Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 7).djvu/258

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PIATTI
PILLSBUEY


turned to the United States, occupying himself with literary work in Chicago and Ivew York until 1873, when he became an inmate of an insane asy- lum in Trenton and later in JMorristown, where he died. Mr. Phillips wrote generally under the pen- name of "January Searle," and published "Chap- ters in the History of a Life" (1850); "Life of Ebenezer Elliott " (1850) ; " Country Sketoh-Book and Pastoral Scenes " (1851) ; " Sherwood Forest " (1851); "MemoirsofWilliam Wordsworth "(1852): " Life at Home and Abroad " (1860) ; " The Gypsies of the Dune's Dike" (1864); and "Chicago and her Churches" (Chicago, 1868). His pamphlet on Halph Waldo Emerson was most warmly com- mended by Hev. Theodore Parker.

PIATTI, Patrizio, sculptor, b. on Lake Su- fano, Lombardy, Italy, 17 March, 1825; d. in New 'ork city, 21 July. 1888. He was educated at the Milan academy of fine arts, served in the revolu- tion of 1848 under Garibaldi, and received a medal from the Italian government. He removed to this country in 1850, and gained a reputation as a sculptor in New York city. His principal works are the monument to Col. Vosburg, of the 71st New York regiment, the sea-captains' monu- ment, and the tirifrin memorial, all in Greenwood cemetery, the interior marble work in Alexander T. Stewart's house, and many portrait bass-reliefs of Roman Catholic prelates and priests. He was a founder of the Societa Italiaua di Fratallanza, the first Italian society on this side of the Allantic.

PICKENS, Ezekiel, jurist, b. in Charleston, S. C, in December, 1704; d. in Jasper county. Miss., 3 Aug., 1860. He was a grandson of Gen. Andrew Pickens (vol. iv., p. 768), was graduated at South Carolina college in 1816, studied law, and in 1820 removed to Alabama. From 1835 till 1848 he was a judge of the state circuit court, and again in 1850-'2. He declined a nomination for Congress in 1838, and afterward served two terms in the legislature. In 1857 he removed to Jasper county. Judge Pickens was peculiar in manner and appearance, and many anecdotes are preserved regarding his numerous eccentricities.

PICKING, Henry Forry, naval officer, b. in Somerset county. Pa., 28 Jan., 1840; d. in Boston, 8 Sept., 1899. He was gra<iuated from the IT. S. naval academy in April, 1861, and was appointed acting nuister and attached to the frigate "St. Lawrence." North Atlantic blockading squadron, was commissioned lieutenant, July, 1862, and was in the engagement with the rebel ram " Alerri- mao " and Sewell's Point batteries. He was com- missioned lieutenant-commander in July, 1866. commander in 1875, assigned to Ihe "Kearsarge" in ]879-'81, and later commanding the U. S. steamer " Michigan." He was commissioned cap- tain in August, 1889, and commanded the "Charles- ton," which was ordered to Rio Janeiro, a rebel- lion having broken out in Brazil. He was placed in coinuumd of the naval forces on the South Atlantic station, and by his tact and good judg- ment prevented a rupture between this govern- ment and Hrazil. He was commended for his course by the president, also by the state and navy departments. He remained in Kio for live months, and was relieved after the trouble was practically over, his term of service having ex- pired. Every effort was made by Capt. Picking to obtain assignment to active diity in the war with Spain, but all positions afloat were filled. In 1898 he was advanced to the grade of commo- dore, and in the following year was made rear-ad- miral. At the time of his death he was com- mandant of the Boston navy-yard.

PIERCE, Gilbert Ashville, senator, b. in East Otto, Cattaraugus co., N. Y. He emigrated to In- diana in 1854, and studied law in Chicago. At the outbreak of the civil war he enlisted in Com- pany H, 9th Indiana volunteers, and was elected 2d lieuteiumt, 23 April, 1861. He was honorably mustered out at the expiration of the three montlhs' service; 3 Aug., 1861. he was appointed captain and assistant quartermaster, serving at Paducah, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Grand Gulf, and Vicksburg. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1863 and colonel in 1864. He served at Mata- gorda island, Texas, and was a])pointed inspector and special commissioner of the war department; he was at Hilton Head and at Pocotaligo, S. C, and thence was assigned to the department of the Gulf, where he served until October, 1865. He was brevetted majoraud lieutenant-colonel and colonel of volunteers. In 1868 he was a member of the Indiana legislature, and from 1869 to 1871 was assistant financial clerk of the U. S. senate. For several years he was associate and managing editor of the Chicago " Inter-Ocean "' ; in. 1883 he became connected with the Chicago " News." He was ap- pointed governor of Dakota in July, 1884, which position he resigned in 1886. In 1889 he was elected a Republican U. S. senator from North Dakota for the term expiring in March, 1891.

PIERCE. Winston Smith, pioneer, b. in Bos- ton, Mass., 3 May, 1819; d. in Brooklyn, N. Y., 29 July, 1888. He was educated at Dartmouth and the Harvard medical school, settled in Illinois, and was a professor in Rock Island medical college for several years. He removed to California in 1849, and was state comptroller in 1849-53. Dr. Pierce was one of the originators of the first line of steamships between the isthmus of Panama and San Francisco. He declined the nomination of the Democratic party for IT. S. senator in Cali- fornia, settled in Indiana in 1860, devoted him- self largely to the coal and iron industries, and laid out and at one time owned a large part of In- dianapolis. He left in manuscript a complete col- lection of material for a book entitled "Reminis- cences of Public Men from 1828 to 1888." Both his wives were sisters of Thomas A. Hendricks. — His eldest son, Henry Douglas Pierce, a prom- inent lawyer of Indianapolis, was assistant district attornev of Indiana in the year 1888.

PIERSON, Henry Rufus, banker, b. in Charles- ton, Montgomery co., N. Y.. 13 June, 1819; d. in Al- bany, 1 Jan., 1890. He was graduated at Union college in 1846. admitted to the bar, and resided in Brooklyn from 1849 till 1869, when he removed to Chicago. During his residence in Brooklyn he was state senator in 1866-"7, and for many years previous he was president of the Brook- lyn city railroad. He was general manager of the Chicago and Northwestern railroad in 1869- '71, and becoming resident executive director of the New York Central railroad returned to New York in 1872. In 1875 he established a bank in Albany, was elected a regent of the University of the state of New York in 1872, vice-chancellor in 1878. and chancellor in 1881. Mr. Pierson was a trustee of Union college, of Albany medical col- lege, and of the Duilley observatory.

PILLSBURY, George Alfred, manufacturer, b. in Warren, N. H., in 1816; d. in Minneapolis, 17 July, 1898. He was educated and passed his early life in his native state. After his son Charles went to Minnesota and established the milling business in Minneapolis, the father, with Fred- erick, another son. joined him in forming the firm of Charles A. Pillsbury & Co. The house entered