Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/81

 JEFFERSON

JEFFERSON

part in the occupation of California ; to the Con- gress, of tlie Brazilian .squadron, 18-14-45, and was an officer of the Vixen, 18-16-48, being present in all the engagements in the Gulf during the Avar witii Mexico. He was promoted master, June, 1854, and lieutenant in 1855 ; was given command of the Water Witch in 1856, and while in charge of her he rescued the Spanish steamer Cartagena, for wiiich service he was i)resented with a sword by tiie queen. He commanded the Water Witeli in 1858 when fired upon 1)}- the fort at Pasode la Patria, Argentina, which caused the U.S. government to send a fleet of 19 vessels, with 200 guns and 2500 men under Vice- Admiral Shubrick, who obtained apologies and pecuniary indemnity, Feb. 5, 1859. When the civil war broke out Lieutenant Jeflfers was detailed on ordnance duty at Norfolk, and he was subse- quently put in command of the Philadelphia. He also commanded the Underwriter in the Burnside exi)edition in 1862, and the Monitor in its assault on Sewell's Point and Fort Darling, Maj' 15, 1862. He was promoted lieutenant-com- mander in July, 1862 ; commander in March, 1865 ; captain in 1870 ; was made chief of the bui-eau of ordnance in 1873, and promoted com- modore, Feb. 26, 1878. He introduced a sj^steni of bi'onze and steel boat howitzers and made im- provements in the Dahlgren 11-inch guns, con- verting them into 8-inch rifles, and thereby doubling their power. He also designed a com- plete system of breech-loading guns. He pub- lished : Short Methods in Navigation (1849) ; Theory and Practice in Naval Gunnery (ISoO) ; Inspection and Proof of Cannon (1864); Marine Surveying (1871); Ordnance Instructions for the U.S. Navy. He died in Washington, D.C., July 23, 1883.

JEFFERSON, Cornelia, actress, was born in Baltimoi-e, Md., Oct. 1, 1835 ; daughter of Joseph and Cornelia Frances (Burke) Jefferson and sister of Joseph Jefferson. She made her first appear- ance at Chanfrau's National theatre. New York city, May 17, 1849, as Little Pickle in T7te Spoiled Child. She acted in Laura Keene's theatre, New York, 1857-58, as Titania in A Midsum- vier Night's Dream. She was married to a Mr. Jackson, and retired from the stage for many years, returning in 1880, and in her brother's company successfully rendered Tilly Slowboy in Cricket on the Hearth. She died in New York city, Marcli 3, IsOO.

JEFFERSON, Joseph, actor, was born at Ply- mouth, England, in 1774 ; son of Thomas Jefferson, a well-known actor connected with the Drury Lane theatre, London, and proprietor and man- ager of the theatre at Plj'inouth, England. Joseph was carefully educated and trained for the stage by his ]iarents. and while a boy hearted in the Plymouth theatre. He came to America

in 1795, under a contract made with Charles Stewart Powell, a theatrical manager, who liad g(jne to England to i)rocure actors for the Federal Street theatre, in Boston. Mr. Jefferson arrived

CHEST/NUT 5T. THEATRE '^ phil'a pa

l79£-/820

a

in Boston and fuuiul the theatre closed and Mr. Powell bankrupt. He then engaged to play at the John Street theatre. New York city, and made his first important appearance in America, Feb. 10, 1765, as Squire Richard, in " The Pro- voked Husband." He was married to Euphena Fortune, daughter of a Scotch merchant. Mrs. Jefferson made her first appearance at the Park theatre. New York city, Dec. 22, 1800, and sul> sequently removed with her husband to Phila- delphia, where they acted together at the Chest- nut Street theatre, at that time the most im- portant play-house in America. On account of failing health, Mr. Jefferson removed to Wash- ington, where he conducted a theatre for a short time. A biographer says of his art : " He was an actor of great merit, and Cooper, Kean and For- rest heartily, and with one accord, pronounced him the funniest comedian of the age in which he lived." He died in Harrisburg, Pa., Aug. 6, 1832. JEFFERSON, Joseph, actor, was born in Piiil- adel])liia, Pa., in 1804 ; son of Joseph and Eupliena (Fortune) Jefferson. He was educated in Phila- delphia and grew to manhood there. His father intended that he should be an ac- tor, but he preferred the study of archi- tecture and drawing to that of the stage, and received instruc- >, tion in those branch- '^^S, ■ - / %

es and in painting :,'•' from Robert Coyle, \: an English scenic artist. Mr. Jefferson finally adopted the stage as a profes- sion, and made his

first successful appearance in 1814 at the Cliest- nut Street theatre. He was a member of the dramatic companj' of the Chatham Garden theatre, New York city, and held engagements

/

9

fy