Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/97

ALLYN.ALSTON. son, Joseph Allston, was a governor of South Carolina. Colonel Allston died on his home plantation June 26, 1839. ALLYN, Robert, educator, was born at Ledyard, New London county, Conn., Jan. 25, 1817. He was graduated from Wesleyan university in 1841, and for two years following was teacher of mathematics in Wilbraham academy. In 1842 he joined the New England conference, and from 1843 to 1845 preached at Colchester, Conn., having been transferred to the Providence conference. In 1845 he became principal of Wilbraham academy, resigning the position in 1848 to become principal of the Conference seminary at East Greenwich, R. I. This position he retained until 1854, being a member of the house of representatives of the state in 1852. From 1854 to 1857 he was commissioner of public schools of Rhode Island, and editor of the "Rhode Island School-master." In 1854 he was again a member of the state legislature and also appointed a visitor to the military academy at West Point. He removed to Ohio in 1857 and for two years occupied the chair of ancient languages in Ohio university. From 1857 to 1863 he was president of the Wesleyan female college at Cincinnati, and from 1863 to 1869 was president of the McKendree college at Lebanon, Ill. In 1865 Wesleyan university conferred upon him the degree of D.D., and he received the degree of LL.D. from McKendree college in 1876. In 1874 he was chosen president of the Southern Illinois normal university at Carbondale, Ill., and held that office until his death, which occurred Jan. 7, 1894. ALMY, John Jay, naval officer, was born in Newport, R. I., April 24, 1814. At the age of fifteen he became a midshipman in the navy, being promoted past-midshipman July 3, 1835, and lieutenant, March 8, 1841. From 1846 to 1850 he was on the Ohio in the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific ocean, and he was present at the siege of Vera Cruz and the capture of Tuxpan. From 1851 to 1856 he was connected with the coast survey on Chesapeake bay and the coast of Virginia, and North Carolina. In 1857 he was appointed commander of the Fulton, and served first on the coast of Central America and later on an expedition to Paraguay. On April 24, 1861, he was promoted commander, and did service in the North and South Atlantic blockading squadrons, capturing and destroying four blockade runners. He was promoted captain March 3, 1865, and from 1865 to 1867 he was on duty on the coast of Brazil and South Africa as commander of the Juniata. From 1868 to 1869 he was on ordnance duty in the New York navy yard, receiving promotion to the rank of commodore Dec. 31, 1869. He was promoted rear admiral in 1873, and was retired April 24, 1877. He died May 16, 1895. ALMY, William, manufacturer, was born in Providence, R. I., Feb. 17, 1761. In early life he was a teacher. He married a daughter of Moses Brown, and engaged in the manufacture of cotton goods. His life was full of philanthropic deeds, and he used his wealth in helping others to help themselves. He established the New England yearly meeting boarding-house in Providence, now known as "The Friends' School." He had enrolled, and took the entire responsibility for the education of, eighty students. He was a member of the society of Friends, and was highly esteemed for his upright and benevolent character. He died Feb. 5, 1836. ALSOP, John, delegate, was born in Middletown, Conn., grandson of Richard Alsop, a native of England, who settled at Newtown, Long Island, N.Y., about 1665. John removed to New York when a boy, engaged in mercantile pursuits, and amassed a large fortune. He was an active Whig and was elected a delegate from New York to the Continental congress, serving from Sept. 14, 1774, to Oct. 26, 1774. He was re-elected May 10, 1775, and served until the latter part of that year, when, although favoring independence, he refused to sign the declaration, owing to the fact that he had not received proper instructions from the provincial assembly of New York. Criticism for this resulted in his resignation, and he retired to Middletown, Conn., where he resided until the British troops evacuated the city. He then returned and entered actively into the work of re-organization; was influential in securing a new charter for the New York chamber of commerce, and was elected the eighth president of that body. His daughter Mary (1769-1819) married Rufus King, a member of the U.S. senate and minister to England. He died at Newtown, Long Island, N. Y., Nov. 22, 1794. ALSTON, Lemuel James, representative, was born in Granville county, N.C., in 1760; son of Solomon Alston, grandson of Solomon and Nancy (Hinton) Alston, and great-grandson of John and Mary (Clark) Alston. John Alston was a native of Bedfordshire, England, and settled in North Carolina about 1711. Lemuel removed to what is now Greenville, S.C., represented that district in the 10th and 11th congresses, serving 1807-11, and removed thence to Clarke county, Ala., in 1816, where he became chief justice, presiding over the Orphans and county courts from 1816 to May 1821. He married Elisabeth, daughter of Col. Joseph John and Elizabeth (Alston) Williams, and a second time Elisabeth, widow of Joseph John Williams, Jr., the half brother of his first wife. He died in Clarke county, Ala., in 1836. ALSTON, Willis, representative, was born in Halifax county, N.C., son of Capt. John and Ann Hunt (Macon) Alston; grandson of Joseph John