Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/72

ALDERSON.ALDRICH. descended from Scotch and English ancestors, who emigrated in 1774 and settled on Lower Cape Fear, N.C. He was prepared for college at the schools in Wilmington and at Bethel military academy, Virginia, 1876-'78. He was graduated at the University of North Carolina, Ph.B. in 1882. He was superintendent of city schools, Goldsboro, N.C, 1885-'89; conductor of the state teachers' institutes, 1889-'92; professor of history, State normal college, 1892-'93; professor of pedagogy, University of North Carolina, 1893-'96, and president of the university from 1896, as successor to Kemp P. Battle, resigned. He was elected a member of the American historical association in 1892; of the Maryland historical society in 1893; and of the National educational association in 1894. He became president of Tulane university, New Orleans, in 1900; received the degree of LL.D. from it in 1898, and from Johns Hopkins in 1902, D.C.L. from the University of the South in 1896. He is the author of "Life of William Hooper, Signer of the Declaration of Independence" (1894); "Short History of North Carolina" (1896). ALDERSON, Victor Clifton, educator, was born at Plymouth, Mass., June 4, 1862; son of Andrew P. and Sarah P. (Sears) Alderson; grandson of David Sears, and a descendant of Elder William Brewster of Plymouth, 1620. He was graduated from Harvard in 1885, and was professor of mathematics at the Armour Institute of technology, Chicago, Ill., 1893-'99, and was made dean of the technical college, Armour Institute of technology, in 1899. He became a fellow of the Geological society of America, a member of the Society of Colonial wars; historian of the Society of Mayflower Descendants, and acting president of Armour Institute of technology in 1900. ALDRICH, Charles, journalist, was born at Ellington, N.Y., Oct. 2, 1828. He founded The Freeman in Webster City, Iowa, in 1857; was chief clerk of the house of representatives 1860-'2; 1866 and 1870, and a member of the house, 1882-4, where he originated several state laws. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from Iowa college in 1869; was a member of the U.S. geological survey in 1875; founded the American ornithologist union in 1883; presented his historical collections to the state in 1884, and became curator and secretary of the historical department, Iowa, which he originated in 1892. He contributed to periodicals. ALDRICH, Edgar, jurist, was born in Pittsburg, N.H., 1848. He was graduated at the University of Michigan, LL.B., 1868, was admitted to the New Hampshire bar in 1868, and practised in Colebrook. N.H., 1868-80, serving as solicitor of Cass county. N.H., 1872-'4 and 1876-'9. He married Oct. 7, 1872, Louise M. Remick; removed to Littleton, N.H., in 1881, where he resumed practice, and was speaker of the state house of representatives in 1885, and U.S. judge for the district of New Hampshire from 1891. He received the degree A.M. in 1891, and LL.D. in 1901, from Dartmouth. ALDRICH, Leander Jefferson, educator, was born in Conklinville, N.Y., May 21, 1851; son of Hudson and Sarah (Johnson) Aldrich; grandson of Benoni Aldrich and of John Johnson, and a descendant of the Scotch and English Puritans. He was graduated from Oberlin college, in 1880, and from Oberlin theological seminary in 1885. He was engaged in teaching from 1873, was professor of psychology, literature and pedagogy at Union Christian college, Merom, Ind., from 1885, and was president of that college from 1887. He received the degree of D.D. from Elon college, N.C, in 1893. ALDRICH, Nelson Wilmarth, senator, was born in Foster, R. I., Nov. 6, 1841. His early education was acquired at Killingly, Conn. He then attended the academy in East Greenwich, R. I., and when graduated began a business life in Providence, R. I. His practical interest in city affairs caused him to be elected in the city council from 1869-'75, and from 1872-'73 he was its president. On leaving the council he was elected as a Republican to the general assembly of the state, and in 1876 was speaker of the house. In 1878 he was elected to represent his district in the 46th and was re-elected in 1880 to the 47th Congress. His practical business methods applied to legislation so increased the confidence he had already won in the state, that in 1881 he was elected by the Rhode Island legislature to the vacancy in the United States senate caused by the death of Ambrose E. Burnside. He was re-elected in 1886, in 1892 and in 1898. He was chairman of the committee on rules, and as a member and chairman of the committee on finance he was retained during his entire term of service in the senate. He thus became thoroughly familiar with the intricate questions of finance and tariff, and senators accorded him an attentive hearing whenever he had occasion to present his views. Large credit is due to Senator Aldrich for the reciprocity features introduced in