Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 7).djvu/250

208 (lent of the New York chamber of commerce, and president of the New York board of rapid transit commissioners, who declare "that if any company obtains from tliis board a rifjht to occupy the streets of the city to the exclusion of others, it will obtain it only by assuming a positive and en- forceable obligation to the city."

OSGOOD, Joseph, clergyman, b. in Kensing- ton, N. II., 23 Sept., 1815. He was educated in the common schools of his native place and at Phillips Exeter. He then taught scliool at South Danvers (now Peabody), Mass., for three years, and in 1889 entered the Harvard divinity school, where he was graduated in 1843. Two days after graduation he preached his first sermon, at Cohasset, on 17 July, 1842, which pulpit he has continued to fill for fifty-eight years. Dr. Osgood served as a member of the Cohaset school board, as a trustee of the Derby academy at Hingham, and as moderator of the Plymouth and Bay ministerial association. He received the degree of D. D. from Harvard.

O'SULLIVAN, Denis Joseph, clergyman, b. in Clonakiltv, Ireland, V3 May, 1850; d. in Tampa, Fla., 24 Sept., 1888. He studied for the priest- hood in Maynooth college, Ireland, and soon after his ordination volunteered for missionary duty in the island of St. Helena. He was subsequent- ly chaplain to the British army, and served in the campaigns against the Zulus and Soudan- ese. He received three medals for bravery in the field and a special gold medal for personal cour- age. Chaplain O'Sullivan came to the United States; was connected with St. James's church. New York city, and subsequently had charge of St. Mary's church, Plainfield, N. J. At the begin- ning of the yellow fever epidemic in Florida in 1888 he at once set out thither. After making heroic efforts in aid of the sufferers he was fatally attacked by the disease. Father O'Sullivan was at the siege of Khartoum, and was the last person that saw Gen. Charles George Gordon alive. He could speak seven languages, ami wrote " History of the Island of St. Helena," " History of the Ro- man Catholic Church in South Africa," and " Ex- periences and Travels in Zululand."

OTEY, Peter Johnston, congressman, b. in Ijynchburg, Va., 22 Dec, 1840, and was graduated at the Virginia military institute. As a cadet he participated in the defence of the state against John Brown, and later became a civil engineer, being employed on the Virginia and Kentucky railway. He entered the Confederate army at the beginning of the civil war. fought at Fort Donel- son and Shiloh, commanding in 1863 a battalion of Virginia sharpshooters. He was severely wounded at New Market, Va., and before the close of the war he had command of a brigade in Gen. Early's corps. Since the war Col. Otey has engaged in banking and other business in Lynch- burg, and has been a member of congress since 1894. He is a nephew of Bishop Otey (q. v.). OTIS, Harrison (Jray, journalist, b. in Mari- etta, Ohio, 10 Feb., 1837. He had a common- school education, volunteered in the civil war, serving in the 12th and 23d Ohio infantry, becom- ing captain and being twice wounded. He was brevetted major and lieutenant-colonel, returning to journalism at the close of the war, and is at present editor of the " Los Angeles Times." In the war with Spain he was appointed brigadier- general of volunteers, commanding the 1st bri- gade, 2d division. 8th army-corps, in the Philip- pines, and leading the American forces at the capture of the island of Luzon in February, 1899. Later in the year Gen. Otis resigned his commis- sion and returned to California.

OTJEN, Theobold, congressman, b. in St. Clair county, Mich., 27 Oct., 1851. He was educated in private schools, and was graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan, prac- tising law in Detroit until 1883, when he removed to Milwaukee, Wis. He was a member of the com- mon council for four successive terms, was a trus- tee of the public library, and also of the Milwau- kee jniblic museum. He was nominated as a Republican candidate for congress in 1892, aiul ran against Col. John L. Mitchell, but was de- feated ; was again nominated for the seat made vacant by Mitchell's election to the senate, and again defeated. Mr. Otjen was elected as repre- sentative to the 54th congress, and has been twice re-elected, his present term expiring in March, 1900.

OUASAKEURAT, Iroquois chief, b. on his father's farm, near Oka, Canada, 4 Sept.. 1845 ; d. in Caughnawaga, Quebec, 8 Feb., 1881. He was sent to Jlontreal college when fourteen years old to be educated for the priesthood, and he re- mained there four years. liater he was con- verted to Protestantism and became a., evangelical preacher. He was tried, but not convicted, on the charge of burning the Catholic church at Oka in June, 1877. The chief translated with skill a volume of hymns into the Mohawk language (Montreal. 1880), and also the gospels from the autliorizcd English version (1880).

OUMET, Joseph Alfonse, Canadian jurist, b. in St. Eustache, Quebec, 17 Nov.. 1845. He was educated at St. Mary's and at Jlontreal col- lege, and was called to the bar in 1868. He be- came a professor in Laval university, from which he received the degree of LL. D. in 1878. Mr. Ouimet was in 1883 a conunissioner, with others, to consolidate and revise the statutes of Canada. He was appointed a judge of the superior court of the province of Quebec in 1886, and an assistant judge of the court of queen's bench in 1894. He is a cousin of Justice Joseph Alderic Ouimet (g. v.).

'''OVENSHINE. Samuel''', soldier, b. in Pennsyl- vania in 1840, and was appointed from Maryland 2d lieutenant of the 5th V. S. infantry. He saw much active service during the four years' civil war, attaining to the rank of major of the 23d in- fantry in July, 1865. In January, 1895, he was advanced to the grade of lieutenant-colonel, in April, 1895, he became colonel of the regiment, and in December, 1898, the president appointed him brigadier-general of volunteers. During the following year Gen. Ovenshine saw much vigorous campaigning in the Philippine islands, and he is one of the five colonels of the regular army who are soon to be promoted and retired from service.

OWENS, William, Canadian senator, b. in Stonefield. province of Quebec. 15 May, 1840. After receiving an English education he early embarked in business, in which he was successful as a merchant, retiring from the house he had es- tablished in 1887. With his brother Thomas he purchased the ungranted portion of the Papineau seigniory, in Labelle county. consisting of about 80,000 acres, and engaged in extensive lumber transactions. Mr. Owens has served in the volun- teer militia, has been mayor and postmaster of Chatham, and is vice-president of the South Shore railway. He sat in the Quebec assembly as a Con- servative for ten years, representing Argenteuil, being one of two members who opposed Mercier's Jesuit estates act. and in 1896 he was called to the Canadian senate by Lord Aberdeen.