Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/754

718 at Columbia college in 1871 and at its law-school in 1873. He practised law until 1881, and then entered mercantile life, retaining his interest in literature. In 1887 he was appointed by Cleveland U. S. minister to Turkey, and reappointed by McKinley in 1898. Mr. Straus is a close student of American history, on which he has lectured and written articles for periodicals, and he has published &ldquo;The Origin of the Republican Form of Government in the United States of America&rdquo; (New York, 1886) and &ldquo;Roger Williams, the Pioneer of Religious Liberty&rdquo; (1894).

STRAWBRIDGE, Robert, pioneer, b. in Drummer's Nave, near Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim, Ireland; d. in Maryland in 1781. He came to this country some time between 1760 and 1765, settled on Sam's creek, Frederick co., Md., and soon opened his house for religious services. Shortly afterward a Methodist society was formed, and a place of worship, known as the Log meeting-house, was erected. Mr. Strawbridge now travelled constantly through the state, forming new socities, and in order that he might go on these journeys his farm was cultivated for him by his neighbors. After residing on Sam's creek about sixteen years he removed to Long Green, Baltimore county, where the use of a farm had been given him for his life. He died while he was on one of his preaching tours. It is a matter of dispute whether he or Philip Embury founded the first Methodist society and built the first chapel in this country, but most authorities give Embury priority. A full discussion of the point may be found in Joseph B. Wakeley's &ldquo;Lost Chapters Recovered from the Early History of American Methodism&rdquo; (New York, 1858), and John Atkinson's &ldquo;Centennial History of American Methodism&rdquo; (1884).

STRAZNICKY, Edward R. (strats-nik'-y), librarian, b. in Moravia, Austria, in 1820; d. in New York city, 9 Feb., 1876. He was educated at the University of Vienna, taking degrees in the departments of medicine and philosophy, and acquired by travel a familiar knowledge of modern languages. During the Hungarian rebellion he served as an officer in the revolutionary army. At the defeat of the Nationalists he went into exile, and his property was confiscated. After a brief residence in England, he came to the United States, and found mercantile employment in Philadelphia. In 1859 he became assistant librarian in Astor library, New York city, and in 1872 he was elected superintendent, which office he held till the time of his death. He was also secretary of the American geographical society.

STREET, Alfred Billings, author, b. in Pough- keepsie, N. Y., 18 Dec., 1811; d. in Albany, N. Y., 2 June, 1881. He removed at an early age to Monticello, Sullivan co., N. Y., and was educated at Dutchess county academy, after which he studied law with his father, Randall S. Street, and practised in Monticello. In 1839 he removed to Albany, in 1843-'44 edited the "Northrrn Light," and from 1848 till his death he was state librarian. Mr. Street began at an early age to write poetry for the magazines, and he attained a respectable rank as a descriptive poet. Some of his productions were highly praised by critics, and several of his poems have been translated into German. His publica- tions include " The Burning of Schenectady, and other Poems " (Albany, 1842) ; " Drawings and Tintings " (New York, 1844) ; " Fugitive Poems " (1846); "Frontenac, or the Atotarho of the Iro- quois, a Metrical Romance " (London, 1849; New York, 1850); "The Council of Revision of the State of New York," a history (Albany, 1859); " Woods and "Waters, or the Saranacs and the Racket." describing a trip in the Adirondack re- gion (New York, 1860); "A Digest of Taxation in the United States '' (Albany. 1863) ; a collected edition of his poems (2 vols., 1866); and "The In- dian Pass," describing explorations in Essex coun- ty, N. Y. (1869). He also contributed sixteen poems to John A. Hows's " Forest Pictures in the Adirondacks " (1864). and published various poems that he read at different colleges, including Geneva (now Hobart) (1840); Hamilton (1850); and Yale (1851) : also one on the battle-field of Saratoga.

STREET, Augustus Russell, donor, b. in New Haven, Conn., 5 Nov., 1791 : d. there. 12 June, 1866. He was graduated at Yale in 1812, and studied law, but was compelled to abandon it on account of feeble health, and remained an in- valid during the greater part of his life. From 1843 till 1848 he resided in Europe, travelling and devoting himself to the study of art and the mod- ern languages. Mr. Street inherited a fortune, and gave largely to benevolent objects. He pre- MMitrd to Yale its school of the fine arts, one of its finest buildings, also making partial provision for its endowment, founded the Street professorship of modern languages, and made provision in his will for the establishment of the Titus Street professorship in the theological department. His daughter married Admiral Andrew H. Foote.

STREET, Whiting. philanthropist, b. in "Wal- lingford. Conn., 25 March. 1790 ; d. in Northampton, Mass., 31 July, 1878. He was educated at public schools in West Springfield, Mass., and was suc- cessively a farmer, a freight-boatman on Connecti- cut river, and a bank director. He accumulated a large fortune, and at his death left 106,000 to the city of Holyoke and twenty-one adjacent towns, to be used for the benefit of" the worthy poor that should not be already in charge of the public.

'''STRIBLING. Cornelius Kinchiloe'''. naval officer, b. in Pendleton. S. C., 22 Sept., 1796; d. in Martinsburg, W. Va., 17 Jan., 1880. He entered the navy as a midshipman. 18 June, 1812, and served in the frigate " Mohawk " on Lake Ontario in 1815, where he participated in the blockade of Kingston. He was commissioned lieutenant, 1 April. 1818, cruised on the Brazil station in 1819-'20, and then in the West Indies suppressing piracy. He com- manded the sloop ' Peacock " in the East Indies in 1835-'7. and was on leave for two years after his return. He was commissioned commander, 24 Jan., 1840, and in 1842-'4 had the sloop " Cyane " and frigate " United States " successively on the Pacific station. For the next two years he had command of the receiving-ship at Norfolk, and he then went out as fleet-captain in command of the ship-of-the-line " Ohio," of the Pacific squadron, during the latter part of the Mexican war, returning to New York in April, 1850. He was superintendent of the naval academy at Annapolis in 1850-'3, was commissioned cap'tain, 1 Aug., 1853, and commanded the steam sloop " San Jacinto " on special service in 1854-'o. He was commandant of the Pensacola navy-yard 1857-'9, and served as flag-officer in command of the East India squadron in 1859-'iil. When the civil war opened he returned home, and, notwithstanding the secession of his native state, adhered to the Union. He served on the board to regulate the compensation of government officers in 1861, and on the light-house board in 1862. Hy operation of law he was placed on the retired list in December, 1861, but he continued to render valuable service in command of the navy-yard at Philadelphia in 1802-'4. and from February till July, 1865, as comrnander-in-chief of the Eastern