Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/113

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of a Soldier (1861); The French Zouave (1863); Herman the Pianist (1863); 2'/ie spirit of St. Fran- cis of Sales (1866); Works of the Eev. Arlhnr O'Leary, and Life of Blessed I'eter Clover. He died at Central City, Col., Jan. 10, 1879.

FlRMlN, George Deazeley, draughtsman, was born in Chippiug-Onger, Essex county. England, Aug. 3, 1865; son of George Jordan and Sarah (Deazeley) Firniin. He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania, receiving a certifi- cate of proficiency in chemistry and metallurgy in June, 1884. He afterward took the course in biology at the same university and at Woods HoU, Mass., following with courses in chemistry and philosoph}' at the University of Penn- S3'lvania. He was mechanical engineer and draughtsman for the Baldwin locomotive works, Philadelphia, 1886-90; professor of mechanical drawing in the Northeast manual training school, Philadelphia, 1890-95; and in 1895 was appointed professor of chemistry and natural history in the same institution. He was elected a member of the Franklin institute. On June 24, 1891, he was married to Louise, daughter of A. M. Goldsbor- oughof Philadelphia, and granddaughter of Rear- Admiral Louis M. Gold.sborough, U.S.N.

FISCHER, Israel F., representative, was born in New York city, Aug. 17, 1858; son of Isaac and Hannah (Sarner) Fischer. He was admitted to the bar in 1879 and in 1887 removed to Brooklyn, N.Y. He was a member of the executive com- mittee of the Republican state committee in 1888 and 1890. He was a representative from Kings county, N.Y., in the 5-lth and 55th congresses, 1895-99.

FISH, Hamilton, .statesman, was born in New York city, Aug. 3, 1808; son of Col. Nicholas and Elizabeth (Stuyvesant) Fish. He was gradu- ated at Columbia in 1827, and was ad- mitted to the bar. In 1834 he was de- feated with the Whig ticket as member of the state assembly, and in 1842 was elected a representa- tive to the 28th con- gress from the sixth New York district, defeating John Mc- Keon, Democrat. He was an unsuccessful candidate for re-elec- tion in 1844. In 1846 he was the unsuccessful Whig candidate for lieu- tenant-governor but was elected to that office in 1847, to fill the unexpired term of Lieut. -Gov. Addison Gardiner, resigned. He was elected

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governor of New York in 1848 and in 1851 US. senator as successor to Daniel .S. Dickinson, Democrat. In the senate he opposed the repeal of the Missouri compromise and after 1856 was a Republican. On retiring from the senate, March 4, 1857, he resumed the practice of law in New York city. He visited Europe with his family, 1859-60. He advocated the nomination of Wil- liam H. .Seward in 1860; supported Abraham Lin- coln in the presidential canvass and in 1861 upheld the Union cause with voice and purse. He was a commissioner with Bishop Ames, ap- pointed by Secretary Stanton in January, 1862, " to relieve the necessities and provide for the comfort of Federal soldiers in Confederate pris- ons," and the refusal of the Confederate govern- ment to receive the commissioners except for the purpose of arranging for a general exchange, re- sulted in the system of exchange soon after adopted. On March 11, 1869, Mr. Fish be- came secretary of state of the United States in President Grant's cabinet to succeed Elihu B. Wash- ' "--^ ....,t«....

burn, appointed U.S. minister to PVance, and he held the position up to the close of President Grant's second term, March 3, 1877, and in Presi- dent Hayes's cabinet up to the 12th of March when W^illiam M. Evarts assumed the office. He origi- nally suggested and was a member of the joint high commission to arrange the differences with Great Britain. 1871, and a plenipotentiary to sign the treaty settling the Alabama claims, and the Northwestern boundary question with Great Britain the same year. In November, 1873, he negotiated the settlement of the Virginiiis ques- tion with the Spanish minister at Washington. Governor Fish was a trustee of Columbia college, 1840-93; chairman of the board, 1859-93; presi- dent of the general society of the Cincinnati, 18.54-93; chairman of the Union defence com- mittee, 1861-65; president of the New York his- torical society, 1867-69; trustee of the Astor library and one of the original trustees of the Peabody education fund appointed by the founder. He was married in 1836 to Julia, daugh- ter of the Hon. John Kean of New Jersey. She died in 1887. They had three sons, Hamilton, Nich- olas, Stuyvesant, and four daughters, who mar- ried respectively, William E. Rogers. Col. Samuel N. Benjamin, the Hon. Hugh Oliver Northcote of England, and Sidney Webster. He bequeathed 850.000 to Columbia college; S5000 to St. Luke hospital, and 82000 to the Bellevue training