Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/406

380 the judges of the high court that sentenced the Duke of Hamilton, I,<>rd Capel. and others to death for treason in 1640. In 1051 hi- wrote to John Cotton and John Wilson a letter of remonstrance in regard to their persecution of the Quakers. His son, Richard, b. in Woodsome, Yorkshire, England, in 1610 : d. in Hulme, Lancashire, 29 April, 1694, was matriculated at Emanuel college, Cambridge, in H!27. and emigrated to Massachu- M'tts with his father in 1630. He was among the tir-t settlers of Ipswich, and was chosen one of the governor's assistants in 1637. In 1642 he pub- lished a polemic against the council appointed for life. In July, 1643. he signed a letter urging the colonial authorities to take warlike measures against the French in Acadia. He befriended the regicides that escaped to New England in 1660, and protested against the importation of negro slaves. In 1672 he returned to England. The second Richard's son. Nathaniel, councillor, b. in Ipswich, Mass., in 1639; d. in Haverhill, Mass., 21 May, 1707, was graduated at Harvard in 1659. He was an assist- ant from 1679 till 1686, and was offered a seat in the council by Sir Edmund Andros, hut declined. After the deposition of that governor he was chosen one of the council under the charter of William and Mary. In 1692 he was appointed one of the judges in a special commission of over and terminer to try the persons accused of practising witchcraft in Salem. Reprobating the spirit of persecution that prevailed, and foreseeing the outcome of the trials, he refused to accept the commission. Nathaniel's son, Gordon, governor of Connecticut, b. in Haverhill, Mass., 27 March, 1666 ; d. in New London, Conn., 20 Sept., 1724. was graduated at Harvard" in 1684, studied theology, and was ordained minis- ter of New London, Conn., on 19 Nov., 1691. He was dis- tinguished not only for learning and elo- quence, but for knowl- edge of affairs and elegance of manners. He was one of a com- mittee that was de- puted by the Connec- ticut assembly to wait upon the Earl of Bel- lomont when he ar- rived in New York in 1098, and was fre- quently called on to assist in public busi- ness. While Gov. Pitz John Winthrop was ill. Saltonstall, who was his pastor, acted as his chief adviser and representative, and on the death of the governor was chosen by the assembly to be his successor, entering on his functions on 1 Jan., 1708. In tin- fallowing May he was confirmed intheofflce at the regular election. His first official act was to propose a synod for the adoption of a system of ecclesiastical discipline. The Saybrook platform, which was the outcome of his suggestion, was by his influence made to conform in some essentials to tli' 1 Presbyterian polity. Gov. Saltonstall was appointed agent of the co'lony in 1709 for the pur- pose of conveying an address to Queen Anne urg- ing the conquest of Canada, and raised a large con- tingent in Connecticut for the disastrous expedi- tion of Sir Hovenden Walker. He set up in his house the first printing-press in the colony in 1709, and was active in the arrangements for establish- ing Yale college, influencing the decision to build at New Haven instead of at Hartford, making the plans and estimates, and during the early years of the college taking the chief part in the direction of its affairs. He was continued in the office of gov- ernor by annual election till his death. Gurdon's nephew. Richard, jurist, b. in Haverhill. Mass.. 24 June. 1703; d. 20 Oct., 17."ili. wa> graduated at Harvard in 1722, and in 172* was < Im-en to repre- sent Haverhill in the general court. Snb-rqurntly he was a member of the council. From 1736 till he resigned a few months before his death he was a judge of the superior court. He was chairman of a commission that was appointed in 1637 to trace the boundary-line between Massachusetts .-md New Hampshire. Gnrdon's son, Gnrdoil, soldier, 1). in New London. Conn.. 22 Dec., 1708 : d. in Nor- wich. Conn.. 19 Sept., 17N5. was graduated at Yale in 1725. He was appointed colonel of militia in 1739, served at the siege of Lonisburg in 1745, and was one of the commissioners for fitting out expe- ditions against Canada. He was a member of the general assembly in 1744-'8. then of the house of assistants till 1754, and afterward was sent to the assembly again at intervals till 1757. From 1751 till his death he was judge of probate at New London. In September, 1776, he was appointed brigadier- general of militia, and reported to Gen. Washing- ton at Westchester with nine regiments. The sec- ond Gurdon's nephew, Dudley, naval officer, b. in New London, Conn., 8 Sept., 1738 ; d. in the West Indies in 1796, commanded the "Alfred" in Com. Esek Hopkins's squadron in February, 1776, and on 10 Oct., 1776, was appointed fourth in the list of captains of the Continental navy. He was com- modore of the fleet that left Boston in July, 1779, to reduce a British post on Penobscot river. Sal- tonstall was desirous of attacking as soon as they arrived, but Gen. Solomon Lovell, the commander of militia, was unwilling. When Sir George Col- lier appeared off the coast with a formidable naval force, the Americans re-embarked. Saltonstall drew up his vessels in order of battle at the mouth of the river, but was greatly overmatched, and his men were demoralized. As soon as the enemy came near, his ship, the " Warren," was run on shore and burned. Other vessels were deserted in the same manner, while the rest were captured by the enemy. The crews and the land-forces fled to the woods, and made their way by land to Boston. A court of inquiry, wishing to shield the state militia, and, perhaps, establish a claim on the Con- tinental government for a part of the expenses by inculpating a Continental officer, blamed Salton- stall for the disastrous termination of the expedi- tion, which had involved Massachusetts in a debt of $7,000,000, and on 7 Oct., 1779, he was dismi^cd the service. He afterward commanded the priva- teer "Minerva," and among the prizes taken by him was the " Hannah," a merchant ship bound for New York with a valuable cargo. The third Richard's son. Richard, soldier, b. in Haverhill, Mass., 5 April, 1732; d. in England, 6 Oct.. 1 785, was graduated at Harvard in 1751. He com- manded a regiment in the French war. and -non after the peace of 1763 was appointed sheriff of Essex county. In the beginning of 1776 he emi- grated to England. While sympathizing with the Tories, he refused to take a command in the royal army to fight against his fellow-countrymen. An- other son, Nathaniel, physician, b. in Haverhill, Mass., 10 Feb.. 1740; d. there, 15 May. 1M5. was graduated at Harvard in 1700. He was a -killul physician, possessed high scientific attainments,