Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/137

ARMSTRONGARMSTRONG owned a number of grain elevators and a glue factory. Two of his best known charities are the Armour mission and the Armour institute in Chicago, costing $1,500,000. He died in Chicago, Ill., Jan. 6, 1901. ARMSTRONG, David Hartley, senator, was born in Nova Scotia, Oct. 21, 1812. He attended Maine Wesleyan seminary; removed to St. Louis, Mo., in 1837, and became instructor of the first public school in Missouri. He was comptroller of St. Louis, 1847-50; served as vice-president of the board of police commissioners and became postmaster at St. Louis in 1854. He was imprisoned for expressing sympathy for the Confederacy during the Civil war; served as receiver of the Missouri Pacific railroad, and was appointed to the U.S. senate by the governor, to fill the unexpired term of Senator Bogy, deceased, serving, 1877-79. He died in St. Louis, Mo., March 18, 1893. ARMSTRONG, David Maitland, artist, was born at Newburg, N.Y., in 1837. He was graduated at Trinity college, Hartford, in 1858; studied law, engaged in practice, and subsequently opened a studio in New York city. He studied genre and decorative painting under Luc Oliver Merson, and other eminent artists in Rome and Paris; was U.S. consul-general to Italy for four years, and director of the American art department at the Paris Exposition in 1878, where he received the decoration of the Legion of Honor. He reopened his studio in New York city and became a member of the Society of American Artists and of the Architectural League. ARMSTRONG, George Washington, expressman, was born in Boston, Mass., Aug. 11, 1836; son of David and Mahalia (Lovering) Armstrong of Windham, N.H., who removed to Boston in 1825; and a direct descendant on his mother's side from a brother of Edward Winslow, the Pilgrim governor of Plymouth colony. His first paternal ancestor in America, Charter Robert Armstrong, settled in Windham, N.H., in 1722. George was educated at the "Old Hawes Grammar" school and began his business life as a penny-postman in South Boston in 1850. He engaged as newsboy, 1851-61, and was employed in various capacities by the Boston & Worcester railroad company, 1861-63. In July, 1863, he purchased a half interest in the news business of the Boston & Albany road and in 1870 succeeded to the entire business, adding to it the dining room at the station. In 1865 he purchased King's express business over the road and changed it to Armstrong Transfer; purchased the news business of the Fitchburg railroad in 1869, and extended it over the Hoosac tunnel route in 1877. He also extended his newspaper and restaurant business north and west, over the Boston and Maine; Fitchburg and Boston and Albany railroads. He organized and became president of the Armstrong Transfer company in 1882; was elected a life member of the Bostonian Society and a member of the Beacon Society of Boston. He married, Dec. 10, 1868, Louise Marston of Bridgewater, N.H., and on Dec. 12, 1882, Flora E. Greene of Boston, Mass. He erected a building for the Nesmith library at Windham, N.H., in 1898. He died in Centre Harbor, N.H., June 30, 1901. ARMSTRONG, James, naval officer, was born at Shelbyville, Ky., Jan. 17, 1794. He entered the U.S. navy as midshipman on the Frolic in 1809, which was captured by the British in 1814. He was promoted lieutenant April 27, 1816; commander, March 3, 1825, and captain, Sept. 4, 1841. He became commander of the East India squadron in 1855; participated in the capture of the Chinese forts near Canton in 1857, and commanded the navy yard at Pensacola, Fla., in 1861, which he surrendered. He was promoted commodore and placed on the retired list, April 4, 1867. He died Aug. 25, 1868. ARMSTRONG, James F., naval officer, was born at Salem, N.J., Nov. 20, 1817. He entered the U.S. navy as midshipman, March 7, 1832, served on the Delaware, 1832-36, and on the Boston in 1837. He was promoted passed midshipman in 1838; lieutenant, Dec. 8, 1842; and commander, June 8, 1861, serving in that capacity on the Sumter of the blockading squadron. He took part in the capture of Fort Macon; was promoted captain on the retired list, April 4, 1867, and served again on the active list from Sept, 27, 1871, to Sept. 2, 1872. He died in New Haven, Conn., April 19, 1873. ARMSTRONG, John, soldier, was born in Ireland in 1725. He settled in Pennsylvania, and distinguished himself as a soldier in the French and Indian war, while leading a company against Kittaning Indians. He was appointed a brigadier-general in the Continental army in 1776; took part in the defense of Fort Moultrie and commanded a brigade at Brandywine and Germantown. He left the army in 1777, disagreeing on a question of rank, and was a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1778, and 1787. He died in Carlisle, Pa. March 9, 1795.