DIVISION III.

BIOGRAPHICAL,

AND

EARLY SETTLERS.

ATLEE, SAMUEL, a colonel of the first regiment of troops raised on the borders of Lancaster and Chester counties in the Revolution. He covered the retreat from Long Island, and being wounded was taken prisoner by the British, and kept confined in New York. After his release he left the army, and was elected to offices of trust by the people. Died suddenly in Philadelphia.

ATLEE, WILLIAM AUGUSTUS, born at Philadelphia, July 1, 1735. He moved to Lancaster at a very early age, was a prominent citizen and an active and leading Whig during the Revolution. He was commissioned a Judge of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, August 16, 1777, and held his place until his death in 1793, from yellow fever contracted in Philadelphia, while attending court.

BARTON, BENJAMIN S., M. D., professor in the University of Pennsylvania, was born at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1766. His mother was the sister of the celebrated Rittenhouse. In 1786 he went to Great Britain and pursued his medical studies at Edinburgh and London. He afterwards visited Göttingen, and there obtained the degree of Doctor in Medicine. On his return from Europe in 1789, he established himself as a physician in Philadelphia, and soon obtained an extensive practice. In the same year he was appointed professor of natural history and botany in the college of Philadelphia. On the resignation of Dr. Griffiths he was appointed professor of materia medica; and succeeded Dr. Rush in the department of the theory and practice of medicine. He died in 1815. His chief publication is Elements of Zoology and Botany.

BARTON, THOMAS,1 was born in Ireland, in the year 1730. He received his education at Trinity College, Dublin. Shortly after he graduated, he came to this country, and engaged as an assistant tutor in the Academy of Philadelphia, where he remained for two years. In January, 1755, he went to England with letters testimonial from the Professors of the College, and the Clergy of the Province of Pennsylvania, and with an earnest petition from the inhabitants of Huntingdon, Pa., that he might be appointed their Missionary. After the necessary preliminaries had been attended to, he was ordained, and came back to this country as itinerant Missionary for the counties of York and Cumberland.

Having reached Philadelphia about the 10th of April, 1755, he immediately wrote to the people of Huntingdon, apprising them of his arrival; whereupon they sent a number of wagons to remove his effects. He reached the field of his labors about the close of May, and his first business was to make himself acquainted with the condition and the numbers of the three congregations of York, Huntingdon and Carlisle; and, after he had settled Wardens and Vestrymen in each, they all met, and according to their numbers, agreed mutually that he should officiate three Sundays in six at Huntingdon, two at Carlisle and one at York; and, having ascertained that there were within the

1 From Sprague's Annals of the American Pulpit.

limits of his Mission large numbers of the communion of the Church of England in Shippensburg, and some four or five other settlements in that region, he determined to visit each of those places four times a year, to prepare them for the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and to baptize their children.

Scarcely had Mr. Barton commenced his labors, before his attention was drawn to the wretched condition of the poor Indians, some of whom resided at no great distance from him; and, having heard that a number of them had come down from the Ohio to Carlisle to dispose of their fur and deer-skins, he took occasion to go among them, and to endeavor to secure their good will, in the hope of making himself useful to them. He invited them to church, and such of them as had any knowledge of English, came, and seemed very attentive. These, subsequently, brought their brethren to shake hands with him; and the result of the interview was that he had great hope of being able to bring them under the influence of Christianity. But, just at that time, the tidings came that the forces under the command of General Braddock had been defeated, as they were marching to take Du Quesne, a French fort upon the Ohio; and this was soon succeeded by an alienation of the Indians, which put an end to all hope of prosecuting successfully any missionary efforts among them.

