Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/124

 DALE

DALE

nal grandfather, Thomas Fitzgerald of Philadel- phia, and was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1831 as valedictorian. He began to study law, but gave it up and entered Andover theological seminary, where he studied one year, 183ii-33. He then entered Princeton theological seminary, where he spent one year, and returning to Andover wa,s graduated there in 1835. He was licensed to preacli, April 16, 1835, and was agent for the A.B.C.F.M., 1835-37, and assistant pastor of the Fifth Presbyterian church, Phila- delphia, Pa., 1836-37. He was ordained by the Andover association at Dracut, Mass., Aug. 29, 1837, and was regular supply of several Presby- terian churches in Philadelphia, 1837-38. He was graduated in medicine from the University of Pennsylvania in 1838, intending to go as a missionary to India. He was agent for the Pennsylvania Bible society, 1838-45; pastor at Eidley and Middletown, Pa., 1846-58; at Media, Pa., 1858-71; and at Wayne. Pa. 1871-76. He was an advocate of temperance and it was through his efforts that in 1850 the charter of the town of Media, Pa., passed the legislature, hav- ing included in it a clause prohibiting the sale of liquor as a beverage in that town. He was married. May 14, 1844, to Mary Goldsborojigh, daughter of Andrew and Rebecca (Rodgers) Gray, and their son, James "Wilkinson, born Feb. 23, 1856, was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania B.S. in 1879, and became a civil and mining engineer at Media, Pa. Their young- est daughter, Annie G. Dale, became a mis- sionary in Persia. He received the degree of D.D. from Hampden -Sidney college in 1867 and from the University of Pennsylvania in 1868. His published works include: Classic Baptism (1867); Judaic Baptism (1869); Johannic Baptism (1871); Christie and Patristic Baptism (1874); arti- cles on Baptism in Schaff "s Encyclopsedia, and nu- merous tracts and magazine articles. A memoir bj' the Rev. Dr. James Roberts was printed in 1886. He died in Media, Pa.. April 19, 1881.

DALE, Richard, naval officer, was born near Norfolk, Va., Nov. 6, 1756. He had few school advantages, going to sea on a mercliantman at the age of twelve and gaining command of a ship before he was nineteen. The tlireatened war with Great Britain caused Virginia to organize a navy for the protection of her coast and Dale enlisted in the .ser\-ice as a lieutenant. His first essay with a British ves.sel resulted in his ca])ture and imprisonment at Norfolk. Under the influ- ence of a friend of his boyhood, Bridges Gutter- idge, he turned royalist, enlisted on a British war vessel, and in an attack on American pilot boat.s was severely wounded and carried back to Norfolk. While recovering he resolved to re- turn to his allegiance to the colonies and so

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impressed his patriotic impulse upon (iut- teridge as to determine him also to join the American navy. He went to sea on an English merchant ship which was captured by Capt. John Barry, commander of the Lexing- ton. He at once proclaimed himself a patriot and was afterward made a midshipman on the Lexinr/ton. In the ne.\t encounter of that vessel, then under Capt. William Hallock, with a Brit- ish vessel, the Pearl, the Lexington was captured and a Brit- ish prize-crew placed aboard. Dale, with seventy-five others of the officers and crew, then prisoners, re- captured the brig and carried her into Baltimore. lie was then made master's mate and under Captain Johnston sailed for the coast of France in the sjjring of 1777, where the Lexington, the Dolphin and the Peprisal were directed by Franklin, then commissioner to that country, to operate against British commerce in British waters. They captured in two months fourteen prizes, and in August, 1777, carried them safely into French waters. The Lexington then operated in the Bay of Biscay, fell in with the British cutter Alert, and after exhausting her ammunition and losing several of her officers, the Lexington surrendered and Dale was a prisoner for the fourth time. The captured officers and crew were carried to England and thrown into Mill prison, whence they escaped through a sub- terranean tunnel excavated with much difficulty and ingenuity. Dale and a companion found their way to London and shipped on a vessel from which they were pressed into the British navy, but being detected as Americans they were sent back to Mill prison and spent forty days in the " black hole," Dale earning a second forty days in the same dismal place for singing rebel songs. After a year's confinement he escaped in a Briti-sh uniform. It is supjxysed that he obtained the disguise, a passix)rt and a considerable sum of money, through a promise never to divulge his benefactor's name. Reach- ing L'Orient, France, he joined John Paul Joni»s in fitting out the Bon ITomme L'ichard and was mad? first lieutenant on that vessel. He fought on Sept. 23, 1779, as " Paul Jones's right arm of strength " in the terrible battle between the Bo » Ilomme liichard and the Serapis, commanding the main deck. He was the first officer to gain the deck of the Serapis, and not until the battle was