Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/205

BANGS.BANKHEAD. BANGS, John Kendrick, author, was born in Yonkers, N. Y., May 27. 1862; son of Francis Nehemiah and Amelia Frances (Bull) Bangs; grandson of Nathan Bangs, D. D., and a descendant of Edward Bangs, who came from England on the Anne, landing at Plymouth, Mass., in July, 1623. He was graduated from the school of political science, Columbia college, in 1883, and studied law, 1883-'84. He began his literary career as a contributor to Life in 1883, was associate editor of that paper, 1884-'88, and in 1888 became editor of the humorous department of the periodicals published by Harper & Brothers. He became editor of the Drawer in 1888, of Literary Notes in July, 1898; of Literature in January, 1899, and editor of Harper's Weekly in December, 1899. He was Democratic candidate for mayor of Yonkers, N. Y., in 1894; was made president of the Halstead school, Yonkers, N. Y., in 1896, and was vice-president of the Yonkers board of education in 1897. He is the author of: "Roger Camerden" (1887); "New Waggings of Old Tales" (1887); "The Lorgnette" (1887); "Katherine" (1888); "Mephistopheles "(1889); "Tiddledy winks Tales" (1891); "The Tiddledy-winks Poetry Book" (1892); "In Camp with a Tin Soldier" (1892); "Half Hours with Jimmie-boy" (1893); "Coffee and Repartee" (1893); "Three Weeks in Politics" (1894); "The Water Ghost" (1894); "Chum to Chum Papers" (1894); "The Idiot" (1895); "The Invention of the Idiot" (1890); "Mr. Bonaparte of Corsica" (1895); "The Remarkable Adventures of Sandboys" (1895); "The Paradise Club" (1896); "The Mantel-Piece Minstrels" (1896); "The Bicyclers and Three Other Farces" (1896); "A Rebellious Heroine" (1896); "A House-Boat on the Styx" (1896); " Toppleton's Client" (1897); "The Pursuit of the House-Boat" (1897); "Paste Jewels" (1898); "Ghosts I have Met" (1898); "Peeps at People" (1898); "A Prophecy and a Plea" (1898); "The Idiot at Home" (1809); "The Enchanted Typewriter" (1899); "The Dreamers, a Club" (1899); "Cobwebs From a Library Corner " (1899). BANGS, Nathan, educator, was born at Stratford, Conn., May 2, 1778. He received a limited education; taught school in Canada and became an itinerant preacher in the Methodist church. He joined the New York conference of that church in 1820. He was married to Mary Bolton; became agent of the Methodist book concern in 1820, and editor of the Methodist Magazine, and editor of the Christian Advocate and of the various publications of the concern in 1828. He became editor of the Methodist Quarterly Review in 1832; a founder and secretary of the Methodist missionary society in 1836, and president of Connecticut Wesleyan university in 1841, serving one year. His son, Francis Nehemiah (1828-85), A. B. University of the City of New York, 1845, attended Yale law school; practised in New York with John Sedwick, and became president of the New York bar association. He published "History of the Methodist Episcopal Church from its Origin in 1776 to the General Conference of 1840" (4 vols.), "Christianism," "Errors of Hopkinsianism," "Predestination Examined," "Reformer Reformed," " Methodist Episcopacy," "Life of Rev. Freeborn Garrettson." "Authentic History of the Missions under the Care of the Methodist Episcopal Church," "The Original Church of Christ," "Essay on Emancipation," "State and Responsibilities of the Methodist Episcopal Church," "The Necessity, Nature, and Fruits of Sanctification: in a Series of Letters to a Friend" (1851); "Life of Arminius," "Scriptural Vindication of the Orders and Powers of the Ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church." His life has been fully written by Abel Stevens. He died in New York city, May 3, 1862. BANKHEAD, James, soldier, was born in Virginia in 1783, son of James Bankhead, a revolutionary officer. His tastes pointed to a military life and he joined the army as captain of the 5th infantry, June 18, 1808, and rose by successive steps to the rank of lieutenant colonel of the 3d artillery, April 26, 1832. He saw active service and won brevet rank as colonel for distinguished bravery in the Florida campaign, and afterwards in the Mexican war received a like honor for conspicuous gallantry at Vera Cruz in command of the 2d artillery, when he received the brevet rank of brigadier-general, March 29, 1847. In the following year he was commander of Orizaba, a department in Mexico, and at the time of his death had charge of the military department of the east. His son, John Pine Bankhead, was a U.S. naval officer during the civil war. General Bankhead died in Baltimore, Md., Nov. 11, 1856. BANKHEAD, John H., representative, was born at Moscow, Marion county, Ala., Sept. 13, 1842. During the civil war he served four years in the Confederate army and was three times wounded. He represented his native county in the general assembly of Alabama during 1865, '66 and '67, and was a member of the state senate 1876-77. He was elected a member of the house of representatives of the state under the new constitution and served, 1880-'81, and at the end of his term was appointed warden of the state penitentiary, serving 1881 to 1885. In 1886 he was elected a representative to the 50th congress as a Democrat, and was re-elected to the 51st, 52d, 53d, 54th, 55th, 56th, 57th and 58th congresses. BANKHEAD, John Pine, naval officer, was born in South Carolina, Aug. 3, 1821; son of James Bankhead, an army officer in the Mexican