234
VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
pastorate of the Presbyterian church in that
section. He was connected with the new-
school Presbyterian body until 1S59; but at
the session of the general assenibly at Cleve-
land in that year the discussion of the slav-
ery question developed irreconcilable dif-
firences, and Dr. Boyd, with other commis-
sioners from the slave holding states, se-
ceded from the assembly and organized the
"United Synod of the Presbyterian Church,"
composed of those presbyteries in the slave
holding states which had belonged to the
new-school general assembly, but were dis-
satisfied with its course on the subject of
slaver}'. At the beginning of the war he
tc»ok decided ground in favor of secession.
Blackburn^ William, born in \'irginia, in 1814, died in California in 1867. He went to California in 1845, took part as volunteer in the conquest of that country in 1846-47, and was appointed alcalde at Santa Cruz im- mediately thereafter. In this office he served two years, and in 1850 was elected county judge of Santa Cruz county. He was one oi the best representatives of the large class of early popular alcaldes in the new terri- tory, legally untrained but socially impor- tant men, who administered justice after a manner less accurate in a technical sense than useful for the needs of the singular community of those days. His decisions were in some cases widely discussed, and are often quoted in historical sketches.
Freeman, William Grigsby» was born in Virginia in 181 5, died in Cornwall, Penn- sylvania, November 12, 1866. He was grad- uated at the United States Military Acad- emy in 1834, and assigned to the Fourth Artillery. He served in the Florida war, and was made first lieutenant for gallantry
on several occasions. In 1840 he became
instructor of infantry and artillery tactics at
West Point, and in the following year served
on the northern frontier at Buffalo, during
the Canada border disturbances. From 1841
until 1849 he served as assistant in the ad-
jutant-general's office in Washington, D. C.
He was afterward chief of staff to Gen.
Scott, commanding the army headquarters
at New York. He was brevetted major in
1847, and lieutenant-colonel in 1848, "for
meritorious conduct, particularly in the per-
formance of his duty in the prosecution of
the war with Mexico." He made a tour of
inspection of the department of Texas in
1853, and served as assistant adjutant-gen-
eral from 1853 ^^^' ^^5(>t when he resigned
on account of failing health, which prevent-
ed his taking part in the civil war..
Brooke, George Mercer» a descendant of Robert Brooke, who settled in Virginia about 1680, entered the army in 1808 as first lieutenant in the Fifth Infantry, was made captain May i, 18 10, and became major in the Twenty-third Infantry in 1814, On Au- gust 15, 1814, he was brevetted lieutenant- colonel for gallant conduct in defence of Fort Erie, and on September 17 was brevet- ted colonel. He was made a brevet briga- dier-general September 17, 1824, and in July, 1 83 1, served as colonel of the Fifth Infantry. He fought in the war with Mexico, and was brevetted major-general for his services May 30, 1848. At the time of his death he was in command of the Eighth Military De- partment. He died in San Antonio, Texas, March 9, 185 1. Fort Brooke, at the head of Tampa Bay, Florida, received its name from him.
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