Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/153

Rh PROCTOR, Lucien Brock, author, b. in Hano- ver, N. H., 6 March. 18',>6. Hr was graduated at Hamilton college in 1844, admitted to the bar in 1847, and, after practising for two years at Port Byron, N. Y., removed to Dansville. Amid his pro- fessional duties he continued his classical studies, and contributed articles to magazines. In isiiii In- became a regular contributor to the Albany "Law Journal." About 1863 he abandoned his profes- sion and devoted his time entirely to legal litera- ture. In 1884 he removed to Albany, N. Y. His works include "The Bench and Bar of the State of New York "(2 vols.. New York. 1870); "Lives of the New York State Chancellors " (1873) ; " The Life and Times of Thomas Addis Emmet " (1876) ; " Lawyer and Client, or the Trials and Triumphs of the' Bar" (1879); "The Bench and liar of Kings County, including the Legal History of Brooklyn " (1883); "The Legal History of Albany and Sche- nectady Counties" (1884); "Early History of the Board of Regents and University of the State of New York " (1886) ; a revised and annotated edi- tion of Jabez D. Hammond's " Political History of the State of New York." continued from 1844 to the close of the legislative session of 1887 (1887) ; and addresses, including " Aaron Burr's Political Career Defended" (1883), and "Review of John C. Spencer's Legal and Political Career" (1886).

PROCTOR, Ri'dlield, cabinet officer, b. in PriH-torvill', Vt., 1 June, 1831. The town was founded by his grandfather. He was gradu- ated at Dartmouth in 1831, and at Albany law- school in 1859. For two years he practised law in Boston. In June, 1861, he entered the army as lieutenant in the 3d Vermont volunteers; in Octo- ber he was made major of the 5th Vermont regi- ment, and in 1862 became colonel of the 15th. After leaving the army in 1863, he again practised law in Rutland, Vt. ; in 1867 and 1868 was a mem- ber of the legislature ; in 1869 he was appointed manager of the Sutherland Falls marble company. In 1880 this company was united with another, under the title of the Vermont marble company, and Mr. Proctor became its president. In the in- terval he had been state senator, and in 1876 became lieutenant-governor; and in 1878 he was elected governor. In 1884 he was a delegate to the national Republican convention, and in 1888 he was chair- man of the Vermont delegation to the Chicago con- vention, and cast the votes of his state for Gen. Har- rison for president, who appointed him secretary of war. In November, 1892, he was elected to fill both the unexpired term of U. S. Senator George F. Ed- munds, resigned, and also the succeeding term.

PROCTOR, Richard Anthony, astronomer, b. in Chelsea, England, 23 March, 1837 ; d. in New York city. 12 Sept., 1888. He entered King's col- lege, London, in 1835, and a year later went to Cambridge, where in 1860 he received his bachelor's degree. A fondness for mathematics led to his studying astronomy, on which subject he became the most fertile popular writer of his time. His original work included numerous researches on the stellar system, the law of distribution of stars, their motions, the relations between the stars and the nebula', and the general constitution of the heav- ens. In 1S69 he advanced, on theoretical grounds, .I tin-on "f the snlar corona that has since been generally accepted, and also that of the inner com- plex solar atmosphere that was afterward advanced by Prof. Charles A. Young. He was active in the transit-of- Venus expeditions of 1874 and 1882, and became involved in a dispute with the astronomer royal of England as to the best methods of observa- tion. In 1873-'4 and in 1875-'6 he lectured in the principal cities of the United States, and in 1879 lie left England for Australasia, and lectured in all of the larger towns of Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, and New Xealand. He visited the United States again in 1884, and, after lecturing in the leading cities, settled in Si. Joseph, Mo. In 1866 he was elected a fellow of the Royal astronomical society, and in 1873 he was appointed an honorary fellow of King's college. London. He was honorary secretary of the Royal astronomical society and editor of its proceedings in 1872-'3. Mr. Proctor established " Knowledge " as a weekly journal in 1881, but changed it to a monthly iii 1885. His literary work began in 1863, when he published in the " Cornhill Magazine'' an article on "Double Stars." Among his numerous books are " Saturn and its System " (London, 1865) ; " Gnomonic Star Atlas " (1866) ; " Half-Hours with the Telescope " (1868) ; " Half-Hours with Stars " (18(i9): "Other Worlds than Ours "(1870): "Li-hl. Science for Leisure Hours" (3 series, 1871, 1873, and 1883); "Elementary Astronomy "(1871); "Bor- der Land of Science " (1873) ; "Transits of Venus Past, Present, and Future " and "The Expanse of Heaven" (1874); and "Myths and Marvels of Astronomy " (1877). He edited " The Knowledge Library," consisting of a series of works made up nf papers that appeared in his journal, among whirh were several of his own, notably "How to Play Whist " and " Home Whist " (1885). After be- n iming an American citizen he published " Chance and Luck " (New York. 1887) ; "First Steps in Ge- ometry " (1887) ; " Easy Lessons in Differential Cal- culus" (1887); and "Old and New Astronomy," which at the time of his death was being issued.

PROCTOR, Thomas, soldier, b. in Ireland in 1739 ; d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 16 March, 1806. He emigrated to Philadelphia with his father, Francis Proctor, and was by trade a carpenter. On 27 Oct., 1775, he applied to the committee of safety to be commissioned captain of an artillery company to be raised for garrisoning Fort island, and was immediately commissioned with authority to raise his company. In August, 1776, his command was raised to a battalion, and he was appointed major. The regiment was under Wayne at Brandywine. and engaged in the artillery duel with Knypliausen at Chadd's Ford. Proctor's horse was shot under him, and he lost his guns and caissons when Sullivan was routed. One of his guns, under Lieut. Barker, was brought up to batter the Chew house at Germantown. In September, 1778, his regiment became a part of the Continental army, and he received his commission as colonel of artillery. 18 May, 1779, and marched to Wyoming. His batteries did good service at the battle of Newtown. He was in Wayne's Bergen Neck expedition, and was satirized by Andre? in the " Cow Chase." He resigned in 1781 on account of differences with Joseph IiY.-d, president of the Pennsylvania council, and in 1783 was chosen high sheriff of Philadelphia, which office he held three years. In 1790 he was made city lieutenant, in 1791 a commissioner to treat with the Miami Indians. In 17!)3 he became brigadier-general of the Pennsylvania troops, and marched against the Whiskey insurgent at the head of the first brigade. After this he Ill-came major - general of the Philadelphia militia, and when war was threatened with France In- assured Gov. Mifflin of his cordial support in the event of hostilities. He was one of the founders of the St. Tammany society in Philadelphia, of which he was a sachem. A part of Col. Proctor's regiment of artillery has maintained its organization to the present time as the 2d U. S. artillery.