Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/207

BANVARD.BARAGA. Gen. Richard Taylor, and were driven back to Pleasant Hill; but on the following day, when the Confederates renewed the attack, they were repulsed and the Federal forces enabled to retire to Alexandria, where they awaited the gunboats stranded above by reason of the subsidence of the spring freshets. When the boats were released by Colonel Bailey's dam, the combined land and naval forces fell back to the Mississippi river. The failure of the expedition was charged to General Banks, who, however, disclaimed the responsibility of the undertaking. In May, 1864, he was relieved of his command, resigned his commission and returned to his native state. He was elected a representative to the 39th Congress in 1865 to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of D. W. Gooch, and was re-elected in 1866-'68-’70 and again elected in 1874. In 1879 he was appointed U. S. marshal for the district of Massachusetts by President Hayes, and served until 1888, when he was again elected to represent his district in the 51st Congress. Harvard college conferred on him the degree of LL. D. in 1858. He died in Waltham, Mass., Sept. 1, 1894. BANVARD, John, painter, was born in New York city, Jan. 21, 1821. At the age of fifteen, he journeyed to Kentucky, where, wandering from place to place, he developed his talent for painting by transferring the faces and scenes incident to his journey to canvas, which he exhibited. His trips up and down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers decided him in 1841 to paint a panorama of the Mississippi river. He made his drawings with the utmost care upon a canvas half a mile long, and painted in the landscape. He exhibited this panorama all over the country, and it met with such favor that he took it abroad. He spent many years in travel, and wrote numerous books about the countries through which he journeyed. During the civil war the government found his careful study of the Mississippi river very useful, and it was largely by information furnished by him to General Fremont and General Pope that the capture of Island No. 10 was accomplished. Mr. Banvard wrote many poems, which have appeared in American and English periodicals. He published: "Description of the Mississippi River," "Pilgrimage to the Holy Land," "Amasis, or the Last of the Pharaohs," "The Private Life of a King," "The Tradition of the Temple" (1883). He also wrote dramas, two of which were produced on the stage, "Amasis," and "Carrinia." He died May 16, 1891. BANVARD, Joseph, author, was born in New York city, May 9, 1810, brother of John Banvard. He was educated primarily at the South Reading academy, was graduated from the Newton theological institution in 1833, and was ordained pastor of the Second Baptist church, Salem, Mass., where he preached for eleven years. He afterwards preached in Boston five years, West Cambridge two years. New York three years, Pawtucket, R. I., five years, Worcester, Mass., five years. In 1866 he was chosen president of the National theological institute, Washington, D. C. At the end of the year he became pastor of the Baptist church at Paterson, N. J., where he remained ten years, and at Neponset, Mass., in 1876. He is the author of "The Christian Melodist; a collection of Hymns" (1850); "Plymouth and the Pilgrims" (1851); "Romance of American History" (1852); "Novelties of the New World" (1852); "The American Statesman, or Illustrations of the Life and Character of Daniel Webster" (1853); "Priscilla; or, Trials for the Truth" (1854); "Wisdom, Wit and Whims of the Old Philosophers" (1854); "Tragic Scenes in the History of Maryland and the Old French War" (1856); "Old Grips and Little Tidd" (1871); "First Explorers of North America" (1874); "Southern Explorers and Colonists" (1874); "Soldiers and Patriots of the Revolution" (1876), and a juvenile library of eight volumes. He was chosen an honorary member of the Boston society of natural history and of the historical society of Wisconsin, vice-president of the Worcester county, Mass., natural history society, and president of the historical society of Passaic county, N. J. He received the degree of A. M. from Columbia college, and D. D. from Shurtleff college. He died at Neponset, Mass., Sept. 29, 1887. BARAGA, Frederick, R. C. bishop, was born in Malavas parish, Debernitz, Treffin, in Carniola, June 29, 1797. When nine years of age he commenced his studies at the college of Laibach in his native province. He was distinguished for his linguistic ability and proficiency in general studies. He applied himself to the study of law at Vienna, graduating brilliantly in 1821. His inclination was, however, for the priesthood, and he entered the ecclesiastical seminary of Laibach to take a theological course. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1823. For the next seven years Carniola was the scene of his missionary labors, and during that time he prepared many books of devotion in the Sclavonic tongue for popular use, greatly improving his native language thereby. He determined to devote himself to American missions, and sailed from Havre in December, 1830, arriving in Cincinnati, Jan. 18, 1831, and first located at Arbre Croche, a village of the Ottawa Indians on Lake Michigan. Here he labored for two years, meanwhile compiling and printing a prayer and hymn book in the Ottawa language. He went to Grand river in the autumn of 1833, and remained there