Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/353

 BLISS.

BLISS.

He served as government counsel in the "Star Route Cases," 1881-82, and in 1895 was decorated by Pope Leo with the order of St. Gregory the Great for his defence of the Roman CathoHc char- itable institutions before the New York constitu- tional convention of 1894. He contributed to the North American Review and published " Law of Life Insurance,*' three editions, and •" Annotated New York Code of Civil Procedure," four editions. He died at AVakefifld, R.I., Sept. 21, 1897.

BLISS, Philemon, representative, was born in North Canton, near Hartford, Conn., July 28, 1813. He removed to Whitestown, N.Y., with his father in 1821. He attended Steuben acad- emy and Hamilton college, paying his tuition by his own labor, but did not complete a college course. He studied law under Theodore Sill, 1833-34 ; removed to Florida for his health and thence to Ohio, entering the profession of law at Elyria, Ohio, in 1841. He was an abolitionist ; was presiding judge of the 14th circuit, 1848-'51 ; a Republican representative in the 34th and 35th congresses, 1854-'59 ; chief justice of Dakota Ter- ritory where he organized the courts, 1861-"63 ; removed to St. Joseph, Mo., in 1864 : was probate judge of Buchanan county, 1866-'68 ; justice of the supreme court, 1868-72 ; professor of law in the Missouri state university, 1872-'89, founding a law department in 1873 of which he was dean until liis death. He was a curator of the Mis- souri state university, 1867-'73. He received the degree of LL.D. He died in St. Paul, Minn., Aug. 25, 1889.

BLISS, Philip Paul, musician, was born in Clearfield county. Pa., July 9, 1838. In 1856 he taught school at Hartsville, N.Y. Being pos- sessed of remarkable vocal powers, he decided to pursue a musical career. In 1860 he attended a musical academy in Genesee, N.Y., and composed songs wliich acquired a local popularity. He became popular as a music teacher in the west, nnd prominent in the musical conventions con- ducted by Bradbury, Root and others, after- wards becoming a successful conductor of such gatherings. He devoted his time to that branch of labor, until he made the acquaintance of Mr. Moody, and became engaged in evangelistic work. Meantime lie had become widely known as a writer of hymns and melodies, some of which attained remarkable popularitj', notably^ '"lam so glad that Jesus loves me," " Almost Per- suaded," and *• Hold the Fort." He was killed in a railway accident at Ashtabula, Ohio, Dec. 29, 1876.

BLISS, Porter Cornelius, journalist, was born in Erie county, N.Y., Dec. 28, 1838 ; son of Asher Bliss, an Indian missionary. He received an academic education, and was a student at Yale college. When a young man he travelled among

the Indian tribes to study their manners and customs. He was private secretary to James Watson Webb, U.S. minister to Brazil, in 1861, and afterwards entered into journalism at Buenos Ayres as editor of the River Plate Magazine. In 1865 President Lopez of Paraguay appointed him historiographer for that country. In 1866 he became private secretary of Mr. Washburn, the United States minister to Paraguay. Dur- ing the war between Paraguay and Brazil the authorities, believing Bliss to be a spy employed by Brazil, confined him in prison for three months, until rescued by the United States gov- ernment. He then engaged in journalism in Washington, D.C. From 1870 to 1874 he served as secretary of legation in Mexico, and upon his return to New York was employed for three years as an editor on " Johnson's Cyclopaedia," and in 1877 became editor of "The Library Table." Two years later he was sent to South America by the New York Herald, as special coiTespondent. He wrote numerous papers of historical value, and is the author of a History of the Russo-Turkish war, published in 1877. He died in New York. Feb. 2, 1885.

BLISS, Richard, librarian, was oorn at Spring- field, Mass., May 26, 1842; son of Richard and Sarah Pynchon (Eastman) Bliss ; grandson of George and Abigail (Rowland) Bliss and of Sam- uel and Sally (Pynchon) Eastman, and a de- scendant of Thomas Bliss, who came to America from Devonshire, England, before 1639 ; and of William Pynchon, emigrant from Wales. He was about to enter Amherst in 1861, when the civil war broke out, and he enlisted for a term of nine months. This service so broke down his health that he could not re-enlist. He taught school, 1864-'65 ; was a student in chemistry at the Lawrence scientific school, Cambridge, Mass., 1865-'67 ; studied in the Museum of comparative zoology, Cambridge, under Professor Agassiz, 1867-71. He was an assistant in charge of ich- thyology there, 1871-75 ; librarian and bibliog- rapher on the United States geological survey and northern transcontinental survey in Newport, 1880-'83, and was librarian of Redwood library, Newport, R.I., from 1884. He was made a mem- ber of the American library association in 1888.

BLISS, Zenas Randall, soldier, was born in Johnston. R.I., April 17. 1835 ; son of Zenas and Phoebe W. (Randall) Bliss, and grandson of Zenas and Keziah (Wilmarth) Bliss, and of Judge Samuel and Cynthia (Waterman) Randall. He was graduated at the U.S. military academy in 1854, was promoted 3d lieutenant in the 8th in- fantry March 3, 1865, 1st lieutenant Oct. 17, 1860, and captain May 14, 1861. He became colonel of the 10th Rhode Island volunteers May 26, 1863 ; was transferred to the 7th Rhode Island volunteers