Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/271

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Hampsliire. His father was a cotton manufact- urer and removed to Alberton, Md., in 1840, where he established the Alberton cotton mills. James Albert was educated at Rockhill institute and at Allegheny college, Meadville, Pa. He be- came a partner in the manufacturing firm of James S. Gary & Son in 1861, and on the death of his father, March 7, 1870, he suc- ceeded as head of the firm. He was presi- dent of the Merchants and Manufacturers association and of the Citizeusnational bank for several years'. He was also elected vice- j'/ZB I pi'esident of the Con-

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of Baltimore, and a di- rector in the Savings bank of Baltimore, the Baltimore ware- house company, the American fire insurance com- pany.the Merchants and Manufacturers insurance company, and the Baltimore trust and guarantee company. In 18.56 he was the defeated Whig candidate for state senator; was a delegate to the Union convention held in Baltimore in 1861 : was the unsuccessful Republican candidate for representative from the 5th district of JIarj'land in the 42d congress in 1870, and in 1879 failed in the election for governor of the state. He served as a delegate to the Republican national conven- tions of 1872. 1876, 1880. 1884. 1888, 1892 and 1896, and was a member of the Republican national committee from 1880 to 1896. He was nominated by President McKinley in 1897 postmaster-general of the United States, and his nomination was confirmed by the senate March .5, 1897. On April 21, 1898, he resigned his cabinet office on account of illness. He was married in 1856 toLavinia W., daughter of James- Corrie, and their son. E. Stan- ley Gary, became junior partner in the firm of James S. Gary & Son

QASSON, Thomas Ignatius, clergyman and educator, was born in Seven Oaks. Kent, Eng- land. Sept. 2;5, 1859; son of Henry and Arabella (Quinnell) Gasson, and grandson of Thomas Gas- son of Penshursht. Kent, and of Thomas Quinnell of Seven Oaks. Kent. His father came of an old French family and his mother of Kentish stock. He received his first instruction at St. Stephen's school. South Lambeth, London, studying Latin under the Rev. Allen T. Edwards of the Church of England and a curate of St. Stephen's church. He came to America in 1872 to visit relatives and was instructed by private tutors in Philadelpliia.

He entered the Society of Jesus, Nov. 17, 1875, at Frederick, Md., and took the simple vows of religion, Dec. 8, 1877. He studied philosophy at Woodstock college, Md., 1880-83; was professor at Loyola college. Baltimore, Md., 1883-80; filled the chair of rhetoric at St. Francis Xavier col- lege, New York city, 1886-88; studied dogmatic and moral theology, canon law and church his- tory at the Royal imiversity, Innsbruck, Austria, 1888-92 ; was ordained to the priesthood by the Prince bishop of Brixen and returned to America in September, 1892. He was professor at Freder- ick, Md., 1892-94, and taught the members of the junior class at Boston college, Boston, Mass., 1894-96. He was promoted to the class of ra- tional philosophy, and was lecturer and preacher at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Boston, and before various sodalities, confrater- nities, literary and metaphysical societies in the city of Boston.

GASTON, Athelston, representative, was born in Castile. N.Y., April 24, 1838; son of Edmund W. and Phylinda (Bristol) Gaston ; grandson of Ebenezer Gaston; great-grandson of David Gas- ton, both born at old Stockbridge. Mass., and a descendant of Dr. Alexander Gaston who was born in Ireland in 1714. The family originally emigrated from France to Ireland during the Huguenot persecutions. At the age of sixteen he removed to Pennsylvania, where he received a common school education and then engaged in farming until 1873, when he became a manufact- urer and dealer in hmiber. He was mayor of Meadville, Pa., in 1891. and again in 1892-9.5. He was president of the Cassadaga Lake Free asso- ciation at Lily Dale. N.Y., 1888-99. He was a Democratic representative from the 26th Penn- sylvania district in the 56th congress, 1899-1901, having also the indorsement of the People's party.

QASTON, William, jurist, was born in New Bern. N.C., Sept. 19, 1778; son of Dr. Alexander and Margaret (Sharpe) Gaston, and of French Huguenot descent. His father was born in Bally- more, Ireland, in 1714, educated in Edinburgh, was a surgeon in the British navy, resigned and emigrated to North Carolina. His mother, born in England, was married in 177.5 to Dr. Gaston, and while she was attempting to shield her hus- band he was shot and killed in her presence by a baud of Tories, who attacked the town of New Bern in 1781. They accomplished their design to kill the doctor by firing over the head of his wife. William was educated under the instruction of his mother until 1791, when he entered George- town college, Md., but after eighteen montlis, failing health compelled him to return home. He then attended the academy at New Bern, en- tered the junior class at the College of New Jer-