Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/380

 POLLOCK

POLLOCK

representative in the 2»th, 29th and 30th con- gresses, 1841-49. and on June 23, 1848, introduced in congress the subject of the construction of a railroad to the Pacific cojist and was made chair- man of the siHJcial committee rendering the first report favorable to the project. He was president judge of the eighth judicial district of Pennsyl- vania, 1850-54, and was governor of the state, 1854-58. Dur- ing his administra- tion, lie succeeded in greatly reducing the state debt, and on the outbreak of the finan- cial crisis of 1857 he restored public con- fidence by calling an extra session of the legislature, which passed a bill, Oct. 13, 1857, pro- viding for the " resumption of specie payments by state banks." He was a member of the Wash- ington compromise convention of 1860; director of the U.S. mint at Philadelpliia, 1861-66 and 1869-79, and obtained the approval of Secretary Cliase to stamping on national coins the motto '• In God we trust." He was superintendent of the U.S. mint, 1873-80. He was naval oflScer of Pliiladelphia, 1880-84. and engaged in the prac- tice of law in Philadelphia, 18S4-90. He was ap- pointed federal cliief supervisor of elections in April, 1885. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by the College of New Jersey in 1855, and by Jefferson college in 1857. He died at Lock Haven, Pa., April 19, 1890.

POLLOCK, Oliver, i)atriot, was born in Ireland in 1737; son of Jarit Pollock, who came with his family to Carlisle, Pa., about 1760. In 1762 Oliver migrated to Havana, Cuba, where he en- gaged in mercantile pursuits. He removed to New Orleans in 1768, and established a coasting and foreign trade. In 1769, when Alexander O'Reilly, governor-general of Cuba, was made governor of the province, and his troojts needed provisions, Mr. Pollock placed a cargo of flour at their disposal at a moderate price, and for his generosity ever afterward enjoyed a free trade there. He was commercial agent of the United States at New Orleans, 1777-83, and in 1779 fitted out the captured British ship West Florida under American colors and afterward sent the ves.sel to assist in the capttire of Mobile, Ala. He secured gunp<;wder from the Spanish store in New Orleans, and by forwarding it to Gen. George Rogers Clark aided materially in the success of his campaign in Illinois. He borrowed

for the state of Virginia $65,000 from France and for the secret committee of congress $70,000 from the royal treasury of Spain in 1778, but when he made drafts on this account on the treasury the secretary failed to honor his de- mands, and he appealed unsuccessfully to congress several times for aid. In Maj', 1783, lie was ap- point^ U.S. agent at Havana, Cuba, was taken prisoner, and all his gold and other property was seized by order of the Spanish governor in May, 1784, for the debts of the United States, and for eighteen months he remained in custody, all communication between him and the United States being cut off. He was released on parole on the arrival of Governor Galvez, and returned to the United States in 1785, where he was awarded $90,000 with interest to cover the Span- ish claim, but there was no money in the treasury to pay the debt. He resumed business in New Orleans, and in 1790 was enabled to pay all the claims of Spain against the United States govern- ment. He purchased and settled on property in Cumberland county, Pa., in 1792, and that year received $108,605 from the United States on ac- count of the claim. He was an unsuccessful candidate for representative in congress in 1797, 1804 and 1806, and in 1800 was an inmate of the debtors' prison in Philadelphia. He removed to Baltimore, Md., in 1806. and in 1815 to Pinck- neyville. Miss., where he spent the rest of his life. He was a member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, and the Hibernian society of Phila- delphia. He was married, first, in 1765, to Mar- garet O'Brien, and secondly, Nov. 2, 1805, to Winifred, widow of Daniel Deady of Baltimore, Md. He died in Pinckneyville. Miss., Dec. 17. 1823.

POLLOCK, Pincicney Daniel, educator, was born in Houston county. Ga., Nov. 22, 1859; son of James Greenberrj' and Nancy (Brunson) Pollock; grandson of Almarine and Liza (Woodard) Brunson and of Morris and Polly Watson Pol- lock. He was pre- pared for college at Armurchee acad- emy, Chattooga coun- ty, Ga.; attended Mercer university, Macon, Ga., and was graduated from the University of Geor- gia, B.L., 1884. He continued liis studies in the Universities of Paris and Berlin, 1889-91; taught school for several years; was superintendent of city schools, Newnan, Ga., 1891-93; professor of English,

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