Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/175

 CHAMPE.

CHAMPLIN.

Citizen, a Democratic newspaper, 18o0-"55 and "svas a member of the state legislature, 1853-"54. In March, 1855, he was given a commission as 1st lieutenant 2d cavalry, United States army, and stationed in Texas. In April, 1861, he was pro- moted captain, and in August of the same year ■was transferred to the oth cavalry, served in the civil war during the Manassas and peninsular campaigns, and was brevetted major May 4, 1862, for meritorious conduct at Hanover Court House, Va. He was severely wounded at the battle of Gaines' Mills, June 27, 1862, and, after lying exposed on the battlefield for four days, was taken to Libby prison. He received the brevet of lieutenant-colonel for his gallantry at Gaines' Mills, and after his release from Libby he served as instructor of cavalry at West Point, N. Y., 1862-'64. He was promoted major in the 4th cavalry March 30, 1864, and served as special inspector of cavalry in the division of the Missis- sippi, 1864-"65. He accompanied his regiment to Texas in 1865, and on Nov. 1, 1867, resigned from the army to engage in business in Canada. He was afterwards reinstated in the army as major, and was retired Dec. 21, 1886, by act of Congress. He died Feb. 22, 1887.

CHAMPE, John, soldier, was born in Loudon count}', Va., in 1752. He was a sergeant-major of cavalry, and was employed by Major Lee, at Washington's request, to endea^-or to capture Benedict Arnold. To accomplish his purpose he deserted from the American lines and was received by the British at Paulus Hook. His plan to seize Arnold, gag him, and carry him to a boat which he had ready, was frustrated by that general's change of quarters on the night fixed for the event, and the removal of Champe to a trans- port, in which, with the legion to which he was attached, he was .sent to Virginia. He escaped from the British army and joined Greene's forces, but was exempted from further service by Gen- eral Washington, lest he should be captured as a spy. He died in Kentucky about 1798.

CHAMPLIN, Christopher Grant, senator, was born in Newport, R. I., April 12, 1768. He was a nephew of George Champlin, born 1788, died 1809, was graduated from Harvard college in 1786, and afterwards studied at St. Omer, France. He served as a representative in Congress from May 15, 1797, to March 3, 1801. He was chosen to the United States senate in place of Francis Malbone, deceased, took his seat Jan. 12, 1810, and resigned in 1811. He was president of the Rhode Island bank up to the time of his death, which occurred at Newport. R. I., March 28. 1840.

CHAMPLIN, James Tift, educator, was born in Colchester, Conn., June 9, 1811. He was grad- uated as valedictorian of his class from Brown university in 1834, and served as a tutor in that

institution from 1835 to 1838, when he became pastor of the Baptist church, Portland, Me., resigning his pastorate in 1841 to accept the chair of ancient languages in Waterville college, which he held until 1857, when he became president of the college, so remaining until 1872, when he set- tled at Portland, Me. , and occupied himself with literary work. He prepared English and Greek grammars and other educational works, and from 1850 was a contributor to the Christian JRevieu: He published : Demostlienefs on the Crown (1843) ; Demosthenes'' Select Orations (1848) ; ^-Eschines on the Crown (1850); A Textbook of Intellectual Philosophy (I860) : First Principles of Ethics (1861); A Text-book of Political Economy (1868); Scripture Reading-Lessons ivitli Notes (1876) ; Constitution of the United States, with brief comments (1880). He died in Portland, Me., March 15, 1882.

CHAMPLIN, John Denison, author, was born at Stonington, Conn., Jan. 29, 1834; son of John Denison and Sylvia (Bostwick) Champlin. He attended the Hopkins grammar school at New Haven, was graduated from Yale in 1856, and received the degree of M. A. in 1866. He was ad- mitted to the bar in 1859, and practised in New York city as a member of the law firm of Hol- lister. Cross & Champlin. In 1860 he removed to New Orleans to begin the practice of law in that city, but at the opening of the civil war re- turned to New York, and from 1862 to '64 was engaged in general literary work. In 1864 he became associate editor of the Standard, Bridge- port, Conn., and in 1865 established a Democratic paper entitled the Sentinel, in Litchfield, Conn., which he edited for four j^ears. In 1869 he sold it and removed to New York city. In 1872-'73 he wrote, from the journal of J. F. Lovibart, a Narrative of the 3Iission to Russia in 1806 of the Hon. Gustavus Vasa Fox, assistant secre- tary of the navy, who was sent with a fleet by the U. S. government to congratulate Alex- ander II. on liis escape from assassination. In 1873 he served as a reviser and in 1875 be- came associate editor of The American Cyclo- pedia. He is the autlior of : Young Folk's Cy- clopaedia of Common Things (1879) ; Young Folk's Catechism of Common Things (1880) ; Young Folk's Cyclopcediii of Persons and Places (1880) ; Young Folk's Astronomy (1881); Young Folk's History of the War for the Union (1881) ; Chron- icle of the Coach (1886) and edited Scribner's Cyclopccdia of Painters and Painting (4 vols., 1887), and Cyclojxedia of Music and Musicians (1890). He was associate editor of the (S^niJa/'d Dictionary in 1892-'94, and editor (with Rossiter Johnson and George Cary Eggle.ston) of Liber Scriptorum (1893) ; Young Folk's Cyclopcedia of Literature and Art (1901).