Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/395

 SIMS

SINGER

government, the Order of Leopold from the King of the Belgians, and decorations from the gov- ernments of Spain, Portugal and Italy. The citizens of New Yoi'k city erected a bronze statue to his memory in Bi-yant Park. He died in New York city. Nov. 13, 18So.

SIMS, Thetus Willrette, representative, was born in Wa3'ne county, Tenn., April 25, 1852; son of George and Jane Sims. He was brought up on a farm, educated at Savannah college, Tenn.. and was graduated from Cumberland uni- versity, Lebanon, Tenn., LL.B., 1876. He was admitted to the bar, and began practice in Lin- den. Tenn. He married, Dec. 26, 1877, Nannie H. Kittrel, of Maury county, Tenn. He was superintendent of public instruction for Perry county, Tenn., 1882-84; was presidential elector on the Cleveland and Stevenson ticket, 1892, and Democratic representative from the eighth dis- trict of Tennessee in the 55th, 56th, 57tli and 58th congresses, 1897-1905. He served on the com- mittees on war claims and the District of Col- umbia.

SIMS, Winfield Sdott, inventor, was born in New York city, April 6, 1844. He was graduated from the high school in Newark, N.J., 1861, and served in the 37th New Jersey regiment, 1861-65. He afterward became interested in apparatus of an electric nature, and invented many devices in electro-magnets. He was constructor of an elec- tric motor, in 1872, weight 45 pounds, battery 20 half-gallon Bunsen cells, capable of propelling at the rate of one mile in fifteen minutes a sixteen- foot boat holding six persons. His submarine torpedo boat propelled by an electric dynamo, its power generated on shore or on ship-board, was the first application of electricity for the propul- sion and explosion of torpedoes. Ten of these boats were purchased for the U.S. government service, their speed rated at ten to eleven and a half miles an hour. He subsequently devised a boat with a 250-pound charge "of dynamite, hav- ing a speed of eighteen miles an hour, and in . vented the Sims dynamite gun, used against th«5 Spanish by the Cubans. Five of these guns, rigged on a swift tug, throw at least sixty projectiles at a torpedo boat while travelling a mile, the projeC' tiles being sufficiently powerful to destroy tho boat with a single shot. Previous to the war with Spain, 1898, Mr. Sims refused to sell his guns to the Spanisli government.

SINCLAIR, William, soldier, was born in Ohio, Feb. 8, 1835. He was graduated at the U.S. Military academy in 1857, and was as- signed to the 3rd artillery, being commissioned 2nd lieutenant, July 31, 1858. He performed gar- rison and frontier duty, 1858-61, taking part in suppressing John Brown's raid in Virginia in 1859 ; was promoted 1st lieutenant, April 30, 1861 ; and

in March, 1862, joined the Army of the Potomac. He was brevetted captain for gallant and meri- torious services at the siege of Yorktown in April and May, 1862 ; was commissioned colonel U.S.V., June 27, and was given command of the 6th Penn- sylvania reserves, 3rd brigade (Truman Seymour), Si'd division (George A. McCall), 5th corps under Gen. F. J. Porter. During the Seven Days" battle he was at Wliite House, Va. He fought at the second Bull Run, the 3rd division (John F. Rey- nolds) being temporarily attached to McDonald's corps and was engaged at South Mountain, Sept. 14, 1862, and Antietam, Sept. 17, in the 1st brigade (Seymour), 3rd division (Meade), 1st corps under Gen. Joseph Hooker. At Fredericksburg Sinclair commanded Seymour's brigade ; was severely wounded, and was on sick-leave, Dec. 13. 1862, to March 15, 1863. He commanded a brigade in the defences of Washington. D.C., for two months, and on June 6, 1863, resigned his volunteer com- mission to command a battery in the Vicksburg campaign. He joined his battery, July 4, 1863, the day that Pftmberton surrendered; partici- pated in the capture of Jackson, Miss., July 16, 1863, and was acting assistant inspector-general, 13th corps, July 27 to Oct. 12, 1863. He was commissioned lieutenant-colonel U.S.V., Oct. 12, 1863 ; was assistant inspector-general of the 13th corps, pai'ticipating in the Red River expedition ; and on July 22, 1864, was attached to the inspector- general's bureau at Washington. He resigned his volunteer commission, July 3, 1865, and on Sept. 30, was made quartermaster at the U.S. Military academy. He was promoted captain, 3d artillery, Dec. 11, 1865, major, 2d artillery, April 6, 1885, lieutenant-colonel, 5th artillery, June 6, 1896, and colonel, 7th artillery, March 8, 1898. He was retired, with rank of brigadiei'-general, Feb. 8, 1899.

SINGER, Isaac Merritt, inventor, was born in Oswego, N. Y., Oct. 27, 1811. He was a machinist and with a few improvements of his own devising, set up a sewing-machine factory in Boston. At that time the American patents for the point-eyed needle and travelling shuttle were held by Howe, who comijelled Singer to withdraw. The latter removed to New York citj", interested a lawyer and capitalist, named Clarke, and opened the fac- tory of the Singer Sewing Machine Company in Centre street. Singer was again enjoined by Howe but arranged a compromise under which he continued manufacturing by paying Howe a royalty for every needle and shuttle used. Sub- sequently he invented the self-adjusting feeder. The importance of this improvement was imme- diately recognized and Howe, in order to sell his machines, was forced to pay Singer an immense royalty for the use of the patent feeder. The Singer company met with great success. The