Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 7).djvu/249

Rh the supreme court of the state and in the U. S. supreme court. He was electetl to represent Dauphin county in the proposed constitutional convention of 1891, and six years later was elected as a Republican to the 55th congress. Mr. Olm- sted, who resides in Harrisburg, was re-elected, his present term expiring in March. 11)01.

OLNEY, Richard, statesman, b. in Oxford, Mass., 15 Sept.. 1835; was prepared for college at licicester academy, Worcester county, and was graduated at Brown in 1856. He was also gradu- ated at the Harvard law-school in 1850. and in the same year was admitted to the bar in his native state. In 1874 he served with success as a mem- ber of the Massachusetts legislature. Mr. Olney was in the successful practice of the law in Boston, until called to the office of attorney-general of the United States by President Cleveland in March, 1893, and on the death of Judge Grcsham in June, 1895, he became secretary of state, continuing in office until 4 March, 1897. Mr. Olney then re- sumed the practice of law in Boston. Brown and Harvard gave him the degree of LL. D.

O'NEIL, Charles, naval officer, b. in Manches- ter, Kiigland. 15 March, 1842. He came early in life to the United States, entering the American navy from Massachusetts in July, 1861, as master's mate abuard the frigate " Cumberland," in which he served in several engagements, including her conflict with the Confederate ironclad " Merri- mac " in March, 1863. After the ship sank he saved her commander, Lieut. George U. Morris, from drowning, and was favorably mentioned in despatches, and promoted two months later to acting nuLster. He took part in both attacks on Fort Fisher, and was again mentioned for brav- ery and promotetl in May, 1865. Having rendered much valuable service afloat and ashore, he at- tained to the rank of captain in July, 1897, and was assigned to duty as chief of the bureau of ordnance, with the rank of rear-admiral while fill- ing that office. He greatly contributed to the naval successes of the late war with Spain by the splendid condition of the American vessels and tneir armaments. Admiral O'Neil was among the first to volunteer for .>iervice afloat after the " Maine " was destroyed and when war seemed inevitable, hut he was deemed indispensable as the head of the ordnance bureau.

ORCOTT, Samuel. author. b. in Albany county, N. Y.. 12 April, 1824: d. in Briilgeport. Conn., 14 Jan., 1893. He studied at the Cazenovia academy, and taught in the common schools while study- ing for the Methodifnt ministry, his latest charge Ijeing in New York city. He entered the Congre- gational communion and was engaged at Wolcott, Conn., where he became interested in the history of the town, and embo(lie<l his researches in a "History of the Town of Wolcott," published in 1874. In 1875 he removed to Torrington, the his- tory of which he published in 1878 at Albany, N. V. In 1880, in connection with Dr. Ambrose Beardsley, he prepared a history of Derby. Conn. ; in 1882 appeared at Hartford his histi'ry of New Milford and Bridgewater. Conn., followed by "The Indians of the Houstitonic and Naugatuck Val- leys." In 1884 he removed to Bridge[iort. and be- gan the issue (at New Haven), in parts, of his "History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport," which was finished in 1886. Ilis next work was the " Hawley Kword " (Buffalo. 1890), followed by " Henry Tnmlinsim and his De- scendants in America" (New Haven. 1891).

'''OROWAY. Albert,''' soldier, b. in Boston. 24 Feb., 1843; d. in New York city, 21 Nov., 1807. He entered Lawrence scientific school, of Harvard, before the civil war, and in April, 1861, withdrew to enlist as a private. In September follow- ing he became 1st lieutenant in the 24th Mas- sachusetts infantry, which accompanied Gen. Burnside's expedition to New Berne. He re- mained in that district till 1863, taking part in all the operations there, and became adjutant of his regiment and an aide on the staff of Gen. Henry Prince. In July, 1863, he received a staff appointment in the 3d army-corps. At the close of the campaign of that year he rejoined his regi- ment in Horida, and in 1864 was transferred to the Army of the James, when he was appointed to the staff of Gen. Terry. After the occupation of Richmond he was promoted to be colonel of his regiment, and brevetled a brigadier-general. His regiment was selected for special duty in Rich- mond, and he was appointed provost-marshal-gen- eral of the state. In February, 1868, he was mus- tered out, and engaged in business in Richmond till 1877. Gen. Ordway then settled in Washing- ton, and at the time of his death was commander of the National guard of the District of Columbia. He was buried in Arlington cemetery.

ORDWAY, Alfred, painter, b. in Roxbury, Mass., 9 March. 1821 ; d. in Melrose, Mass.. 17 Nov., 1897. He was educated in the public schools of Lowell, began studying art in boy- hood, and made numerous creditable cravons and pastels ; and opened his first studio in Boston in 1845. With the exception of two years spent in New York city — part of the time at the National academy of design — and a short period in Virgi- nia, his entire professional life was identified with that of Boston. In 185(J-'63 he was director of the art exhibitions of the Boston athcna'um. He was a founder of the Boston art club, and had been its secretary, treasurer, and president. Mr. Ord- way made a specialty of portraiture and landscape work, and was a frequent exhibitor.

ORONHYATEKHA, an Iroquois physician, b. near lirandford, Ontario, 10 Aug., 1841. After leaving Wesleyan academy. Mas.sachusetls, he taught for a year among the Indians and then en- tered Kenyon college, followed by another three years at Toronto university. Later he was gradu- ated at Oxford, England, adopting the profession of medicine, in which he achieved success in Lon- don, Canada. He is chief executive of the Indian order of Foresters, and has always taken an inter- est in rifle-shooting. Dr. Oronhyatekha recently described himself as being "more than a British subject, for he had the honor lo be an ally of Great Britain," and said that it was owing to "the aid and influence of the Six Nations that the British crown now held Canada." He married a great-granddaughter of Joseph Brant, the Mohawk chief, and their son is also a Canadian physician.

ORR, Alexander Ector, merchant, b. in Stra- bane, County Tyrone, Ireland, 2 .March. 1831. He intended to enter the East India service, but changed his plans, and instead went to live «ith John Haven, archdeacon of Derry and Riiphoe, in whose house .Alexander received his education. In 1850 he visited the United States, and settled here permanently in 1851. finding employment first in a firm of commission and shipjiing mer- chants, and in 1858 with David Dows & Co. In 1861 he was admitted as a partner, having been elected to membership in the Produce exchange in 1859. The latter he has served n» director, as secretary of the committee that erected the Ex- change building, as chairman of the arbitration committee, and as president. He is also presi-