Mr. Barton, now finding himself exposed to the incursions of the French and the Indians, was compelled to organize his own people for defence against their enemies; and such were his zeal and activity, that he even put himself at the head of his congregations, and marched, either by night or by day, whenever there was an alarm. In 1758, the young men within his Mission offered to join the army if Mr. Barton would accompany them; whereupon he proposed himself to General Forbes as Chaplain of the troops, and his services were thankfully accepted. He was, however, absent from his ordinary duties but a short time, though it was long enough to give him the opportunity of making the acquaintance of Washington, Mercer and other distinguished officers in the army. For nearly twenty years, Mr. Barton resided at Lancaster, and was Rector of St. James' church there; but he divided his Sunday labors between that church and two other churches-one at Carnarvon, about twenty miles from Lancaster, the other at Pequea, nearly the same distance in a different direction. In addition to these stated duties, he officiated occasionally at the churches of New London and White Clay Creek-the one distant thirty-five, the other sixty miles from his residence. So great was the amount of labor that he performed, and such the fatigue and exposure to which he was subjected in his missionary excursions, that he became sensible that his constitution was greatly impaired; but he still kept on laboring to the extent of his ability; and the letters which, from time to time, he wrote to the Venerable Society, show that he was resolved to persevere in his labors until his health should entirely fail, or Providence should, in some other way, hedge up his path.

Mr. Barton had never lost, in any degree, his interest in the Indians; and was actually planning an excursion of a few months among them, in or about the year 1764, when his hopes were again blasted by the breaking out of the Indian War, which rendered any approach to them utterly hopeless.

In 1770, Mr. Barton received the Honorary degree of Master of Arts, from King's College, New York.

As the War of the Revolution came on, Mr. Barton found himself not a little impeded in the discharge of his ministerial duties, and was ultimately obliged to retire from his field of labor altogether. In a letter dated November 25, 1776, he thus describes his situation:

"I have been obliged to shut up my churches, to avoid the fury of the populace, who would not suffer the Liturgy to be used, unless the Collects and Prayer for the King and Royal Family were omitted, which neither my conscience nor the declaration I made and subscribed, when ordained would allow me to comply with; and, although I used every prudent step to give no offence even to those who usurped authority and

rule, and exercised the severest tyranny over us, yet my life and property have been threatened, upon mere suspicion of being unfriendly to what is called the 'American cause.' Indeed, every clergyman of the Church of England, who dared to act upon proper principles, was marked out for infamy and insult, in consequence of which, the Missionaries in particular have suffered greatly. Some of them have been dragged from their horses, assaulted with stones and dirt, ducked in water, obliged to flee for their lives, driven from their habitations and families, laid under arrests and imprisoned. I believe they were all (or at least most of them) reduced to the same necessity with me of shutting up their churches. It is, however, a great pleasure to me to assure the Venerable Society that, though I have been deprived of the satisfaction of discharging my public duties to my congregations, I have endeavored (I trust not unsuccessfully) to be beneficial to them in another way.

"I have visited them from house to house regularly, instructed their families, baptized and catechized their children, and performed such other duties in private as atoned for my suspension from public preaching."

Mr. Barton, refusing to take the oath of allegiance to the Commonwealth, was permitted to sell his property, leave the Colony, and pass within the British lines. He arrived at New York in November, 1778. Having, before leaving Lancaster, first been placed on the limits of his county, and afterwards, for a long time, confined to his house, his health, which had been reduced by his severe labors, now became much more impaired by his confinement. A dropsy ensued, under which he languished until the 25th of May, 1780, when he died at the age of fifty years.

Mr. Barton was married, in 1753, to a sister of the celebrated David Rittenhouse, at Philadelphia. He left a widow and eight children, one of whom, Benjamin Smith, was a distinguished Professor in the University of Pennsylvania, and died in 1815. The eldest son, William, was the author of the Life of Rittenhouse. Mrs. Barton, the widow, passed her last years in the house of her nephew and niece, Dr. Samuel Bard and his wife. Within a few days of their decease, she also died, at the age of ninety. Mr. Barton published a Sermon on Braddock's Defeat, in 1755.

John Penn, the Proprietary of Pennsylvania, speaking in a letter of the important services that Mr. Barton rendered in resisting the attacks of the French and Indians, says:

*

*

"Mr. Barton deserves the commendation of all lovers of their country. * Had others imitated his example Cumberland would not have wanted men enough to defend it; nor has he done anything in the military way but what hath increased his character for piety, and that of a sincerely religious man and zealous minister. In short, he is a most worthy, active and serviceable Pastor and Missionary, and as such, please to mention him to the Society."

