Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 7).djvu/257

Rh tenant during the Mexican war. Returning from California in 1855, he was elected judge of the seventh circuit; three years later he resigned and moved to Dallas county, resuming his law prac- tice. At the outbreak of the civil war he entered the Confederate army as major of the 20th Ala- bama infantry, quickly rising tolieutenaiit^eolonel of the same regiment. He was made brigadier- general in 186;{. After the war Judge Pettus re- sumed his law practice, taking little part in polities until his election, in 1896, as U. S. senator for the term expiring in March, 1903.

PEYTON, Jesse Emlows, promoter, b. in Mays- ville. Ky., 1 Nov., 1815: d. in lladdonfield, N. J., 28 April, 1897. His opj)ortunities for education were few, and he spent his time on his father's farm until his sixteenth year. He entered mer- cantile pursuits, and after various employments formed a copartnership in Philadelphia in 1845 until 1854. He then became interested in coal lands in West Virginia. In 1843-'4 he secured a subscription of $40,000 for Henry Clay, which saved that statesman's homestead from his cred- itors. At the Ijeginning of the civil war he re- cruited a regiment in New Jersev for service in Kentucky, and this regiment was the first to reach Washington after the war had opened. To Peyton is due the credit of having placed the 3d and 11th Pennsylvania cavalry regiments in the field. He took an active part during the reconstruction of the south, and as early as 1805 agitated the celebration of the centennial of independence in 1876. He contributed materially toward the cen- tennial's success, and hi«l charge of Banker's f)a- vilion. The centennial celebrations of BunKer Hill in 1875 and of Yorktown in 1881 are cred- ited to him. He also suggested and secured the celebration in 1887 of the constitutional centen- nial, and also that of 1889 of the inauguration of Washington. He was the original promoter of the Worlil's Columbian ext>osition. He published " Heminiscences of Pliilailelphia during the Pa.st Half Centiirv" (Philiwlelpliia. 1888).

PEYTUN, William Madison, b. in Mont- gomery county. 'a., 2 Sept., 1804: d. in Roanoke county, Va., 16 Feb., 18(i8. He was educated at Princeton and Yale, served many years in the Vir- ginia house of delegates, and for as long a time was president of the James river and Kanawha canal company. He declined the secret aryshi[) of the U. S. legation in Paris which was offered him bv William C Rives in 1832. was subsequently presi- dent of the Southern historical society, and tof>k an active part in removing the remains of James Monroe to Virginia. He was the first to discover cannel coal in Virginia, and the town of Peyttma, Boone CO., W. Va.. is named in his honor. .See his interesting " Memoir and Speeches in the House of Delegates of Virginia," by his kinsman John Lewis Pevton (Loudon, Va., 1873).

PHELPS, George May, inventor, b. in Water- vliet. N. v.. 19 March, 1820: d. in Brooklyn, N. Y.. 18 May. 1888. He early found employment in the shop of his uncle, Jonas H. Phelps, a maker of sur- veying and a.stronomicBl instruments in Troy. In 1850 he had estalilished himself in business, mak- ing various kinds of lisht machinery and mmlels. Soon afterward Mr. Pheljis was chi^en to manu- facture the type-printing telegraph of Royal R. House : and wlien.a few years later, the American telegraph company was formed to operate the muting system of David K. Hughes, Mr. Phelps Mjcame the superintendent of its factory. Several important mwlifications of this machine were de- vised by him, and by gradual adaptation it be- came the well-known " combination printer." His most valuable invention was the motor-printer, which is now in use on the lines of the Western union telegraph company. The machinery and apparatus made by Mr. Phelps were noticeable for symmetry and gracefulness, expressing an innate sense of fitness and proportion, which was the most striking characteristic of his great talent as an inventor and constructor.

'''PHILIP. John Woodward''', naval officer, b. in New York city, 26 Aug., 1840. He was appointed to the naval academy, and. graduating, was ap- pointed a midshipman in 18(il, and attached to the frigate " Constitution," serving afterward on the "Santee." He was promoted to acting master and on duty on the slooiv of-war •• Marion," in the Gulf blockad- ing squadron, serv- ing on the " Sono- ma" in the James river fleet. He was commissioned lieu- tenant in 1862, and was the executive officer of the " Chip- pewa," " Pawnee," and the monitor " Montauk " during the siege of Charles- ton, from Septem- ber, 1862, to Janu- ary, 1865. He re- ceived a severe wound when aboard the " Pawnee " in the Stone river. He was executive officer of the " Wachu- sett," in the Asiatic squadron, 1865 to 1867, and was commissioned lieutenant-commander in 1886. He was executive officer of the flag-ship " Hart- ford," Asiatic .squailron, was also executive officer of the " Richmond," P'uropean squadron, and of the flag-ship "Hartford," Asiatic squadron, when he was detached to command the "Monocaey." He was commissioned a commander in 1874, and ordered to the "Adams." and was detached and granted leave to command the Woodruff scien- tific expedition around the world. He was or- dered to the command of the "Tuscarora" in 1877, and was engaged in surveying the west coast of Mexico and Central America. He was trans- ferred from the "Tuscarora" to the "Ranger" in 1880, and detached from the latter-nameil vessel in 1883. and was in command of the receiving-ship "Independence" at Mare island navy-yard, 1887 to 1890. He was commissioned captain in 1889, commanding the "Atlanta." 1890-"1, and in com- mand of the " New York." 1893-'4. He was com- mandant of the navy-yard at Boston, 1894-'7, com- manding bnttle-ship " Texas" during the war with Spain : in January. 1899. assigned to the Brooklyn navy-yard, in March was made rear-admiral, and in .Se|)temtier was present at the New York cele- bration in honor of Admiral Dewey.

PHILLIPS, George Searle. English author, b. in PcterlHirough. Kngliind. 10 Jan., 1816: d. in Morristown. N. J.. 14 Jan.. 1889. He was educated at Trinity college, Cambridge. came to this conn- try, ancl was connected with the New York press. He returned to England about 1845, edited the Leeds "Times." became principal of the People's college. Huddcrsfield. Yorkshire, in 1846, and in 1854 was lecturer to the Yorkshire union of me- chanics' institutes and literary societies. He re-