Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/324

 OILMAN

GILMAN

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as one of the commissioners to the Exposition Universelle of 1855 in Paris. After liis return lie became librarian of Yale and subsequently a pro- fessor of physical and ijolltical geography in the ShefKeld scientific school. During his residence in New Haven he was a trustee of the Winchester astronomical observ- atory and a visitor of the Yale school of the fine arts. For a short time he was city superintendent of schools and after- ward secretary of the state board of educa- tion. He was married in 1861 to Mary, daughter of T. Ketoham of ISIew York city, who died in 1869, and he was again married in 1877 to Elizabeth Dwight, daughter of John M. Woolsey O'f Cleve- land and New Haven. In 1872 he was president of the University of California and then became the first president of the Johns Hopkins university. He resigned this office in 1900, and in 1902 was made president of the institution founded by Andrew Carnegie. He was director of the Johns Hopkins hospital and a trustee in the Peabody institute, the Pratt library, and the Mercan- tile library of Baltimore. He was made trustee of the Peabody fund for the promotion of educa- tion in the south, president of the Slater trustees for the education of the freedmen, president of the American Oriental societ}', and vice-jaresident of the Arcluuological institute of America. He was also made an officer of public instruction in France. He was a member of the Venezuelan commission appointed by President Cleveland, and a member of the commission appointed to draft a new charter for Baltimore. The hono- rary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by Harvard, 1870, Columbia. 1887, St. John's (Md.), 1887, Yale, 1889, the University of North Caro- lina, 1889, and Princeton, 1896. He is the author of numerous addresses and essays on historical subjects and on education, some of which are collected in a volume. University Problems in the United States (1898) ; Life of James Monroe (Ameri- can Statesmen Series, 2d ed., 1898); and an In- troduction to de Tocqueville's Demoeraey in America (1898) ; and he edited the miscellaneous writings of his friends. Dr. Francis Lieber and Dr. Joseph P. Thorn jison.

OILMAN, Edward Whiting, clergyman, was born in. Norwich; Conn., Feb. 11, 1833; son of William Charles and Eliza (Colt) Oilman. He

was graduated from Yale in 1843, taught in Professor Kinsle3'"s school for boys. West Point, N.Y., and in the grammar school of the Univer- sity of the city of New Y''ork, and attended Union theological seminary, 1845-i7, and Yale theological seminary, 1847-49, at the same time serving as tutor at Yale. He was ordained to the Congregational ministry, Dec. 4, 1849, and was pastor at Lockport, N. Y., 1849-56; at Cambridge, Mass., 1856-58; at Bangor, Maine, 1859-63, and at Stonington, Conn., 1864-71. In 1871 he became secretary of the American Bible society in New York city, editing the Bible Society Eecord, and contributing frequently to newspapers and peri- odicals. Yale conferred upon him the degree of D.D. in 1874. He was married June 5, 1850, to Julia, daughter of Prof. Benjamin Silliuian. He died in Flushing, L.I., Dec. 4, 1900.

OILMAN, John Taylor, governor of New Hampshire, was born in Exeter, N.H., Dec. 19, 1753; son of Nicholas and Ann (Taylor) Oilman; and fourth in descent from the Hon. John Oilman (1624-1708), x'oyal coimcillor of New Hampshire, 1680-83. He served in the provincial army in 1775, marching with one hundred men to Cam- bridge, Mass., when the news of the fight at Concord and Lexington i-eached Exeter. He was assistant I'eceiver-general of the state under his father; representative in the New Hampshire legislature, 1779-80; a member of the committee of safety ; a delegate to the defence convention at Hartford in 1780; delegate to the continental congress, 1782-83 ; ti'easurer of the state, 1783-94 ; one of the three commissioners to settle the war claims of the states ; and governor of New Hamp- shire, 1794-1805, and again 1813-15, in the mean- time serving as a representative in the state legislature, 1810-11. He was a trustee of Dart- mouth, 1807-19, and received the honorary degrees of A.M. and LL.D. from that institution in 1799. He died in Exeter, N.H.. Aug. 31, 1828.

OILMAN, Nicholas, senator, was born in Exeter, N.H., Aug. 3, 17.55; son of Nicholas and Ann (Taylor) Oilman. His father was receiver- general of the colony and state treasurer. 1775- 1820. Being a leading politician he did much to shape the policy of New Hampshire in relation to the impending disruption with the mother country. He imbued his sons, to whose tavlj- ed- ucation he gave his personal supervision, -Hith the spirit of patriotism that soon showed itself in per- sonal sacrifice in the war for American indepen- dence and even attracted the notice and secured the friendshiiJ of the commander-in-chief of the American armj' and of Oen. Benedict Arnold. Nicholas. Jr. . joined the patriot army at the first intelligence that came from Boston of the clash of arms at Concord and Lexington and he did effective service as an officer in the American