Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/274

 GATES

GATLING

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was married in 1873 to Mary, daughter of William S. Bishop of Rociiester, N.Y. In June^ 1S98, Dr. Gates resigned the presidency of Amherst, his resignation taking effect in April, 1899, at the close of the year of travel in Europe which im- paired health bad de- manded. He is the author of nunaerous lectures on educa- tional topics and of many contributions to periodicals; and became well known as a lecturer and public speaker. He received the degree of Ph.D. from the University of the state of New York in 1880; that of LL.D. from the College of New Jersey and from the University of Rochester in 1882; that of L.H.D. from Columbia college in 1887, and that of LL.D. from Columbia in 1891, and from Williams in 1893.

GATES, Seth Merrill, representative, was burn in Winfield, Herkimer county. N. Y., Oct. 10, 1800; son of Seth and Abigail (Merrill) Gates. He was educated in the public schools and at Middlebury academy and was admitted to the bar in 1827. He practised law in Le Roy, N.Y., and in 1836-37 served in the assem- bly. He became editor and proprietor of the Le Roy Gazette in 1838, and was a Whig repre- sentative in the 26th and 27th congresses, 1839- 43. He was prominent in the early anti-slavery contest, and drew up the protest against the ad- mission of Texas which was signed by John Quincy Adams and other prominent Whig mem- bers of congi-ess. A Savannah slaveowner offered a reward of §500 for his " deliveiy any- where within the state of South Carolina, dead or alive. " In 1848 he was the Free soil candidate for lieutenant-governor of New York. He was married three times: in 183G to Eliza Keyes ; in 1841 to Fanny Jeneatte, daughter of Erastus Par- sons and sister of Governor Lewis E. Parsons of Alabama; and in 1867 to Cornelia (Rochester) Bishop, daughter of Col. Nathaniel Rochester, and the widow of William S. Bishop. He died in AVarsaw, N.Y., Aug. 24, 1877.

QATES, William, soldier, was born in Massa- chusetts in 1788; son of Lemuel Gates, an officer in the American army during the Revolution. William was graduated at the U.S. military academy in 1806, and served in the artillery in garrison, 1806-13. He was promoted captain in 1813 and was acting adjutant of light artillery and aide to Gen. Peter B. Porter in the opera

tions on the Canada border where he was a parti- cipant in the capture of York and of Fort George. He was made captain of the 3d U.S. artillery in June, 1831, and brevetted major in 1833. He was stationed at Fort Moultrie, Charleston harbor, in 1833 during the nullification movement and on the outbreak of the troubles with the Indian chief Osceola in 1835 he was sent to Florida to assist in subduing the army of Cherokee Indians and fugitive slaves commanded by Osceola, who maintained his ground with skill and energy for nearly two years. Osceola was arrested with several companions by Major Gates, Oct. 21, 1837, while under a flag of truce near St. Augastine and confined in Fort Moultrie, where he died. The arrest was made by oi'der of General Jesup as Osceola had repeatedly disregarded the sanc- tity of a treaty and was treacherous in the ex- treme. Major Gates afterward escorted the Cherokees to the Indian reservation beyond the Mississippi. He was promoted colonel and com- manded the 3d artillery in the Mexican war. H& was governor of Tanipico, Mexico, 1846-48, and on returning to the United States was on garri- son duty, retiring from active service in 1863. In 1865 he was brevetted brigadier-general in the regular establishment for " long and faithful ser- vice " and died in New York city, Oct. 7, 1868.

QATLINQ, Richard Jordan, inventor, was born in Hertford county, N.C., Sept. 12,1818; son of Jordan and Mary (Barnes) GatJing, and grand- son of William Gatling. who was a descendant of Englisli parents, who settled in the state of North Carolina in colonial times. His father in- vented a machine for planting cotton-seed and one for thinning the jilants to a stand. In these inventions the boy assisted in constructing the ma- chines and himself invented and pat- , ented a machine for /■ planting rice. He re- ' moved to St. Louis in 1844 where he adapted his machine to sowing wheat in drills and extensively engaged in manufacturing them at Springfield and Ur- bana, Ohio, and at Indianapolis, Ind. He studied medicine at La Porte, Ind., 1847-48, and at the Oliio medical college, Cincinnati, 1848-49, receiv- ing his M.D. degree iti 18.50. He invented a ma- chine for breaking hemp in 1850 and a steam plow in 1857. In 1862 he invented and con-' structed at Indianapolis his first revolving bat- tery gun or mitrailleuse, popularly known as the