Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/290

 BEMAN.

BENEDICT.

BEMAN, Wooster Woodruff, educator, was born at 8<.)iitlnnj,'ton. Conn., May 'JS, ly.lO. He wa^; preiKired for college, eutered the University of Midiigan in 1.S66, and was graduated in 1870, receiving liis A.M. degree in 1873. During the year 1870-"71 be was instructor in Greek and mathematics in Kalamazoo college, Mich. He was instructor of mathematics in the University of Michigan from 1871 to 1874; assistant professor from 1874 to 188'2; associate professor from 1882 to 1887, and was made professor in charge of the dejiartment in 1887. He became a fellow of the American association for the advancement of science, and was the secretary of Section A in 1890. He was a member of both the London and New York mathematical societies. He assisted Professor Olney in the preparation of his series of text-books, and is the author of " Keys to Olney's Introduction to Algebra, Geometry, Trignometry and University Algebra. " He made numerous contributions to the "Academy," "Analyst," "Educational Notes and Queries," "Annals of Mathematics," and " Bibliotbeca Mathematica."

SEMIS, Edward Webster, educator, was born at Springfield, Mass., April 17, 1860. He was graduated from Amherst college in 1880, re- ceiving the class honors in historj' antl political economy. After spending t^iree years in resi- dent study at the Johns-Hopkins university, and two years in Minnesota as an editorial writer in the St. Paul Pioneer Press he received the degree of Ph.D. in 1885 from the Johns-Hopkins uni- versity. During the winters of 1887-'88 and 1888-"89 he conducted university extension courses in Buffalo, St. Louis and other cities, they being the first lectures of the kind ever delivered in America, their decided success initiating the university extension movement which afterwards became so prominent a feature in popular educa- tion. After giving short lecture courses at Ohio university, Mt. Holyoke seminary and at Am- herst, Vas.sar and Carle ton colleges, during 1886, 1887 and 1888, and having charge of econoniics and hLstorj' at Vanderbilt university during the spring sessions of 1888 and 1889, Mr. Bemis was elected adjunct professor in charge of these departments at the Vanderbilt university, in Jime, 1889. This post he resigned in June, 1892, to accept the position of university extension associate professor of political economy in the University of Chicago, which he held until 1895. In 1896 Professor Bemis entered upon his duties as assoc-iate editor of the " Bibliotheca Sacra. " He is the author of ' ' Co-operation in New England " (1886); " Co-operation in the Middle States" (1888); "History of Co-operation in the United States " (1888); " Municipal Ownersliip of Gas in the United States" (1891); "Local

Government in Michigan and the Northwest " (1893); " Local Government for South and Southwest " (1893); " Popular Election of United States Senators" (1893);" Relation of Labor Organizations to the American Boy, etc." (1894), and of numerous papers on social and economic subjects.

BENDIX, John E., soldier, was born on a steamboat on the St. Lawrence river, Aug. 28, 1818. When a young man he was employed in a machine shoj) in New York city, and in 1847 joined the 9th regiment, N. Y. S. M. When the regiment volunteered for three months' service, in 1861, he went with it to the defence of Wash- ington. When mustered out he organized the 7th regiment. N. Y. volunteers, and was elected its colonel. He served throughout the civil war, taking part in the battles of Antietam, Fredericks- burg and the Wilderness, and in all the operations of the army of the Potomac up to the time of the surrender of General Lee. He received pro- motion to the rank of brigadier-general in 1865. He died in New York city, Oct. 8, 1877.

BENEDICT, Abner Raleigh, soldier, was born in New York city, Nov. 13, 1839, son of Abner and Harriet (Kohler) Benedict. He was educated in the public schools and in the Uni- versity of Vermont. In 1861 he volunteered as a private in the 12th New York regiment. In August he received a lieutenant's commission, and won his first brevet at Gaines's Mill. He served gallantly at second Bull Run, at Antietam, and at Fredericksburg, where he was shot through the lungs. Dec. 14, 1862, gaining a brevet as major for his action. His wound was thought to be mortal, but he reported at Washington in less than three montlis. He rejoined his regiment at Chancellorsville. At Gettysburg the com- mand of the regiment devolved upon him. He was for a time commander of the 4th infantry as the body-guard at General Grant's headquar- ters, during the Petersburg campaign. Later he was stationed at Plattsburg, N. Y. He died of the wound received at Fredericksburg, June 15, 1S07

BENEDICT, David, historian, was born at Norwalk, Conn., Oct. 10, 1779; son of Thomas and Martha (Scudder) Benedict. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to a shoemaker in New Canaan, Conn., and was then employed for a short time as a journeyman. In 1802 he en- tered the academy at Mt. Pleasant, Sing Sing, N. Y., where he was prepared for college. In 1806 he was graduated from Brown university, and in a short time was ordained to the Baptist ministry. His first pastorate was in Pawtucket, R. I., where he remained until about 1831, mean- while devoting much time to historical research relative to the Baptist denomination. From