Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/182

 PACKARD

PACKER

professor emeritus, 1895-1902. He was married in January, 1838. to Rosina, daughter of Gen. Walter Jones of Washington, Pa. The honorary degree of D.D. was conferred on him by Kenyon college, Ohio, in 1847. He was a member of the American Oriental society, and of the American commis- sion for the revision of the Bible, 1872-85; prepared a conimentary on Malaclii for Lange's commen- tary in 1874, contributed articles to the Bibliotfieca Sacra and other religious periodicals, and publish- ed several sermons and addresses, including Questions on the Gospels (1855). He died at Theological Seminary, Va., iMay 3, 1902.

PACKARD, William Alfred, educator, was born in Brunswick, Maine, Aug. 26, 1830; son of the Rev. Alpheus Spring and Francis E. (Apple- ton) Packard. He was graduated at Bowdoin, A.B., 1851; A.M., 18.54; was teacher at Phillips Andover academy, 1852-53, and tutor at Bowdoin, 1853-54; was graduated at Andover Theological seminary in 1857, studied at the University of Gottingen, Germany, 1857-58, and was instructor in modern languages at Bowdoin, 1859. He was married in 1861 to Susan Breese Gallagher of Bloomfield, N.J., who died in Princeton, N.J., Dec. 16, 1886. He was professor of modern languages at Dartmouth, 1859-63, and of Greek language and literature, 1863-70, and in 1870 was elected professor of Latin language and literature and of the science of language at the College of New Jersey, Princeton. He received the honor- ary degrees A.M. from Dartmouth, 1864, and Princeton, 1896, Ph.D. from Hamilton, 1868, and D.D. from Bowdoin, 1894. He revised with translations for later editions " Curtius's History of Greece," prepared memorial sketches of the lives of earlier presidents and professors of the College of New Jersey, and articles, including the reviews of books, in the Princeton Rev ieiv and the Presbyterian Revieiv.

PACKER, Asa, representative, was born in Groton, Conn., Dec. 29, 1805; son of Elisha and Desire (Packer) Packer, and grandson (matern- ally) of Joseph and Rebecca (Welles) Packer. His father and mother were cousins. Elisha Packer failed in business and the son had few educational advantages, working as a farmer and a carpenter. He was married Jan. 23, 1828, to Sarah M., daughter of Joseph Blakeslee of Springfield, Pa. In 1833 he removed to Mauch Chunk, Pa., and engaged with his brotlier, Robert W., in transporting coal to Philadelpliia, and in mining, merchandising, boat building and canal construction. He was a representative in the Pennsylvania legislature, 1842-43 and thereafter irregularly for several terms; and associate judge of Carbon county, which county he was instrumental in forming, 184:5-48. He owned a controlling interest in the Lehigh Vallej'

railroad, was its president, 1851-79, and greatly extended its lines. He also owned the Betlilehem Iron Company works and was said to be the wealthiest man in Pennsylvania. He was a Democratic representative in the 33d and 34th congresses, 1853-57; a delegate to the Democratic national couveiitioii of 1868 and received the vote of the Pennsylvania delegates for President of the United States. He was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for governor of Penn- sylvania in 1868. In 1865, after consulting with Bishop W. B. Stevens, he carried out a long cherished plan to found and endow Lehigh university at South Bethleliem, Pa., with 115 acres of land and §500,000. At this o"*^**

time no sum so large had bcc' *« • .,;'; fe. o^ proposed by a single individual i such a purpose. The .buildiii_v-; were also constructed by him, and » the institution was incorporated e^; Feb. 9, 1866, formally opening Sept. "'^^'^^^^ 1, 1866, with Bishop Stevens as the ""^^'^^ president of the board of trustees. At his death he left the university $1,500,000 for a permanent endowment and $500,000 to the library which made the institution self-sustaining. He built St. . Luke's hospital. South Betlilehem, and in his will endowed it with $300,000 with the single provision that the employees of the Lehigh Valley railroad should thereafter be cared for without charge. He also built and endowed several churches of various denominations, and his darughter and only surviving child, Mrs. Mary Packer Cum- niings, built a memorial church on the campus of Lehigh university to the memory of her family, which was dedicated Oct. 13, 1887. He was prominent in encouraging the commercial in- terests of Pennsylvania, and in 1876 was a commissioner to the Centennial exposition. He died in Philadelphia, Pa., May 17, 1879.

PACKER, Horace Billings, representative, was born in Wellsboro, Pa.. Oct. 11, 1851; son of Dr. Nelson and Mary (McDougall) Packer: grandson of Capt. James Packer of Norwich, New York, and a descendant of James Packer of Groton, Conn. He attended Wellsboro academy and Al- fred university, N.Y., and studied law under Stephen F. Wilson and J. B. Niles. He was ad- mitted to the bar at Tioga county, Aug. 26, 1873; was district attorney of Tioga county, 1875-79; a Republican representative in the Pennsylvania legislature for two terms, 1884-88, and senator, 1888-92. He presided over the Republican state conventions of 1893 and 1894, and was a repre- sentative from the sixteenth Pennsylvania dis- trict in the 55th and 56th congresses, 1897-1901. In 1901 he resumed the practice of law in Wells- boro, and engaged in the purchase and sale of timber and coal lands.