Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/76

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HAMLIN, Cyrus, educator, whs Iwrn in Water ford, Maine Jan 5. ISII; son of Hannibal and Susan (Faulkner) Hamlin: and grandson of Capt. Eleazer Hamlin of Pembroke, Mass. His father was a teacher, member of the general court of Massachusetts and high sheriff of Oxford countv. Cyrus was

e^raduated at Bow- doin, AB, 1834; A.M.. 1837, and from the Bangor seminary in 1837. He was a missionary of the A.B.C.F.M. in Tur key. 1837-60; organ- ized in Constantino- ple in 1840 the Bebak seminary and was its principal 1840-60 ; and founded Robert college, after a .strug- gle with the Turkish government that con- sumed seven years and finally resulted in the im- perial authority to build it on one of the most conspicuous sites of theBosphorus. The same im- perial authority placed it under the protection of the United States In Constantinople Dr. Hamlin employed the refugee Armenians in the city in making bread of hop yeast and the demand from soldiers during the Crimean war so increased its sale as to furnish a profit of $25,000, which was used in building churches and extending mis- sionary work. He was elected president of Robert college and administered its affairs. 1860-76. He then returned to the United States and was professor of dogmatic theology in Bangor seminary, 1877-80, and president of Middleburj^ college, 1880-85. He then made his home in Lex- ington, Mass. He received the degree of D.D. from Bowdoin in 1854; and from Harvard in 1861 : and that of LL.D. from New York university in 1870 and from Bowdoin college in 1880. He died in Portland, Me.. Aug. 8, 1900.

H.AMLI.N, Cyrus, soldier, was born in Hamp" den, Maine. April 26. 1839; son of the Hon. Han- nibal ami Sarah J. (Emery) Hamlin. He was educated at Hampden academy and entered Colbj* university, but left before his term expired to take up the study of law. He was admitted to the bar in 1860, practised in York county. Maine, and in 1862 was appointed aide decamp to Gen. John C. Fremont, with the rank of captain, and distinguished him.self at the battle of Cross Keys, receiving the commendation of his chief. He was among the earliest officers in the army to advocate enlisting the negro and was appointed colonel of the 18th U.S. colored volunteers, and subsequently commanded a brigade in the depart -

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ment of the Gulf. He was promoted brigadier general of volunteers. Dec. 3, 1864, commanded the district of Port Hudson, 1864-65, and was brevetted major general of volunteers for merito- rious and distinguished services, March 13, 1865. He remained in New Orleans after the war and aided in reconstructing the state of Louisiana. He conducted a general law practice in the city of New Orleans. La., and died there, Aug. 28, 1867. HAMLIN, Hannibal, vice president of the United States., was born on Paris Hill, Maine, Aug. 27, 1809; son of Dr. Cyrus and Anna (Liver- more) Hamlin; grandson of Capt. Eleazer Hamlin of Pembroke, Mass., who commanded a bodj- of Continental minutemen, which included his sons, Africa, Amer- ica, Europe and Asia, in the war of the Rev- olution : and a de- scendant of James Hamlin, who settled on Cape Cod in 1639. He was prepared for college at Hebron academy, but after 1829 when his father died he was obliged to devote his time to the care of the farm, teaching school in the winter seasons to provide for his

mother and sisters. He had made some progress in the stud}- of law, but found little time to pros- ecute it. He joined with Horatio King in the publication of Tlie Jr-ffersonian, a local newspaper, which he sold to his partner at the end of a year and again took up the study of law in the office of Gen. Samuel Fessenden in Portland, and was admitted to the bar in 1833, settling at Hampden, Penobscot county. In 1835 he was elected by the Democrats a representative in the state leg- islature and served, 1835—40. He was speaker of the house for three terms, the youngest man to fill that position in Maine. He was defeated for repre.sentative in the 27th congress in the election of 1840, but was a representative in the 28th and 29th congresses. 1843-47. He signalled his maiden Democratic speech in congress by announcing that lie was an uncompromising foe to the extension of slavery, and after the .speech he was congratulated by John Quincy Adams, former President of the United States, who greeted him with: "Light breaketh in the east I sir, light breaketh in the ea.st!"' His .second notable speech was in opposition to the annexation of Texas, and during his second term he denounced the practice of duelling, offered and secured the of the celebrated *' AVilmot provi.«o "