Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/390

 LEARY

LEAVENWORTH

about 1630, and of John Coit, who came from Gla- morganshire, Wales, and settled in Salem, Mass., before 1638. He was prepared for college at Union school, in New London, and was graduated from Yale, A. B., in 1841. He was admitted to the bar in 1841, and practised at Albany, N.Y. He was appointed a justice of the supreme court of New York by Governor Hoffman in 1870, to fill the vacancy caused by the elevation of Ruf us W. Peckham to the court of appeals, and the same year he was elected by the Democratic party to the office for a term of fourteen years, being the first judge elected for so long a term. He was connected with the Albany Law school as professor and lecturer and as president of the institution. He was appointed presiding justice of the third division by Governor Tilden in 1875, in place of Theodore Miller, elevated to the court of appeals. In 1884 he was re-elected a justice of the supreme court, and he was continued as pre- siding justice for the third division by Governor Cleveland. He was retired by reason of age, Dec. 31, 1891, and returned to the practiceof law in Albany. He was twice married: first. May 29, 1855, to Phebe Rowland, daughter of Alexan- der Marvin, of Albany, who died in 1864; and secondly, Jan. 15, 1868, to Katlierine, daughter of Clinton De Witt. He was president and a trustee of the Albany Female academy for many years; a school commissioner of Albany and president of the board from 1893, and held many other important local positions. He received from Yale the degree of A.M. in 1847, and that of LL.D. in 1878. He edited and ])ublished: il/a- dame KaighVs Jouimal (1H(j6); Earle's Microcos- mography (1867), and compiled the Learned Genealogy (1882, 2d ed., 1898).

LEARY, Richard Phillips, naval officer, was born in Baltimore, Md., Nov. 3, 1842; grandson of Richard Pliillips and of Peter Leary. He was appointed to the U.S. Naval acade- my from Maryland in 1860; ordered into active service in 1868, and was iDromoted acting ensign, Oct. 1, 1863. He was at- tached to blockading squadrons off Charles- ton, S.C, 1863-65; w^as promoted master. May 10, 1866; lieu- tenant, Feb. 21, 18- 67; lieutenant-com- mander, March 12, 1868, and commander, June 8, 1882. He commanded the Adavis on the Pacific station in Apia harbor, Samoa, during the

revolution in 1888, and his timely action, on Nov. 14, 1888, in informing the captain of the German warship Adler that he would protect American property, prevented a threatened attack on the fort of the loyalist leader Mataafa. He received a gold medal and the thanks of the legislature of IMaryland for his services in this affair. He was promoted captain, April 6, 1897, commanded the San Francisco, 1897-98, and convoyed the New Orleans, bouglit from Brazil, to the United States. He was appointed inspecting officer of the con- struction of the torpedo boats at Weymouth and South Boston, with headquarters at the Boston navy yard, in November, 1898, and served until appointed naval governor of Guam, P. I., in January, 1899. He was retired for physical dis- ability and promoted rear-admiral, Dec. 26, 1901. He died in hosiiital, Chelsea, Mass., Dec. 27. 1901.

LEAVELL, Richard flarion, educator, was born in Newberry district, S.C, Aug. 1, 1838; son of James and Emily A. (Worthington) Leavell. His father removed to Cherry Creek, Miss., about 1840. Richard was graduated from the Univer- sity of Mississippi in 1859, and engaged in teacli- ing. He was married, March 4, 1863, to Marti. a Louisa Berry. He served in the Army of Nortli- ern Virginia as lieutenant and captain in the 2d Mississippi regiment, and at the battle of Gettys- burg, July 2, 1863, with a large part of his regi- ment, was captured and imprisoned at Fort Delaware, from whence he was removed to Johnson's Island, Ohio. He was interested in the scheme proposed by Captain Cole, to effect the Release of the officers confined on Johnson's Island, and during his imprisonment was a member of a law class taught by Gen. J. Z. George. He was released in 1865 and was instructor at the Verona Male academy, 1865-71. He was a representative in the state legislature, 1871-82; a trustee of the Confederate Orphans' Home at Lauderdale, Miss.; professor of English language and literature at Mississippi college, 1882-1890; professor of Eng- lish and belles-lettres at the University of Missis- sippi, 1890-92, and was elected professor of phil- osophy and political economy in 1892. He was elected a member of the Modern Language asso- ciation of America in 1885 and of the National Educational association of the United States in 1896.

LEAVENWORTH, Elias Warner, repiesent- ative, was born in Canaan, N.Y., Dec. 20, 1803; son of David and Lucinda (Mather) Leavenworth; grandson of Asa and Submit (Scott) Leaven- worth and of Zachariah and Lucy (Gaylord) Matlier, and a descendant of Thomas and Grace Leavenworth, of England, who settled at Wood bury. Conn., where Thomas died, Aug. 3, 1683. His parents removed to Great Barrin/rton, Mass., in 1806, and he was graduated from Yale, A.B.,