Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/269

 SCHENCK

SCHENCK

SCHENCK, James Findlay, naval officer, was born in Franklin, Ohio, June 11, 1807 ; son of Gen. William Cortenus and Elizabeth (Rogers) Sohenck ; grandson of the Rev, "William and Anna (Gumming) Schenck and of Capt. Wil- liam and Sarah (Potter) Rogers, and a descendant of Roelof Martense and Neelt je Geretsen (van Con- wenhoven) Schenck. Roelof Martense Schenck (orSchanck) emigrated from Amersfoort, Hol- land, to New Amsterdam in 1650, and settled at Flatbush, L.I., in 1660. He was a cadet at the U.S. Military academy, 1822-24, and resigned to eater the U.S. navy as midshipman, March 1, 182.). He was married, July 27, 1829, to Dorothea Ann Smith of Smithtown, L.I. He was promoted passed midshipman, June 4, 1831 ; lieutenant, Dec. 22, 1835 ; and served on the St. Louis of the West India squadron in 1837, and the Dolphin of the Brazil squadron in 1840. He was attached to the Congress of tlie Pacific squadron, 1846-47; and served us cliief military aid to Commodore Stockton iu the capture of Santa Barbara, San Pedro and Los Angeles, Cal., and afterward in the bombardment and capture of Guaymas and the taking of Mazatlan. He served on the Con- gress in the East India squadron in 1848 ; com- manded the mail steamship Ohio, 1848-52 ; was promoted commander, Sept. 14, 1855, and com- manded the receiving ship New York in 1858, and the steamer Saginaiooi the East India squadron, 1860-61. He was promoted captain in 1861 ; com- manded the frigate St. Lawrence of the W^est Gulf blockad- ing squadron in 1862 ; was pro- moted commo- dore, July 2, 1863; command- ed the Poio- hatan of the North Atlantic ^^ squadron from " Oct. 7, 1864, and led the third di- vision of Porter's squadron in the two attacks on Fort Fisher, 1864-65. He commanded the naval station at Mound City, 111., 1865-66; was pro- moted rear-admiral, Sept. 21, 1868, and was re- tired, June 11, 1869. He died in Dayton, Ohio, Dec. 21, 1882.

SCHENCK, Noah Hunt, clergyman, was born in Pennington, N.J., June 30, 1825 ; son of Peter C. Schenck ; grandson of Capt. John Schenck, and a descendant of Roelof Martense Schenck, the im- migrant, 1650. He was graduated from the College of New Jersey, A. B., 1844, A.M., 1847 ; practised law in Trenton, N.J., 1847-48, and in Cincinnati. Ohio, 1848-51. He was married, Nov. 14, 1850, to Anna Pierce, daughter of Col. Nathan- IX. — 17

U.S.S. POWHATA/^.

iel Greene Pendleton of Cincinnati, Ohio. He was graduated at Bexley Hall, Ohio, in 1853, and was admitted to the diaconate the same year. He was ordained priest in St. James's church, Zanesville, Ohio, by Bishop Mcllvaine in 1854, and was rector of St. Mary's, Hillsboro, Ohio, 1853-56 ; of Christ church. Gambler, Ohio, 1856-57; of Trinity church, Chicago, 111., 1857- 59 ; of Emmanuel church, Baltimore, Md., 1859-67, and of St. Ann's, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1867-85. He founded and edited the Western Chnrchman, Chicago, 111., 1858, and was co-editor of the Protestant Churchman, New York city, 1867 ; was repeatedly chosen as a deputy to the general convention of the cliurch, and was one of the three delegates sent to St. Petersburg in 1871 by the Evangelical Alliance to t)l)tain favor from the Czar in behalf of Russian Protestants. He was instrumental in erecting St. Mary's church, Hillsboro, Ohio, and St. Ann's church, Brooklyn, in 1869. He received tlie iionoraiy degree D.D. from the College of New Jersey in 1805. He published letters from Europe and sixteen sermons and addresses delivered on notable occasions between 1856 and 1877. He died in Brooklyn, N.Y., Jan. 4, 1885.

SCHENCK, Robert Cumming, diplomatist, was born in Franklin, Ohio, Oct. 4, 1809 ; son of Gen. William Cortenus and Elizabeth (Rogers) Schenck, and brother of James Findlay Schenck (q.v.). He was graduated at Miami university, A.B., 1827, A.M., 1830; was a tutor there, 1827- 30, and studied law under Thomas Corwin at Lebanon, Ohio. He was married, Aug. 21, 1834, to Reunelche W. Smith of Smithtown, L.I. He practised law in Dayton, Ohio, 1831-43 ; was a representative in the Ohio legislature, 1841-43, and was a Whig representative from the third district in the 28th-31stand 38th-41st congresses, 1843-51 and 1863-71, serving as chairman of the committee on roads and canals in the 30th con- gress, and as a member of the committees on ways and means and military affairs, and commerce, 1863-71. He was U.S. minister to Brazil, 1851-54, wherewith John S. Pendleton (q.v.) he negotiated a treaty between the two countries ; brought about the free navigation of the La Plata, and arranged treaties with Uruguay and Paraguay in 1852. He was a projector and president of a railroad from Fort Wayne, Ind., to the Mississippi river, 1853-61, and was commissioned brigadier- general of volunteers. May 17, 1861. At Vienna, Va., in June, 1861, he had an encounter with the Confederate force and was driven back, but he recharged with such boldness that the Con- federates retreated. He commanded the 2d brigade in Tyler's 1st division at Bull Run, July 21, 1861 ; commanded Scammon's brigade in Rosecrans's army at Gauley Bridge, Va., Sept. 10,