Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 7).djvu/329

Rh to negotiate terms of confederation. He was de- feated for the legislature in 1869, but was re- turned again in 1873. and serve<l as solicitor-gen- eral until 1878. when he became premier and attorney-general, holding these offices until 1885. As counsel for Newfoundland at the fishery com- mission at Halifax in 1877 he succeeded in ob- taining one million dollars award, for which he was thanked both by the government and by the colonial legislature. In 1889 he became premier and attorney-general again, and was returned again in 1893 and in 1895, being defeated in Oc- tober, 1897. In 1879 and 1881 he was a delegate to the imperial government on the French treaty and related questions, and again in 1890 and 1891. In 1892 he was a delegate to Halifax to consider the fishery and other questions that were raised between the two colonies. In 1880 he was made a K.C. M. G., and he received the degree of I). C. L. from Oxford university in 1897. Sir William at- tended the queen's diamond jubilee in London, and was marlo a member of the privy council.

'''WICKLIKFE. Robert Charles''' governor, b. in Bardstown, Ky., 6 Jan., 1820; d. in Shelbyville, Ky., 18 April, 1895. He was a son of Gov. Charles A. Wiekliffe (q. v.), and was educated at Centre col- lege, studied law, and in 1846 removed to West Feliciana parish. La., where he practised his profes- sion. He was elected to the state senate for three terms, became president of that Inxly on the death of Lieut.-Gov. F'armcr, and in 1855 was elected governor of Ix>uisiana. serving for a period of four years. At the close of his term he resumed prac- tice to a limited extent, seeking recuperation from failing health in cotton-planting. After the close of the civil war, having reguineil his health, he be- came a candidate for congress, and in 1866 was nominated atul elected as a Democrat, but was re- fused his seat because he would not take the oath required under the reconstruction laws.

'''WIKOFF. Charles Augrustus,''' soldier, b. in Pennsylvania. 8 March, 1837; killed in action l>e- fore Santiago de Cuba, 1 July, 1898. He served throughout the civil war. enlisting as a private in Company H in the 1st Pennsylvania, 20 April, 1861, and servctl until 25 June following. On 14 May, 1861. he was comniis-sioned 1st lieutenant in the 15th U. S. infantry. He was brevettcd caplain on 7 April, 1802, for gallant and meritorious ser- vice in the battle of Shiloh, and major, 25 Nov., 1863, for gallant and meritorious service in the battles of Chickamauga anil Missionary Kidge. On 15 Aug., 1864, he was promoted captain ; he was transferred to the 24th infantry, 21 Sept., 1806. and to the 11th infantry, 25 April, 1868. On 8 Dec, 1886, he was made major in the t4th in- fantry; on 1 Nov., 1891, lieutenant-colonel of the 19th infantry ; and on 28 Jan., 1897, colonel of the 22<1. While leading his regiment at the battle of Santiairo he wil* mortally wounded.

WILDKR, MurHhall Plnckney. humorist, b. in Geneva, Ontario co., N. Y., 19 Sept., 1859, is the son of houis de Valois and Mary Ann VVilder. He studied in the public schools of New York city, Hartford. Conn., and Rochester, N. Y. He then entered an olllce in New York city as a stenog- rapher, but soon abandoned that for the vocation of professional entertainer, in which rule he has met with much success in this country and abroad. He has published an amusing volume entitled People I've Smiled with " (New York, 1889). WII/UES. Frank, naval officer, b. in Boston, June. 1843. lie was griuluated from the naval aca<letnv in May, 1863, appointed an ensign, and was ordered to the " Lackawanna." He was en- gaged in the battle of MoV)ile with naval liattery until the surrender of Fort Morgan. He was on the monitor " Chickasaw " during operations- in Mobile bay until the occupation of the city, lie was on duty on the iron-clad "Monadnock" in 1865, subsequently serving on the " Vanderbilt."^ He was promoted master in 1866, and lieutenant, 1867, serving on the steamer "Suwanee," cruising from Panama to British Columbia, until the wreck of that vessel on the north coast of Vancouver's island in July, 1868. He was promoted to lieu- tenant-commander in 1868, and ordered to the " Pensacola." later sailing on the frigate " Frank- lin," of the European squadron, lie was executive officer of the " Wyoming " in 1873, cruising in the West Indies until April. 1874, when he was trans- ferred to the "Wacliusett" as executive officer. He was promoted commander in April, 1880, and commanded the " Yaiitic " in 1882-'5. He was in command of the "Yorktown" in 1892-'3. and in charge of the equipment office at the Norfolk navy- yard in 1893-'4. He was promoted to captain, July, 1894, was in command of the " l^oston dur- ing Dewey's brilliant victory at Manila, and was among the captains who welcomed the admiral on his return to his native land in September, 1899.

WILDMAN, Ronnseville, consul, b. in Ba- tavia, N. Y., 19 March. 1864. is the son of a Metho- dist minister. He studied at the Genesee Wes- leyan seminary, and was graduated at Syracuse university. After leaving college he went to the west and soon became editor of '•The Idaho States- man " at Boise City. He was sent as a delegate to congress, and it was largely owing to his efforts that Idaho was a«lmitted as a state. From 1890 until 1893 he was consul-general at Singapore and Bremen. U|)on his return to the United States he became editor of "The Overland Monthly" of San Francisco. Mr. Wildman was appointed con- sul-general at Hong-Kong in JMay, 1898, and came prominently before the public in connection with the American war in the Philippine islands. WILEV, John, publisher, b. in Flat bush, Long Island, 4 Oct., 1808; d. in East Orange, N. J., 21 Feb., 1891. At the age of seventeen he went into business with his father, at that time a Wall street bookseller and publisher, whose shop was the re- sort of Cooper and Halleck. hater the son entered the firm, which became Wiley, Lane & Co., then Wiley & Putnam, John Wiley, and finally John Wiley & Sons. The firm at first conducted a gen- eral publishing business, but later confined its at- tention to scientific publications. Wiley was a^ strong advocate of international copyright, con- tributing manv articles upon the sulijeet to the daily papers. "The publishing business is still car- ried on in New Yorl< city Vjy Mr. Wiley's two sons.

WILEY, John Alexander, soldier, b. in Alle- ghany county. Pa.. 3 Sept., 1843. lie received a common-school education at his home, and in April, 1861. he enlisted as a private in the 8th Pennsylvania infantry and participated in nearly all the battles of the Army of the Potomac until his discharge, in May. 1864, when he entered the quartermaster's department as chief clerk at Camp Keynolds. near Pittsburg. After the war he be- caiiie engaged in the production of oil, and in 1895 he was elected mayor of Franklin. I'a. He was colonel of the 6th regiment, Pennsylvania National guard, and in 1887 was ma<le brigadier-gpiieral, holding this position until 27 May, 1898, when he was appointed to this rank in the U. S. volunteers. During the short war with Spain in 1898 Gen. Wiley was in command of the 1st brigade of the 3d division of the 1st army-corps.