Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/314

 PETTIT

PETTIT

cantile business; was a representative in the Pennsylvania legislature, 1783-84, and proposed a plan for funding the state debt, which was adopted. He was a delegate to the Con- tinental congress, 1785-87, and a mem- ber of. the general convention whit-li met at Harrisburg, Pa., to consider the adoption of the Fed- eral constitution, which he earnestly advocated. He was a trustee of the Uni- versity of Pennsyl- vania, 1791-1802, a member of the Amer- ican Philosophical so- ciety, and president of the Insurance Company of North America, 1796-98 and 1799-1806. He died in Philadelphia. Pa.. Sept. 4. 1806.

PETTIT, George Albert Joseph, educator, was born in Dunmore. Ireland, Sept. 15, 1858; son of AYilliam and Elizabeth Pettit. He attend- ed the academy of St. Francis Xavier, N.Y.; became a member of the Society of Jesus. July 30, 1880, and was graduated from "Woodstock college, Md., in 1887. He was instructor in Eng- lish and the classics at Gonzaga college, Wash- ington, D.C., 1887-90, and at St. John's college, Fordham. N.Y., 1890-92; attended the Jesuit seminary of "Woodstock college, 1892-96, and was ordained priest in June, 1895, by Arch- bishop Satolli. He supplied the chair of English literature at Gonzaga college, made vacant by the retirement of a professor near the close of the scholastic year, 1895-96; was prefect of disci- pline and vice-president of St. John's college, 1896-98; was assistant master of novices in the novitiate at Frederick, Md., in 1898, and was re- appointed vice-president and prefect of studies at St. John's college in 1899. He was elected to succeed the Rev. T. J. Campbell, S.J., as presi- dent of St. Jolin's college, Fordham, in 1900.

PETTIT, Henry, engineer and architect, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 23, 1842; son of Robert and Laura (Ellmaker) Pettit; grandson of Andrew and Elizabeth OIcKean) Pettit and of Levi and Hannah (Hopkins) Ellmaker, and great-grandson of Charles (q.v.) and Sarah (Reed) Pettit and of Thoma.s McKean, the signer. Robert Pettit was pay director in the U.S. navy. Henry Pettit matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania with the class of 1863, but at the close of his freshman year entered the scientific course, remaining until the junior year. 1862. He was employed by the Pennsylvania railroad com-

pany in the engineering department and in the construction of bridges and buildings, 1862-74; was special agent of the Philadelphia centennial commission to the exposition at Vienna. 1873; was architect of the Main building. Machinery hall, and other constructions of the centennial exhibition. Philadelphia, 1876; chief of the bureau of installation, 1875-76, and engineer and architect for the organization of the permanent exhibition at Pliiladelphia, 1877. He was also in charge of the U.S. department, and designed and superin- tended its construction for the French universal exposition, Paris, 1879, and was a member of the advisory art commission for Pennsylvania at the "World's Columbian exposition, 1893. Meanwhile he established a general practice as a civil engineer and architect, retiring in 1890. He twice made the tour around the world and re- ceived the decoration of many foreign orders, including: Ridderof St. Olaf from King Oscar of Norway and Sweden; chevalier of the Legion of Honor from France; commander of Nichan Iftakhar from the Bey of Tunis, and Caballero of Ysabel laCatolica from Alfonso XIII. of Spain, He was made a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers; associate member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers; member of the Philosophical society' and one of its cura- tors, 1879-1901; a member of the Loyal Legion, and of the Union league, Philadelphia, serving on its board of managers for two terms. He received the degree of M.S., gratice causa, from the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania in 1877. He is the author of: Ellmaker Genealogy; Descendants of Col. Charles Pettit, Member of the Continental Congress; The Pettit Family of Cornwall, Eng- land, and Long Island, N. Y., and also the author of several musical compositions. He took numerous photographs in the Orient and America for use in illustrating lectures delivered before various societies, and he compiled forty volumes of illustrated notes of travel.

PETTIT, John, senator, was born in Sacket Harbor, N.Y., June 24, 1807. He was admitted to the bar in 1831, and engaged in practice in Lafayette, Ind. He served two terms in the Indiana legislature, and was subsequentlj' U. S. district attorney. He was a Democratic repre- sentative for the eighth district of Indiana in the 28th, 29th, and 30th congresses, 1843-49; a dele- gate to the state constitutional convention of 1850, and a presidential elector at large from Indiana on the Pierce and King ticket in 1853. He Mas elected to the U.S. senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of James Whit- comb, serving, 18.53-55; was later appointed U.S. circuit judge, and was made chief justice of the territory of Kansas by President Bnchanan, serving, 1859-63. He was a delegate to the Demo-