Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/386

 SILL

SILLIMAN

SILL, John Mahelm Berry, educator, was born at Bhu-k Rock. N.Y., Nov. 23, 1831; son of Joseph and Electa (Berry) Sill; grandson of Giles and Lucy (Gould) Sill and of Col. John M. Berry, and a descendant of John Sill, who came from England and setted in Cambridge, Mass., in 1637. He w!is graduated from the:Micliigan State Normal school, \S~A, remaining there as professor of Englisli language and literature, 1854-63. He was married, JIarch 22, 1834, to Sally, daughter of Altram Lovett and Clarissa Gregg (Holly) Beaumont, of Jonesrille. Mich. He was super- intendent of the public schools of Detroit, 1863- 65 and 1875-86; principal of the Detroit Female seminary, 1865-75; principal of the Michigan St.-ite Normal school, 1886-1893; president of the Michigan State Teacliers' association, 1861-62, and regent of the University of Michigan, 1876-70. He received the honoraiy degree of A.M. from the University of Michigan, 1870, and the degree of Master of Pedagogics from the Michigan State Normal college, 1892. In 1890 he was admitted to the diaconate of the Protestant Episcopal church. He was consul-general and U.S. min- ister resident at Seoul, Korea, under, President Cleveland. 1894-97. He is the author of: Syn- thesis of the English Sentence (1857), and Practi- cal Lessons in English (1880). He died in De- troit. Midi.. April 6. 1901.

SILL, Joshua Woodrow, soldier, was born in Chillicothe. Ohio, Dec. 6, 1831; son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Woodrow) Sill; grandson of the Rev. Richard and Eunice (Lee) Sill, and a de- scendant of John Sill, who emigrated from Eng- land with his wife and children in 1637 and .set- tled in Cambridge, Mass. Joshua was graduated from the U.S. Military academy and brevetted 2d lieutenant in the ordnance department, July 1, 1853: served as an assistant at Watervliet arsenal, New York, 1853-54. and was promoted 2d lieut- enant. May 11, 1854. He was assistant professor of geography, history, and ethics in the U.S. Mili- tary academy, 1854-57; was promoted 1st lieut- enant, July 1, 1856; served on special duty at the arsenal in Allegheny, Pa., 1857-58, and commanded the ordnance depot at Vancouver, Washington Territory, 1858-59. He was an as- sistant at the arsenal at Watervliet, N.Y., and Fort Munroe, Va., 1859-60, commanded the ord- nance depot at Leavenworth, Kan., in 1860, and resigned from the service, Jan. 25, 1861. He was professor and mathematics and civil engineering in the Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute at Brofjklyn, N.Y., in 1861; served as assistant adjutant-general of the state of Ohio, April to July, 1861, and participated in the Western Vir- ginia campaign, being engaged in the combat of Rich Mountain on July 11. He was appointed colonel of the 33d Ohio volunteers, Aug. 27, 1861,

engaged in the advance on Bowling Green, Ky., and Nashville, Tenn., and in the operations in North Alabama he marched to Hunts ville, Ala., took possession of the railroad from Decatur to Stephenson and captured valuable stores. He w:xs promoted brigadier-general of volunteers, July 16, 1862, and ct)mmanded a division of Mc- Cook's corps in the Army of tiie Ohio in the ad- vance into Kentucky. He engaged Kirliy Sniitli at Lawrenceburg, succeeded in joining his corps at Perryville on Oct. 11, three days after the battle and joined in the pursuit of General Bragg's army. He marched toward Nashville, Tenn., joined the Army of the Cumberland in command of the 1st (late 37th) brigade of Sher- idan's 3d (late 11th) corps, and was killed in the battle of Stone's River, Tenn., while giving the order to charge, Dec. 31, 1^62.

SILLIMAN, Augustus Ely, philanthropist, was born at Newport, R.I., April 11, 1807; son of

Gold Selleck (1777-1868) and (Ely) Silliman

and grandson of Gold Selleck (q.v.) and ^lary (Fish) Noyes Silliman. He became prominent as a New York banker; was one of the clearing house association committee, 1853-59, and pres- ident of the Merchants' bank of New York, 1857- 68. He was president of the New Y^'ork Mercan- tile Library association and bequeathed 8100,000 to Y^ale to found in memory of his mother a series of University lectures that sliould illustrate the " presence and wisdom of God as manifested in the natural and moral world." He is the author of: A Gallop among American Scenes and Mili- tary Adventiires (1843) and translator of Fenelon's " Conversations with M. de Ramsai on the Truth of Religion " and his " Letters on Immortalitj' of the Soul and Freedom of the Will " (1809). He died in Brooklyn. N.Y., May 30, 1884.

SILLIMAN, Benjamin, scientist, was born in Nortli Stratford, Conn., Aug. 8, 1779; son of Gold Selleck Silliman (q.v.) and Mary Fish (Noyes) Silliman. He was graduated at Yale, A.B., 1796, A.M., 1799; studied law with Simeon Baldwin. 1798-99; was a tutor at Y'ale, 1799-1802, and in 1802 was admitted to the bar, but in that year President Dwight, of Y''ale, proposed that he fit himself in chemistry and natural history and, as soon as he was prepared, that he accept a new chair at Yale. He studied cliemistry with Prof. James Woodhouse at Piiilailelpiiia and in 1804 de- livered his first lectures in chemistr}'. In 1805, he went abroad to stud}- a year at Edinburgh and to buy books and apparatus. On his return, he studied the geology of New Haven, and in 1807 he examined the meteor that fell near Weston, Conn., making a chemical analysis of fragments, this report being the first scientific account of any American meteor. He delivered his first course of public lectures at New Haven in 1808, and in