Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/337

 LAMOROUX

LAMSON-SCRIBNER

Secretary Jolin Bigelow, 1876-77. He was legis- lative reporter for the Alba uy ^4 rg^s, and in this capacity became known to influential politicians of the state. He was subsequently a proprietor and managing editor of the Argus. He was sec- retary of the Democratic state committee of New York, 1874-83; was appointed on the military statf of Governor Cleveland in January, 1883; was the governor's private secretary, 1883-85, and was private secretary to the President, 188.5-89. He removed to New York city in 1889, where he en- gaged in business, and upon Mr. Cleveland's re- election to the presidency he served in his cabinet as secretary of war, 1893-97. At the close of Pres- ident Cleveland's administration. Secretary La- mont returned to New York city and became prominent in railway interests. He was vice- president and a director of the Northern Pacific railway company, and president of the Northern Pacific express company. He was a meniber of the executive committee of the New York Asso- ciated Press, 1880-83. The honorary degree of A.M. was conferred ou him by Union college in 1886.

LAMOROUX, Wendell, educator, was born in Albany, N.Y., Nov. 10, 1825; son of James and IMary (Wendell) Lamoroux, and a descendant of a Huguenot refugee of 1696, from Rochelle, landing at Rochelle, N.Y. He was graduated at Union college, A.B., 1844, A.M., 1847; was in- structor there, 1849-50; professor of modern languages and assistant professor of belles-lettres, 1850-53; acting professor of modern languages, 1862-64; assistant professor of rhetoric, Colum- bia college. New York city, 1867-68; professor of literature at Wells college, N.Y., 1873-76; of Ehglisli essays and oratory, at Union, 1876-85, librarian of Union, 1885-97 and lecturer, 1895-97; -after which he was made librarian emeritus.

LA nOUNTAIN, John, aeronaut, was born in Wayne county, N.Y., in 1830. His education was limited by reason of the death of his father, and the necessity of working to supi)ort his mother. He became interested in ballooning while a young man and succeeded in making several a.scensions. He constructed the " Atlantic." a balloon made of silk, having a capacity for 70,000 cubic feet of gas, and with several passengers, including John Wise, the aeronaut, he made an ascent from St. Louis Mo., July 1, 1859. The balloon passed over the states of Illinois and Indiana, reached Oliio the next morning, crossed Lake Erie into New York and to Lake Ontario into which it descended, but rose again and a safe landing was effected at Henderson, Jefferson county, N.Y. This journey occupied nineteen hours and fifty minutes, and the distance traversed was 1150 miles, or 826 miles in an air line. He made an ascension in Septem- ber, 1859, from Watertown, N.Y., and at various

altitudes experienced much suffering from the changes in temperature. He passed one night in the balloon, descending during the second day, and wandered for four days in the wilderness without adequate food or clothing. He was res- cued by lumbermeo 150 miles nortli of Ottawa, Canada. He was appointed aeronautic engineer to the Army of the Potomac under Tliaddeus S.C. Lowe, in 1862, and made several ascensions, but soon severed his connection with the army. He subsequently made occasional uneventful as- censions. He died in Lansingburg, N.Y., in 1878.

LAMPSON, William, i)hilanthropist, was born in Leroy, N.Y., Feb. 28, 1840; son of Miles P. Lampson. He was graduated at Yale in 1862, travelled in Europe, 1862-63, and was graduated from Columbia Law school. New York, in 1867. He devoted himself to business and to the man- agement of the family estates in Leroy, his father having died in 1864. He succeeded his father as president of the bank at Leroy, serving, 1864-97. He never married. In liis will he pro- vided for a commencement hall for Yale university to cost $150,000 and the payment of §29,000 for personal legacies; and the residue of his estate, valued at $1,500,000, was bequeathed to Yale uni- versity for the endowment of professorships in Latin, Greek and Englisii literatures, the i^rofes- sors in each branch to receive an annual salary of $4000. The will was contested and affirmed in 1897. He died at Leroy. N.T.. Feb. 14, 1897.

LAflSON, Charles Marion, clergyman, was born in North Hadley, Mass., May 16, 1843; son of Charles Edwin and Elizabeth (Cook) Lamson, and grandson of Charles Lamson. He was grad- uated at Amherst college, A.B., 1864, A.M.. 1867. He was instructor at Williston academy, 1864-65; instructor in Latin language and literature at Amherst, 1865-67; studied theology at Halle, 1867-68, and was instructor in English at Am- herst, 1868-69. He was married in De(!ember, 1869, to Helena, daughter of R. B. Bridgman, of Amherst. He was pastor of the Porter Congre- gational cliurch, Brockton, Mass., 1869-71; of the Salem Street church, Worcester, 1871-85; of the North church, in St. Johnsbury, Vt., 1885-93; and of the First Church of Christ, Hartford, Conn., 1893-99. In 1897, upon the resignation of Dr. Richard S. Storrs as president of the A.B.C.F.M.,Dr. Lamson was elected his succes- sor, and served, 1893-99. He received the de- gree of D.D. from Amlierst in 1885, and was a trustee of that institution, 1888-99. He was a director of the Home Missionary' society and a member of the American Antiquarian society. He died at St. Johnsbury, Vt.. Aug. 8. 1899.

LAMSON=SCRIBNER, Frank, botanist, was born in Lowell. Mass., April 19, 1851; son of Joseph S. and Eunice E. (Wiuslow) Lamson;