Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/180

BADGER.BADGER. law at the age of nineteen. In 1816 he was elected to the North Carolina legislature, and in 1820 appointed a judge of the superior court, which office he resigned in 1825. and returned to the practice of Law. He supported William H. Harrison in the presidential campaign of 1840, and on his inauguration. March 4, 1841, President Harrison appointed him secretary of the navy, which position he resigned when Tyler came to the presidency. He was elected by the legislature of North Carolina in 1846 to the seat in the U. S. senate made vacant by the resignation of W. H. Haywood, and elected for the full senatorial term in 1848. President Fillmore named him associate justice of the U. S. supreme court in 1853, but the senate refused to confirm the nomination. In 1854, upon his retirement from the senate, he took up the practice of law at the state capital. In 1861 he was a member of the secession convention, but spoke in favor of remaining in the union. In a letter introducing him to Mr. Justice Story at the time of his appointment to the U. S. supreme bench, Daniel Webster wrote: "He is your equal and my superior." He died at Raleigh, N. C., May 11, 1866. BADGER, Joseph, soldier, was born at Haverhill Mass., Jan. 11, 1722; son of Joseph and Hannah (Peaslee) Badger. He was a farmer, served in the militia, and held the ranks of ensign, lieutenant and captain, successively. At the age of twenty-three he was made a deputy sheriff, and afterwards justice of the peace. Jan. 31, 1740, he was married to Hannah Pearson, and their son Joseph married Elizabeth, daughter of William Parsons of South Hampton. In July, 1763, he removed to Gilmanton, N. H., where he was one of the proprietors and first settlers. He was first magistrate, and on July 10, 1771, received the appointment of colonel of the 10th N. H. regiment. In 1771 he acted as a muster-master for the state, was elected a delegate to the provincial congress, and was made brigadier-general in the state militia, June 27, 1780. He served on the governor's council from 1784 to 1791. In December, 1784, he was appointed judge of the probate court, holding the office for thirteen years. In 1788 he was a member of the New Hampshire convention that adopted the federal constitution. He was very influential in founding and erecting the academy at Gilmanton, was one of its trustees, and president of the board of trust until his death, which occurred April 4, 1803. BADGER, Joseph, clergyman, was born at Gilmanton, N. H., Aug. 16, 1792; son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Parsons) Badger. He was educated in Canada, and in 1812, yielding to his convictions, was baptized and began to preach. Two years later he was ordained by the Baptists, but did not connect himself with that body. He preached in New Hampshire and New York State with much success, forming churches which called themselves "Christians." In 1825 he edited the Palladium, the organ of the sect called "Christians." He died May 12, 1852. BADGER, Oscar C., naval officer, was born at Windham, Conn., Aug. 12, 1823. He was appointed to the U. S. navy from Pennsylvania as a midshipman, Sept. 9, 1841. As a midshipman on board the Saratoga, in 1843, he was attached to a landing party from that ship, and took part in the attack upon the Bereby villages on the west coast of Africa. He served on board the Mississippi with the Gulf squadron during the Mexican war, and participated in the attack upon Alvarado in 1846. Subsequently, in 1855, as lieutenant he commanded a party from the U. S. sloop John Adams, which attacked and destroyed the town of Vutia, Fiji Islands. His services during the civil war were particularly meritorious. While in command of the steamer Anacostia, in 1861-'62, he was engaged in a number of attacks upon Confederate batteries on the Potomac river and Aquia creek, and in the bombardment of Yorktown, Va., and the defences at Gloucester Point. He was promoted lieutenant-commander July 16, 1862, and commanded the ironclads Patapsco and Montauk in the attacks on the batteries and forts on Morris Island and on Forts Wagner, Gregg and Sumter, in Charleston harbor. While performing the duties of fleet-captain on board the ironclad Weehawken in a night engagement with Forts Moultrie and Sumter, he was severely wounded, his right leg being shattered by a metallic splinter, caused by a round shot striking the turret of the Weehauken. His efficient and faithful services were recognized in an official report made to the navy department by Admiral Dahlgren, under date of Sept. 2, 1863, and by the navy department in communication addressed to Commodore Badger, under date of Jan. 7, 1864. After the close of the war he was on shore duty until July, 1866, when he was promoted commander. During a cruise on the Peoria he received a vote of thanks from the legislatures of St. Kitts and Antigua for services rendered to the authorities of those islands. In 1872 he was promoted captain, and on Nov. 15, 1881, commodore, and was placed on the retired list in 1885. BADGER, William, governor of New Hampshire, was born at Gilmanton, N. H., Jan. 13, 1779; son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Parsons) Badger. In early manhood he followed mercantile pursuits, but soon became prominent in political life, being elected a state representative in 1810, to the state senate in 1814, and acting as president of that body two years later, at which