They were known as the “Star Sisters,” and their principal play was the “Three Fast Men.” In 1858 they appeared at the Old Bowery theatre in New York. On 11 Oct., 1859, she married James Harrison Mead. In 1859 or 1860 she appeared at the Holliday street theatre in “East Lynne,” achieving her first success. In 1861-'5 she travelled with a combination troupe, playing Nancy Sykes in “Oliver Twist,” with Edward L. Davenport as Bill Sykes and James W. Wallack, Jr., as Fagin. In 1865 she played in Philadelphia, appearing in “Eleanor's Victory,” “Lucretia Borgia,” “Jane Eyre,” “The Child-Stealer,” “Mary Tudor,” “Cynthia,” besides the two plays already mentioned. She appeared in the principal theatres in the United States, and at the time of her death was playing at the New Park theatre, Brooklyn.
WESTON, Edward, electrician, b. in England,
9 May, 1850. He showed as a boy a decided fondness
for the physical sciences, especially electricity,
but deferred to his parents' wishes and studied
medicine. In 1870 he determined to follow his
own special bent, and came to this country. He
soon became chemist to the American nickel-plating
company, and at once displayed his inventive
genius by introducing improvements into the art
of nickel-plating. Two years later he began to
study dynamo-electric machinery, with the
object of utilizing it in electro-metallurgy, and in
1873 he reached a very clear conception of the
sectional armature, and in the same year prepared the
first copper-coated carbons. In 1875 he removed
to Newark, N. J., and there engaged in the
manufacture of dynamo-electric machinery, establishing
what is believed to be the first factory in this country
that was devoted exclusively to that class of
apparatus. His business increased so rapidly that
in 1877 it was organized as the Weston
dynamo-electric machine company, and in 1881 it was
consolidated with the United States electric lighting
company, of which he was electrician until 1888.
In 1875 he began experimenting in arc and
incandescent lighting, constructing several incandescent
lamps in 1876, and since that time he has steadily
developed his systems of both these varieties of
electric lighting. In 1887 he built in Newark one
of the largest private laboratories in the world,
and he also possesses a fine technical library that
contains many rare books on electricity. Mr. Weston
has recently directed his attention to the
production of new and original forms of electrical
instruments such as voltmeters, ammeters, and
electro-dynamometers for scientific and practical
work. One of his most valuable inventions is that
of tamidine, a modification of cellulose, which is
extensively used in incandescent lamps. He was a
charter member of the American institute of
electrical engineers, and its president in 1888.
WESTON, Henry Griggs, clergyman, b. in
Lynn, Mass., 11 Sept., 1820. He was graduated at
Brown university in 1840, and at Newton
theological institution in 1843. In the latter year he
was ordained, at Frankfort, Ky., to the Baptist
ministry. After preaching as a missionary for
several years in Illinois he became in 1846 pastor
of the Baptist church in Peoria, where he remained
for thirteen years. He was then called to the
pastorate of the Oliver street church, New York, and
continued in this relation until 1868, when he
accepted the presidency of Crozer theological
seminary, Pa., which office he now holds. He was for
a time editor of the “Baptist Quarterly,” and has
also been president of the American Baptist
missionary union. In addition to his duties as an
instructor, his services have been in constant demand
as a preacher. In 1859 he received from Rochester
university the degree of D. D. Dr. Weston
has contributed to periodicals, and is the author of
a treatise on the “Four Gospels.”
WESTON, Mary Catharine North, author, b.
in Albany, N. Y., 14 April, 1822; d. in Greenwich,
Conn., 4 Aug., 1882. She was the daughter of
William Steuben North, and the granddaughter of
Gen. William North, who served in the Revolutionary
army as aide to Baron Steuben. After receiving
her education in Schenectady, she married the
Rev. Daniel C. Weston, D. D., on 4 Oct., 1842. Mrs.
Weston is the author of standard books of instruction,
which were published under the auspices of
the Church book society of the Protestant Episcopal
church. These include “Jewish Antiquities”
(1886); “Biography of Old Testament Characters”
(1869); “Biography of New Testament Characters”
(1871); “Catechism on the Doctrines, Usages, and
Holy Days of the P. E. Church” (1871); and “Old
Testament Stories” (1882). There are memorial
windows of Mrs. Weston in St. Mark's church, New
York, and in Grace church, Madison, N. J.
WESTON, Sullivan Hardy, clergyman, b. in Bristol, Me., 7 Oct., 1816 ; d. in New York city, 14 Oct., 1887. He was graduated at Wesleyan university in 1841, was ordained deacon in Trinity church, New York city, in 1847, and priest in the same church in 1852. His ministerial life was passed in Trinity parish, of which he was an assistant minister, in special charge of St. John's chapel. He was elected bishop of Texas in 1852, but declined the office. He served as chaplain to the 7th New York regiment, and accompanied that regiment to Washington, in 1861, at the opening of the civil war, and again when the regiment volunteered in the summer of 1863. The degree of D. D. was conferred upon him by Columbia in 1861.
WESTON, Thomas, adventurer, b. in England about 1575; d. in England after 1624. He was a successful merchant in London, and went to Leyden about 1619-20 to negotiate with the merchants of New Amsterdam with regard to the proposed emigration of a colony to northern Virginia. For some reason the Pilgrims showed deference to his advice, and articles of agreement with the London merchants were drawn up, embodying conditions that were proposed by Weston. He advised them to rely neither upon the Dutch nor the Virginia company, assured them that he and others were ready to supply ships and money for such an enterprise, and reminded them that Sir Ferdinando Gorges and others were moving for a new patent in North Virginia, "Unto which," says Bradford, "Mr. Weston and the cheefe of them began to incline it was best for them to goe." A joint-stock company was then formed to continue seven years, with shares of ten pounds each, and John Carver and Robert Cushman were sent to England to collect subscriptions and to make preparations. Cushman conceded certain alterations in the agreement to please the "merchant adventurers," whose part in the scheme was indispensable. About seventy merchants engaged in the enterprise. The latter, having received glowing and deceptive accounts of the English colonists from Capt. John Smith, looked upon them as convenient instruments for the establishment of a permanent trading-post in the new country. But as time passed and the Plymouth people sent little or nothing to their English partners, Weston charged them with employing their time in arguing and consulting when they should have been trading, and sold out his interest in the company. He then organized an expedition of his own, and during the winter of
