Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/100

ALVORD.AMES. ALVORD, Thomas Gold, statesman, was born at Onondaga, N. Y., Dec. 20, 1810, son of Elisha and Helen (Lansing) Alvord. His paternal ancestor, Alexander Alvord, immigrated from Somersetshire, England, and settled at East Winsor, Conn., in 1634. His maternal ancestor, Abram Jacob Lansing, left Holland in 1630, and located at Fort Orange. He became the patroon of a large grant of land which he called Lansingburgh. His paternal grandfather, Thomas Gold Alvord, was a soldier in the French and Indian war of 1756, and also served in the Revolutionary war, as did his maternal grandfather. His father removed immediately after his marriage to Onondaga county. He returned to Lansingburgh in 1813, and there young Alvord received his preparatory education at the academy. At the early age of fifteen he entered Yale college, where he was graduated at 1828. He then worked in a country store, studied law, and in October, 1832, was admitted to the bar, and began the practice of his profession at Salina, N. Y. In 1846, he devoted himself to the manufacture of lumber and salt. The lumber supply practically giving out about 1860, he confined himself to the salt manufacture. Mr. Alvord represented his district in the New York assembly in 1843. He was again a successful candidate in 1857, and from this time on for twenty-four years he was successively re-elected either as assemblyman or to some other state office. Twice again in 1864 and 1879, he was chosen speaker of the assembly, and he also served as speaker pro tempore in 1852, during a portion of the term of Henry J. Raymond. In 1864 he was elected lieutenant-governor, and he served during 1865-'66, and in 1867 and 1868 he was a member and vice-president of the state constitution convention. He was permanent chairman of the state convention which met in Syracuse in 1861. His service as a state legislator ended in 1882. He died in Syracuse, N.Y., Oct. 26, 1897. AMAT, Thaddeus, R. C. bishop, was born in Barcelona, Spain, Dec. 31, 1811. He pursued his education in the Barcelona diocesan seminary. He entered a Lazarist community as a novice Dec. 30, 1831, and in 1834 took the vows of the order. In 1835 the revolution drove him, with many others, from Spain, and he took refuge in Paris, where he completed his studies, and was ordained in 1838. He was sent to America in the same year, and stationed at the church of the Assumption in New Orleans. In 1841 he was appointed master of novices at Cape Girardeau, Mo., and in 1842 superior of the seminary of the Lazarists at St. Louis, Mo. In 1847 Father Amat was appointed rector of the seminary of St. Charles Borromeo, Philadelphia, and for four years he directed and developed this important institution. He attended the first plenary council of Baltimore, as theologian, and was there nominated to fill the vacancy in the see of Monterey. He was consecrated second bishop of Monterey by Cardinal Fransoni in the chapel of Urban college at Rome, March 12, 1854. From this time until his death he labored zealously for the interests of his see and the promotion of religion, building churches and founding educational and charitable institutions. He assisted at the second plenary council of Baltimore, and at the first provincial council of San Francisco, and attended the council of the Vatican. He built the cathedral at Los Angeles, and the Holy See named him as Bishop of Los Angeles in 1859. He died there May 12, 1878. AMBAUEN, Andrew Joseph, R.C. priest, was born at Beckenried, canton of Unterwalden, Switzerland, March 7, 1847; son of Michael and Barbara (Zimmerman) Ambauen. He studied at the Seminary of Mentz, Hesse Darmstadt, and at the Archiepiscopal provincial seminary, Milwaukee, Wis., and was ordained priest in 1872. He engaged in mission work and was rector at Dodgeville, Wis., from 1886. He is the author of: "The Devout Companion" (1887); "Our Christian Duties" (1887); "The Floral Apostles" (1892); and in German "The Friend of Youth" (1892); "Roses of Heaven" (1894); and "Guide to Our Celestial Home" (1895). AMES, Adelbert, soldier, was born at Rockland, Me., Oct. 31, 1835. He entered West Point in 1856, and was graduated May 6, 1861, as 2d lieutenant 2d artillery, U. S. A., and a week later promoted to 1st lieutenant 5th artillery. He was first assigned to the duty of instructing volunteers at Washington, and afterwards transferred to Griffin's battery. He was brevetted major for his gallantry in the battle of Bull Run, where he was severely wounded. He served in the peninsular campaign, and was present at the siege of Yorktown and the battle of Garnett Farms; and for gallant services at Malvern Hill he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel, July 1, 1862. He engaged in the battles of Antietam, Sept. 17, and Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862. His regiment, the 20th Maine, being out of service on account of an epidemic, he served as aid-de-camp to Generals Hooker and Meade in the Chancellorsville campaign. He was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers, May