Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/447

 GRIFFITTS

GRIGSBY

whom the son learned the trade. He laid the lines of the U.S. frigate Macedonia in 1838 and opened a free school for instruction in shipbuild- ing in New York iu 1840. He made the calcula- tions for the Collins steamsliips in 1845 and in 1850 exhibited a model steamship at the Crystal Palace, London, England, that attracted much attention. He was made a special U.S. naval constructor in 18.58, to build the U.S. gunboat Pawnee, fitted with twin screws and carrying a frigate's battery while drawing but ten feet of water. He invented a timber-bending machine in 1864 which was supplanted when iron and steel took the place of wood. He built the U.S. ship Enterprise at Portsmouth in 1872. He ex- hibited his original idea of a lifeboat steamer at the Continental exhibition, Philadelphia, Pa., 1876. He also invented iron keelovers for wooden ships, 1848; bilge keels to prevent rolling, 1863; triple screws for great speed, 1866; and improved rivets, 1880. He published in the Advocate, Portsmouth, Va., in 1836, advanced ideas on naval architecture; proposed the ram for the bow of war vessels in 1835; became part owner and editor of the Nautical Magazine and Xaval Jownalin 1856; edited the American Ship, 1879- 83, and is the author of The Ship-Bttilder's Manual (3 vols., 1853); and The Proc/ressive Sliip-Builder (3 vols., 1875-76). He died in Brooklyn, N.Y., April 29. 1882.

GRIFFITTS, Samuel Powel, physician, was born in Piiiladelphia, Pa., July 21, 1759; son of William and Abigail (Powel) Griffitts; and grandson of Samuel Powel of Philadelphia. He was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1780, studied in Europe, 1881-84, and practised medicine in Philadelphia. In 1786 he established the Philadelphia dispensary and continued its physician till 1786. He was professor of materia medica iu the University of Pennsylvania, 1792- 96. During the years 1793-94 he was a leader in the relief of the French emigrants from Santo Domingo and collected for the cause 813,000. He was vice-president of the College of physi- cians in Philadelphia, 1817-26, and was instru- mental in founding an asylum for the insane under the auspices of the Society of Friends. For several years he was an editor of the Eclectic liepertory. In 1787 he married Mary, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Tallman) Fish bourn. He diel in Pliiladelpliia, Pa., May 5, 1836.

QRIQQS, James M., representative, was born at Lagrange. Ga.. March 29, 1801. He was graduated from the Peabody normal college, Nashville, Tenn., in 1881, and was admitted to the bar in 1883, practising at Alapaha, Berrien county, Gra. He removed to Dawson, Ga., in 1885; was elected .solicitor-general of the Pataula circuit in 1888 and re-elected in 1893; was ap-

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pointed judge of the same circuit and twice re- appointed, and resigned in 1896. He was a dele- gate to the Democratic national convention of 1892 and lield numerous local offices. He was a Democi-atic representative in the 55th-58tli con- gresses, 1897-1905.

QRIQQS, John William, cabinet ofBcer, was born in Newton, N.J., July 10. 1849; son of Daniel and Emeline (.Johnson) Griggs; grandson of Samuel Griggs and of Samuel Johnson; and a descendant of the Griggs family of Boston colony, origmally from Sussex, England. He was gradu- ated from Lafayette college in 1868, was admitted to the bar at Pater.son, N.J., in November, 1871, and practised in Paterson. He was a representa- tive in the state leg- islature, 1876-77; state senator, 1883-89; and president of the sen- ate in 1886. He was elected governor of New Jersey in 1895 and inaugurated, Jan. 1, 1896, the first Re- publican governor inaugurated in New Jersey for thirty years. He was appointed attorney- general in President McKinley's cabinet in Janu- ary, 1898, on the resignation of Attorney-General McKenna, who w:\s made justice of the U.S. supreme court. Mr. Griggs resigned in 1901.

QRIQQS, Joseph Franklin, educator, was born in Sutton, Mass., April 24, 1833. He was prepared for college at Wesleyan, Wilbraham and Leicester academies and was graduated at Yale, A.B., 1846, A.M., 1862. He was a student at Andover theological seminary, 1847, taught select schools in Sutton and Holden, Mass. , 1847- 48, and in the Men's winter school, Worcester, Mass., 1848-49; conducted a classical school for boys in Allegheny City, Pa., 1849-52, and at Pittsburg, Pa., 1853-55, when it was merged into the Western university of Pennsylvania, where he was professor of ancient languages, 1855-64; professor of Greek language and literature, 1864- 80, and treasurer of the board of trustees, 1880- 92. He died in Pittsburg. Pa., April 1, 1897.

QRIQSBV, Hugh Blair, historian, was born in Norfolk, Va., Nov. 23. 1806. He attended Yale college but was not graduated. In 1827 he was a member of the Virginia house of delegates, having been elected from Norfolk, and in 1829-30 he was a member of the state convention, with Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, James Madison and other men of note. He declined further political appointments and settling on a farm