Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/144

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124
DEFREES
DE HAAS

Earliest-known Period to 1850" (Hartford, 1853); " Oriental Acquaintance," a sketch of travels in Asia Minor (New York, 1856) ; " Witching Times " (1856) ; " European Acquaintance " (1858) ; " Sea- cliff," a novel (Boston, 1859); "Miss Ravenel's Conversion " (New York, 1867) ; " Overland " (New 'York, 1871); '-Kate Beaumont" (Boston, 1872); The Wetherell Affair " (New York, 1873) ; " Hon- est John Vane " (New Haven, 1875) ; " Justine Vane " (New York, 1875) ; " Playing the Mischief " (1876); "Irene Vane" (1877); "Irene, the Mission- ary " (Boston, 1879); "The Oddest of Courtships, or" the Bloody Chasm " (New York, 1881).


DEFREES, John Dourherty, b. in Sparta, Tenn.. 8 Nov., 1811 ; d. in Berkeley Springs, West Va., 19 Oct., 1882. In 1818 he was apprenticed by his father to a printer in Ohio, and at the same time began to study law. He was admitted to the bar of Indiana in 1836, having removed to that state a few years before to establish a newspaper in conjunction with his brother. He was soon elected to the legislature, and was several times re- elected. In 1844 he resigned his seat in the state senate, and bought the " Indiana State Journal," a weekly paper published at Indianapolis. He re- moved there and made that paper a daily, which he edited for several years. After the Whig party was dissolved he united with the Republican, and in 1856 became the first chairman of the republi- can state committee, which place he occupied until 1860. Mr. Defrees was a friend of many leading politicians, among whom were Clay, Crittenden, Webster, and Corwin, who regarded him as an adroit politician. President Lincoln appointed -him to the office of government printer, which he filled for manv vears.


DEGOLLADO, Santos (day-gol-yah'-do), Mexi- can general, b. in Morelia, state of Michoacan, Mexico, 30 July, 1819 ; d. in June, 1861. He had a good education, but little is known of his life until he became prominent at the beginning of 1854 by revolting against the then powerful dicta- tor, Santa Anna, and, together with Epitacio Huerta and Pueblita, headed the rismg in the city of his birth. He organized an army about 2,000 strong, at the head of which he marched resolutely toward the city of Mexico, issuing on the way a proclama- tion, adopting the principles of the " Plan de Ayutla," issued on 11 March, by Gen. Juan Alvarez, whose forces he joined. After several victorious engagements with the troops of the dictator and the flight of the latter (16 Aug., 1855), Gen. Alvarez was proclaimed president, and DegoUado with the liberal army entered the capital, 15 Nov., 1855. Degollado belonged to the liberal party, and with Juarez, Lerdo de Tejada, Leon Guzman, and Eze- quiel Montes, devoted all his energy to the success of the principles proclaimed at Ayutla, and was one of the deputies who signed the new Federal constitution, 5 Feb., 1857. During the ensuing troubles of the reactionary or church party, headed by Miramon, he was in the field again in aid of the liberal government represented by Juarez, and commanded the constitutional forces at the unsuc- cessful battle of Tacubaya, 11 April, 1859, against the reactionary army under Leonardo Marquez. In the same year he was elected governor of the state of Michoacan, which office lie filled until 1861, when serious political complications called him to the capital of the republic. Notwithstanding the final defeat of Miramon's forces at the battle of Calpulalpam, 22 Dec, 1860, and his subsequent flight from the country, the church party rose again, and forces under Zuloaga, Marquez, and Negrete threatened the government, and Degollado hastened to tender his services, but in the mean- while he had been again elected to congress. When in June, 1861, his friend, Melchor Ocampo, was taken prisoner by forces under the command of Cajiga, and, on the road to Morelia, was assassin- ated at Tepeji by order of Marquez, the govern- ment, indignant at this new outrage, took active measures, and Degollado asked of congress permis- sion to take the command of the forces sent against the rebels. Impatient of the arrival of a convoy commanded by Gen. O'Horan, he left the city at the head of 150 men, and, in the dense woods called Monte de las Cruces, met the enemy under com- mand of Galvez and Buitron, who were in ambush. After a desperate fight of several hours, his ammu- nition was exhausted, his troops scattered, and De- gollado taken prisoner. He was robbed and dragged away on foot, wlien suddenly Galvez's voice was heard, and Degolladi was assassinated by his captors.


DE GROOT, Albert, captain, b. on Staten Island in 1813; d. in Richfield Springs, N. Y., 17 Sept., 1887. He was taken into service by Cor- nelius Vanderbilt, and rose to the rank of captain, commanding boats on the Hudson. He erected the Prescott House, on Broadway, in 1857, and constructed the steamer "Jenny Lind." During the war he built the steamers " Resolute " and " Re- liance," which were purchased for the navy. He promoted the erection of the Vanderbilt bronzes, and presented to the printers of New York the statue of Benjamin Franklin, which stands in front of the "Times" and "Tribune" buildings.


DE HAAS, John Philip, soldier, b. in Holland about 1735 ; d. in Philadelphia, 3 June, 1786. His ancestors were an ancient family of northern France. In 1750 he removed with his father to the United States, settling in Lancaster county. Pa. He was ensign in the old French war, and took part in Bouquet's battle with the Indians at Bushy Run, near Pittsburg, 5 and 6 Aug., 1763. In 1776 he was appointed colonel of the 1st Pennsylvania regi- ment. He served in Canada and at Ticonderoga, and after the battle of Long Island was promoted to brigadier-general, 21 Feb., 1777, serving until the close of the war. In 1779 he went to Philadelphia, where he spent the latter years of his life. His sou served as ensign in his own regiment.


DE HAAS, William Frederick, marine painter b. in Rotterdam. Holland, in 1830 ; d. in Fayal, Azores, 16 July, 1880. He studied in his native city and at the Hague, emigrated to New York in 1854, and devoted himself to painting coast-scenery. He exhibited at the National academy. New York, in 1867, " Sunrisef on the Susquehanna " ; in 1875, " Fishing-Boats off Mt. Desert," " Boon Island, Coast of Maine," and " Midsummer Noon, Biddeford Beach " ; in 1876, " The Lower Harbor of Halifax " and " Evening at Halifax " ; in 1877, "Nari-a-gansett Pier."— His brother, Maurice Frederick Hendrick, b. in Rotterdam in 1832 ; d. in New York city, 23 Nov., 1895, studied, and went to London, where he painted in water-colors for a year. He made many sketches on the English and Dutch coasts, and in 1857 was appointed artist to the Dutch navy. The subjects of his earlier pictures are chiefly from the English Channel and French coast. Among them are "Storm off the Isle of Jersey" and "After the Wreck." In 1859 he removed to New York, where he was elected an associate to the National academy in 1863, an academician in 1867, and was one of the original members of the American society of painters in water-colors. Among his numerous pictures are "Farragut's Fleet passing tlie Forts below New Orleans," "The Yacht Dauntless off Dover," "Deserting the Burn-