Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/367

 MEREDITH

MEREDITH

Indiana volunteers 1861-62, and was wounded at Second Bull Run, where he commanded IiIh regi- ment. He also commanded his regiment at Sharpsburg and Antietam, was promoted briga- dier-general, Oct. 6, 1862, and commanded the "Iron Brigade" at Fredericksburg, Chancellors- ville and Gettysburg. He was severely wounded At Gettysburg, and on his return to the Held in November, 1863, was assigned to the com- mand of the 1st division, 1st army corps, but was soon forced to abandon it on account of failing health. He commanded the military post of Cairo, 111., 1864, and the district of Western Ken- tucky, 1864-65, being honorably mustered out, May 28, 1865. He was bre vetted major-general •of volunteers, Aug. 14. 1865 ; was U.S. assessor of internal revenue for his district, 1866-67 ; sur- veyor-general of ^lontana Territory, 1867-69, and then retired to his farm. He was a delegate to the Whig national conventions of 1840 and 1848, and to the Republican national conventions of 1856 and 1860. He was president of the state agricultural board, vice-president of the Agri- cultural society of Wayne county, a trustee of Cambridge seminary, and a member of the board of dire(tors of Whitewater canal. He was married, March 17, 1835, to Anna Hannah, of Brownsville, Pa. Their three sons, Samuel H., David M. and Henry C. Meredith, served in the Union army during tlie civil war. and the two elder lost their lives in the service. He died in Cambridge City. Ind., Oct. 21, 1875.

MEREDITH, William Morris, lawyer and cab- inet officer, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., June 8, 1799 ; son of William and Gertrude Gouverneur (Ogden) Meredith. His father was president of

the Schuylkill bank, and for several years solicitor of the city of Philadelphia. He was graduated at the University of Penn- sylvania, valedictor- ian, A.B., 1812, A.M., 1816, and was ad- mitted to the bar, Dec. 16, 1817, al- though but eighteen years old. He set- tled in practice in Philadelphia, but was not favored with a case for several years owing to his youth. He spent the time in study, and represented Philadelphia in the state legis- lature, 1824-28. He made his Prst success at the bar in 1832, in connection with John Sergeant and Horace Biimey. with whom he was a.sso- <ciated in the Girard will case. He was also

interested in the case of the Commonwealth vs. Alburger, involving the right to a burial-place in Franklin square, where the German liefornied church had a cemetery secured to them by the de- scendants of William Penn, notwithstanding the fact that Penn had dedicated this tract of laud old case and had baffled many lawyers, but when Mr. Meredith proposed that they prosecute the officers of the church for maintaining a nuisance, a favorable verdict was given for the common- wealth, which was affirmed by the supreme court. He was president of the select council of Philadelphia, 1834-49; a member of the state constitutional convention in 1837 ; an unsuccess- ful candidate for the U.S. senate in 1845. He was appointed secretary of the treasury by Presi- dent Taylor in 1849, and served until the Presi- dent's death in July, 1850, when he resumed his law practice in Philadelphia. He was vice- provost of the law academy, Philadelphia, 1836- 37 ; chancellor of the law association, 1857-73 ; a delegate to the peace convention of 1861 ; attor- ney-general of Pennsylvania, 1861-67, and was appointed senior counsel of the United States at the Geneva tribunal for the arbitration of the Alabama claims, which met Dec. 15, 1871. and he assisted in preparing the case for arbitration, but resigned soon after, not caring to pass the winter in Euroi>e. He was president of the state constitutional convention of 1873 ; a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, 1842-59. and %vas a member of the American Philosophical society, 1837-73. He married Catherine, daugh- ter of Michael and Catherine (Caldwell) Keppele. He died in Philadelphia. Pa.. Aug. 17, 1878.
 * 'to be kept a green forever." This was an

MEREDITH, William Morton, printer, was born in Centerville, Ind., April 11, 1835; son of Samuel Caldwell and Margaret (Ballard) Mere- dith ; grandson of John Luflf Meredith, a Revolu- tionary soldier, and a descendant from Luff Meredith whose father emigrated from Radnor. Wales. After attending the common school and passing one year at Wliitewater college he worked in his father's printing office and finished his trade on the Indianapolis Journal. He be- came a member of the Typographical Union ; was employed in the Journal office, was presi- dent of the Indianapolis Typographical Union, No. 1, and a representative in the national body at Nashville. 1860. and at Philadelphia. 1865. He was made captain of Company E, 70th Indi- ana volunteers in 1861, and served with distinc- tion during the war. He worked at his trade in St. Louis. Keokuk. Philadelphia. Cincinnati, and other cities for brief perio<ls, 1865-(J8. and was again employed on the Indianapolis Journal, of which office he became foreman in 1869. In 1872-75 he held a similar position on the St. Louis