Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/679

* WINTHROP. 581 WINTHROP. chosen Governor over Vane in 1637. He retained the Governorsliip until 140, was again Governor in l(i42-44 and ajjain fioiji I4li until liis ileatli. In 1(J43 the New Knfjland Confederation was formed under his auspiees, an<l lie beeanie its first president. Vintliro])'s JouiikiI was first published in a single vohnne (Hartford, 1790). This w'as republished with newly diseovered manuscripts luider the title llistory of Neic Eng- land, limi-.'i'J (Boston, 1820-26), with notes by James Savage. Many of luis papers have been published by the Massachusetts Historical So- ciety. C'onsult also R. f. Wintlirop's valuable Life and Letters of John ^^'i)lth|■op (2 vols.. 1804, 1867 ) ; and J. H. Twichell. John W'intlirop ( 1801 ) , in "Jlakers of America" series. For his wife, Margaret Tyndal Winthrop (1.591-1647), con- sult: Alice Morse Earle, Margaret Winthrop (1895); and Anderson, Memorable Women of Puritan Times (1.S02), and >S'o»ic Old I'uritnn Love Letters (1893). WINTHROP, .John (1006-76). A colonial GoveriKiv of Connecticut. He was the son of John Winthrop, the first Governor of Massachusetts Bay, and was born at Groton Manor, Sufi'olk, England. He was educated at Bury Saint Ed- munds Grammar School, at Trinity College. Dub- lin, and at the Inner Temple (1024). In 1627 he took ]iart in the Duke of Buckingham's unsuc- cessful expedition to the Isle of Re, near La Roehclle, and subsequentlj' traveled in Southern and Southeastern Europe as far as Constanti- nople. He joined his father in New England in 1631, and two years later participated in the founding of the town of Ipswich. He was for some time titular Ciovernor of a small settlement at Saybrook on the Connecticut River. In 1646 lie laid out a plantation on the Thames River at what is now New London, where, after 1050. he made his home. He was elected a magistrate in 1651, and Governor in 1057. Then, after .serving as Deputy Governor in 15S, he was again chosen Governor in 1000. holding office from that time continuously until his death. In 1602 he carried to England a loyal address from the Connecticut colonial Government to Charles II., and was suc- cessful in securing from the King a very favor- able charter. He was also influential in bringing about the union of the Connecticut and New Haven colonies. In 1675 he was one of the com- missioners of the United Colonies of New Eng- land. WINTHROP, -John (1714-79). An American physicist, born in Boston, Mass. He graduated in 1732 at Harvard, where, from 1738 until his death, he was professor of mathematics and natural philosophy. He was one of the foremost men of science in America in the eighteenth cen- tury, and his influence on the early advance- ment of science in New England in particular was very great. Both Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Thompson (Count Rumford) probably owed to him much of their early interest in scientific research. In 1740 and 1701 he observed the transits of Mercury, in the latter year pro- ceeding to Newfoundland in a ship provided by the Province of Massachusetts — probably the first scientific expedition sent out by an Ameri- can State. His application of computations to earthquake phenom.ena after the famous earth- quake of November, 1755, has formed the basis of the claim made for him as the actual founder of the science of seismology. In addition to his scientific work he was actively interested in pub- lic affairs, was a judge of probate in Middlesex County for several years, was a memlier of the Governor's council in 1773-74, and subsequently gave the weight of his influence to the patriotic cause in the Revolution. He published: Lecture on Earthquakes (1755) ; Ansieer to Mr. Prinoe's Letter on Earthquakes (1750) ; Aecotmt of Some Eiery Meteors (1755) ; and Two Lectures on the Parallax (1769). WINTHROP, Robert Charles (1809-94). An Aniciican political leader and legislator, Speaker of tlie House of Representatives. He Aas born in Boston, graduated at Harvard in 1828, studied law in the office of Daniel Webster, and in 1831 was admitted to the bar. He was a Whig member of the Lower House of the Massachusetts Legislature from 1834 until 1840, serving during the last three years as Speaker. From 1840 almcst continuously until 1850 he was a Representative in Congress. In the Thir- tieth Congress (1847-40) he w-as Speaker of the House. He was appointed to the seat in the United States Senate left vacant by Daniel Web- ster's resignation in 1S50, but was defeated in the regular election, held in the following year, by Charles Sumner. His legislative career was marked by strong conservatism throughout. He was an opponent of slavery, of the Mexican War, and of the Fugitive Slave Law. but followed Web- ster in ills desire for compromise and in his support of the Fillmore Administration. On the break-up of the Whig Party, he refused to ally himself with the Republican Party, and sup- ported Fillmore in 1856, Bell in 1860. and Mc- Clellan in 1864. During the latter part of his life he devoted himself to the organization and development of the Peabody Education Fund — the gift made just after the Civil War by his friend, George Peabody. His services are also memorable as president of the Massachusetts Historical Society for thirty j'ears. lie pub- lished Addresses and Speeches (vol. i. 1852, vol. ii. 1886) and Life and Letters of Jolin Winthrop (2 vols., 1804, 1867). WINTHROP, Theodore (1828-61). An American novelist and soldier, a descendant of the second .John Winthrop, born at New Haven, Conn. He graduated at Yale in 1848 and then spent some time in Europe. Returning, he was in steamship service at Panama and then visited California and Oregon. In 1853 he accompanied Lieutenant Strain's canal surveying exjiedition to the Isthmus of Panama. He afterwards prac- ticed law and took part in the Fremont cam- paign, and then devoted himself mainly to writ- ing novels. Just as Cecil Dreeme was to be pub- lished, the Civil War came on, and Winthrop at once went to Washington with the Seventh New York Regiment. He was soon made military sec- retary to General Butler, with the rank of major. He was killed at the battle of Big Bethel, while rallying his men. Shortly before his death he wrote for the Atlantic Monthly two articles descriptive of his marches. These were widely read and his novels and other books were rapidly published and sold. His books in- clude: Cecil Dreeme. with memoir bv G. W. Curtis (1861); John Brent (1862); Ed-