Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/379

 CONY

COOK

extensively and gained renown as a pulpit and platform orator. The subjects of his popular lectures included " Silver Crown, or Born a King," "Acres of Diamonds," "Lessons of

Travel," and " Heroism of a Private Life." He published miy and Hov the Chinese Emir/rate (1870) ; Life of Bayard Taylor (1876) ; Life of Charles H. Spurgeon (1890) ; and Lives of Presi- dents Hayes, Garfield, Grant and Cleveland.

CONY, Samuel, governor of Maine, was born in Augusta, Maine, Feb. 27, 1811; son of Gen. Samuel and Susan Bowdoin (Cony) Cony ; grand- son of Lieut. Samuel Cony ; and great-grandson of Deacon Samuel Cony, who removed to Maine from Boston, Mass., in 1777. He was graduated at Brown university in 1829, was admitted to the bar in 1832, and located at Oldtown, Maine, in the practice of his profession. He was elected to the state legislature of 1835 and in 1839 was a member of Governor Fairfield's council. He served as judge of probate for Penobscot county, 1840-47, as land agent, 1847-50, and as state treas- urer, 1850-55. In 1854 he was elected mayor of Augusta. He was sent to the state legislature in 1862 as a war Democrat, and in 1863 was elected governor of the state, to which office he was twice re-elected, serving 186-1^67. He declined renomi- nation in 1867 and resumed the practice of his profession. He was married to Lucy Williams Brooks. He died in Augusta, Maine, Oct. 5, 1870.

CONYNQHAM, John Butler, soldier, was born in Wilkes Barre, Pa., Sept. 29, 1827; son of Judge John Nesbitt and Ruth Ann (Butler) Conyngham. He was graduated at Yale in 1846 and practised law in Wilkes Barre, Pa., until 1851, when he removed to St. Louis, Mo. He served in the civil war as a private soldier and as major of the 52d Pennsylvania volunteers. He took part in the Peninsular campaign of 1862 and in the operations against Fort Sumter, and Bat- tery Wagner in 1863. He commanded the de- fences of Morris Island, and was captured during the assault on Fort Johnson. While a prL'ioner at Charleston, S.C., he was made a hostage to

prevent the shelling of the c'ty by the Federal troops. Upon his release tlirough an exchange he was promoted lieutenant-colonel, and in March, 1865, colonel of his regiment. In March, 1867, he joined the regular army as captain of the 38th U.S. infantry, was transferred to the 24th in- fantry in November, 1869, and was engaged in the Indian country. He received brevets of major and lieutenant -colonel for gallantry in the field. He died in Wilkes Barre, Pa., May 26, 1871.

CONYNQHAM, John Nesbitt, jurist, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 17, 1798; son of David Hayfield and Mary (West) Conyngham. He was graduated at the University of Pennsj'lvania in 1817 and was admitted to the bar in 1820. practising in Wilkes Barre, Pa. He was a mem- ber of the Pennsylvania legislature in 1850, and was presiding judge of the court of common pleas of Luzerne county from May, 1850, until he re- signed in 1870. He was president of the Amer- ican church missionary societj", 1839-70. and a member of the American philosophical society, 1848-71. He was married to Ruth Ann, daughter of Gen. Lord Butler. In 1869 the University of Pennsylvania conferred upon him the degree of LL.D. He died at Magnolia, Miss., Feb. 23, 1871.

COOK, Albert John, naturalist, was born in Owosso, Mich., Aug. 30, 1842; son of Ezekiel and Barbara (Hodges) Cook; and grandson of Setb Cook. He was graduated at the Michigan agri- cultural college in 1862, studied at Harvard, and in 1867 was appointed instructor in mathematics, and in 1869 profes.sor of zoology and entomology at the Michigan agricultural college. He was ap- pointed to the biological department of Pomona college, Claremont, Cal., in 1892. He was corre- spondent and editor of the department of agricul- ture and entomology for the Eural New Yorker, Country Centleman, Xm^ England Homestead, and other agricultural journals. He publislied In- jurious Insects of Michigan (1873) ; Bee-keepers' Guide (1876-86) ; and other entomological books

COOK, Albert Stanburrough, educator, was born at Montville, N.J., March 6, 1853; son of Frederick Weissenfels and Sarah (Barmore) Cook ; grandson of Silas Cook ; and a descendant of Ellis Cook, who lived at Southa^npton, L.I., between 1640 and 1650. He was graduated from Rutgers as B.S. in 1872, and was tutor in mathe- matics there, 1872-73. In 1877 he went to Germany and for a year studied the English language and literature in the universities of Gottingen and Leipzig. He was associate in English at Johns Hopkins university, 1879-81, and in the latter year again went abroad, studying in London and at Jena, 1881-82. He held the chair of English in the University of California, 1882- 89, and was president of the California teachers' association, 1887-88. He was Carew lecturer at