Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/480

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452
SEDGWICK
SEELYE

and Fancies " (1848) ; and " Married or Single ? " (1857). Miss Sedgwick both edited and wrote arti- cles for literary periodical publications, and she contributed largely to the annuals. Collections of these papers constitute several volumes of her works. She is thoroughly American in thought and feeling, and with very marked individuality, of the best New England type. Her delineations of character and manners, as then found, in her native state, are unsurpassed for their picturesque- ness and truth. See her " Life and Letters," by Mary E. Dewey (New York, 1871). Elizabeth Dwight, author, married Charles, a son of the first Theodore, and was well known as a teacher. She wrote " Beatitudes and Pleasant Sundays," " Lessons without Books," " A Talk with my Pu- pils" (New York, 1863), and "Spanish Conquest." The second Theodore's son Theodore, lawyer, b. in Albany, N. Y., 27 Jan., 1811 ; d. in Stockbridge, Mass., 9 Dec., 1859, was graduated at Columbia in 1829, and admitted to the bar in May, 1833. The following fifteen months he passed in Europe, prin- cipally in Paris, as an attache to the U. S. embassy under Edward Livingston. On his return he prac- tised law successfully in New York till 1850, when failing health forced" him to desist for a time from active professional labor. President Buchanan tendered him the mission to the Hague in 1857, and he twice declined the olliee of assistant secre- tary of state. In January. 1858, he was appointed

U. S. attorney for the southern district of New York, which office he held till his death. He was president of the New York Crystal palace asso- ciation in 1852. Mr. Sedgwick was a frequent contributor to periodicals and newspaprrs. and published " Memoir of William Livingston " (New York, 1833); " What is Monopoly?" (1835); "State- ment re New York Court of Chancery" (ls:;s ); "Thoughts on the Annexation of Texas," a series of papers in opposition to that measure (IN Hi: "Treatise on the Measure of Damages, or an In- quiry into the Principles which govern the Amount of Compensation in Suits at Law" (1847); "The American Citizen: a Discourse, at Union College " (1847) ; and " Treatise on the Rules which govern the Interpretation and Application of Statutory and Constitutional Law" (1857; 2d ed., enlarged, with notes by John Norton Pomeroy, 1874). He edited the political writings of William Leggett (2 veils.. New York, 1840). The third Theodore's son, Ar- thur (Jeorge, lawyer, b. in New York city, 6 Oct., 1844. was graduated at Harvard in 1864, became 1st lieutenant in the 20th Massachusetts regiment, was captured at Deep Bottom, Va., and confined in Libby prison during the latter part of the summer of 1864. His confinement having produced an ill- ness which incapacitated him for further service, he entered Harvard law-school, and after gradua- tion was admitted to the Boston bar, where he practised law for several years, during part of I his time editing the "American Law Review" with Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Returning to New York in 1872, he practised, and was also for some time one of the editors of the " Evening Post," and also of the "Nation," to which he constantly contributed legal, political, and critical articles. He edited the 5th edition of his father's work on " Damages " (New York, 1869), and with G. Willett Van Nest the 7th (1880). He also published, with F. S. Wait, A Treatise on the Principles and Prac- tice governing the Trial of Title to Land" (1882). John, grandnephew of the first Theodore, b. in New York city, 22 June, 1829 ; d. in Norfolk, Conn.,

Sept., 1897, was graduated at the University of 

New York, and was assistant district attorney of New York. Since 1 Jan., 1872, he had been judge of the superior court of the city of New York.


SEDLEY, William Henry, actor, b. in Mont- gomery. Wales, 4 Dec.. 1806; d. in San Francisco, Gal.. 17 Jan., 1872. He was the son of a British army officer, who was killed in the peninsular war. The boy left home when he was fourteen years old, joined a company of strolling players, and, assuming the name of W. H. Smith, began to play minor parts in the Shrewsbury theatre. In 1822 he obtained his first regular engagement at the Theatre royal. Lancaster, and, coming to this country in 1827. made his first appearance at the Walnut street theatre, Philadelphia. He Won his highest reputation in 1828 at the Tremont theatre, Boston, as Rolando in "The Honeymoon." In 1836 he managed the National theatre. Boston, and from 1843 till 1860 he was stage-manager of the Boston museum. His first appearance in New York was at the old Chatham street theatre, 3 Nov., 1840, when he acted Edgar to the Lear of Junius Brutus Booth. He also appeared acceptably as Laertes, Gratiano, and Marc Antony. His last professional appearance in New York was made at the Winter garden, (i May, 1865. During the few years pre- ceding his death he had been employed at the California theatre, San Francisco, as actor and manager. His wife, formerly a Miss Riddle, b. in Philadelphia in 1811: d. in "New York, 27 Sept., 1861, made her debut at the Walnut street theatre, in her native city, in 1823, and first appeared in New York at the old Chatham street theatre as Virginia in " Virginius." She was very popular for many years. Their son, Henry, author, b. in Boston, Mass., 4 April, 1835. was educated in his native place, studied civil engineering at Rensselaer polytechnic institute, Troy, N. Y., and afterward practised his profession in San Francisco. He sub- sequently engaged in journalism, was one of the editors of the New York " Times," and the " Even- ing Post," and for some time was an editor of the "Commercial Advertiser." He -is the author of " Danger-field's Rest, a Romance" (New York, 1864). and " Marion Rooke, or the Quest for For- tune" (1865). and also contributed to magazines. He died in New York city, 18 Jan., 1899.


SEELYE, Julius Hawley, educator, b. in Bethel. Conn., 14 Sept., 1824 ; d. in Amherst. Mass., 12 May, 1895. He was graduated at Amherst. studied at Auburn seminary, and continued his studies in theology at Halle. Germany, in 1852-'3. He was ordained by the classis of Schenectady in is."i:i. and in that year became pastor of the 1st Reformed Dutch church in Schenectady, N. Y.. where he remained until 185. In that year he va- elerl.ii professor of mental and moral philosophy at Amherst college, which pn-i lie held until 1875. He was chosen to congress in 1N71 Inim Massachusetts without lieini: nominated by any party, serving from IJ Dee., is;.'), till 3 March, 1877, and at the