Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/330

 GIEARD

GIKAKD

city of Portland, Ore., drawing up articles of agreement for a territorial government. The event of the war with Mexico recalled him to Missouri where he recruited and was major of the 1st Missouri cavalry, 1S46, and lieutenant-colonel, 1847— iS. He returned from Mexico in 1848 and proceeded against the hostile Indians of Colorado and on this expedition became acquainted with the vast resources of that territory. He returned to Independence in 18-51 and resumed the prac- tice of his profession. In 1861 he was appointed by President Lincoln governor of the territory of Colorado, serving 1861-62. He then engaged in developing the resources of the territory. He was married in St. Louis, Mo., to Julia, widow^ of Col. John Dickinson, U.S.A., and daughter of Gen. Bernard Pratt of St. Louis, Mo. He pub- lished Tiie Central Gold Region (1859): The Mis- sion of the Xorth American People (1873) ; and TJie Cosmopolitan Railway (1890). He died in Den- ver. Col., Jan. 20. 1894.

GIRARD, Charles, naturalist, was born in MQlhauseu. Alsace. March 9, 1822. He attended the university at Xeuchatel, Switzerland, where he studied under Professor Agassiz, whom he also assisted. In 1847 he followed Agassiz to the United States and assisted him till ISoO. He then removed to Washington, D.C., became connected with the Smitlisonian institution, and in 1854 was naturalized. He was graduated from the medical department of Georgetown university in 1856, retained his connection with the Smith- sonian institution till 1860, and was associated with Professor Baird in the investigation of rep- tiles, and in collaboration with him published a number of scientific papers. In 1861 he was awarded the Cuvier prize by the Institute of France. In 1863 he made a tour of the southern states and in 1865 returned to Paris, entering upon the practice of medicine. His special studies were the herpetology and ichth^-ology of North America, and in the domain of ichthyol- ogy he was particularly well-known for his work on the cyprinidffl ot North America and the fauna of the Pacific coast. His monograph of the cottoids is the most elaborate of his scientific writings, although his ichthyology of the Pacific coast, and of the Mexican boundary and his herpetology of the United States exploring expe- dition are much more extensive. Several papers upon helminthology. the practice of medicine, the theory of hfe. the bibliography of science, and kindred subjects, were published by him. Besides contributions to scientific journals and government reports, he is the author of SUono- graph on a new Genus of American Cottoids (1851) ; BibUofjraphia Americana Historico-naturalis (1852) ; Researches upon Xemerteans and Planarians: I., Embryonic Dexelopment of Planocera Elliptica

(1854) ; Life in its Physical Aspects (1855) ; and Her- petology of the United Stales Exploring Expedition under the Command of Captain Wilkes (ISoS). He died in Paris, France, Jan. 29, 1895.

QIRARD, Stephen, philanthropist, was born in France, near Bordeaux. May 20, 17.50; eldest sou of Pierre and Anne Marie (Lafargue) Girard. His father was an ofiicer in the navy of France and in 1744 was knighted by Louis Xr\". for bravery at Brest, when France and England were at war. "When about fourteen Stephen re- belled at the author- ity of a step-mother and with 16,000 livres in his pocket was placed as cabin-boy on a merchant ship making voyages to the West Indies. He was promoted lieu- tenant and finally master of a small ves- sel trading with New Orleans, of which he soon became part owner. He made his residence in Pliiladelphia in 1776, when the war with Great Britain put a stop to his business and he opened a grocery store and liquor business, his customers being largel.v con- tinental soldiers. He became a citizen of the republic, taking the oath of allegiance. Oct. 27, 1778. In 1780 he resumed trade with the West Indies. He obtained -§50.000 deposited on his ships by Haytian planters for safe keeping during the insurrection on the island, the owners and their families being victims to the wholesale massacre. He invested in real estate leases, in the stock of the Bank of the United States in the bank building and in the banking busi- ness as successor to the government. He ad- vanced large sums to the government for the purpose of carrying on the war of 1812. and to pay interest on the war debt amounting to §5.000,000. When the new bank of the United States was es- tablished in 1816 he became a director and its practical manager. At the time of his death his property was estimated at $9,00<).<>00. which en- tire sum was left to public benefactions in Pliila- delphia and New Orleans. He gave to the city of Philadelphia thousands of dollars for public im- provements, and supported charities and Cliristian churches, notwithstanding his avowed atheism. In the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 he was un- tiring in his personal care of the sufferers, and after helping to organize the Bush Hill hospital, he was its acting superintendent for sixty days until a suitable manager could be obtained : and he liberall.v helped to supixirt the families of the