BAKER, JOHN CHRISTOPHER, Rev., D. D., was born in Philadelphia, May 7, 1792; had 5 years' education at Nazareth Hall, and pursued a course of Theological studies under Rev. Dr. Lochman, a Lutheran minister, at Lebanon. Licensed in 1811 by the Synod of Pennsylvania, he successively acted as Assistant Minister in the German congregation at Philadelphia, Pastor of the church at Germantown in 1812, and Pastor of Trinity Lutheran church of Lancaster in 1828. In the latter capacity he served faithfully and acceptably until January 30, 1853. After severing his connection with Trinity church he returned to Philadelphia in charge of St. Luke's Lutheran church, and died there, May 26, 1859. His mortal remains were taken to Woodward Hill Cemetery. He was an earnest, laborious and faithful minister, and is held in loving remembrance.

BOWMAN, SAMUEL, RT. REV., D. D., was the fourth child of Captain Samuel Bowman, an officer in the Revolutionary army, who took an active part in the battle of Lexington, and at the close of the war settled at Wilkesbarre, Wyoming Valley, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. Bishop Bowman was born there May 21st, 1800. The

judicious and enlightened views of his father, husbanded by the refined tastes and Christian virtues of his mother, born and nurtured in the Church, were the influences that surrounded the earliest years of his life. At the chartered Academy of Wilkesbarre, an institution equal to any of its contemporaries, he received his education. He was destined for the bar and pursued his legal studies for a time under the late Charles Chauncy, Esq., of Philadelphia. Soon after commencing the practice of the law, he felt an invincible desire to enter the Church. He applied for holy orders, and was admitted by Bishop White to the Diaconate in 18231 and to the Priesthood in 1824. He began his ministry at St. John's Church, Pequea, Lancaster county, in 1823, where he remained about two years. After a brief residence at Easton, Pa., where he had charge of Trinity Church, he returned to his first cure, which he held until 1827, when he was invited to take charge of St. James', Lancaster. After the death of Rev. Mr. Clarkson, the Rector with whom he was associated, he was elected in his place and filled that position until his death; for on his elevation to the Episcopate, his parishioners, dreading to sever the relations so long and so happily sustained, prevailed upon him to continue them. In 1845, the clergy elected him Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, but the Laity refusing to concur, he cordially supported the nomination of Rev. Dr. A. Potter, who was eventually chosen. In 1848 he was elected Bishop of the Diocese of Indiana, but his strong attachment to Lancaster controlled his decision to decline. In May, 1858, he was chosen, and in August of the same year, consecrated Assistant Bishop of Pennsylvania.

His death took place on Saturday, August 3, 1861, between 8 and 9 A. M. He had left Pittsburgh at 6 A. M., by the Allegheny Valley Railroad on a visitation to the spiritually destitute "Oil District." After the train had proceeded about nineteen miles, an injury to the road caused by a late freshet and a land-slide nearly two miles beyond, induced some of the passengers to walk the distance; the Bishop was among the number. Unable to keep up with the others, he was missed when the train was on the point of starting, and was subsequently found lying by the road-side, his face buried in his hat, stretched out at full length, "a corpse, without signs of bruise or struggle; his watch, purse and papers untouched." The majority of physicians consulted, ascribe his death to apoplexy, but his family physician to disease of the heart. The remains were at once taken to Lancaster, where they arrived on Sunday morning, August 4th. The funeral obsequies took place at St. James', Lancaster, on Tuesday, . August 6th, at 5 o'clock, P. M. Two Bishops, some seventy Clergymen, all the resident ministers of other communions, and a vast concourse of citizens were present.

Bishop Bowman was twice married. His first wife, Susan, daughter of the late Samuel Sitgreaves, Esq., of Easton, Pa., bore him three children, one of whom, a daughter, survives. His second wife, Harriet R., daughter of the late Rev. Joseph Clarkson, Rector of St. James', died some years ago.

The Bishop's body lies in the churchyard of St. James', by the side of his departed friends.

