Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/353

 PIERSON

PIKE

13, 1860, and was married July 12, 1860, to Sarah Frances, daughter of Williston H. Benedict of New York. He was pastor of the Congregational church at Binghamton, N.Y., 1860-63; pastor of the Presbyterian church at Waterford, N.Y., 1863-69 ; of the Fort Street Presbyterian church at Detroit, Mich., 1869-82 ; of the Second Presby- terian chui'ch at Indianapolis, Ind., 1882-83; of the Bethany Presbyterian church at Philadel- phia. Pa., 1883-91, and acting pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London, England, 1891- 93. He gave a special lecture course on missions at Rutgers college in 1891, and in the university of Scotland in 1892 as Duff Lecturer. In 1888 he became editor of the Missionary Review of the World. The honorary degree of D.D. was con- ferred on him by Knox college in 1874. He is the author of : Crisis of Missions (1886); Keys to the Word (1887); 3Iany Infallible Proofs (1889); Evangelistic Work (1890); The One Gospel (1891) ; The Heart of the Gospel (1892); Divine Enter- prise of Missions (1892); Miracles of Missions (1892-1902); TJie Divine Art of Preaching (1893); Stumbling Blocks Removed (1893); Neiv Acts of the Apostles (1893) ; The Heights of the Gospel (1893); Hojies of the Gospel (1893); Life Power (1894); Lessons in the School of Pi'ayer (1896); Seven Years in Sierra Leone (1896); In Christ Jesns (1897); Shall We Continue in Sin 9 (1898); Acts of the Holy Spirit (1898); Catherine of Sienna (1899); George Midler of Bristol (1899); Forward Movements (1900); Seed Thoughts for Public Speakers (1901); The Modern Mission Century (1902) ; Tlie Gordian Knot (1902) and contributions to periodical literature.

PIERSON, Hamilton Wilcox, educator, was born in Bergen, N.Y., Sept. 22, 1817; son of the Rev. Josiah Pierson ; grandson of Samuel and Rebecca (Parmele) Pierson, and descendant of the Rev. Abraham Pierson of Yorkshire, Eng- land, who was graduated from Trinity college, Cambridge, in 1632, and came to America in 1639 " in pursuit of religious freedom." Hamil- ton Wilcox was graduated from Union college, N.Y., in 1843 ; was agent of the American Bible society, Alexandria, Va., 1843-45; was graduated from the Union Theological seminary in 1848, and on account of ill health, traveled in the interest of the American Bible society, 1848-49. He was ordained by the presbytery of New York, Nov. 13, 1853 ; was agent of the American Bible society in the West Indies, 1849-50, and at Louisville, Ky., 1853-58. He was president of Cumberland college, Princeton, Ky., 1858-61 ; agent of the American Tract society, Washing- ton, D.C., 1861-62 ; secretary of the United States Christian society at Toledo, Ohio, and taught school in Virginia and Georgia, 1863 69. He went to California for his health in 1875, and

engaged in literature and travel, 1877-85. He was state librarian at Columbus, Oliio, 1885-88. The honorary degree of D.D. was conferred on him by Union college in 1860. He edited The American Missionary Memorial (1853), and is the author of : Tliomas Jefferson at Monticello (1862) ; Li the Brush (1881). He died in Bergen, N.Y., Sept. 7, 1888.

PIERSON, Henry R., educationist, was born in Charleston, Montgomery county, N.Y., June 13, 1819 ; son of Rufus Pierson, and a descendant of Henry Pierson of Southampton, L.I. He was graduated from Union college, N.Y., in 1846, and was admitted to the bar in 1848, practising his profession in Brooklyn, N.Y., 1849-60. He was elected president of the Brooklyn City Railroad Company in 1860 : was a member of the board of education, Brooklyn, N.Y., president of the board of aldermen for several terms during his residence in Brooklyn, 1849-69, and state senator 1867-68. He was elected financial agent of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad company, Chicago, 111., in 1871, later becoming its superin- tendent and vice-president. He was elected resident executive director of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad company at Albany, N.Y., in 1871 ; was a member of the state assembly, 1873, and served as chairman of its committees on cities and on railroads, and in 1875 he established a banking house at Albany. He was a trustee of Union college 1871-72 ; of the Albany Medical college, and of Dudley Observatory, and a regent of the University of the State of New York, 1872-90, having been elected to succeed Erastus Corning. He succeeded Erastus C. Benedict as vice-chancellor, serving 1878-81, and became chancellor in 1881 on the death of Chancellor Benedict. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by Union college in 1874. He died in Albany. N.Y., Jan. 1, 1890.

PIKE, Albert, soldier, was born in Boston, Mass., Dec. 29, 1809. He removed with his parents to Newbury port, Mass. ; attended Har- vard college, 1825-26 ; taught at Fairhaven and Newburyport, Mass., and in 1831 traveled the unexplored regions of the West. In August, 1831, he connected himself with a caravan of ten wagons under Capt. Charles Bent, traveling to Santa Fe, where he obtained employment as a clerk. In September, 1832, he joined a party of trappers down the Pecos river and into the Staked Plains, and with four companions traveled on foot to Fort Smith, Ark., reaching there Dec. 10, 1832. He engaged in teaching at Van Buren and on Little Piney river, and contributed articles to the Little Rock Advocate, of which paper he became assistant editor in 1834, and owner. He was admitted to tlie bar in 1835, and sold his paper in 1836. Upon the outbreak of the Mexican