Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/64

42 Indians. He was active in benevolent and educa- tional enterprises in behalf of this tribe, and organized the first schools and church in that community. He was a founder of the Liberty party in 1840, and its candidate for lieutenant- governor in 1844. He owned the land upon which the town of Cattaraugus was built, and disposed of it on condition that no intoxicating liquors should be sold thereon. In one case the matter was carried to the court of appeals, and, after years of litigation, was decided in 18(iO in favor of Mr. Plumb, the court sustaining the temperance restriction. He was an early member of the anti-slavery party, and declined a nomination to congress in 1852, and the office of circuit judge. See his " Memorial " (printed privately, 1870). His son, Edward Lee, diplomatist, b. in Gowauda, N. Y., 17 July, 1827, has been secretary of legation and charge d'affaires in Mexico, consul-general at Havana, and was the agent in procuring the charter of the International railway of Mexico.

PLUMB, Josiah Burr, Canadian statesman, b. in East Haven, Conn., 25 March, 1810: d. in Niag- ara. Ont., 12 March, 1888. His father was rector of the Episcopal church at East Haven. The son was for many years manager of the State bank at Albany. X. Y., and a director in several banks in Buffalo and Oswego. He was one of a committee that was appointed by the IVmocrats of New York state to confer with the slave states on the north- ern border, with a view to prevent the civil war. He subsequently removed to Canada, and was elected to the Dominion parliament for Niagara in 1*74. being an active debater on the Conserva- tive side. He was unseated on petition the same year, and re-elected shortly afterward for the same constituency. Through the disqualification of his opponent, who received the majority of votes, he was declared elected again in 1878. In 1877-'8 he accompanied Sir John Macdonald during his na- ti'inal polity campaign, rendering efficient service to his party. He was an unsuccessful candidate for North Wellington in 1882, and was called to the senate, 6 Feb., 1883. He presided over the senate during most of the session of 1880, owing to the illness of Sir Alexander Campbell, and was ap- pointed speaker of that body in April, 1887, which office he held at the time of his death.

PLUMB, Preston B., senator, b. in Delaware county, Ohio, 12 Oct., 1837; d. in Washington, 20 Dec., 1891. After receiving a common-school education he went to Kansas. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1861, was a member of the legislature in 1802, subsequently reporter of the Kansas supreme court, and in the latter part of that year entered the National army as a lieuten- ant. He served throughout the civil war, ami at- tained the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was again in the legislature in 18G7-'8, was its speaker the latter year, and in 1870 was elected U. S. sena- tor as a Republican. He was re-elected twice, his last term ending in 1895. Mr. Plumb had edited and adapted a work entitled " Practice before Jus- tice Courts in Kansas " (New York, 1875).

PLUMKR, William (plum'-mer), senator, b. in Newburyport, Mass.. 25 June. 1759 : d. in Epping, N. H., 22 June, 1850. His ancestor. Francis, emi- grated from England in 1034, and was one of the original grantees of Newbury. William removed to Epping, N. H., at eight years of age. received an academical education, was admitted to the bar in 1787, and soon established a reputation as an ad- vocate. He also took an active part in state poli- tics, was solicitor for Rockingham county for many years, served in the legislature for eight terms, dur- ing two of which he was speaker, and was pi'esident of the state senate in 1810-'ll. In 1792 he was a. ineinlier of the New Hampshire constitutional con- vention, and was active in the revision of the stat- utes. He was elected U. S. senator in 1802 to fill t he vacancy occasioned by the resignation of James Shcat'e. served till 1807. and was governor of New Hampshire in 1812-'l(i, and again in 1817-'18. He was a presidential elector in 1820, casting the only vote in opposition to the re-election of President Monroe, to whom he objected on account of his financial embarrassments. This was his last pub- lic service. For the remaining thirty years of his life he devoted himself to literary pursuits, and contributed regularly to the pi-ess under the signa- ture of "Cincinnatus." He published "Appeal to the Old Whigs" (Washington. 1805) and "Address to the Clergy " (1814). and left valuable historical and biographical manuscripts. See his life, by his son, with a memoir of the latter, edited by Andrew P. Peabody (Boston, 1857). His son. William, congressman, b. in Epping. X. II., !) Oct., 1789; d. there, IS Sept.. Is.VI. was graduated at Harvard in 1809, studied law under his father, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1812. He was U. S. commis- sioner of loans in 1816-'17. a member of the legis- lature in 1818, and was elected to congress a< a Democrat, serving by re-election from 1819 till 1825. He was an ardent Abolitionist, and delivered several speeches in congress in opposition to the admission of Missouri into the Union as a slave state. He was in the New Hampshire senate in IS'.T-'s. and dec-lined a re-election in 1830, and the appoint iiii-iit CM di-lrict attorney. He subsequently devoted himself to literary pursuits, and his last public service was as a member of the State consti- tutional convention in 1850. Mr. Plumer was an accomplished speaker and writer. He gave much time to historical and biographical research, and was an active member of the New England historic- genealogical society. Two volumes of his poems were printed privately (Boston, 1841 and 1843). and he published " Lyriea Sacra." (1845) and I'a-- toral on the Story of Ruth "(1847), and, in part, edited the life of his father, mentioned above.

'''PLUMER. William Swan''', clergyman, b. in Griersburg (now Darlington), Beaver co.. Pa., 25 July, 1802; d. in Baltimore, Md., 22 Oct., isso. He was graduated at Washington college. Va.. in 1825, studied at Princeton theological seminary in 1820, was ordained the next year, and organized the first Presbyterian church in Danville, Va., in 1827. He then removed to Warrcnton. N. C., where he also organized a church, and afterward preached in Raleigh, Washington, and New Berne, N. C., and in Prince Edward and Charlotte counties. Va. He was pastor of a church in Petersburg. Va., in 1831-'4, and in Richmond in 1835-'4G. He founded the " Watchman of the South." a religious weekly, in 1837, and for eight years was its sole editor. In 1838 he was instrumental in establishing the Deaf, dumb, and blind institution in Staunton, Va. He was pastor of churches in Baltimore. Md., in 1S47-VH. and in Allegheny. Va.. in 1855-'62, at the same time serving as profcs-or of didactic and pastoral theology in Western theological seminary there. Me resided in Philadelphia for the next three years, was in charge of a Presbterian church in Pottsville. Pa., in lH(15-'<>. and at that date became professor of didactic, and polemic theology in the Theological seminary in Columbia, S. C. He was transferred to the chair of historic, casuistic, and pastoral theology in 1N75, and held that office until a few mouths previous to his death. He was moderator of the general asscmbl-