Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/474

 SPRAGUE

SPRING

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R.I.. and their son Byron, with liis cousins Amasa and William, continued the firm of A. and W. Si)ra;::ue. Governor Sprague died in Providence, R.I.. Oct. 19. 1856.

SPRAGUE, William, governor of Rhode Island, wiis born at Cranston. R.I., Sept. 12, 1830; son of Amasa and Fanny (Morgan) Sprague; and grand- son of William and Anne (Potter) Sprague. He attended the schools of Cranston, East Greenwich and Scituate, and the Irving institute, Tar- rytown, N.Y., and in 1845 lie obtained employment in his father's calico-print- ing factory. He then served in a counting- house as assistant in 1846, and later as bookkeeper, and in 1856, on the death of his uncle. Governor William Sprague, he succeeded to the management of the calico-jn-inting busi- ness, which was at that time the most extensive in the country. He also interested Iiimself in locomotive manufacture, and invented several new appliances for calico printing. In 1848 he became connected with the Providence marine artillery company, and attained the rank of colo- nel, greatly improving the military organization of the company. He was elected governor of the state in April, 18G0, 1861 and 1862, and was active in raising troops on President Lincoln's call for three-months' men. He went to Washington with the first detachment of men sent from the state. April 18. 1861, and took part in the first battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861; served through- out the Peninsular campaign and was commis- sioned brigadier-general, but declined, having been elected to the U.S. senate. During liis three terms as governor he was absent in the field most of the time, and his official duties were performed by John R. Bartlett, .secretary of state (q.v.). He was elected U.S. senator. May 28, 1862, receiv- ing 92 of the 103 votes ca.st, and was re-elected, June 9, 1868, receiving 98 votes, the total number cast. Upon taking his seat he resigned as gov- ernor, March .3, 1863. He served on the com- mittees on manufactures and military affairs, and continued in office until the expiration of his second term. March 3, 1875. The honorary degree of A.M. was conferred on him in 1861 by Brown univfrsity, of which institution he was made a memVjer of the board of trustees in 1866. He was twice married, first Nov. 12, 1863, to Katharine (Kate), daughter of Salmon P. and

Ann (Smith) Chase, and secondly to Inez Weed of Virginia. He retired from public life and de- voted himself to agricultural pursuits at his coun- try scat. Caiioncliet. near Narragansett Pier, R.I.

SPRAGUE, William Buel, author, was born in Andover, Conn., Oct. 16, 1795; son of Benjamin Sprague. He was graduated from Yale, A.B., 1815, A.M., 1819, and attended the Princeton Theological seminary, 1817-19. He was ordained Aug. 25, 1819, and was pastor at West Spring- field, Mass., 1819-29; and of the 2d Presbyte- rian church, Albany, N.Y., 1829-69, and removed in the latter year to Flushing, L.I. He pre- sented his collection of religious pamphlets and autographs to the State library, Albany, N.Y., and his collection of the papers of Gen. Thomas Gage to the library at Harvard. The honorary degree of S.T.D. was conferred on liim by Columbia in 1828, and by Harvard in 1848, and that of LL.D. by the College of New Jersey in 1869. He is the author of: Letters to a Daugh- ter (1822); Letters from Europe (1828); Letters to Young People (1830); Lectures on Revivals (1832); Hints Designed to regulate the Intercourse of Christians (1834); Lectures Illustrating the Con- trast between True Christianity and Various other Systems (1837); Life of Rev. Edward Dorr Griffin (1838); Letters to Young Men (1845); Aids to Early Religion (1847); Words to a Young Man's Conscience (1848); Women of the Bible (1850); Visits to European Celebrities (1855); Annals of the American Pulpit (9 vols., 1859-69); and Mem- oirs of the Rev. John and William A. McDowell (1864). He died in Flushing, L.L, May 7, 1876.

SPRING, Gardiner, theologian, was born in Newburyport, Mass., Feb. 24. 1785; son of the Rev. Samuel Spring. He was graduated from Yale, A.B., 1805, A.M., 1808; taught school in Bermuda, 1805-07; was admitted to the bar, 1808, and practised for a short time in New Haven, Conn. He attended Andover Theological semi- nary, 1809-10; was ordained to the Presbyterian

NEW YORK;

ministry, Aug. 8, 1810, and was pastor of Bric-k Presbyterian church. New York city, 1810-.56, and of the Murray Hill Presbyterian church.