Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/135

 McCRADY

Mccreary

results were apparent as soon as he undertook to make original observations. He was appointed as- sistant professor of mathematics in the College of Charleston in 1856, and in addition to the duties of that chair he pursued his scientific researches. He was an enthusiastic member and curator of the Elliot Society of Natural History. His paper on the medusae occupied over one hundred pages of the Proceedings of that society, and mark an event in the history of zoology in the south, inas- much as naturalists who preceded Mr. McCrady had confined themselves to describing species almost exclusively among the vertebrate animals, whereas with the assistance of the microscope he studied out carefully the development of the various medusae from the ovum to the adult state. He was thus enabled to eliminate many forms which were thought to be distinct species, but which, upon more careful examination, were found to be the same animal in various stages of its growth. At the time of his work the subdivi- sion to which sea blubber belongs had only been slightly investigated in America and his papers upon the subject have since been commented upon as never having been exceeded in accuracy. Upon the breaking out of the war between the states he at once resigned his professorship and entered the service of the state as an officer of engineers, becoming a major in that corps in the Confederate States army. He served upon the military staff of General Beauregard, in charge of the construction of the fortifications around Savannah ; joining the army of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston after the evacuation of Savannah and attaining reputation as a skilful military engineer. His manuscripts and books recording the result of his scientific researches and labors of the seven years before the war were burned in Columbia in 1865. He was professor of mathematics in the College of Charleston, 1865-73 ; succeeded Agassiz as professor of zoology at Harvard, 1874-77, and delivered a course of lectures before the theolog- ical school of the university. In August, 1877, he was elected professor of biology and the relation of science and religion in the University of the South at Sewanee, Tenn., and spent the remainder of his life in that institution. In the winter of 1880-81 he delivered a series of lectures at the Johns Hopkins university in which he outlined his philosophical system. He married Sarah, daughter of Paul Dismukes of Tennessee and granddaughter of Thomas Lynch (q . v. ). His son , the Rev. Edward McCrady, was in 1901 rector of Trinity church, Abbeville, S.C. In September, 1881, Professor McCrady was taken ill, and while convalescent, the house in which he lived and the manuscripts of his lifelong work were burned. This shock arrested his recovery, and he died at Nashville, Tenn., Oct. 16, 1881.

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McCRARY, George Washington, cabinet officer, was born near Evansville, Ind., Aug. 29, 1835 ; son of James and Matilda (Forrest) Mc- Crary. His parents removed beyond the Missis- sippi in 1835 and made their liome in the limits of Iowa Territory. He studied lav/, was ad- mitted to the bar in 1856, and settled in practice in Keokuk. He was married in 1857 to Helen A. Gelatt. He was a Republican represent- ative in the Iowa legislature in 1857 and a state senator, 1861-65. He served in the senate as chair- man of the com- mittee on military af- fairs and of the judi- ciary committee. He was a Republican represent- ative from the first Iowa district in the 41st, 42d, 43d and 44th congresses, 1869-77, being chairman of the committee on elections in the 42d con- gress. He introduced the bill in congress that led to the appointment of the electoral commis- sion of 1877. In arguing the Florida case before the commission he denied the power of congr'ess to go behind the returns, and his view of the ques- tion was adopted by the commission. He wa» also the author of the law under which the judiciary of the United States was re organized. He was appointed secretary of war by President Hayes, March 12, 1877 ; resigned in December, 1879, upon receiving the appointment of judge of the 8th judicial district of the U.S. circuit court, and served until March, 1884, when he re- moved to Kansas City, Mo., to serve as attorney and counsellor for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad company and to engage in the general practice of law. He is the author of The Amer- ican Law of Elections (1875). He died in St. Joseph, Mo., June 23, 1890.

McCREARY, James Bennett, governor of Kentucky, was born in Richmond, Ky., July 8, 1838 ; son of Robert and Sabrina ^Bennett) Mc- Creary and grandson of James and Mary (Barr) McCreary. His ancestry on both sides removed from Virginia to Kentucky. He was graduated at Centre college, Ky., A.B., 1857; Cumberland university, LL.B., 1859. He practised law in Richmond, Ky., was major and lieutenant-col- onel of the nth Kentucky cavalry, C.S.A., 1862- 65. serving in the west under Generals Bragg and Morgan and in the east under General Breckin- ridge. He was married. June 12. 1867. to Katie, daughter of Thomas Hughes of Fayette county.