Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/156

 HASTINGS

HASTINGS

Pennsylvania, ISO.VOi). lie was chairman of the delegation at the Re|mblioan national convention in 18'.K) anil iioniinateil M. S. Quay for President. Hedie.l in B.-n.-r.-nie. Pa.. .Ian. «i, l!tO;5.

HASTI.NGS, Hugh, state historian, was born in All).iny. N.Y., July 22. 18.~)6; son of Col. John and Margaret (Jewell) Ha.stings; grandson of John and Susan Hastings, Albany. 1831; and a de- scendant of Thoin;is Jewell who landed at Mount Wollaston. Mass., in 1G89. incorporated as Brain- tree in 1(540. He was eilucated in private and the public sciiools and at the Albany higii scliool, and learne.l the printing trade. In 1874 he removed to New York city and was employed as a reporter on the Commrrridl Ailcertiser, and subsequently filled every jjosition, including that of managing editor, on that paper. He was chief political correspondent for the New York World. 1885-88; for the New Y'ork Times, 1888-95, and was ap- pointed state historian of New Y'ork, April 25, 1895, and reappointed, April 5, 1899. He was married, April 5. 1883, to Elizabeth R., daughter of Dr. George Dock of Harrisburg, Pa. He edited and officially publi-shed: Colonial Records and Muster lioUs (2 vols., 1897-99); Military Papers of Governor Daniel D. Tompkins (1898); and Pub- lic Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of Neto York- (3 v(ds.. 19(K)\

HASTINGS, Hugh J, journalist, was born in Ireland, Aug. 2U, 1820; son of Joiin and Susan Hastings. He was brought to America by his parents in 1831 and they settled in Albany, N.Y. Here he attended the public school, became a clerk, and in 1840 reporter on the Atlas. In 1840 he established the Weekly Sicitch and Sept. 3, 1843, the Knickerbocker, which latter proved a success. He was an active politician in the interest of the Whig and Republican parties. President Taylor made him collector of the port of Albany in 1849, Ijut on the accession of Fill- more he resigned the office. He was editor of the Commercial Advertiser, New Y'ork city, 1867- 83. and its proprietor, 1868-88. He died at Mon- mouth Beacli. N.J., Sept. 12, 1883.

HASTINGS, Serranus Clinton, jurist, was born in Watertown, N.Y'., Nov. 22, 1814. He was educated at the Academy, Gouverneur, N.Y., and was principal of Norwich, N.Y'., acad- emy in 18:J4. He removed to Wisconsin Territory and located at Bloomington where he was ad- mitted to the bar in 1837. When the territory of Iowa was formed in 1838 he was elected to its first legislature and was either a member of the legis- lature or the council continuously till 1846, when it became a state. He was elected a representa- tive in the 29th congre.ss, taking his seat. Dec. 7, 1846. In 1848 he was appointed by Governor Briggs chief justice of the supreme court of the state. In 1849 he resigned, went to Californiji

and settled at Benicia, where in 1850 he was elected by the legislature of the new state the first chief justice of the supreme court of Califor- nia. He served two years and was then elected attorney general of the state for two years. In 1854 he retired from public lite and engaged in real estate investments. In 1878 he founded and endowed Hastings college of law, in the University of California, and was professor of comparative jurisprudence, 1880-87. He also paid into the state treasury $100,000 on condition that the state would u.se it for the benefit of young men in every vocation of life desiring to gain a knowledge of the law. He also endowed St. Catharine's academy, Benitna, with §6000 in land and made a liberal cash contribution to its foundation. He helped to obtain a fvmd to classify, print and publish two volumes of the botany of the Pacific coast. He died in San Francisco, Cal., Feb. 18, 1893.

HASTINGS, Thomas, composer and hymn writer, was born in Washington, Conn., Oct. 15, 1784; son of Dr. Seth and Eunice (Parmele) Hastings; grandson of Hopestill and Lydia (Frary) Hastings; and a descendant of Thomas and Susanna Hastings who embarked at Ipswich, England, April 10, 1634, and settled in Water- town, Mass. He removed to Clinton, N.Y''., with his father in 1796 and there acquired a district school education. He studied music from text- books, without instruction, and in 1806 became the head of a singing school. He taught singing in Troy, N.Y., 1822-23, and was editor of the Western Recorder, a religious journal, at Utica, N.Y^., 1823-32, meanwhile lecturing on music in Albany, New York city, Philadelphia, Pa., and Princeton, N.J. He resided in New Y''ork city, 1832-72, where he held the position of choir master, first in Dr. Mason's church, afterward in Dr. Hutton's and finally in the West Presby- terian cliurch. He was married in Buffalo, N.Y., Sept. 15, 1822, to Maxy, daughter of Norman Seymour, descended from Richard Seymour of Hartford, Conn. He contributed frequently to the musical and religious periodicals, published the Musical Maijazine, 1835-37, and edited many collections of music. He received the degree of Mus.Doc. from the University of the city of New York in 1858. Among his works are: Mnsica Sacra (1816); The Musical Header (1818); Disser- tation on Musical Taste (1822); Spiritual Songs (with Dr. Lowell Ma.son, 1831); llie Mothefs mirsery Songs (imi); The Union Minstrel (WM); The Mother's Hymn Book (1834); Anthems, Motets and Set Pieces (1836); Musical Miscellany (1836-37); The Christian Psalmist (with Dr. William Patton, 1836); The Mnnhntlan Collection (1837); Elements of Vocal Musir (1839); The Sacred Lyre (1840); Snrred Songs (1842); The Psalmodist (1844); Indian