Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/440

 GRIDLEY

(jRIER

May 1, 1S98, lie tlirected the movements of the Ohjiii/Ha, and it was by his order that the bnia.isiie was tired which sank the flagship of the SiJ.inish admiral. After the victory achieved by the American fleet, Captain Gridley was found to be seriously ill, by reason of the strain, and he was invalided home by Admiral Devpey. He took passage for home three weeks after the battle, was at Hong Kong, May 28, left there on that date on the steamer Coptic and died as the shijj reached Kobe, Japan. He was married May 1, 1872, to Harriet F., daughter of Judge John P. Vincent of Erie, Pa., and two daughters, Kather- ine V. and Ruth W., and one son survived him. The SOD, John Paul Vincent Gridley, was ap- pointed a cadet in the U.S. naval academy by President McKinley In 1898. Captain Gridley died at Kobe, Japan. Jime 5, 1898.

GRIDLEY, Richard, soldier, was born in Bos- ton, Mass., June 3, ITll. He was a younger brother of Jeremiah Gridley, 1702-1767, who was a graduate of Harvard, 1725, a teacher, preacher and lawyer; the editor of the BchearsaJ, 1731; attorney -general for Massachusetts Bay province; colonial of militia; grand master of free-masons, and president of the Marine society. Richard was educated for the army and acquired a repu- tation as a skilful artillei-yman. He was an en- gineer in the army operating against Louisburg, 1745. and in 1755 was made chief engineer in the British army with the rank of colonel of infan- try, and constructed the fortifications at Lake George. He was with Wolfe's army at Quebec and for his services was presented by the British government with Magdalen island and was placed on half pay for the remainder of his life. In 1775 he joined the Continental army at Cambridge, jilanned the works hastily thrown up for the de- fence of Breed's Hill, June 15, 1775, and was wounded in the battle of the next day. He then planned the works for the defence of Boston, was commissioned major-general by the provincial congress of Massachusetts, Sept. 20, 1775, and was given command of the Continental artillery for the next two months, when he resigned. He died in Stoughton, Mass., June 20, 1796.

GRIER, James Alexander, educator, was born in Waltz's Mills, Pa., May 8, 1846; son of Robert C, and Margaret (McAyeal) Grier; grandson of Robert and Margaret (Grier) Grier, and of James and Margaret (Miller) McAyeal, and a descend- ant of James McAyeal of county Antrim, Ire- land, who arrived in America about 1818, entering at Wilmington, Del. He served in the Union army during the civil war from Aug. 15, 1861, to Dec. 15, 1865, and was one of the youngest sol- diers who carried arms, being enlisted in the in- fantry service as an ordinary soldier. He was graduated from Monmouth college, 111., in 1872,

and from the Newburgh theological seminary, N.Y., in 1874. He was pastor at Locust Hill, Pa., 1874-83, and at Mercer, Pa., 1883-86. In 1886 he accepted the chair of systematic theology in the Allegheny theological seminary, Pa. He received from Westminster college the degree of D.D. in 1887, and that of LL.D. in 1898. He is the author of: Secret Societies (1878); Biography of Jeremiah Mankin Johnston, D.D. (181/2), and contributions to periodicals.

GRIER, Matthew Blackburn, editor, was born at Biandywine Manor, Pa., July 25, 1820; son of the Rev. John W. and Jane (Laverty) Grier. He entered the public schools and Rockville acad- emy; was graduated from Washington college. Pa., in 1838; studied law at Philadelphia, Pa.; was a post-graduate student at Lafayette in 1839, and was graduated from Princeton theological seminary in 1841. He was licensed to j3reach by the presbytery of Newcastle in 1842 and had charge of mission work in the Red River country of Mississippi, 1844—47. He was ordained by the presbytei'y of Baltimore, Dec. 3, 1847. and was pastor at EUicott's Mills, Md., 1847-52, and at Wilmington, N.C., 1854-61. He removed to Phil- adelphia, Pa., in 1861, where he was editor of The Presliijierian, 1861-69, and was also stated supply at Gloucester City, N.J., 18G7-69, and pastor at Ridley Park, Pa., 1875-84. He was married Sept. 5, 1848, to Maria, daughter of the Rev. Dr. C. C. Cuyler. The honorary degree of D.D. was con- ferred on him by Lafayette college in 1866. He died at Philadelphia, Pa., Jan. 23, 1899.

GRIER, Robert Calvin, educator, was born in Mecklenburg county, N. C, March 2, 1817; son of the Rev. Isaac Grier, D.D. (Dickinson 1800, died. 1843). He was graduated at JeflFerson college, Pa., in 1835, taught school, and studied theology with his father and at Due West theological sem- inary, S.C. He was licensed to preach in April, 1839, by the first presbytery of the Associate Reformed church, south; was ordained in June, 1841; was jjastor at Bethany and Pisgal, S.C, 1841-47; president of Erskine college. Due West, S.C, 1847-58, and again, 186.5-71, and professor of theology in the seminary, 1859-71. He received the honorary degree of D.D. He was married, Aug. 18. 1840, to Barbara Brown Moffatt, and their son, William Moffatt Grier, succeeded his father as president of Erskine college. Dr. Grier died at Due West. S.C, March 31, 1871.

GRIER, Robert Cooper, jurist, was born in Cumberland county. Pa., March 5, 1794; son of the Rev. Isaac Grier, D.D., a graduate of Dickin- son, 1788, a Preslwterian clergyman, and princi- pal of an academy at Northumberland, Pa. His maternal grandfather, Robert Cooper, was also a Presbyterian clergyman and received the hono- raiy degree of D.D. from Dickinson in 1792.