Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/128

 FITCH

FITZ GERALD

tavern, having neither friend nor relation near, and his body was found in liis room, deatli liaving been produced by poison. The journal of Mr. Fitch records these words: ' ' The day will come when some moi'e powerful man will get fame and riches from my invention; but nobody will believe that poor John Fitch can do anything worthy of attention. " In 1817 a committee of the New York legislature after a full investiga- tion of the respective claims of Fitch and Fulton to priority in inventions, and after hearing wit- nesses and counsel on both sides rei^orted: " The steamboats built by Livingston and Fulton are in substance the invention patented to John Fitch in 1791, and Fitch during the term of his patent had the exclusive right to use the same in the United States."' See Life by T. Westcott (1857). lie died at Bardsnown, Ky., July 2, 1798.

FITCH, LeRoy, naval officer, was born in In- diana, in October, 183.5. He entered the U.S. na\'al academy in 1852 and was graduated in 1856. Through successive promotions he attained the rank of master Sept. 5, 1859, and was assigned to the Mississippi squadron operating under Flag- Officers Foote and Davis. He assisted in the cap- ture of Fort Douelson, Fort Pillow, the reduction of Island No. 10 and the destruction of the Con- federate fleet at Memphis. He was promoted lieutenant Sept. 21, 1862, and commanded the steamers Moose and Lexington in operations on the Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, 1862-63, during which period he prevented Col. John Mor- gan, the guerilla chief, from crossing the Ohio river at Buffington's Island. He afterward seized Morgan's train and a portion of his guns, wlijch so crippled him as to lead to his capture. He also defended Johnsonville, Tenn., against Forrest, and supported General Thomas at Nashville against the Confederate force under General Hood in December, 186-1. He continued his ex- ploits against Confederate guerillas on the Cum- berland and Tennessee rivers, making several expeditions inland to cut off marauding parties. He died at Logansport, Ind,, April 13, 1875.

FITCH, William Clyde, playwright and au- thor, was born in Hartford, Conn., in 1865. He was graduated from Amhei-st in 1886, and de- voted his time to literary work. His first book, "The Knighting of the Twins," made up of eleven short stories for children, was published soon after he left college. His first play, "Beau Brum- mel, '' produced by Richard Mansfield at the Madi- son square theatre, New York city, in the spring of 1890, was an immediate success, and was re- tained in the repertory of that actor. His next play, "Betty's Finish," had a long run at the Bos- ton museum, and the curtain-raiser, "Frederic Lemaitre," which followed, was also successful. In his adaptation of Bisson's •' JIasked Ball, " John

Drew first appeared as a star in the fall of 1892. " April Weather," written for Sol Smith Russell, was ijlayed for an entire season, and "Mistress Bett}' ' ' was first produced by Helena Modjeska. In the season of 1897-98 two of his plays attained un- usual success: "Nathan Hale,'' an American his- torical play, first produced by Nat. C. Goodwin in Cliicago, and " The Moth and the Flame," played by Herbert Kelcey and Eftie Shannon. His other jflays include: A Modern Match (1891); Famelu's Prodigy (1892); An American Duchess, adapted from Lavedan's Prince D'Aurec (1893); The Poet and the Puppets (1894); Harvest (1895); His Grace dc Grammoiit (1895); Barbara Frietchie (1899); liap- pho (1899); and three adaptations: Gossip, The iSiiperflnons Husband (both in collaboration with Leo Dietrichstein) and Bohemia. The Head of a Family, for William H. Crane (1898), was also written in collaboration with Mr. Dietrichstein. His books include: The Wave of Life; Six Conver- sations iiitd Some Correspondence; The Smart Set.

PITH I AN, Qeorge W., representative, was Un-ii near AViUuw Hill, 111., July 4, 1854; son of (ilover and Mary A. (C'att) Fithian, and grand- son of Israel Fithian. He attended the public schools and learned the printer's trade at Mount Carmel, 111., which business he followed till he was admitted to the bar in 1875. He was state's attorney of Jasper county, 1876-84; represented the 16th Illinois district in the 51st, 52d and 53d congres.se.s, 1889-95; and was railroad and ware- house commissioner of t lie state of Illinois, 1895-97.

FITZ, Benjamin Rutherford, jminter, was born in New York city in 1855. He studied in the National academy of design. New York city, and in the Royal academy of painting in Munich, Bavaria. He returned to New York city in 1885 and became a professor in the Art Students' league, with which he was connected until his death. He was a member of the Society of American artists, the American water-color soci- ety, the Architectural league, the National acad- emj' of design, and of the Salmagundi and Lotus clubs. His chief works were portraits of promi- nent citizens of New York. He died in Peconic. L.I., N.Y., Dec. 27, 1891.

FITZ QERALD, Edward, R.C. bishop, was born in Limerick, Ireland, Oct. 28, 1883. He immigrated to the United States in 1849, settling with his parents in Ohio. AVith the advice of Archbishop Purcell he directed his studies for the priesthood, attended St. Mary's seminar}^ Bar- rens, Perry county, Mo., 1850-52, and completed his preimration at the ecclesiastical seminary at Mt. St. Mary's college of the west, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Jlount St. Mary's college, Emmitts- burg, Md., being ordained priest, Aug. 23, 1857. He was assigned to the archdiocese of Cincin- nati, and was appointed by Archbishop Purcell