Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 7).djvu/146

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GIBSON
GILBERT


the cathedral of All Saints' in Albany, which is shown in the illustration, the design of which was selected in competition. This church, although not completed, was dedicated in 1888, with appropriate ceremonies, extending through an entire week. He published in the "American Architect," during 1884, a series of articles on "Spanish Architecture," with illustrations made by himself in Spain, and, in

the "Engineering

Record," "Observations on Heavy Buildings" (1888).

GIBSON, Walter Murray, prime minister of Hawaii, b. at sea in 1828; d. "in San Francisco, 21 Jan., 1888. He was of English parentage, passed his youth in Montreal, and, after leading a roving life, went to California in 1848, and made a fortune by speculating in mining machinery. In 1849 he removed to Mexico in pursuance of Daniel Webster's plan to effect the centralization of the states, and later entered with Gen. Rafael Carrera, of Guatemala, into the same scheme respecting the Central American republics. Failing in the latter, he made a privateering expedition against the Dutch in Java, was imprisoned, from whence he escaped. In 1853, settling in Utah, he became a Mormon elder, and was sent by Brigham Young in 1861 to establish a Mormon colony in Hawaii, but he abandoned the scheme. He then formed a company of natives and leased the island of Lanai for agricultural purposes, but being abandoned by the natives, raised sheep and realized a fortune. He went to Honolulu in 1867, entered public life, and two years later visited the United States and assisted in negotiating the recently existing reciprocity treaty. Thereafter he was active in the councils of King Kalakaua, overthrew the ministry in 1872, became prime minister, and as minister of foreign affairs, secretary of the army and navy, and president of the boards of health, education, and immigration, he controlled the policy and revenues of the kingdom. In the uprising against Kalakaua in July, 1887, Gibson's life was in danger. He was given a civil trial, and escaped to California, where he died in obscurity.

GIESY, Samuel Hensel, clergyman, b. in Lancaster, Ohio, 26 Aug., 1826; d in Washington, D. C, 27 May, 1888. His father, John Ulric, emigrated from Switzerland in 1804, and was one of the founders of the Reformed church in Lancaster, Ohio. The son was graduated at Marshall college, at the Marshall theological seminary, was licensed in 1849, and ordained a minister of the German Reformed church. In 1855-'60 he was pastor at Hagerstown, and till 1870 incumbent of Christ church, Philadelphia. Removing thence to Baltimore, he withdrew from his communion in 1871, and was ordained to the priesthood of the Protestant Episcopal church in 1871. He was called in 1874 to Christ church, Norwich. Conn., and remained there eleven years. While in this charge he founded chapels at Greenville and Willimantic, served as archdeacon of the eastern archdeaconry in 1879-'83, and was a delegate to the general convention in the latter year. In 1885 he assumed pastoral charge of the Church of the Epiphany in Washington. The degree of D. D. was conferred upon him in 1869 by Franklin and Marshall college. Dr. Giesy won the reputation of a profound theological writer and thinker. Besides sermons and addresses, he was the author of " The I Am's of Christ," which had a wide circulation (New York, 1884), and " The Study of the Creeds," which was nearly completed at his death.

GILBERG, Charles Alexander, chess-player, b. in Camden, N. J., 17 June, 1835. He was graduated at the College of the city of New York in 1854, and is the managing partner in a large West India house in that city. He is widely known as an amateur chess-player, and has served as judge in almost every public contest that has taken place. His chess library of more than 1,500 volumes is the largest in this country, with the exception of that of John G. White, of Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Gilberg has received prizes for his chess problems, and has edited "American Chess-Nuts" (New York, 1868), and also "The Book of the Fifth American Congress " (1881).

GILBERT, Addison, merchant, b. in Gloucester, Mass., 23 Nov., 1808 ; d. there in July, 1888. He was educated in the public schools of his native town and at Dunnner academy, Byfield; became a successful merchant, and accunmlated large property. For fifty years he was active in the public affairs of Gloucester, being frequently sent to the legislature, and .serving in local offices. He was president of the City national bank from its organization in 1876, and of the Cape Ann savings-bank from 1880, both of which he assisted in founding. He was an opponent of slavery, and in the civil war gave financial aid to the government. Among various bequests to public charities in Gloucester. Mr. Gilbert left $100,000 for a city hospital, $75,000 for an Old people's home, and $10,000 to the Widows' and orphans' society.

GILBERT, James Isham, soldier, b. in Louisville, Ky., 4 July, 1824; d. in Topeka. Kan., 11 Oct., 1887. He received his education in Prairie du Chien, Wis., and became a merchant and lumber-dealer. Early in the civil war he was commissioned colonel of an Iowa infantry regiment, was promoted to brigadier-general at Slobile, and for gallantry in the battle of Franklin, near Nashville, was made a major-general of volunteers. Gen. Gilbert was for several years postmaster at Lansing, and later was a silver-miner in Georgetown, Col.

GILBERT, Samuel Augustus, soldier, b. in Zanesville. Oiiio, 25 Aug., 1825 ; d. in St. Paul, Minn., 9 June. 1868. He was educated at Ohio university, Athens, Ohio, and then entered the U. S. coast survey, in which service he continued until the civil war, attaining a rank next to that of superintendent. On 11 June, 1861. he was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the 24th Ohio volunteers, and accompanied his regiment to western Virginia. He was appointed colonel of the 44th Ohio regiment on 14 Oct., 1861, and in May. 1862, he took part in the raid upon the Central railroad, in which he marched more than eighty miles in sixty hours, including all stops. He commanded the right in the battle of Lewisburg. W. Va., 21 May, 1862. and captured a Confederate battery. In August, 1863, he was ordered to join Gen. John Pope east of the Blue Ridge, and he served there until 1863, when he commanded a brigade in Kentencky. and dispersed a political convention in Frankfort which he considered to be plotting treason. He continued in Kentucky and Tennessee until November, 1863, when he became engineer