Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/369

 WEBSTER

WEBSTER

WEBSTER, Horace, educator, -was born in Hartford, Vt., Sept. 21, 1794. He was graduated from the U.S. Military academy and was commis- sioned 2d lieutenant, July 24, 1818, served as as- sistant professor of mathematics at the academy, 1818-23, was promoted l.st lieutenant. April 5, 1820, and was principal-assistant professor of math- ematics, 1823-25. He resigned his commission Dec. 31, 1825, was professor of mathematics and na- tural philosophy at Geneva college, N.Y., 1825-48, and was president of the College of the City of New York, 1848-69, at the same time holding the professorship of moral and intellectual philoso- phy, 1851-.52, and of moral, intellectual and polit- ical philosophy, 1852-69. He was professor em- eritus, 1869-71. He received the honorary de- grees, A.M. from the College of New Jersey, 1824, LL.D. from Kenyon college, 1842, and from Col- umbia college, 1849. and M.D. from the Univers- ity of Pennsylvania, 1850. He died in Geneva, n"y., July 12, 1871.

WEBSTER, John White, chemist, was born in Boston, Mass., May 20, 1793. He was graduated from Harvard, A.B., 1811, M.D., 1815 : became editor of the Boston Journal of Philosophy and Art, 1823 ; was lecturer on chemistry, mineral- ogy and geology at Harvard, 1824-26 ; adjunct professor of chemistry, 1826-27, and Erving pro- fessor of chemistry and mineralogy, 1827-50. He was accused of having murdered Dr. George Parkman, a fellow professor at Harvard, on the afternoon of Nov. 23, 1849, and a protracted trial followed which excited wide interest on account of the mystery surrounding the deed, and the prominence of the principals and the witnesses, tlie latter including Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jeffries Wyman and Dr. Morton. Dr. Webster was found guilty and sentenced to death, and a few weeks later made a full confession of the crime. (See account of the trial compiled by George Bemis, 1850.) He was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the Geological society of London, and a member of the Imperial Mineral society of St. Petersburg. He is the author of : Description of the Island of St. Michael (1821); A Manual of Chemistry (1826), and edited Liebig's " Organic Chemistry " (1841). He was hanged in Boston, Mass., Aug. 80, 1850.

WEBSTER, Joseph Dana, soldier, was born in Old Hampton, N.H., Aug. 25, 1811; son of the Rev. Josiah Webster. He was graduated at Dart- mouth, A.B., 1832, in 18.35 became a U.S. civil engineer, and in 1837 was commissioned 2d lieu- tenant of topographical engineers. He fought in the war with Mexico, was promoted 1st lieuten- ant in July, 1849, and captain in March, 1853. In 1854 he resigned his commission, and made his residence in Chicago, 111. He was promi- nently identified with the installation of a system

of sewerage, and with the raising of the grade of a portion of the city. In 1861 he superintended the fortifying of Cairo, 111.; was appointed pay- master with rank of major, U.S.V., June 1, 1861, and in February, 1862, was promoted colonel and given command of the 1st Illinois artillery. He was engaged at the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson, and was chief of artillery at Shiloh, where he assisted materially by arranging twenty or more pieces of artillery on a bluff overlooking a deep ravine, thus forming a nucleus for the final stand of the Union troops on the first day. He was promoted brigadier-gen- eral of volunteers, Nov. 29, 1862, was military governor of Memphis, Tenn., and during the Vicksburg campaign, was once more on Grant's staff. He was chief of .staff to General Sherman during his invasion, was brevetted major-general of volunteers March 13, 1865, and resigned his commission Nov. 6, 1865. He was assessor of in- ternal revenue, Chicago, 1869-72 ; and collector, 1872-76. He died in Chicago. 111. March 12, 1876.

WEBSTER, Nathan Burnham, educator, was born in Unity, N. H., June 13, 1821. He at- tended the Kimball Union academy, Meriden, N. H.; taught school, 1838-39, and matriculated at Norwich university in 1839. being engaged at the same time as tutor in Greek in that institu- tion. He left Norwich in November, 1840, to ac- cept a position in the newly established Virginia Literary, Scientific and Military academy at Portsmouth, Va.; was put in sole charge in 1842, and resigned in 1843. He was married, Aug. 7, 1844, to Isabella Hobday of Portsmouth, Va., and that same year again became principal of the academy at Portsmouth, resigning in 1846 to be- come principal of a preparatory school in Rich- mond, Va., and lecturer on physics, chemistry, astronomy and biology in Richmond college, re- ceiving the appointment of civil engineer of the Gosport navy yard in 1848. He established a classical scientific and military school in Ports- mouth, Va., after the military academy had gone out of existence. The new school continued un- til the civil war necessitated its closing in 1862, when Webster removed to Canada. In Ottawa he founded a school similar to the one just closed in Virginia ; was also a founder of the Ottawa Historical society, and its president, 1863-67. He returned to Virginia in 1867, and at Norfolk established the Webster institute, conducting the same successfully until the death of his wife in 1885, which event influenced him to seek a new home. On July 26, 1894, he was married, secondly, to Phanie M. Cowper of Norfolk, Va. He is the author of : Outlines of Chemistry (1883). He died in Viiieland, N. J., in 1900.

WEBSTER, Noah, lexicographer, was born in West Hattford, Conn., Oct. 16, 1758; son of