Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/355

 BLOOMFIELD.

BLOXHAM.

much newspaper comment and became known as the " Bloomer costume,'' although she repeatedly disclaimed to being the originator. This added to the subcription list of The Lily, and in 1853 she made a lecture tour through the West. She re- mov*ed to Mount Vernon, Ohio, in 1853 became assistant editor of the Visitor, and in 1855 sold The Lily and removed to Council Bluffs, la. She also lectured before the Nebraska legislature in 1856. See Life and Writings of Amelia Bloomer by D. C. Bloomer. She died at Council Bluffs, la., Dec. 30. 1894.

BLOOMFIELD, Joseph, governor of New Jersey, was born at Woodbridge, N. J., about 1755. He joined the revolutionary army, and served throughout the war, gaining the rank of major. He then resumed his study of the law, and began practice at Burlington, N.J. In 1801 he was elected governor of New Jersey, holding the office until 1812. During the war of 1813 he served in the army with distinction, having the rank of brigadier-general. In 1816 he was elected a representative to the 15th Congress, serving through the 16th Congress. He died at Burlington, N.J., Oct. 3, 1823.

BLUNT, James H., representative, was born in Georgia, Sept. 12, 1837. He was graduated from the University of Georgia in 1857 ; studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1858. He served in the Confederate army, 1861-'65, attain- ing the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He w^as a delegate to the state constitutional convention of 1865 ; a representative in the 44th-52d congresses, 1873-'93, and was sent as a special envoy to Hawaii, March 7, 1893, to investigate and report the social and political aspect of the islands, and upon the recall of John L. Stevens, U.S. minister at Honolulu, Mr. Blunt was appointed minister plenipotentiary, serving from May till Septem- ber, 1893. He died at Macon, Ga., March 9, 1903.

BLOUNT, Thomas, representative, was born in Bertie county, N.C., fourth son of Col. Jacob and Barbara (Gray) Blount and a descendant of Thomas Blount, the first ancestor in America, who was born in England, son of Sir Walter Blount, and settled in North Carolina in 1669. Thomas was a brother of AVilliam Blount, U.S. senator froni Tennessee and a half-brother of Willie Blount, governor of Tennessee, 1809-15, He re- ceived a liberal education, was a member of the North Carolina war congress, a soldier in the con- tinental army, and a prisoner in England in the hands of the British government for several years. He was finally released and retvirned to North Carolina, settling, near Tarborough. He represented the Edgecomb district in the 3d, 4th, and 5th congresses, 1793-'99 ; the 9th and 10th con- gresses, 1805-'09, and the 12th congress, 1811- '12, He died in Washington, D.C, in 1812,

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BLOUNT, William, senator, was born in Bertie county, N.C., March 26, 1749, son of Col. Jacob Blount. He took part in the Battle of Alamance, May 16, 1771, became an officer in the Continental army and w^as a member of the state assembly at in- tervals, 1780- 90. He ' was a delegate to the Continental congress, 1783-'84, and 1786-'87 ; a framer and signer of the Federal con- stitution in 1787 ; a member of the state ratification conven- tion in 1789, and nego- tiated treaties with the Cherokee, Choc- taw, and Chickasaw Indians in 1786. He served as- governor of the territory south of the Ohio river and as superintendent of Indian affairs under Wasli- ington, 1790-'96. He was president of the Tennes- see state constitutional convention in 1796, and took his seat in the U.S. senate, Dec. 5, 1796, on the admission of Tennessee as a state, where he was accused of criminal designs in projecting a con- spiracy with Great Britain, seeking to prevent Spain from ceding the territories of West Florida and Louisiana to France. He was expelled from the senate July 8, 1797, pending the trial of his case, which was finally dismissed in 1799. He afterward served as state senator. He was mar- ried to Mary Grainger, and their son, William Grainger Blount (1780-1827), was state .secretary, 1809-'] 5, and a representative in Congress. 1815- '19. See " Life and Services of William Blount" by Gen. Marcus J. Wright (1884). He died in • Knoxville. Tenn.. March 27, 1800.

BLOUNT, Willie, governor of Tennessee, was born in Bertie county, N.C., in 1767, son of Col. Jacob and Hannah (Baker) Blount. He was liberally educated, being trained for the law, and settled in Clarksville, Tenn. He represented Montgomery county in the provincial assemblies of 1794-'95 ; private secretary to William Blount, governor of the territory, 1790-'96 and was gov- ernor of Tennessee, 1809-15. He was a judge of the superior court of the state, and a delegate to the state constitutional convention of 1834. He died in Clarksville, Tenn., Sept. 10, 1835.

BLOXHAM, William D., governor of Florida, was born in Leon county, Fla., July 9, 1835. His father was one of the pioneer settlers of that county, having removed from Virginia in 1825. Tlie son was sent to a preparatory school in Vir- ginia at the age of thirteen, and afterward to William and Mary college, where he was gradu-