BUCHANAN, 2 JAMES, THE HON. Was born in Franklin county on the 23d day of April, 1791. His birth-place was a wild and romantic spot in a gorge of the Cove, or North Mountain, about 4 miles west of Mercersburg, and bearing the peculiar, but not inappropriate name of "Stony-batter." His father, James Buchanan, senior, was a native of Ireland, and one of the most enterprising, intelligent and influential citizens of that part of the State. His mother, Elizabeth Speer, remarkable for her superior intellect and genuine piety, was born in the Southern part of Lancaster county.

Five years after his birth his parents removed into the town of Mercersburg, then recently laid out, where he was brought up and fitted for college. He entered Dickinson College, Carlisle, then under the Presidency of the Rev. Dr. Davidson, in the year

1 August 25th, 1823; on the same day of the month he was consecrated Bishop in 1858. 2 Written by the Rev. E. Y. Buchanan, D. D., brother of the deceased.

1805, being at the time in his 15th year. In 1809, he graduated with distinction; and in the same year, commenced the study of law in Lancaster, in the office of James Hopkins, Esq. Three years after, or in 1812, he was admitted to the bar. He at once opened an office in Lancaster, and was almost immediately successful in obtaining business; his studious habits, his fine abilities, his agreeable manners and correct deportment, all combining to attract clients to him. He, in a very short time, took his place among the foremost at the bar, and had the command of as much business as he could attend to. There were soon very few important cases, either in Lancaster, or the neighboring counties, in which he was not employed; or at least, in which there was not an effort made to secure his services. In a very few years, besides deservedly acquiring the reputation of being one of the ablest and best lawyers in the State, or in the country, he had, from being the possessor of very little, amassed what he considered a competence, and withdrew almost entirely from practice. His first public employment of any kind was that of prosecutor for Lebanon county, a position to which he was appointed in 1813, by Jared Ingersoll, Esq., then Attorney General of the State, under Governor Snyder. This office he probably retained but a short time. In the next year, at the early age of 23, and only two years after his admission to the bar, he was nominated by his friends for the State Legislature, and elected. In the following year, or 1815, he was again nominated and elected. In both the sessions of the Legislature in which he sat, he was one of the most prominent members; by the sensibleness and justness of his views, and the force of his high character and eminent abilities, exerting, though so young a man, not a little influence. He was always, as on a more extended arena, in after life, at his post, and took an interest in everything that was done. His mode of expressing his views, was then, as afterwards, clear and convincing. In the same year in which he was first elected to the Legislature, he went as a private in a company of volunteers to Baltimore, to aid in defending it against an anticipated attack from the British; and thus he early, by a voluntary exposure of himself to danger, gave evidence of that fire of sincere and true patriotism, which, till the last day of his life, glowed fervidly in his bosom. In the year 1820, his fellow citizens of the Congressional District in which he lived, (composed of the counties of Lancaster, Chester and Delaware,) and without solicitation from him, conferred on him the further honor of electing him to the National House of Representatives. They elected him again in 1822, 1824, 1826 and 1828; when he declined further re-election. His term of service in the House expired on the 3d of March, 1831. During nearly all the time that he was a member of the House, he was a member of the Judiciary Committee; and in the last Congress to which he was elected, he succeeded Daniel Webster as chairman of that Committee. Moreover, he was, from almost his first entrance into the House, one of its most prominent and leading members, taking rank with such men as Randolph, McDuffie, P. Barbour and others, and expressing his views in a clear and forcible manner on all the important questions that came before it. His speeches then, as since, were models of lucidness, chasteness and force. One of the most remarkable of them was that delivered at the Bar of the Senate, at the conclusion of the trial of Judge Peck; he being chairman of the able committee appointed to conduct the case before the Senate. This speech has rarely been excelled in ability and eloquence.

In the same year in which he ceased to be a member of the House, he was sent by President Jackson as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of St. Petersburg; where he made a most favorable impression, both for himself and his country, and where he negotiated the first Commercial Treaty, which this government ever had with that of Russia. In 1833, he returned from Russia; and in this same year he was elected by the Legislature of Pennsylvania to fill a vacancy in the Senate of the United States, occasioned by the resignation of William Wilkins, who had been appointed to succeed him at the Court of the Czar. He was afterwards twice elected for the full terms of six