Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/171

 FORSYTH

FORT

at League Island, Pa, 1S77-SO. He was promoted lieutenant-commander May 9, 1ST8 ; was execu- tive officer of U.S.S. ConsWllatioii detailed on special service to the Irish relief, 1880 ; executive officer on the receiving ship CoJurado, in 1881; navigating and executive officer U.S.S. Lan- caster, flagship of the Mediterranean squadron, 1881-84; ordnance officer on League Island, 1885- 86, and assistant executive of the U.S. naval home, 1886-89. He was promoted commander, Feb. 14, 1889, commanded the U.S.S. Tallapoosa, Brazil squadron, 1889-92, and was at the naval home, Pliiladelphia, 1892-95. He was comman- dant of the naval station at Key West, Fla., 1895-98; ill with yellow fever at naval hospital, 1898-99; i)romoted captain, Marcli 3, 1899, and ordered to command Baltimore of the Asiatic squadron, April 2, 1899, and was api)ointed chief- of -staff to Rear- Admiral Watson, June 15, 1899. He was married Aug. 1, 1871, to Mary Jane Myers Perkins of Philadelphia ; their son James Perkins Forsyth became a physician in Phila- delphia.

FORSYTH, James William, soldier, was born in Mauuiee, Ohio, Aug. 20, 1834. He was grad- uated from the U.S. military academy in 1856, and was commissioned 2d lieutenant 9tli infantry, be- ing promoted 1st lieutenant March 15, 1861, and captain, Oct. 24,1861. He was commissioned major of volunteers April 7, 1864; lieutenant-colonel, April 19, 1864, and brigadier-general, May 19, 1865. He received tlie brevet commission of major in the regular army Sept. 20. 1863, for gal- lantry at the battle of Chickamauga; that of lieutenant-colonel for his services at the battle of Cedar Creek, and that of colonel for the battle of Five Forks. He was also brevetted brigadier- general April 9, 1864, for his action in the field during the war, and brigadier-general of volun- teers Got. 19, 1864, for gallant and meritorious services in the battles of Opequan, Fisher's Hill and Middletown, Va. He was honorably mus- tered out of the volunteer army Jan. 15, 1866, and was promoted major in the 10th cavalry July 28,- 1860. On April 4, 1878, he was trans- ferred to the 1st cavalry and promoted lieutenant- colonel. He was promoted colonel, 7th cavalry, June 11, 1886, brigadier-general commanding the dejiartment of California Nov. 9, 1894, and major- general May 12, 1897. He was retired at his own request, May 14, 1897.

FORSYTH, John, statesman, was born in Frederick county, Va., Oct. 22, 1780. His father emigrated from England, was a patriot soldier in the Revolution, removed to Georgia in 1785, where he was U.S. marshal, and was killed by the Rev. Beverley Allen while attempting to execute a process. John was given a liberal education, grailuating at the College of New Jer-

sey in 1799, receiving his A.M. degree in 1802 and gaining admission to the Georgia bar the same year. He was attorney-general of the state in 1808, a representative in the 18th, 14th and 15th congresses, 1813-18, and was elected a U.S. sen- ator for Geoi'gia in 1818 to succeed G. M. Troup, resigned. He resigned at the close of the 15th congress to accept the mission to Spain under appointment of President Monroe. While at the court of Madrid lie negotiated the cession of Florida to the United States. He returned to America in 1823, and was a representative in the 18th and 19th congre.sses, 1823-27; governor of Georgia, 1827-29; ami U.S. senator, 1829-34, as successor to Senator Berrien, resigned. Senator Forsyth resigned June 27, 1834, to accept the portfolio of state in the cabinet of President Jackson, and was continued at the head of the state department by President Van Buren, going out with his administration, March 3, 1841. For- syth county, Ga., was named in his honor He was married to a daughter of Josiah Meigs, pres- ident of Franklin college. He died in Washing- ton, D.C., Oct. 21, 1841.

FORSYTH, John, clergyman, was born in New- burg, N.Y., in isil. He was graduated at Rut- gers in 1829, and the followingyear went abroad, pursuing a theological course at the University of Edinburgh and at Glasgow, Scotland. He was licensed to preach by the presbytery of Aber- deen, Scotland, in 1833, and was ordained by the presbytery of New York the following year. In 1834 he became pastor in Philadelphia, Pa., and in 1836 resigned to accept a call to his native place. During his pastorate at Newburg he was professor of biblical literature at the theological seminary of the Reformed Church. In 1847 he resigned to accept the chair of Latin at the Col- lege of New Jersey, returning in 1853 to his pro- fessorship at Newburg, where he remained two years. He was professor of English language and literature at Rutgers, 1860-63; and chaplain and professor of moral philo.sophy at the U.S. military academy, 1871-81, being retired with the pay of colonel. He received the degree of A.M. from Union in 1834, that of S.T.D. from Rutgers in 1843, and that of LL.D. from the College of New Jersey in 1873. His published works include: Dick's Theology (edited, 2 vols., 1836) ; History of the Public Schools of Xewbnrfj (1863) ; Lives of the Early Governors of Xeto York (1863) ; and Moll's Exposition of the Psalms (1871). He died in Newburg, N.Y., Oct. 17, 1886.

FORT, George Franklin, governor of New Jersey, was liorn in Pemljerton, N.J., in May, 1809. He was graduateil M.D. from the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania in 1830, and practised med- icine in New Jersey. He was a member of the New Jersey assembly from Monmouth county; a