Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/297

 WAGGAMANN

WAINWRIGHT

was for many years president of the Easton bank. He was married, Sept. 20, 1821, to Maiy Knauss. He was a Democratic representative from Penn- slvania in the 23d-26th congresses, 1833-41. He died in Easton, Pa., Oct. 1, 1860.

WAQQAMANN, George Augustus, senator, was born in Somerset county, Md., in 1782. He attended the common schools; studied law, and practised in New Orleans, La. , where he also en- gaged in sugar-planting. He was secretary of state of Louisiana, 1828-31, and elected U.S. sen- ator as a Whig to complete the unexpired term of Edward Livingston, who resigned in 1831, serv- ing, Jan. 3, 1832-March 3, 1835. He subsequently resumed the practice of law in New Orleans, La., where he died from injuries received in a duel, Marcli 23. 1843.

WAQNALLS, Mabel, musician and author, was boj-n in Kansas City, Mo., April 20, 1871; daugh- ter of Adam Willis and Anna (Willis) Wagnalls; granddaughter of Christopher and Elizabeth (Snyder) Wagenhals and of Aaron and Mary (Henry) Willis, and a descendant of William Heniy, only brother of Patrick Henry of Virginia. Her father was one of the original founders of Funk & Wagnalls Co., publishers of the " Stan- dard Dictionary." She was educated under her mothers tuition until 1885, when she studied music in Paris and Vienna, and under Franz Kullak in Berlin. She made her appearance as piano soloist at the Sing Akademie of Berlin in 1889, and her American debut with the orchestra of Theodore Thomas in New York city, Jan. 11, 1891. She also played with Anton Seidl's orches- tra in 1892, at the New York State Music Teach- ers' convention at Binghamton, 1897, and at other concerts. She is the author of : Miserere (1892); Stars of the Opera (1898); Selma the Soprano (1898), and of several contributions on musical subjects to leading publications.

WAGNER, Webster, inventor, was born at Palatine Bridge. N.Y., Oct. 2, 1817; son of John and Elizabeth (Strayer) Wagner, who settled at an early date in Mohawk valley, and a descendant of German ancestry. He was a farmer and wagon-maker, and subsequently station agent for the Utica and Schenectady railroad company. Meanwhile he worked out his original idea of a sleeping-car, andwitlitlie financial aid of friends was able to put four cars on the road in 1858, which proved their practical value and secvired their popularity. In 1867 he completed his in- vention of the drawing-room car, and soon after incorporated the Wagner Sleeping Car company, of which he was president. His other inventions include the oval car-roof and the elevated panel for ventilation. He was a Republican member of the New York assembly, 1871; state senator, 1872-82, serving at various times as chairman of

the committees on public expenditures, public buildings, printing and railroads, and was a del- egate to the Republican national convention in Cliicago, 111., 1880. He was married to Susan, daughter of John P. Davis of Palatine Bridge, N.Y. Mr. Wagner's death occurred in the ac- cident on the Hudson River railroad at Spuyten Duyvil, N.Y., Jan. 13, 1882.

WAGNER, William, natural scientist, was born in Pliiladelphia, Pa., Jan. 15, 1796; son of John, grandson of the Rev. Tobias, and great- grandson of Tobias Wagner, chancellor of the Universit}^ of Tubingen, 1662. He attended the academy of Dr. Abercrombie, being graduated in 1808; for a time employed in the banking-house of Stephen Girard, and while acting assistant super- cargo on a merchant ship, 1816-18, he collected various marine and botanical specimens. He undertook numerous business ventures, 1818-40; traveled in Europe, 1841-42; engaged in analyz- ing and increasing his collections in Philadel- phia, Pa., 1842-47, and subsequently in lecturing on subjects pertaining to natural science. He establislied the Wagner Free Institute of Science, May 21, 1855, and in 1865 a building for the institute was completed, Avhich, togetlier with his valuable collections, his scientific books and apparatus, amounting to a total value of ^500,000 he gave over to the care of a board of trustees, with the sole condition that the gift should be perpetually devoted to the cause of natural science. He remained president of the institute until 1885; was elected to membership in various scientific organizations, and was a contributor to their Proceedings. He died in Philadelphia, Jan. 17, 1885.

WAHLSTROM, Matthias, educator, was born in Blekinge, Sweden, Nov. 28, 1851, son of Olof and Anna Wahlstrom. He came to the United States with his parents in 1854, who settled first in Illi- nois, and afterward, in 1861, in Carver county, Minn. He was graduated from Augustaua col- lege, Rock Island, 111., A.B., 1877, A.M.. 1880 : and was ordained to the Lutheran ministry in 1879. He was married, July 6, 1879, to Selma Christina Elkstrom of Lindsborg, Kan. He was a missionary among the Comanche Indians, Indian Territory, 1879; professor in Gustavus Adolphus college, St. Peter, Minn., from 1880, and president of the college from 1881. He re- ceived the honorary degree of Ph.D. from Augus- tana college in 1894, and was by order of King Oscar II. of Sweden made Knight of the North Star by Bishop Scheele, 1901. He was a member of the city library board from 1896 and of the board of education of city schools from 1807.

WAINWRIGHTv Jonathan flayhew, pro- visional bishop of New York and 56th in the suc- cession of the American episcopate, was boi-n in