Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/429

 PRENTISS

PRESCOTT

senator from Vermont, 1831-43, resigning April 11, 1842, to become judge of the U.S. district court of Vermont, Samuel C. Crofts completing his term. During his term of oflSce he introduced the resolu- tion which led to the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, and also introduced a series of resolutions against the annexation of Texas ; and originated and successfully carried through the law to suppress duelling in the District of Columbia. He was a trustee of Dartmouth col- lege, 1820-37, and received from Dartmouth the honorary degree of A.M. in 1820, and LL.D. in 1832. He died in Montpelier, Vt., Jan. 15, 1857.

PRENTISS, Sergeant Smith, orator, was born in Portland, Maine, Sept. 30, 1808 ; son of Capt. William and Abigail (Lewis) Prentiss. He was dependent upon the use of crutches until nine years of age and remained a cripple throughout his life. He was prepared for college at Gorham, Maine, academy ; was graduated at Bowdoin, A.B., 1826, A.M., 1829; studied law under Josiah Pierce in Gorham, 1826-27, and under Judge Jacob Burnet (q.v.) in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1827 ; removed to Natchez, Miss., where he was tutor in a private family and subsequently practised law in partnersliip with Gen. Felix Houston in 1829. He was a Whig representative in the Mis- sissiitpi territorial legislature in 1835, and claimed election as a representative to the 35th congress Oct. 3, 1837, but the certificate of election was given to J. F. H. Claiborne. Prentiss contested the election, supporting his claim in a three days' speech, and the election was set aside and the seat declared vacant, Jan. 31, 1838, the speaker, James K. Polk, casting the deciding vote. A new election was ordered and Prentiss was cliosen and took his seat. May 30, 1838, his term expiring March 3, 1839. He ably defended Judge Wilkinson of Kentucky, charged with murder in 1839, and canvassed the state of Mis- sissippi as a Whig candidate for presidential elector in 1840. He labored to defend the honor of the state and prevent the repudiation of its bonded debt, 1840-44. He was married March 3, 1842, to Mary Jane, daughter of James C. Williams of Natchez, Miss. He removed to New Orleans, La., in 1845, where he practised until a short time before his death. He made a speech at the dinner given Daniel Webster in Faneuil Hall, Boston, Mass., in July, 1838, which was declared by Gov. Edward Everett to be a "most wonder- ful specimen of sententious fluency." A con- temporary says : " His power of originating forci- ble and beautiful natural images of abstract trutlis was marvelous, and lie was quite as dis- tinguished at the bar for vigorous logic and sense as for splendid rhetoric." See " Memoir of S. S. Prentiss," by G. L. Prentiss (q.v.). He died at Longwood, near Natchez, Miss., July 1, 1850.

PRESCOTT, Albert Benjamin, chemist, was born in Hastings, N.Y., Dec. 12, 1832; son of Benjamin and Experience (Huntley) Prescott ; grandson of James and Lydia (Calkins) Huntley and of Oliver and Keziah (Howard) Prescott, and a descendant of John and Mary (Platts) Prescott. John Px-escott, a native of Lancashire, England, immigrated to Barbadoes in 1638 and settled in Watertown, Mass., in 1640. Albert B. Prescott was graduated from the University of Michigan, M.D., 1864; was appointed assistant surgeon, U.S.V., July 3, 1864, and was surgeon- in-charge of a hospital in Louisville, Ky., and later one in Jeffersonville, Ind. He was brevetted captain and mustered out Aug. 22, 1865, and was married Dec. 25, 1866, to Abigail, daughter of Robert William and Nancy (SjDear) Freeburn of Oakland county, Mich. He was assistant in chemistry, 1863-64 ; assistant professor of chem- istry and lecturer on organic chemistry and metallurgy in the University of Michigan, 1865- 70 ; professor of organic and applied chemistry and of pharmacy there from 1870, dean of the school of pharmacy from 1876, and a director of the chemical laboratory from 1884. He was elec- ted a fellow of the London Chemical society in 1876 ; president of the American Chemical so- ciety in 1886 ; vice-president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1887, president of that association in 1891, presi- dent of the American Pharmaceutical associa- tion in 1900, and a member of other scientific societies. He received the degree LL.D. from the University of Michigan in 1896. He helped to revise the U.S. Pharmacopoeia in 1880, con- tributed articles on his researches in analytical, organic and pharmaceutical chemistry to scien- tific publications, and is the author of : Qualita- tive Chemical Analysis (with Silas H. Douglas, 1874; 5th edition, with Otis C. Johnson, 1901) ; Outlines of Proximate Organic Analysis (1875); Chemical Examination of Alcoholic Liquors (1875) ; First Book in Qualitative Chemistry (1879; 11th ed. with Eugene G. Sullivan, 1902); and Organic Analysis : a Manual of the Descrip- tive and Analytical Chemistry of Certain Carbon Compounds in Common Use (1887).

PRESCOTT, Benjamin Franklin, governor of New Hampshire, was born in Epping, N.H., Feb. 26, 1833; son of Nathan G. and Betsey H. (Richards) Prescott ; grandson of Asa and Polly (Clark) Prescott, and of Benjamin and Mehitable (Hills) Richards, of Nottingham, N.H. ; and a descendant of James Prescott, wlio emigrated from Dryby, Lincolnshire, England, to Hampton, Norfolk county, Mass., in 1665, and Mary Boulter, his wife. He was prepared for college at Phillips Exeter academy, graduated at Dartmouth in 1856, and taught school in Epping, 1856-57. He