Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/399

 EASTMAN

EASTMAN

ness. He was mayor of Poughkeepsie for three terms, was promoter aud chief supporter of the project that resulted in the bridge across the Hudson river at Poughkeepsie, was member of the state assembly in 1871 and 1873 and by his energy and liberality greatly advanced the com- mercial importance of the city. He died at Denver, Col.. July 13, 1878.

EASTMAN, John Robie, asti-onomer, was born in Andover, N.H., July 29, 1836; son of Royal F. and Sophonia (Mayo) Eastman ; grand- son of Ephraim and Lydia (Robie) Eastman, and of John and Lydia (Laha) Mayo ; and descended from Roger Eastman, 1611-1694, who came to Salem, Mass., in 1638; and from John ]Mayo, who came from Eng- land in 1639 and was the first pastor of the North church in Boston. He was grad- uated from the Chandler school of .science and the arts, Dartmouth college, in 1 802, receiving the degree of M.S. in 1865. He was ap- pointed an assistant in the U.S. naval ob- servatory at Wash- ington, D.C., on Nov. 7, 1862, and professor of mathematics with the rank of lieutenant-com- mander, U.S. navy, Feb. 17, I860, and was a.s- signed to duty at the naval observatorj^. He was a member of the astronomical expeditions to observe the total eclipse of the sun at DeS' Moines, Iowa, in 1869, and at Syracuse, Sicily, in 1870; and was in charge of a part}' to observe the total solar eclipse at West Las Animas, Col., in 1878, and of a party to observe the transit of Venus in Cedar Keys, Fla., in 1882. He was general secretary of the American association for the advancement of science in 1883 and a vice-presi- dent of the same organization in 1887 and in 1892. He was president of the Philosophical society of Washington in 1889 and in 1898 was elected the first president of the Washington academy of sciences. He was engaged in astronomical work at the naval observatorj^ from Nov. 7, 1862, to Oct. 12, 1898, and during that period prepared for publication the Second Washington Star Cata- logue, from observations covering a period of twenty-five years. He was retired from active service in the navy department, July 29, 1898, with the relative rank of captain, U.S.N. He received the honorary degree of Ph.D. from Dart- movith m 1877.

EASTMAN, Mary Henderson, author, was born in Warrenton, Fauquier county, Va., in 1818; daughter of Dr. Thomas Henderson, U.S.A. She was married in 1835 to Lieut. Seth Eastman, U.S.A., and made a special study of Indian life and character while residing with her husband at various frontier stations. She published : Dahcotah : or Life and Legends of the Sioux (1849j ; Boinance of Indian Life 1852) ; Aunt Phillis's Cabin (1852); American Aboriginal Portfolio, illustrated by Seth Eastman, U.S.A. (1853) ; Chicora, and Other Regions of the Conqiier-ors and Conquered (1854) : Tales of Fashionable Life (1856). She died in South Carolina, Feb. 24. 1880.

EASTMAN, Philip, lawyer, was born in Chat- ham, N.H., Feb. 5, 1799; son of Asa and Mary (Kimball) Eastman; and a descendant of Roger Eastman, who came to Salisbury, Mass., in 1631. He was graduated at Bowdoin in 1820 and Avas admitted to the bar in 1823, practising at North Yarmouth, 1823-36, Harrison, 1836-47, and Saco, Maine, from 1847 imtil his death. He represented Cumberland county in the state senate, 1840-42, and in 1842-43 was chairman of the commission appointed to adjust the clainas of the settlers on the northeastern boundary of the state, under the Washington treaty. He held the office of commissioner for Cumberland county, 1842-47. He was a member of the board of overseers of Bowdoin college, 1831-64; and a trustee of the college, 1864^-69. He was commissioner for pre- pai'ing Ilevised Statutes of Maine (1840); and published the fir.st Digest of Maine Ilcports (26 vols., 1849). He died in Saco, Maine, Aug. 7, 1869.

EASTMAN, Seth, soldier, was born in Bruns- Avick, Maine, Jan. 24, 1808. He was graduated at the U.S. military academy in 1829 and served on frontier duty, 1829-31, and on topographical duty, 1831-33. He was assistant teacher of drawing at the Military academy, 1833-40, and in 1839 declined an election to the chair of topo- graphical drawing and painting in Jefi'erson col- lege. Miss. In 1840-41 he served in the Florida war. He was promoted 1st lieutenant, Nov. 14, 1836, and captain, Nov. 12, 1839. He was on frontier duty, 1841-48, being on recruiting service during 1846. He served on the Mexican frontier, 1848-49, and in 1850-55 was in the bureau of In- dian afi'airs, engaged in illustrating tlie " History, Condition and Future Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the United States," published by order of congress (1850-57). He was on frontier duty in Texas. 1855-56, and was promoted major, Oct. 31, 1856. He was in the quartermaster-general's office at Washington, D.C., 1857-58; on frontier duty in Utah. 1858-59; and on special duty in Wasliington. 1859-61. He was promoted lieuten- ant-colonel. Sept. 9, 1861, and served in the civil war as mustering and disbursing oflScer for