WILSON 379 WILSON grated to America. He was employed as editor of the American edition of Rees's '^Cyclopaedia"; but in his wanderings as peddler, he learned to love birds, and set about writing an ornithology. At his death seven volumes of this work had been published; the eighth and ninth volumes were edited by George Ord, and a continuation by Charles Lucien Bona- parte (4 vols. 1825-1833). Volumes of his poems were published at Paisley in 1816, and at Belfast in 1857. He died in Philadelphia, Pa., Aug. 23, 1813. WILSON, AUGUSTA JANE (EVANS), an American novelist; born near Columbus, Ga., in May, 1835, She lived some years in Texas; afterward at Mobile, Ala. Her works had great popularity. They include: "Inez" (1856); "Beulah" (1859); "Macaria" (1864); "St. Elmo" (1866); "Vashti" (1869); "Infelice"; and "At the Mercy of Tiberius." She died May 9, 1909. WILSON, SIR DANIEL, a Canadian educator; born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Jan, 5, 1816; received a classical educa- tion and on leaving college in 1837 went to London and there adopted literature and journalism as a profession. A few years later he returned to Edinburgh where he studied archaeology; became secretary of the Scottish Society of Anti- quarians and undertook the editorship of its "Proceedings." In 1853 he was made Professor of English Literature and history in University College, To- ronto- where he remained till 1880, when he was called to the presidency of To- ronto University. On the formation of the Royal Society of Canada, in 1882, he was elected chairman of the section of History, Archaeology, and English Liter- ature; and succeeded to the presidency of the society in 1885. In 1888 he was knighted by the queen. Sir Daniel was also a fellow of the Royal Societies of Edinburgh, Italy, and Copenhagen; the founder of the Newsboys' Home in Toronto; chairman for several years of the Ontario Teachers' Association; president of the Young Men's Christian Association in Toronto; and the author of "Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time"; "Prehistoric Annals of Scotland"; "Chatterton: a Biographical Study"; "Spring Wild Flowers"; and numerous contributions to periodical literature, etc. He died in Toronto, Can- ada, Aug. 7, 1892. WILSON, FRANCIS, ^ an American actor, born in Philadelphia, in 1854. He made his first appearance on the stage in legitimate comedy in 1877. In 1885 he became leading comedian of the Mc- Saull Opera Company, in New York. Here he created the character of Ca- deaux in "Erminie." He afterward or- ganized his own opera company and ap- peared in many comic operas. He also appeared in plays under the supervision of Charles Frohman. He was the author of "The Eugene Field I Knew"; "Recol- lections of a Player"; "Joseph Jeffer- son." He wrote several plays, including "The Magic Ring"; "The Bachelor's Baby"; "The Dancing Master"; and "Making Good." WILSON, HARRY LEON, an Amer- ican editor and writer, born in Oregon, 111,, in 1867. He was educated in the public schools, and from 1896 to 1902 was editor of "Puck." He published "The Spenders" (1902); "The Seeker" (1904); "Ewing's Lady" (1907); "Bunker Bean" (1912); "Ruggles of Red Gap" (1915); "Somewhere in Red Gap" (1916); "The Wrong Twin" (1920). He was a member of the Na- tional Institute of Arts and Letters. WILSON, HENRY (born Jeremiah Jones Colbaith), an American states- man; born in Farmington, N, H,, Feb. 16, 1812; was mainly self-educated and learned the trade of shoemaking. On attaining his majority he had his name changed by the legislature to that by which he was best known. He became an abolitionist in 1835; supported Wil- liam Henry Harrison for the presidency in 1840, speaking at over 60 Whig gather- ings; was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in the same year; and held a seat in the State Sen- ate in 1842-1845; was re-elected to the Senate in 1850, and was its president for two years. In 1855 he was elected to the United States Senate. On May 22, 1856, Charles Sumner, his colleag-ue, was assaulted by Preston S. Brooks, and on the next day Senator Wilson pro- nounced the action "brutal, murderous, and cowardly." Soon afterward Brooks challenged Wilson to a duel, but the latter refused »n the ground that duel- ling was both unlawful and barbarous. During his career in the Senate he was a fearless opponent of slavery. He was re-elected to the Senate j in 1861 became chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs. In this capacity, at the begin- ning of the Civil War, he influenced Con- gress to pass an act permitting the recruiting of 500,000 men. He was a third time returned to the Senate and there remained till elected Vice-Presi- dent of the United States in 1872, on the ticket with General Grant. His notable addresses include "Defense of the Re- publican Party" (1856) ; "Are Working- men Slaves?"; "The Death of Slavery
