Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/106

 CUSTIS

CUTHBERT

exploit. He accompanied his brother to Texas in 1865 and was mustered out of the vohinteer ser- vice in November, 18G5, receiving brevets as captain., major and lieutenant-colonel. He joined the regular army as 2d lieutenant in the first in- fantry, Feb. 23, 18G6, and on July 28 was com- missioned 1st lieutenant and assigned to the 7th U.S. cavalry commanded by his brotlier. Gen- eral Custer's estimate of his brother's soldiership was tersely expressed: " If you want to know my opinion of Tom, I can only say that I tliink he should be the general and I the captain." He accompanied the general in the expedition against the Sioux, and died at his side in the bat- tle of Little Big Horn. "Montana, June 2.), 1876.

CUSTIS, George Washington Parke, author, was born at Blount Airy, Md., April 30, 1781. His father, John Parke Custis, was a stepson of George Washington and his aide-de-camp at the siege of Yorktown, Va. The son was brought up at Mount Vernon, and attended St. John's college, Annapolis, Md., and the College of New Jersey, but was not graduated. In 1802 he left Mt. Vernon and erected on' the heights oppo- site "Washington, D.C., on the large estate derived from his father, " Arling- ton House," a stately mansion which, pre- vious to the civil war, was the home of Robert E. Lee, and after the war became the office of the National Cemetery, Arlington, Va. In early life he was married to Mary Lee Fitzhugh, and their daughter, Mary Randolph, became the wife of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Mr. Cu-stis was a fluent sp,eaker, an amateur play- wright, painted several pictures of battles of the Revolution, and puV)lished JifroUpctious of Wash- iuffton in the National llcpnhJirnn, republislied, ^^^tll a memoir by his daughter and notes by B. J. Lossing. in I860. He died at " Arlington House," Alexandria county, Va.. Oct. 10, 1857. CUTCHEON, Byron M., representative, was born in Peml)roke. N.H., May 11, 1836; son of James and Hannah (Tripp) McCutcheon ; grand- son of Frederick McCutcheon, a Revolutionary soldier, and Anne (Brown) ; and a descendant of Phedris McCutcheon of Barrington, N.H., 1720- 1751. He removed to Ypsilanti, !Mich., in 1855, and was graduated from the University of ilichigan in 1861, with the degree of A.B., receiving that of A.M. in 1866. He was principal of the Ypsi-

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lanti high school, 1861-62, and in the latter year entereil the Union army as captain in the 20th Michigan infantrj-, rising by promotion to the ranks of major, lieutenant-colonel and colonel. He was brevetted colonel and brigadier-general for "conspicuous gallantry," 1864-65. and re- ceived the medal of honor from congress for dis- tinguished bravery; was twice wounded at Spottsylvania Court House ; was assigned to the command of the second brigade, 1st division, 9th army corps. Army of the Potomac, in 1864, and wa^s mustered out in 1865. He studied law at Ypsilanti, Mich., and was graduated in law at the Uuiversity of Michigan in 1866, practising at Manistee, Mich., until 1883. He was a member of the board of control of railroads of Michigan, 1866-83; was presidential elector, 1868; city at- torney, 1870-71; county attorney, 1873-74; regent of the University of Michigan, 1875-83; postmas- ter of Manistee, 1877-83; and a Republican representative in the 48th, 49th, 50th and 51st congresses, 1883-91, being defeated for tlie 52d congress. In the 51st congress he was chairman of the committee on military affairs. In 1891 he was appointed by President Harrison civilian member of the U.S. board of ordnance and forti- fication, of which Gen. John M. Schofield was president, and served as such until March, 1895. He was an editorial writer on the Detroit Trilmne until May, 1896, when he resumed the i)ractice of law, having removed in 1891 to Grand Rapids, Mich.

CUTHBERT, Alfred, senator, was born in Savannali. Ga., in 1780. He was gradviated at the College of New Jersey in 1803 and became a lawyer in his native state. He was a member of the Georgia legislature, and was a representative in the 13th and 14th congresses, 1813-17, and in the 17th, 18th and 19th congresses, 1821-29. In 1834 he was elected a U.S. senator to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John For- syth and at the expiration of his term, Jlarch 3, 1837, he was reelected for a full term, serving until March 3, 1843. He died at his home near Monticello, Jasper countj', Ga., July 9, 1856.

CUTHBERT, John Alfred, representative, was born in Savannah, Ga., June 3, 1788. His father was a Revolutionary ])atriot who served in the army under General Greene. He was gradu- ated at the College of New Jer.se}' in 1805 ; was adinitted to the bar in 1809, and in 1810 was elected state representative from Liberty county to tiie Georgia legislature. He was returned regularly to one or the other branch of the state legislature for a number of years. He com- manded a company of (Georgia volunteer militia in the defence of the coast during the war of 1812. He was a representative from Georgia in the 16th and 17th congresses, 1819-23, and was editor