Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/458

 ELMER

ELMORE

189") he was inspector of steel at the Carnei^e ■works, aiiJ was afterward on duty at the "War col- lege. In 1890 he wjis commandant of the New London naval station. In 1897 he was in conunand of the Marbhfuad, after which he was on duty at Craniji's ship-yard, where U.S. l)attk'-ships were under process of eon.st ruction. AVithin a few days after the destruction of the Muiue, in February, 1898, he applied for an immediate as- signment afloiit, and lieing number one on the list of commandei-s, asked for a captain's command. On March 14, 1898, he passed his examination for promotion, which would have come May 11, and was i^romised the command of the Xmc Orlecnts on lier arrival from England, but on March 24 he was selected to org-anize and command the Mos- quito fleet and the inner coast defense of the Atlantic and Gulf states in the war between the United States and Spain, a duty of the gi-eatest imjxirtance and of the lieaviest responsibility, and a commotlore's command. According to the plan as then devised by Commander Elmer, and ap- proved by the department, the Mo-squito fleet was to consist of one hundred and fifty small vessels, manned by five thousand men, with a swift yacht as flag-ship, but events subsequent to Commander Elmer's death, chiefly the .shutting up of the Span- ish fleet in Santiago, changed the scope of the work and it was not carried out on the scale first intended. Commander Elmer contracted a severe cold in April, which developed into pneumonia. In consequence of his illness he was detached from his command on the morning of April 26, 1898, and died the same day in Brooklyn, N.Y.

ELMER, -Jonathan, senator, was born in Fair- fiel<l, X.J., Nov. 29, 1T4."5; son of the Hon. The ophilus Elmer; grandson of the Rev. David Elmer; and brother of the Hon. Ebenezer Elmer. He was graduated in medicine from the University of Pennsylvania in 1771 and practised in his native state. He served as a delegate in the Continental congress in 1776-78, 1781-84, and 1787-88, and on the formation of the government he was elected a U.S. senator, resigning his seat at the close of the 1st congress. He was a member of the state leg- islature in 1780 and 1784, and was surrogate of Cumberland county, 1784-1802. Soon after that he was chosen presiding judge of the county court of common 7»leas, resigning in 1804. He was elected a member of the ^Vmerican philosophical society in 1772, and president of the New Jersey medical .society in 1787. He was a tru.stee of the College of New Jersey, 1782-95. He died in Bur- lington, N.J., Sept. 3, 1807.

ELMER, Lucius Quintius Cincinnatus, rep- rpsfntativp, was liom in Bridgfton, N.J., Feb. 3, 179:{; son of El)enezer Elmer, an officer of the American Revolution, a charter member of the New Jersey society of the Cincinnati, and its presi-

dent at the time of his death in 1843. His son, Lucius, actiuired liis education in his native state and in Philadelphia. Pa. He served during the war of 1812 as lieutenant in a military company, later gaining promotion to the rank of brigade- major and inspector. He was admitted to the bar in 181.'} and practised in Bridgeton. He sei-A-ed in the state assembly, 1820-23, and in 1824 was made prosecutor of pleas for Cumberland comity, and United States attorney for New Jersey. In 1842 he was elected, as a Democrat, a representa- tive in the 28th congress. He was attorney-gen- eral of the state, 1850-52, and was appointed a justice of the New Jersey supreme court in 1852 and 1859, retiring from the bench in 1870 on ac- count of advanced age. He was president of the New Jersey society of the Cincinnati at the time of his death. The College of New Jersey conferred upon liim the degree of A.M. in 1824 and that of LL.D. in 1865, and he was a trustee of the college, 1829-64. His published works include: Ehnefs Digest of the Laws of Xeio Jersey (1838, 4th ed., 1868); Elmer's Book of Law Forms; Genealogical and Biographical account of the Elmer Family (1860); lieminiscences of the Bench and Bar of Neio Jersey; History of Cumberland county (1869); History of the Constitution and Government of New Jersey icith Biographical Sketches of the Governors from 1776 till 1845 (1882); and Eulogium on Garrett D. Wall, delivered before the Bench and Bar of Xetc Jersey (1872). He died in Bridgeton, N J., March 11, 1883. ELMORE, Franklin Harper, senator, was born in Laurens, S.C, Jan. 16, 1799; son of Gen.

John Arclier and (Saxon) Elmore. His

father was a native of Virginia, a member of the South Carolina legislature, and removed in 1819 to Alabama, where he died in 1834. His brother, Benjamin Franklin, was treasurer of South Caro- lina; and another brother. Rush, was a soldier in the Mexican war and a justice of the U.S. district court of Kansas, 1854-61. Franklin was gradu- ated at Soutli Carolina college in 1819 and became a lawyer in 1821. He was solicitor of the southern circuit of the state, 1822-36, and an aid on the staff of Gov. Richard J Manning, 1824-26, rank- ing as colonel. He was married to Harriet, second daughter of President Zachary and Margaret (Smith) Taylor. He was a representative in the 24th and 25th congresses, 1835-39. elected by the state rights Democratic party. In 1838 he was elected by the congressional delegation to obtain authentic information concerning the anti-slavery movement, resulting in the " Elmore correspond- ence," held with James G. Birney. He was presi- dent of the Bank of the State of South Carolina, 1839-50, and U.S. senator to fill the vacancy cau.sed by the death of John C. Calhoun. He took his .seat in the U.S. senate. May 6, 1850, and died in Washington, D.C., May 29, 1850.