Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/657

Rh but was soon exchanged, after which he served under Gen. William T. Sherman, was at the cap- ture of Arkansas Post and Vicksburg, also at the taking of Jackson, Miss., and in 18(54 was with Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks in the Red river expedi- tion. In 1864 he accepted the chair of natural sciences in the University of Indiana, where he re- mained until the close of the session of 1879. Prof. Owen's scientific work was chiefly in the domain of geology. He contributed largely to the knowledge of that science, specially as relating to Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, Arizona, and North Carolina. After his retirement from colle- giate work he devoted much attention to the sub- ject of meteorology and its connection with ter- restrial magnetism, publishing numerous papers on that subject and on seismology. In 1871 he re- ceived the degree of LL. D. from Wabash college, and he was an honorary member of the New Orleans and of the St. Louis academies of sciences, a fellow of the American association for the advancement of science, and a member of other scientific organi- zations. Besides his official geological reports and scientific memoirs, he is the author of a " Key to the Geology of the Globe" (Nashville, 1857).

OWENS, John Edward, actor, b. in Liverpool, England, 4 May, 1824 ; d. near Towson, Baltimore CO., Md., 6 Dec, 1886. His father, a shoemaker, emigrated to the United States in 1834, and settled in Philadelphia. After attending private school in that city for a few years, the son became a clerk in a wholesale drug-store, and while holding that post made his first appearance on the stage at the old National theatre, Philadelphia, under the manage- ment of William E. Burton. From small parts and no pay he rose rapidly to a recognized position and regular salary. He remained in Burton's com- pany until 1843, when he quarrelled with his patron and went to Baltimore, where he acted at the HoUi- day street theatre. The next year he accepted an engagement at Peale's museum in Baltimore, where he remained until 1847, when, meeting Burton, he became reconciled to him. Frank S. Chanfrauwas then playing Mose in " A Glance at New York," which was a great success. Burton had the play adapted to suit Philadelphia, and Owens acted the part of Jakey. corresponding to Chanfrau's Mose. The piece had a long run, during which Burton made his first and Owens laid the foundation of his future fortune from his salary of $300 a week. The same play was acted in Baltimore, Owens being the chief attraction as Jakey. In 1849 he became one of the proprietors of the Baltimore museum. In 1853 he sold this interest and opened the Charles street theatre with " Uncle Tom's Cab- in," playing the title role. In 1858 he became mana- ger of the Varieties, in New Orleans, and continued there until the civil war, when he returned to Balti- more. As Solon Shingle, which was first played by him in 1864, he achieved his greatest success. It was played in almost every city in the United States and in many English cities. Other favorite parts were Dr. Ollapod, Caleb Pluramer, Aminadab Sleek, and Dr. Pangloss. He was also a very clever burlesque artist. " The Live Indian " was written for him, and proved a great success. In 1880 he went to California to play, and, engaging in mining speculations, lost most of his fortune. In 1882 he accepted an engagement of $300 a week with the Madison square company, and played in " Esmer- alda " in many of the larger American cities. At the time of his death he was the owner of the Academy of music, Charleston, S. C. During the last three or four years of his life his declining health prevented him from appearing on the stage.

OWSLEY, William, jurist, b. in Virginia in 1782; d. in Danville, Ky., in December, 1862. In 1783 he removed with his father to Lincoln county, Ky., and he afterward became a teacher and lawyer in Garrard county, and represented it several years in the legislature. He was judge of the supreme court of Kentucky from 1812 till 1828. when he resigned. In 1824 he maintained with great cour- age the principle of anti-repudiation, which Henry Clay had eloquently advocated. The repudiation party, who were a majority in the legislature, at- tempted to get rid of the judge by abolishing the supreme court and establishing a new one, but he held his post, and the act of the legislature was declared unconstitutional by the supreme court of the United States. In 1844 he was elected gover- nor of the state by the Whigs, serving two terms.

OXENBRIDGE, John, clergyman, b. in Daven- try, Northamptonshire, England, 30 Jan., 1609; d. in Boston, Mass.. 28 Dec, 1674. He was educated at Oxford and Cambridge, and was graduated at the latter university in 1631. He entered the min- istry in 1633, and soon afterward went to Bermuda, where he took charge of a church. He returned to England about 1641, and in 1644 was ordained pastor of a church at Beverley, and chosen a fellow of Eton college. He afterward took charge of a church at Berwiek-on-Tweed, where he was ejected from his living in 1662 for non-conformity. Then he went to Surinam, and remained there till 1667, when he removed to Barbadoes, and in 1669 came to New England. On 10 April, 1670, Mr. Oxen- bridge was ordained pastor of the first church, Boston, as colleague with the Rev. James Allen. While preaching in the church on 23 Dec, 1674, he had a fatal attack of apoplexy. He was a popular preacher, and published "The Duty of Watch- ing" (1661); "Election Sermon" (1671); "Season- able Seeking of God " ; and " Proposition for propa- gating the Gospel by Christian Colonies in Guiana."

OXENDEN, Ashton, Canadian bishop, b. at Broome park, England, 20 Sept., 1808 ; d. in Biar- ritz, 22 Feb., 1892. He was graduated at University college. Oxford, was ordained priest in 1834, and from 1848 till 1869 was rector of Pluckley-with- Pivington, in Kent. In 1864 he became honorary canon of Canterbury cathedral, and in 1869 he was consecrated bishop of Montreal, and was metro- politan and primate of all Canada. In April, 1878, he resigned and returned to England, and in May, 1879, was appointed vicar of St. Stephen, near Canterbury. Among other works he had written "Plain History of the Christian Church" (London, 1847) : " Barham Tracts " (1859) ; " Baptism and the Lord's Supper Simply Explained " (1861) ; " Our Church and Her Services " (Boston, 1866) ; " De- cision " (London, 1868) : " Parables of our Lord " (1869) ; and " Portraits from the Bible " (1871).

OXLEY, James Macdonald, Canadian author, b. in Halifax, N. S., 22 Oct., 1855. Pie was educated at Halifax grammar-school, and graduated at Dalhousie university in 1874, studied law at Harvard in 1876-7, and in 1879 obtained the degree of LL. B. from the University of Halifax. He was admitted to the bar of Nova Scotia in 1878. and practised in Halifax from 1879 till 1883. He acted as an official reporter in the house of assembly in 1881-'3, and in the latter year became attached to the Dominion department of marine and fisheries. Mr. Oxley has written extensively for magazines and periodicals in the United States and Canada. He was joint editor of a series of " Nova Scotia Decisions " (Halifax, 1880-'3) ; editor of Young's " Admiralty Decisions" (Toronto, 1882); and has translated Eugene Sue's " L'Orgueil " (New York, 1883).