Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/126

 FITCH

FITCH

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in 185.5 and from the Albany law school of Union university, in 1857. He practised law in Sj-ra- euse until 1804, and was cleric of the provost court, established by General Butler, in New- bern, N.C., 1864-66. He returned to Syracuse in Mav, 1866, and be-

came editor-in-c]iief f \ of the Syracuse Daily

I - J^ Standard. In Novem-

ber, 1873, he went to Rochester, N.Y., as editor-in-cliief of the Dejiwcral and Chroni- cle, and was super- visor of the federal census of 1880 in the tentli New York dis- trict. He was a delegate to the Re- publican national convention at Cincin- nati in 1876. On April 1, 1890, he was appointed by President Harrison collector of internal revenue for the 28th New York disti-ict, and in 1897 was elected by the state legislature a regent of the University of the state of New York. He was secretary of the New York constitutional convention in 1894. As a delegate to the Republican state conventions he served generally on the committee on resolu- tions, and he presided over the convention at Bulfalo in 1888. In 1896 he became state lect- urer before teachers' institutes in New York by appointment of the superintendent of public in- struction. He was elected a member of the American historical association and the Ameri- can geographical society and was jiresident of the Rochester historical society, 1893-93. He r&- ceived liis A.M. degree from Williams in 1873, that of LL.B. from Union in 1857, that of A.M., cattsa honoris, from Syracuse university in 1875, and that of L.H D. from Hamilton in 1895. He is the author of niunerous orations, addresses, etc., among them the following: Educttionandthe Stall', before the New York state teachers' associa- tion (1876); The Peril.f i,f Journalism. New York Press association (1878); Mir/ration and Develop- I ment, Wyoming Pioneer association at Silver Lake, N.Y. (1880); Wstorical Address, Semi-Cen- tennial of the. City of Hochester (1884); Journalism as a Profession, Rutgers college (1886); The Value of Exact Knou-lcdr/e, Leliigh university (1891); 3Iemorial Address on Geori/e William Curtis before the Iie(/ents of the University of Albany (1893); Historical Address, Semi- Centennial, City of Syra- cuse (ISQ7); Patriotism in Education, before the New York state teachers' association. Rochester (1898), and addresses on the science of teaching before county teachers' associations.

FITCH, Ebenezer, educator, was born ia Norwich, Conn, Sept. 36, 1756; son of Dr. Jaoez and Lydia (Himtington) Fitch; grandson of Col. Jabez and Lydia (Gale) Fitch, and of Dea. Eb- enezer Huntington; great-grandson of Maj. James and Alice (Adams) Fitch, and great-grand- son of the Rev. James and Abigail (Whitfield) Fitch, who immigrated to America from England and settled in Connecticut. He was gradviated from Yale in 1777 with valedictory honors, re- maining there two years as a resident student. He taught school in Hanover, N.J., for one jear, was tutor at Yale, 1780-83; and for the three years following was engaged in mercantile pur- suits in which lie was unsuccessful. He was again tutor in Yale, 1786-91, acting at the same time as librarian. He was licensed to preach in May, 1787. In October, 1790, he was elected preceptor of a new academy at Williainstown , Mass. . and entered upon his duties in October, 1791 He was married in May, 1793, to Mrs. Mary (Backus) Cogswell, daughter of Maj. Ebenezer Backus. In 1 793 the academy was incorporated aa Williams college, and Mr. Fitch was elected its first president. On June 7, 1795, he was ordained to the ministry by the Berkshire association. He resigned the presidency of Williams college in May, 1815, and iu November of the same year was installed pastor of the West Bloomfield, N.Y., Presbyterian church, continuing as such during the rest of his life. He was a trustee of Williams, 1793-1815. He received the degree of D.D. from Harvard in 1800. He died in West Bloomfield. N.Y.. Marcli 21, 1833.

FITCH, Eleazer Thompson, educator, was born in New Haven, Conn., Jan. 1. 1791; son of Capt. Nathaniel and Maiw (Thompson) Fitch. He was graduated from Yale in 1810, taught school 1810-13, and was graduated from Andover theo- logical seminary in 1815, remaining there until 1817 as student and instructor. He was ordained to the Congregational ministry Nov. 5, 1817, and in the same year accepted the chair of divinity at Yale, which included the pastoral charge of the college church, which he held until 1852. He was also acting professor of sacred literature in the newly formed theological department, 1822- 24; lecturer on homiletics, 1824-61, and emeritus professor of divinity, 1863-71. He received the degree of A.M. from Yale in 1817, and that of B.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1829. He published a volume of sermons (1871). He died in New Haven, Conn., Jan. 31, 1871.

FITCH, Qraham Newell, senator, was born in LeRoy, N.Y., Dec. 7, 1809. He studied at the Fairfield, N Y., medical college and in 1834 established himself at Logansport, Ind., for the practice of his profession. He was a member of tlu' Indiana le.gislature, 1836-39; held a prof essor-