Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/408

 ECCLE8TUN

ECKARD

ami a priest in June. 18G6. He was rector of St. Mattlievvs and of the Church of the Saviour, Phihulelpliia. In 1873 lie was elected bishop of Iowa, which position he refused to accept, there being some question as to the validity of the election. In 1877 he was elected bishop of the newly formed diocese of West Virginia, but de- clineil to accept the position. He was subse- quently rector of Emmanuel church and of the Church of the Atonement. Baltimore, Md., and was president of the standing committee of the diocese. He was elected dean of the Theologi- cal seminary of the diocese of Virginia in 1898. He received the degree of S.T.D. from Griswold college in 1873.

ECCLESTON, Samuel, R.C. archbishop, was born near Clieslertowii. Kent county, Md., June 27, 1801; son of Samuel Eccleston. His parents were members of the Established church of Eng- land, and after the death of his father his mother was married to a Roman Catholic and under the influence of his stepfather Samuel embraced that faith. He studied philosophy at St. Mary's college and theology at St. Mary's seminary, Baltimore, and was ordained a priest by Arch- bishop Marechal, April 24, 1825. He then took an advanced course at the Sulpician seminary of Issy, France. On his return to America in 1827 he was appointed vice-president of St. Mary's college, Baltimore, and in 1829 was advanced to the presidency. On Sept. 14, 1834, he was conse- crated bishop of Tliermias and coadjutor to the archbishop of Baltimore, with right of .succession, and on Oct. 19, 1834, on the death of that prelate,

CATHEPRAu

BALTI/^ORE.Mp

he succeeded to the archiepiscopal see of Balti- more. Under his administration the Visitation nuns, the Brothers of St. Patrick, the Redemp- torist Fathers, the Christian Brothers, and the Congregation of Lazari.sts were welcomed to his province to establish sc-hools and colleges for both sexes. Many new churches were erected and others enlarged and improved. Mt. Hope hospi- tal was built and placed under the rliarge of the Sisters of Charity; the Young Catliolic Friends society was formed and St. Clement's college, Md.,

was founded. He helped from his private means to complete the Cathedral at Baltimore. He died at Visitation convent, Georgetown, April 22, IS.")!.

ECHOLS, John, soldier, was born near Staun- ton, Va., in 1823. He was graduated at Washing- ton college in 1840; admitted to the bar in 1845 and practised at Staunton. He was common- wealth attorney; a representative in the Virginia legislature, 1851-53, and member of the Virginia convention of 1861. He joined tiie Confederate army in 18(51; was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the 27th Virginia infantry: promoted colonel for bravery at the battle of Manassas, July 21, 1861, and was wounded at the battle of Kern.stown, March 23. 1862. He was promoted brigadier-gen- eral on his recoveiy and served in West Virginia, reaching the rank of major-general. He was re- tired from active duty on account of disability in 1863. He served in the Virginia legislature, 1877- 81, and was a presidential elector in 1880. He was president of the Staunton national bank; a direc- tor and president of the Cliesapeake, Ohio & Soutiiwestern railroad company, 1868-96; vice- president of three other railroads, and trustee of Washington and Lee university, 1869-96. He died in Louisville, Ky., May 24. 1896.

ECKARD, James Read, educator, was born in Pliiladelpliia. Pa.. Nov. 22, 1805; son of Joa- chim Frederick and Susan (Read) Eckard. His father was Danish consul-general for the middle states. The son was graduated from the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania in 1823, and was admitted to the bar in 1826. He practised until 1830. when he decided to enter the ministry, and in 1831-32 he studied at the Theological seminary, Prince- ton. N.J. He was ordained a Presbyterian evan- gelist, Juh' 21, 1833, and was a missionary to Ceylon and to South Hindostan, 1833-43. He was principal of Chatham academy. Savannah, Ga., 1843-45; pastor of tiie Second Presbyterian church, Washington. D.C., 1848-58, was professor of rhetoric and history, Lafayette college, 1858- 71. He was married to ^Margaret Esther, daugh- ter of Dr. Nicholas Bayard of Savannah. He received the degree of D.D. from Lafayette col- lege in 1858. He publisi)e<l in the Tamil language an Essay on Faith and JHstificafion(]S'M); and in Engli.sh and Tamil, Hindoo Traveller (1836). He also published Ten Years in Ceylon (1844); and All Outline of English Late from Blackstone. He died in Abington, Pa., March 12, 1887.

ECKELS, James Herron, comptroller of the curn ii(\-, U.S.. iy93-*.»7, was born in Princeton, 111., Nov. 25, 1859. He was graduated at the Al- bany (N.Y) Law School, 1880, and practised law in Illinois until 1893, when he was appointed comp- troller of the currency. He held the office until 1897. when he became jiresident of the Commer- cial National Bank, Cliicago, 111.