Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/261

 PEARRE

PEARSON

town, Kent county, Md., in 1831. He was a representative in tlie Maryland legislature in 1831, and a Democi'atic representative in the 24th, 25th and 27th congresses, 1835-1839 and 1841-43. In 1843 he was elected to the U.S. senate and was re-elected in 1849, 1855 and 1861. He was married in 1831 to Martha J., daugh- ter of the Rev. Wil- liam Laird of Cam- bridge, Md., and sec- ondly, to Matilda Cox Ringold of George- town, D.C. He de- clined a seat on the bench of the U.S. district court of Maryland and the nomination as secretary of the interior, both of which offices were tendered him by President Fillmore. He was a regent of the Smithsonian In- stitution, D.C, and professor of law, visitor and governor of Washington college, Maryland. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by the College of New Jersey in 1859 and by St. John's college, Md., in 1856. He died in Ches- tertown. Md., Dec. 20. 1862.

PEARRE, George Alexander, representative, was born in Cumberland, Md., July 16, 1860 ; son of the Hon. George A. and Mary (Worthington) Pearre. He was graduated at the West Virginia university, A.B., 1880, A.M., 1883 ; studied law with his father, 1880-81 ; attended the Maryland University Law school, Baltimore, 1881-82 ; was admitted to the Baltimore bar, 1882, and after traveling for his health, 1882-87, began the prac- tice of law in Cumberland. He became a member of the state militia in 1887 ; was adjutant of the 2d battalion of infantry in 1889 ; was commis- sioned lieutenant-colonel, and resigned his com- mission in 1892. He was a state senator, 1890-92 ; prosecuting attorney, 1895-99, and a Republican representative in the 56th, 57th and 58th con- gresses, 1899-1905.

PEARSON, Alfred L., soldier, was born in Pittsburg. Pa., Dec. 28, 1838; son of Joseph and Mary Pearson, and grandson of Joseph and Hannah Pearson. He attended Jefferson college, Ganonsburg, and Allegheny college, Meadville, Pa., and in 1861 was admitted to the bar. He enlisted in the Union army in 1861, and in August, 1862, was commissioned captain in the 155th Penn- sylvania volunteers. He served throughout the war ; was promoted successively major, lieuten- ant-colonel and colonel ; was brevetted brigadier- general, Sept. 30, 1864, for gallant services at

Peebles Farm, and major-general, March 29, 1865, for a gallant charge at Quaker Road, for which he was also complimented by General Meade. He received the congressional medal of honor for gallant conduct during the war and returned to the practice of his profession in 1865. He was district attorney in 1870, 1872 and 1873, and served as major-general of the national guard of Pennsylvania for seven years. He com- manded the state troops during the Pittsburg riots of 1877 and in the Luzerne countj', where he ordered the troops to fire on the rioters, for which he was arrested on the charge of murder, but was not indicted. He was twice elected com- mander of the Union Veteran Legion, in 1869 and 1888 ; became a member of the board of managers of the National Home for Disabled Soldiers in 1891 ; was a member of the select council, and of the Pittsburg board of health. He edited the Sunday Critic, 1886-87, and wrote three plays. He died in Pittsburg, Pa., Jan. 6, 1903.

PEARSON, Eliphalet, educator, was born at By field, Mass., June 11, 1725 ; son of David and Sarah (Danforth) Pearson, and a descendant of John Pearson, who emigrated from Yorkshire, England, in 1643, and settled at Rowley, Mass., where he built the first clothing mill in New England. Eliphalet attended Dummer academy, Byfield, Mass., and was graduated from Harvard college, A.B., 1773, A. M., 1776. He taught school at Andover, Mass. ; engaged with Samuel Phillips in the manufacture of gunpowder for the American army in 1775, and upon the opening of the Phillips school in April, 1778, became its first preceptor, which office he held until 1786. He was Hancock professor of Hebrew at Harvard college, 1786-1806. Upon the death of Lieutenant- Governor Phillips in 1802, Pearson succeeded him as president of the board of trustees of Phillips academy and continued in office until 1820. He was acting president of Harvard college, 1804-06 ; was connected with Col. John Phillips in the establishment of the Andover Theological semin- ary, and succeeded in combining the Hopkinson and Andover seminaries in 1808. He was or- dained to the ministry, Sept. 22, 1808, and served as associate professor of sacred literatui-e at the Andover Theological seminary, 1808-09. He was secretary of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences ; a member of the Society for Promoting the Gospel among the Indians and Others in North America; a founder of the American Edu- cation society ; president of the Society for Pro- moting Cliristian Knowledge ; a member of the Massachusetts Historical society, and fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was married, first, to Priscilla, daughter of President Edward Holyoke of Harvard college, and secondly, in' 1785, to Sarah, daughter of