Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/202

 RUGGLES

RUMFORD

lin in 1863, and at The Hague in 18G9 ; was U.S. commissioner to the Paii.s exposition of 1807, and a delegate to the International Monetary confer- ence at Paris in tliat year. lie presented tiie perpetual use of Gramercy park, New York city, to the neighboring property-liolders, liaving previou.-^ly laid out and named the park. He was also instrumental in locating and erecting a fence around Union stjuare. in front of his resi- dence, and he named Lexington avenue and Irving place. He was a trustee of the Astor library for many years ; a trustee of Columbia college, 1836-81, and a member of the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York. The lionorary degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by Yale in 1859. He is the author of : Report upon FinnHCCs and Internal Improvements (1838); Vindication of Canal Policy (ISAQ); Defence of Improvement of Navigable Waters by the Gen- eral Government (1852); Law of Burial (1858); Report on State of Canals inlSoS (1859); Reports on the Statistical Congress at Berlin (1863); The Monetary Conference at Paris (1867); The Statis- tical Congress at The Hague (1871); Report to tie Chairman of the Committee on Canals (1873); and -4 Consolidated Table of Xational Progress in Cheapening Food (1880). A memorial of Mr. Iviiggles was printed and distributee! by the Cham- ber of Commerce of New York in 1881. He died on Fire Island. L.I., N.Y., Aug. 28, 1881.

RUGGLES, Timothy, jurist, was born in Roch- ester, Mass., Oct. 20, 1711 ; son of the Rev. Tim- othy and Mary (White) Ruggles ; grandson of Capt. Samuel Ruggles of Roxbury and Martha Woodbridge, his wife, who was a granddaughter of Governor Thomas Dudley. He was graduated from Harvard in 1733 ; studied law, and estab- lished himself in practice in Rochester. In 1735 he married Mrs. Bathsheba Newcomb, widow of William Newcomb and the daughter of the Hon. Melatiah Bourne of Sandwich. He removed to Sandwich, Mass., in 1740, and there remained, with increasing reputation and a constantly in- creasing list of clients, till 17.53, when he removed to Hardwick. He was an impressive pleader, his eloquence enhanced b}' his majestic presence. His services were in constant demand in adjoin- ing counties, where his principal antagonist was Col. James Otis, then at the height of his fame. At the time of his settlement in Hardwick he had accumulated a lil>eral fortune, and entered upon a style of living commensurate with his standing and affluence. lie was appointed judge of the court of common pleas in 1756, and from 1762 to the Revolution he was chief-justice of that court, and served as a special justice of the provincial superior court, 1762-75. He was repeatedly elect- ed a representative in the general court of Ma.ssa- chusetts, and while the armies were in winter

quarters was speaker of the house, 1762-63. He was commissioned colonel in the provincial forces under Sir William Joiinson, and was second in command at the battle of Lake George in 1755, where he distinguished himself for courage, cool- ness and ability. In 1758 he commanded the third division of the provincial troops under Abercrombie in the attack on Ticonderoga. Ha served as brigadier-general under Amherst in the campaign of 1759-60. In 1763 he was appointed by the Crovv'n "surveyor-general of the King's forests," as a reward in a measure for his military services in the French and Indian war. He was a delegate to the first colonial (or Stamp Act) congress of 1765, which met in New York, October 7, and was elected iLs president, but re- fused to sanction the addresses sent by that body to Great Britain, for which he was publicly cen- sured by the general court of Massachusetts. He was led by a sense of duty " in the halls of legis- lature and on the platform to declare against re- bellion and bloodshed." He was appointed man- damus councillor, Aug. 16, 1774, and in 1775 left Boston for Nova Scotia with the British troops and accompanied Lord Howe to Staten Island. His estates were confiscated, and in 1779 he re- ceived a grant of 10,000 acres of land in Wilniot, Nova Scotia, where he engaged in agriculture. His daughter Mary married Dr. John Green of Green Hill, Worcester, Mass. Judge Ruggles died in Wilmot, Nova Scotia, Aug. 4, 1795.

RULISON, Nelson Somerville, second bishop of Central Pennsylvania and 136th in succession in the American episcopate, was born in Car- thage, Jefferson county, N.Y., April 24, 1842. He attended Wesleyan academy, Gouverneur, N.Y., and was graduated from the General Theo- logical seminary. New York city, in 1866. He was ordered deacon in Grace church, Utica, N.Y., May 27, 1866, by Bishop Coxe, and ordained priest in the Church of the Annunciation, New Y'ork city, Nov. 30, 1866, by Bishop Horatio Pot- ter. He was curate of the Church of the An- nunciation. 1866-67 ; rector of Ziou church, Morris, N.Y., 1867-70; St. John's, Jersey city, N.J., 1870-76, and St. Paul's, Cleveland, Ohio, 1876-84. He was elected bishop coadjutor of Central Pennsylvania in 1884, and was conse- crated at St. Paul's, Oct. 28, 1884, by Bishops Lee, Bedell and Stevens, assisted by Bishops Howe, McLaren, Harris, Potter and Whitehead. He succeeded to the bishopric on the death of Bishop Howe, July 31, 1895. The honorary de- gree of D.D. was conferred on him by Kenyon college, Ohio, in 1879. He is the author of : History of St. Paul's Chnrch, Cleveland, Ohio (1877). He died at Bad Nauheim, Germany, Sept. 1. lS'.t7.

RUMFORD, Count. See Thompson, Benjamin.