Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/182

 ROOT

ROOT

of the faculty at the New York meeting in 1872. He is the author of many songs which attained great popularity, including: Hazel Dell (IS'jS); Rosalie, the Prairie Flower (1855); The First Oun is Fired, May God Protect the Right (1861); Bat- tle Cry of Freedom ( 18G1 ); Just Before the Battle, Mother (\S&S); The Vacant Chair; Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, the Boys are M<irchiii(j (li<G4); The Old Folks are Gone; A Hundred Years Ago; Old Poto- mac Shore, and There's Music in the Air. Among his cantatas are: The Flower Queen; Daniel, and The Haymakers; and he also wrote many Sunday- school songs including: The Shining Shore; Jewels; Ring the Bells of Heaven; Knocking, Knocking, Who is There? lie published: The Young Ladies' Choir, and the Academy Vocalist, and is the author of: The Story of a Musical Life. He died at Bailey's Island, Maine, Aug. 6, 1895.

ROOT, Jesse, delegate, was born in Coventry, Conn., Dec. 26, 1737 (or January, 1737?); son of Ebenezer and Sarah (Strong) Root, and grandson of Thomas Root of Northampton. He was gradu- ated from the College of New Jersey, A.B., 1756, A.M., 1759, studied theology with Dr. Samuel Lockwood of Andover, and preached for t%vo or three years, leaving the ministry for financial reasons. He was married in 1758 to Mary Banks of Newark, N.J. He was admitted to the bar in 1763 and established himself in practice at Hart- ford, Conn. In 1775 he by his individual notes aided to secure funds for the expedition against Ticonderoga. In 1776 he organized a company of volunteers at Hartford, receiving commission as captain dated December 31; was made lieutenant- colonel, shortly after joined Washington's army at Peekskill, N.Y., and was subsequently made adjutant-general. He was a delegate to the Con- tinental congress, 1778-83; a representative in the state legislature; state attorney, 1785-89; judge of the superior court in 1789 and chief jus- tice of Connecticut, 1796-1807. He delivered the address of welcome when Washington visited Hartford in 1790. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the Connecticut academy. The honorary degree of A.M. was conferred on him by Yale college in 1766. He is the author of: Rejiorts of Cases, Ad- judged in the Courts of Errors of Connecticut (2 vols., 1798-180J). He died in Coventry, Conn., Marcli 29, 1S22.

ROOT, Joseph Moseley, representative, was born at Brutus, Cayuga county, N.Y., Oct. 7, 1807; son of Edward and Sally (Cole) Root, grandson of Joseph andTypliena (Moseley) Root, and a descendant of John Roote, who emigrated from Badby, Northamptonshire, England, in 1640, and was one of the first settlers of Farmington. He studied law at Auburn, N.Y., in 1829 was ad- mitted to the bar, and removed toNorwalk, Ohio.

On June 22, 1835, he married Mary Smyser, daughter of John and Sarah (Ebert) Buckingham of Nor walk. He became prosecuting attorney of Huron county, and in 1840-42 was state senator. He was a Whig representative from Ohio in the 29th, 3Ulh, and 31st congresses, 1845-51, serving as chairman of the committees on the post-office and on expenditures in the treasury department. His course as a member of the 29tii congress was signalized by uniform and unrelenting opposition to the Mexican war. He was one of the number known as "the immortal fourteen" who voted against the declaratory act of the 13th and against supplies to carry on the war. In the struggle for the organization of the territories in congress, in the winter of 1848 Mr. Root bore a prominent part. He offered the resolution of Dec. 13, 1848, excluding slavery from the proposed states of New Mexico and California, which was passed by a vote of 108 to 80. Because of the pro-slavery tendencies of the Whig party, he left that party and became a Free Soiler, and was one of the leading advocates of the principles of the party in Ohio. Subsequently he became a Republican and was a presidential elector on the Lincoln and Hamlin ticket in 1861. and a delegate to the Philadelphia Loyalists' convention in 1866. Mr. Root removed to Sandusky, Ohio, in 1849 and died there April 7, 1879.

ROOT, Oren, educator, was born in Syracuse, N.Y'., May 18, 1838; son of Oren and Nancy Whitney (Buttrick) Root; grandson of Elihu and Achsa (Pomeroy) Root, and of Horatio Gates and ]\Iary (Barnard) Buttrick. and a descendant of Capt. James Root of Great Barrington, Mass., and of Major John Buttrick of Concord, Mass. Oren Root, Sr. (1803-1885), graduate of Hamil- ton, 1833 (LL.D., University of Rochester, 1865), was professor of mathematics, astronomy, min- eralogy and geology, 1849-81. Oren Root, Jr., was graduated from Hamilton in 1856; was ad- mitted to the bar in 1858, and practised in Mil- waukee, Wis., 1858-59. He was married, first, Dec. 2, 1862, to Anna Julia, daughter of John Higgins of Waterford, N.Y''.; she died in Sep- tember, 1865; secondly in May, 1867, toIdaCecile, daughter of John B. Gordon; she died in Sep- tember, 1896; and thirdly, December 36, 1901, to Anna, daughter of Cliief-Justice R. D. Kay of Carrollton, Mo. He was professor of English in the State University of Missouri, 1866-71; pre- sident of Pritchett college, Glasgow, Mo., 1873- 76; entered the ministry of the Presbyterian church, 1874; changed to that of the Dutch Re- formed church in 1890; became professor of mathematics at Hamilton college in 1880, and was pastor at Utica, N.Y., 1890-94. He received the lionorary degree of D.D. from Rutgers col- lege in 1891, and that of LL.D. from Union col-