Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/475

 SPRING

SPRUANCE

1856-73. He declined the presidencj- of Hamilton and Daitniouth colleges; was cliancellor of the University of the City of New York, ad interim, 1850-52; a founder of the American Bible society <I816), of the American Tract society (1835), and of the American Home Missionary society (1826), and received the honorary degree of D.D. from Hamil- ton in 1819, and from Lafayette in 1853. He is the author of: Distinguishing Traits of Christian Character (1813); Fragments from the Stndijof a Pastor (1838); Obligations of the World to the Bible (18-41); The Attraction of the Cross (1815); The Bible not of Man (1847); Discourses to Seamen (1847); The Power of the Pulpit (1848); The Mercy Seat (1849); First Things (3 vols.. 1851); The Glory of Christ (3 vols., 1853); Memoirs of the Rev. Sainuel J. Mills (1854); Contrast between Good and Bad Men (3 vols., 1855); Pulpit Minis- trations (3 vols., 1864), and Personal Reminis- cences of the Life and Times of Gardiner Sijring 1866). He died in New York city, Aug. 18, 1873. SPRING, Leverett Wilson, educator, was born in Grafton, Vt., Jan. 5, 1840; son of Edward and Martha (Atwood) Spring; grandson of Samuel -and Eunice (Stowell) Spring, and a descendant of John Spring, who settled at Watertown, Mass., in 1634. He attended Burr and Burton seminary, Manchester, Vt., 1856-58; was graduated from Williams college, A.B., 1863, and from the Theo- logical Institute of Connecticut at Hartford in 1866, and was a post-graduate student at Andover Theological seminary, 1866-07, at the same time temporarily supplying the pulpit of the Congre- gational church at Castleton, Vt. He was mar- ried, Sept. 35, 1867, to Elizabeth, daughter of Professor William (q.v.), and Eliza (Butler) Thompson, of Hartford, Conn. He supplied a church in Middleburj% Vt., during the winter of 1867-68, and was ordained pastor of the RoUstone church, Fitchburg, Mass., April 16, 1868, resign- ing in June, 1875, and removing for the benefit of his health to Lawrence, Kansas, where he served as acting-pastor of the Plymouth church, 1876-81. He was professor of belles-lettres and English literature in the University of Kansas, 1881-86, and Morris professor of rhetoric in Wil- liams college from 1886. He received the honor- ary degree of A.M. from Williams college in 1886, and in the same year that of D.D. from the Uni- versity of Kansas. He was a member of the American Historical association, and the ]\Iassa- chusetts Historical society, and published: Kan- sas in the "American Commonwealth series" (1885); Mai-k Hopkins, Teacher, a monograph (1888), and contributions to magazines. He also edited: " The Addresses of President Hopkins and the Rev. Thomas Robbins at the Semi-Centennial of Williams college" (1893), and "The Centen- nial Anniversary of Williams college " (1893).

SPRINGER, Rebecca Ruter, author, was born in Indianapolis, Ind., Nov. 8, 1832; daughter of Calvin Washington and Harriet Charlotte (Haas) Ruter; granddaughter of Job and Sarah Ruter and of Michael anH Sophia (Brish) Haas, and a descendant of Huguenots, refugees, who settled in Virginia in 1685. She attended the private schools of New Albany, Ind., 1840-48, and was graduated from the Wesleyan college, Cincin- nati, Oliio, in June, 1850. She was married, Dec. 15, 1859, to William McKendree Springer (q.v.), and devoted herself to literary work. She is the author of: Beechwood (1873): Self {\^S\y. Songs by the Sea (1889); Intra 3Iuros (1898), and .l/<r- iam and Leon in MS.

SPRINGER, William Mckendree, jurist, was born in New Lebanon, Sullivan county, Ind., May 30, 1836; .son of Thomas Brackett and Kath- arine (Sandusk}') Springer: and a descendant of Carl Springer, who died at Wilmington, Del., 1738. He attended Illlinois college, Jack- sonville, and was graduated from the Indiana State uni- versity, A.B., 1858, A.M., 1861. He en- gaged in newspaper work as editor and correspondent, 1858- 63; was admitted to the bar in 1859, and was married, Dec. 15,1859, to Rebecca, daughter of Calvin Washington and Har- riet Charlotte (Haas) Ruter, of Indianapolis, Ind. tative in the state legislature in 1872; a Demo- cratic representative from the Springfield district in the 44th-54th congresses, 1875-95, where he was the author of the Springer bill, organizing the territory of Oklahoma and creating the judi- cial system for Indian Territoiy, and of the bill admitting Washington, Montana and North and South Dakota, as states into the Union, and chair- man of the ways and means committee in the 53d congress. He was appointed U.S. judge for the northern district of Indian Territory, and was chief justice of the U.S. court of appeals of Indian Territory, 1895-99. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by Illinois college, 1886.

SPRUANCE, Presley, senator, was born in Delaware, in 1785. He engaged in mercantile pursuits in Smyrna, Del., and was a member of the state senate and its president. He was elected to the U.S. senate as a Whig in 1847, and served a full term expiring March 3, 1853. He died in Smyrna, Del., Feb. 13, 1863.

He was a represen-