Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VII.djvu/88

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80 FANFANI was rebuilt by the town; and in 1775, during the British occupation of Boston, it was used for a theatre. In 1805 it was enlarged by the addition of another story, and was increased in width. During the revolutionary period it was the usual place of meeting of the patriots, from which it gained the name of the cradle of American liberty. FANFANI, Pletro, an Italian philologist and novelist, born at Pistoja, Tuscany, in 1817. He studied medicine, but gave his attention chiefly to philology, and in 1847 founded at Pistoja a magazine relating to that science (Ricordi filologici). The next year he enlisted in the war against the Austrians, and fell into their hands. After his release he published (1849) critical comments on the dictionary of the academy della Orusca, which involved him in an acrimonious and successful controversy with that institution. Gioberti obtained em- ployment for him in the ministry of education at Turin. Subsequently he held an office under the Tuscan government at Florence, where in 1859 he became director of the famous Maru- cellian library, which post he still held in 1873. He has published Etruria, studi di filologia, di letteratura, di pulllica istruzione e di belle arti (2 vols., Florence, 1851-'2) ; 11 Borgfiini, giornale di filologia e di letfere italiane (3 vols., 1863-'5) ; Vocabolario delV uso toscano (2 vols., 1863); Commento alia Divina Corn- media tfAnonimo Florentine del secolo XIV. (3 vols., Bologna, 1866); and Lettere precettive di eccellenti scrittori (2d ed., 1871). Among his other writings are : La Paolina, a novel in the Florentine dialect (2d ed., 1868) ; Una lam- lola, a story for children (1869) ; and Cecco d> Ascoli, a historical narrative of the 14th cen- tury (1870 ; Leipsic, 1871). FAXXIERE, Francois Angnste and Francois Jo- seph, French engravers and carvers, brothers, the former born at Longwy in 1818, and the latter in 1822. Adopting the profession of their father, they received with the assistance of their grandfather, M. Fauconnier, an ex- cellent training, and reached by their joint labors a greater eminence in carving and em- bossing on metals than any artist since Ben- venuto Cellini. They were rewarded with prizes at the exposition of 1849, and the elder brother, who produced large works in gold with bass reliefs at that of 1855, was m,ade chevalier of the legion of honor. Their sub- sequent joint masterpieces are two shields rep- resenting incidents from Orlando furioso, exe- cuted for the duke de Luynes. FAWIN. I. A N. W. county of Georgia, bordering on Tennessee and North Carolina ; area, 425 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 5,429, of whom 114 were colored. The surface is mountain- ous. The chief productions in 1870 were 3,947 bushels of wheat, 7,027 of rye, 113,754 of In- dian corn, and 6,210 of oats. There were 3,472 cattle, 5,123 sheep, and 7,571 swine. Capital, Morganton. II. A N. E. county of Texas, separated from the Indian territory FANNING by Red river, and drained by Sulphur fork of that stream, and by Bois d'Arc creek ; area, about 800 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 13,207, of whom 2,484 were colored. It consists princi- pally of highly fertile prairie lands. The chief productions in 1870 were 17,648 bushels of wheat, 476,563 of Indian corn, 53,472 of oats, 23,193 of sweet potatoes, 123,835 Ibs. of butter, and 5,699 bales of cotton. There were 7,041 horses, 20,436 cattle, 5,681 sheep, and 18,345 swine. Capital, Bonham. FAMffl, James W., an officer of the Texan revolution, born in North Carolina, killed at Goliad, Texas, March 27, 1836. He was a captain in the Texan service in 1835, and on Oct. 28, at the head of 90 men, with Capt. Bowie, defeated a superior Mexican force near, Bexar. Gen. Houston soon afterward made him colonel of artillery and inspector general. In January, 1836, he set out to reenforce Dr. James Grant, commanding an unauthorized ex- pedition to Matamoros. At Refugio he learn- ed the destruction of Grant's party and fell back to Goliad, which he put in a state of defence. But by Houston's order he marched toward Victoria, and on March 19 was attacked at the Coleta river by a Mexican force under Gen. Urrea. Throwing up a breastwork of wagons, baggage, and earth, the Texans de- fended themselves with spirit until night inter- rupted the fighting, Col. Fannin being among the wounded. The battle was renewed on the 20th, but the Mexicans having received a reinforcement of 500 men, with artillery, a capitulation was signed, by which it was agreed that the Texans should be treated as prisoners of war, and as soon as possible sent to the United States. Having surrendered their arms, they were taken to Goliad, where on the 26th an order was received from Santa Anna requiring them to be shot. At daybreak the next morning the prisoners, 357 in number (the four physicians and their four assistants being spared), were marched out under various pretexts, and fired upon in divisions. Fannin was killed last. Many attempted to escape, and were cut down by the cavalry, but 27 are believed to have eluded pursuit. FAMING, David, a tory and freebooter of North Carolina during the war of the revolu- tion, born of low parentage in Wake co., N. C., about 1756, died in Digby, Nova Scotia, in 1825. He seems to have been a carpenter, but led a vagabond life, trafficking with the Indians, and being connected for some time with the notorious Col. McGirth on the Pedee. When Wilmington was occupied by the British in 1781, Fanning, having been robbed by a party of men who called themselves whigs, attached himself to the tories, collected a small band of desperadoes, and scoured the country, com- mitting frightful atrocities, but doing such good service to the British that Major Craig rewarded him with the royal uniform, and gave him a commission as lieutenant colonel in the militia. He captured many prominent whigs, hanging