Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/369

 BOONE.

BOOTH.

accui-ate translation of the Holy Bible and the prayer-book into Chinese, in which language and literature his scholarship was eminent. He died at Shanghai, China, July IT,, 1864.

BOONE, William Jones, 4th bishop of China mission and 135th in succession in the American episcopate, was born at Shanghai, China, May 17, 1846; son of "WiUiam Jones Boone, first bishop of China mission. He obtained Iiis primary in- struction from members of the Chinese mission, and was sent to the United States for the com- pletion of his education. He was graduated from Princeton in 1865, after which he pursued his theo- logical studies at the divinity schools of Philadel- pliia and Virginia, and was ordained as deacon in St. Paul's church, Petersburg, Va., Jidy 26, 1868 ; received his appointment as a missionary to China in 1869, and was admitted to priest's orders at Hankow, China in 1870. He was ap- pointed to the mission at Unchay, China, Avhere he remained for ten years, and then became <'haplaiu and principal of the theological depart- ment of St. John's college. He was chosen mis- sionary bishop of China, to succeed bishop Schereschewsky, and was consecrated at the English cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Shanghai, Oct. 28, 1884. His literary work was limited to translations, and pastoral and missionary papers. He died at Shanghai, China, Oct. 5, 1891.

BOORMAN, James, merchant, was born in the county of Kent, England, in 1783. In 1795 he removed with his parents to America, where, after serving an apprenticeship with Dfevid Bethune, a prominent New York merchant, he became liis partner, and afterwards with John Johnston formed the firm of Boorman & Jolin.son, dealers in Swedish iron and Virginia tobacco. He was one of the projectors of the Hudson river railroad and its first president. He was one of the founders of the Bank of Commerce. He greatly enriched several New York char- itable and educational institutions, and died Jan. 24, 1866.

BOOTH, Ballington, reformer, was born in Brighouse, Yorkshire. England, July 28, 1857, second son of Gen. William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, and author of " In Darkest England and the Way Out." On Sept. 16, 1886, he was married to Maud, daughter of the Rev. Samuel Charlesworth. She was born in Lymps- field, Surrey, England, Sept. 13, 1865, and on her husband's appointment as commander of the Sal- vation Army in America, in 1887, she accom- panied him to his new post and became closely a.ssociated with him in his work. Soon after his arrival in the United States Mr. Booth became a naturalized citizen. In the fall of 1895 Mr. and Mrs. Booth were publicly reprimanded by Gen. WiUiam Booth, for receiving financial support

from fashionable churches, and thus raising the social standard of the Army, and in January, 1896, Ballington Booth was ordered to leave America. This he declined to do, but resigned his com- mission and with his followers formed "TJie Volunteers of Amer- ica," organized in mil itary style, having as its model the United States army, and as its ideal the constitution of the United States of America. It was in ^7^. augurated March 9, ^ 1896, and before tlie end of the -first year had three regiments of ten battalions each; 150 staff officers, 130 officered organized posts, and 400 conunanding officers. Its weekly paper had a paid circulation of over 20, 000 copies. The volunteers sought to co-operate with all exist- ing evangelical churches and religious organiza- tions, the sacraments of the holy communion and bapti-sm being administered by the commander-in- chief and properly qualified and ordained staff officers. To this end. Commander Booth was or- dained in 1896 a '" Presbyter of the Church of God in General."

BOOTH, Edwin Thomas, actor, was born at Booth Farm, Bel Air, Harford cotmty, Md., Nov. 13, 1833 : son of Junius Brutus and Mary Ann (Holmes) Booth. His first scholastic in.struction was received from Miss Siisan Hyde, afterwards secretary of the Peabody institute at Baltimore, and, though his subsequent attendance at school was desultory, he acquired a fairly good English education. He early began to accompany his father on his periodical theatrical tours, which devolved upon the son the no sUght duty of caring for the health and comfort of the eccentric actor. A strong affection grew up between the two. The boy was grave beyond his years, observant, thoughtful, and extremely sympathetic. His in- herited talent and his early association with theat- rical life created in him a desire to become an actor, and, overcoming his father's opposition, he made his debut at the Boston museum as Tressel in Richard III., Sept. 9, 1849. The result was evi- dently not unpleasingto his father, for Edwin con- tinued to play, appearing September 27, as Cassius to his father's lago, at the Providence museum ; September 29, as Wilford to his father's Sir Edward Mortimer in "The Iron Chest" ; December 25, as Laertes to his father's Hamlet, at the Old Drury, Pittsburg, Pa., and May 22. 1850, again playing Wilford. In 1851 the elder Booth was