stephen- son, a lawyer of New York city, who soon died. Resuming her maiden name, she became success- ively a member of several stock companies, and was valued for her sprightliness and versatility. She excelled in comedy and burlesque, but was not without ability to render sentimental and pa- thetic characters effectively.

GANO, John, clergyman, b. in Hopewell, N. J., 32 July, 1727; d. near Lexington, Ky., in 1804. He was of Huguenot extraction, his great-grand- father, Francis Gevneaux, having escaped from the island of Guernsey during the persecution of the Protestants and settled at New Rochelle, N. Y. His education was irregular and limited. Pie was ordained, 29 May, 17o4, as pastor of the Scotch Plains, N. J., Baptist church, and shortly after- ward travelled and preached extensively in the southern colonies, and was settled as pastor for two years in North" Carolina. In 1760 he returned to New Jersey, and also preached for a while in Philadelphia and New York. When, in 1762, the 1st Baptist church in New York was organized, he became its pastor and continued successfully in this relation for twenty-six years. Mr. Gano was an ardent patriot, and in the war of the Revolution served for some time as chaplain to Gen. Clinton's New York brigade. In the conflict on Chatterton Hill he was continually under Are, displaying a cool and quiet courage, which commanded the ad- miration of officers and men. Returning to New York at the close of the war he foujid his chui'ch scattered and greatly reduced, but prosperity soon returned. In May, 1788, he removed to Kentucky, and became pastor of the Town Fork chiirch, near Lexington, where he remained till his death. He was twice married ; his first wife was the sister of the wife of Dr. Manning, first president of Brown university. It has been said of him that, "as a minister of Christ, he shone like a star of the first magnitude in the American churches." — His son, Stephen, clergyman, b. in New York citv, 25 Dec, 1762 ; d. in Providence, R. I., 18 Aug., "1828, was prevented by the Revolutionary war from receiv- ing a collegiate education, and pursued a short course of stiidy with reference to the medical pro- fession. He was appointed a surgeon in the army at the age of nineteen, and for two years was in the public service. While practising as a physician at Tappan, now Orangetown. N. Y., he was convert- ed, and, at once feeling it his duty to give himself to the Christian ministry, was ordained 2 Aug., 1786. After preaching for a time in the vicinity of New York he was called, in 1792, to the pastor- ate of the 1st Baptist church in Providence, R. I. He accepted the call and spent the remainder of his days in ministering, with distinction and suc- cess, to this, the oldest Baptist church in the United States. He was one of the overseers of Brown university from 1794 till his death.

GANSE, Hervey Doddridge, clergyman, b. in Fishkill, N. Y., 7 Feb., 1822. He was graduated at Columbia in 1839 and at the New Brunswick semi- nary in 1843. He was licensed to preach in 1843, and had charge of Dutch Reformed churches in Freehold, N. J., and New York city till 1876, when he became pastor of the first Presbyterian church in St. Louis. This charge he resigned in 1883, to become first secretary of the Presbyterian board of aid for colleges and academies, in Chicago, 111. In 1861 the degree of D. D. was conferred upon him by Rutgers college. His publications are " Bible Slave-holding not Sinful," a reply to " Slave-hold- ing not Sinful " by Dr. Samuel B. How (1856), and various sermons and hymns.

GANSEVOORT, Peter, soldier, b. in Albany, N. Y., 17 July, 1749 ; d. there, 2 July, 1812. He was appointed major of the 2d New York regi- ment, 19 July, 1775, and in August joined the army that invaded Canada under Montgomery. He was made lieutenant-colonel. 19 March, 1776, colonel of the 3d regiment. 21 Nov., 1776, and ap- pointed to the command of Fort George. In April, 1777, he had charge of Fort Schuyler, previously called Fort Stanwix, and gallantly defended it against the British and Indians under St. Leger, whose co-operation with Burgoyne he prevented. The siege lasted twenty days, and for his vigorous service he received a vote of thanks from congress. In the spring of 1779 he was ordered to join Sulli- van in his western expedition. He distinguished himself at the head of a body of picked men by surprising the lower Mohawk castle, and captured all the Indian inhabitants by the dexterity of his movements. He was appointed brigadier-general in 1781 by the legislature of New York. In 1783 he accompanied Gen. Washington on his tour to the northern battle-fields. During the controversy caused by the New Hampshire land grants, many of the insurgent regiments belonged to Gen. Ganse- voort's brigade. These disturbances arose in Schagh- ticoke, St, Coych, and adjacent regions. He re- paired to Saratoga and solicited troops from Gen. Stark, but the latter refused to interfere unless or- dered by Gen. Heath, his superior officer. With what volunteers he could raise, Gansevoort ad- vanced to St. Coych, where he found a force of 500 men ready to support the insurgent militia. Having only 80 men, he retired five miles, and at- tempted, by writing to the leaders, to induce them to lay down their arms, but his request was in vain." and the so-called rebels remained undis- turbed. Gen. Gansevoort filled several important offices. He was commissioner of Indian affairs, commissioner for fortifying the frontiers, and military agent. He was made a brigadier-general in the IT. S. army in 1809. — His brother, Leonard, b. in Albany in 1751 ; d. there in 1810, was a dele- gate to the Continental congress from New York during 1787-'8. He was also a member of the New York provincial congress, state senator in 1791-3 and 1797-1802, and member of assemblv in 1778-9 and 1788. His country-seat of White Hall, near Albany, formerly renowned for its generous hospitality, was occupied by his descendants un- til recently, when it was destroyed by fire. — Peters'