Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/450

 WILLIS

WILMER

ISO.j), and seooinlly. April 21, 1S97, to Margaret D, ilaiigiiter of Frank and May (Cole) Baker of Washington, D.C. He was assistant to the direc- tor of the U.S. geological survey, 1897-1902; be- came geologist in charge of areal and strati- graphic geology for the United States in 1900, and received from the Carnegie Institution of Wash- ington, in 1903. a grant for purposes of geological explontion in e;istern Asia.

WILLIS, Nathaniel Parker, poet, was born in Portland, Maine. Jan. 20, ISOG; son of Nathaniel (btirn 1780) and Hannah (Parker) Willis: grand- son of Xatlianiel (born 175.5) and Lucy (Douglas) Willis; great-grandson of Charles (born 1728) and Abigail (Belknap) Willis; and through Ciiarles (born 1700), Nathaniel (born 1660), Natiuiiel (born 1637), greats-grandson of George (1G02-1C90) and Jane (Palfrey) Willis. George Willis came to New England "about 1620; was a freeman in Cambridge, 1638, and a deputy iu the general court of Massachusetts. Nathaniel Parker Willis removed with his parents to Boston, Mass.. in 1812, where he attended the Latin school; prepared for college at Andover academy, and was graduated from Yale, A.B., 1827; writ- ing occasional verses for magazines, while a student, and a series of scriptural poems under the pen name of " Ro}'" for his father's publica- tion, TJie Recorder. He edited The Lefjendary and The Token, illustrated annuals published by S. G. Goodrich (Peter Parley), 1828-29; estab- lished in the latter j-ear the American Monthly Magazine and conducted the same until its ab- sorbtion in the New York MiiTor, 1831, of which, with George P. Morris, he was associate editor and foreign correspondent, traveling in Eurojje and A.sia Minor, and becoming an attache to the U.S. legation at Paris. He was married, in 1837. to Mary, daughter of Gen. William Stace of Woolwich, England, with wiiom he returned to America, and made his home in Owego, N.Y. He revisited England in 1839 and 1844, and his wife liaving died in 1844, he was mari'ied secondly, Oct. 1, 1846, to Cornelia, daughter of Cornelius and Eliza (Russell) Grinnell, and adopted daughter of Joseph Grinnell (q.v.), all of New Bedford. Mass. He subsequently resided at "Idlewild," Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, N.Y. Their .son. Bailey (q.v.) became a geologist of note. In 1847, the Mirror changed its title to the Home Journal, with which Mr. Willis continued his editorial connection, acting as its war corre- spondent at Washington. D.C, 1861. He edited and compiled: Scenery of the United States and Canada (London, 1840); Scenery and Antiquities of Ireland (1«42); A Life of Jenny Lind (18.51), and Trenton Falls (\8~)\). Altliough much of his writing is of an evanescent character, his spright- liness and elegance of .style, assure him a perma-

nent place in American literature. His bibliog- raphy includes: Scripture Sketches (lii27); Fugi- tive Poetry (1829); Melanie, and other Poems ( Lon- don, 1835; New York, 1837); Pencillings by the Way (London, 1835; New York, 183(>); Inklings of Adventure (IS'SQ); The dramas, Bianca Visconti and Tortesa, the Usurer (1839); Loiterings of Travel (1839); Al Abri (1839). London, 1840); Poems (1843); Lady Jane and other Poems (1844); Dashes at Life with a Free Pencil (l8-i~>); Rural Letters (1849); Life Here and There (1850); Peo2}le IhaveMet (ISryO); Hurrygruphs (1851); Fun Jot- tings (1853); A Health Trip to the Tropics (1854); Out Doors at Idlewild (1854) Famous Persons and Places (1854), The Rag Bag (1855), and Paul FaJie, a novel (1857). His biographj' appears in the " American Men of Letter Series " liy Henry A. Beers, who also published "Selections" from his prose writings (1855). He died at " Idlewild," Cornwall-on-tlie-Hudson. N.Y.. Jan. 20, 1867.

WILMARTH, Lemuel Everett, artist, was born in Attleboro, Mass., Nov. il, 1835; son of Benoin and Fanny (Fuller) Wilmarth; grandson of Capt. Dan and Huldah Wilmarth and of Fred- erick and Sarah Fuller.and a descendant of Nathan Wilmarth, whose father came to America in the latter part of the seventeenth centmy. He at- tended the common schools of Boston, Mass.; was apprenticed to a watchmaker, and while fol- lowing his trade, studied drawing at the evening classes of the Pennsj'lvania Academy of fine Arts at Philadelphia. He also attended the evening classes of the National Academy of Design, New York city; the Royal Academy of Munich, 1859- 63, and the Ecole des Beaux Arts of Paris, 1864- 67. He was instructor in drawing in the Brook- lyn Academy of Fine Arts, 1867-70: professor in charge of the schools of the National Academj' of Design, New York city, 1870-90, becoming an Associate in 1871, and an Academician in 1873. He organized the Art Student s league of New York (1876) and was its first professor. He was married, June 27, 1872, to Emma Belinda, daughter of William and Anne (Howard) Barrett of Essex, England, who died in 1895, Mr. Wil- marth's important canvases include: lite Last Hours of Cajytain Nathan Hale (1866): Playing tivo Games at the same Tme (1867); The Home Missionary (1869); Another Candidate for Adop- tion (1871); Guess tchat I have brought You (1873); Left in Charge (1874): Ingratitude (1875); Feat of Courage {\81Ci): A Plea for the Homeless (1877); TliePickof the Orchard (\878)'. The Win- ner Shall Wear the Croum (1878); Jack's Return (1879); Froju Sunny Italy. He was a founder and editor of The Nnr Earth.

WILHER, Joseph Pere Bell, second bishop of Louisi.-iiia, andSOtli in surression in the American episcopate, was born in Kent county, Md., Feb.