time of his death was its last surviving officer. He resigned from the army forty years before his death, and went into business in the city of New York. He resided in Brooklyn, where he was for many years an active member and elder of the 1st Re- formed church. He retained his mental and phys- ical vigor almost up to the period of his death, and only a few weeks preceding that event wrote a series of articles for a religious journal, giving his recollections of New York city in the olden time.
BICKMORE, Albert Smith, naturalist, b. in
St. George, Me., 1 March, 1839. He was gradu-
ated at Dartmouth in 1860, and then studied under
Agassiz at Lawrence scientific school. During the
years 1865-9 he ti-avelled extensively in the Ma-
lay archipelago and eastern Asia; collecting objects
in natural history, principally shells. In 1870 he
became professor of natural history in Madison
university at Hamilton, N. Y. Later he was asso-
ciated in the management of the American museum
of natural history in New York. He was for some
time its supei'intendent, but in 1885 became curator
of the ethnological department. He is also in
charge of the department of public instruction,
and on Saturday mornings, during the winters, he
delivers lectures on subjects in natural history be-
fore the teachers of the public schools of New
York and vicinity. Under the direction of the
state superintendent of public instruction, he
gives lectures before the normal schools. Prof.
Bickmore is a menaber of scientific societies to
which he has contributed numerous papers. He
has published "Travels in the East Indian Archi-
pelago " (New York, 1869).
BICKNELL, Thomas Williams, educator, b.
in Barrington, R. I., 6 Sept., 1834. He began his
collegiate education at Amherst, but was graduated
at Brown in 1860. During his senior year in col-
lege he was elected a member of the Rhode Island
state legislature. From 1860 till 1869 he taught,
and was principal of schools in Rehobart, Bristol,
Providence, R. I., and in Elgin, 111., after which,
until 1875, he was state commissioner of public
schools. While holding that office he secured the
re-establishment of the State Normal School in 1871,
the appointment of a school superintendent in each
town, the organization of a board of education, and
other important measures. Mr. Bieknell has Vjeen
very active in educational journalism, and during
the years 1874-'86 he founded, edited, and owned
" The Journal of Education," " The Primary
Teacher," " The American Teacher," " Education ;
a Bimonthly Magazine," and " Good Times." The
New England Bureau of Education and the Na-
tional Council of Education were organized by
him. He has delivered numerous educational lec-
tures and addresses, and has at various times been
president of the Rhode Island Institute of Instruc-
tion, American Institute of Instruction, National
Council of Education, National Educational Asso-
ciation, Interstate Commission for Federal Aid,
Chautauqua Teachers' Reading Union, and of the
Massacliust'tts, New England, and International
Sunday-school unions. He has published " Biog-
raphy of William Lord No yes " (Providence, 1867) ;
" Historical Sketches of Barrington, R. I." (Provi-
dence, 1870) ; " Reports of the Commissioner of
Public Schools " (Providence, 1869-75) ; and " His-
tory of the Bieknell Family " (Boston, 1882).
BIDDLE, Clement, "Quaker soldier," b. in
Philadelphia, 10 May, 1740 ; d. there. 14 July, 1814.
Descended from one of the early Quaker settlers of
New Jersey — refugees, for the most part, from Prot-
estant intolerance — he was brought up in the strict
order of the sect, and engaged in commercial pur-
suits in Philadelphia. In 1704 some friendly In-
dians sought refuge in Philadelphia from a band
of desperadoes known as the " Paxton Boys," who
had recently murdered some unoft'ending Connes-
toga Indians at Lancaster. These ruffians, power-
ful enough in numbers to defy the authorities, ad-
vanced to within six miles of the city, threatening
vengeance upon all who offered resistance. But
the vigor of the military preparations, including a
company of Quakers headed by Biddle. was so
manifest that the outlaws retreated. Close upon
this local disturbance came the resolution of the
British house of commons to charge stamp duties
in the colonies, and the subsequent jiassage of the
act induced the adoption of the " non-importation
resolutions " in Philadelphia, 25 Oct., 1765. Among
the signers of this agreement were Mr. Biddle and
his brother Owen. When actual hostilities became
imminent he entered into projects for defence, and
was active in organizing that military anomaly
the " Quaker " company of volunteers, of which he
was elected an officer in 1775 before it joined the
army. In June, 1776, congress authorized the
formation of a " fiying camp " of 10,000 men, and
on 8 July, 1777, elected Col. Biddle its deputy-
quartermaster. After the battle of Trenton,
Washington sent him to receive the swords of the
Hessian prisoners. He was present at the battles
of Princeton, Germantown, Brandywine. and Mon-
mouth, and he also shared in the suff'erings of the
army at Valley Forge. He remained in the mili-
tary service until 1780, when the pressure of his
private affairs compelled his resignation. In the
early political movements of the state and nation
he took an active part, alike in the revolutionary
state constitution of 1776 and in the organization
of the federal constitution in 1787. At this time
he was appointed by Washington U. S. marshal of
Pennsylvania. In 1794 the whiskey rebellion in
western Pennsylvania called him again into the
field, and, as quartermaster-general of the state (to
which office he was appointed 11 Sept., 1781), he
accompanied the expedition for the suppression of
that formidable insurrection. He was the warm
personal friend of Washington, as well as of the
best of his generals. — His son, Clement Cornell,
soldier, was b. in Philadelphia, 24 Oct., 1784 ; d. 21
Aug., 1855. Prior to the war of 1812 he entered
the navy, but soon resigned, taking up the study
of law, and gaining admission to the bar. On the
occurrence of the " Cliesapeake " outrage in 1807,
he anticipated war with England, and entered the
army, on appointment of the president, as captain
of dragoons. When the British disavowed the
attack on the " Chesapeake," Capt. Biddle re-
signed, having no taste for other than active mili-
tary life. War actually came, however, and in
1812 he raised a company of volunteers — " the
State Fencibles " — was elected its captain, and sub-
sequently was colonel of the 1st Pennsylvania in-
fantry. At the conclusion of hostilities he devoted
himself to the study of political economy, and an-
notated an edition of Say's treatise on that science.
He took part in the free-trade convention in Phila-
delphia in September, 1831. and was an influential
adviser of the government as to its financial policy
at that time.
BIDDLE, Horace Peters, lawyer, b. in Fairfield county, Ohio, 24 March, 1811. He was admitted to the bar at Cincinnati in 1839, and settled at Logansport, Ind. He was presiding judge of the 8th judicial circuit in 1846-'52 ; member of the Indiana constitutional convention in 1850. Elected supreme judge in 1857, but not commissioned. He made some excellent translations from French and
