Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/422

 LEGARE

LEGGETT

he served from July, 1S66, to March 3, 1S6T. He was mayor of Memphis and resigned his office in ISTl to take his seat in the 42d congress, to which he had been elected in 1870. On his way to Washington in February, 1S71, he was taken ill at Lynchburgh. Ta.. and died March 6, 1S71.

LEQARE, Hugh Swinton, cabinet officer, was born in Ciiarleston. S.C. Jan. 2, 1797: son of Solomon and Mary (Swinton) Legare: grandson of Thomas Legare. and a descendant of Solomon Legare. a Huguenot, who settled in Charleston. S.C. about 1690. He was graduated from the col- lege of South Carolina in 1S14, studied law. 1814- 16. and traveled abroad, 1816-18. He returned to Charleston and engaged in cotton planting on Johns Island. He was a representative in the state legislature. IS'^O-i'^: practised law in Charles- ton. l8'2"2-24: was a representative in the state legislature. 1824-30. and was attorney-general of the state. 1830-^32. With Stephen Elliott he published the Southern Review, and upon the death of Elliott he became sole editor. He was charge d'affaires at Brussels, 1832-36: and a Union Democratic representative in the 2oth congress. 1837-39. His opposition to the sub- treasury project prevented his re-election and he retmmed to his law practice in Charleston, in which he became famous. He was appointed by President Tyler attorney-general in his cabinet in 18il. and upon the withdrawal of Daniel Webster from the state department in 1S43, he filled the office of secretary of state until his death, while visiting Boston to attend the dedica- tion of Bunker Hill Monument. His sister, Mary Swinton (Legare) BuHen. endowed Legare col- lege for women at West Point, Lee county, Iowa. He died at the residence of his friend, George Tickror. in Boston. Ma-s.. June 16. 1843.

LE QENDRE, Charles William, diplomatist, was born in Paris. France, probably in 1829. He was educated at the University of Paris, and on reaching his majority immigrated to the United States. He joined the volunteer army in 1861, and was assigned to the command of the post at WUlett's Point. X.Y. He helped to recruit the Slst N.Y. volunteers and was commissioned major and advanced to the colonelcy of the re- giment \K"ith which he served throughout the civil war, reaching the rank of brigadier-general of volunteers. In 1865 President Johnson ap- pointed him U.S. consul to Amoy, China, his juri&liction extending to Formosa. In 1870 he was on his return voyage to the United States to accept the post of U.S. minister to the Argen- tine Republic, and on reaching Yokohama he was urged to remain in Japan by U.S. Minister Charles E. De Long, who sent a request to the government at Washington to change LeGendre's appointment to that of chief of the department of

foreign affairs of Japan. With the consent of Presidents Grant and Hayes he held the position during the formative period of that empire. 1870- 80. He went to Korea in 1880, as advisor to the King, was instrumental in securing the treaty of 1882 with the United States, continuing in his posirion after that ruler was made emperor, and to him the government of Korea largely owes the great gains made in civilization. 1880-99. He died in Saoul. Korea. Sept. 2. 1890.

LEGGETT, iMortimer Dormer, soldier, was bom in Danby, Tompkins county. N.Y., April 19, 1821: son of Isaac and Mary (Strong) Leggett, members of the society of Friends: and grand- son of Charles and Phebe (William) Leggett, and of James and Eleanor (Denton) Strong. The ances- tors t)f the Leggett faniQy. Abraliam and Isaac Leggett ( broth- ers), came from Eng- land toAmerica about 1755. Mortimer Leg- gett removed to Ohio in 1836. where he worked on his fath- er's farm until 1839. He then attended a normal school at Kirt- land, Ohio, and on leaving there took a course at Western Reserve college. He taught school, studied law, and took a course in the Willoughby Medical school to qualify him- self for the practice of medical jurisprudence. He was admitted to the bar in Warren. Ohio, in 1844. In 1845 he established the first system of graded schools west of the Alleghenies. In 1857 he removed to Zanesville. Oliio. where he was superintendent of the public schools. When the civil war broke out he was a volunteer member of General McClellan's staff, and accompanied him to western Virginia. In 1861 he raised and organized the 78th Ohio volunteers, and was com- missioned its colonel. He commanded the regi- ment at the battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh and Corinth. At Bolivar, Tenn., August. 1862, he met and for seven hours fought a brigade of cavalry under command of General Armstrong, his force being less than nine hundred men. He was wounded at Shiloh, and later at Champion Hills and Vicksburg. He commanded the 1st brigade, 3d division, 17th army corps at Vicksburg during the siege, and liis brigade was assigned to the construction of the extensive mine that compelled the evacuation of that stronglK)ld. In the Atlanta campaign he commanded the 3d division, 17th army corps, and on July 21, 1»64,