Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/494

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BURNS
BURNSIDE

life has been written by his son (Toronto, 1871). — His son, Robert Ferrier, Canadian clergyman, b. in Paisley, Scotland, 23 Dec, 1826. He entered the University of Glasgow in 1840, and distin- guished himself as a student. During 1844-'5 he attended New college, Edinburgh, a theological institution established by the Free Church immedi- ately after the disruption. In 1845 he arrived in Canada, a short time after his father, and com- pleted his theological course at Knox college, Toronto. In July, 1847, he was ordained a minis- ter of the Presbyterian church, and soon after- ward became pastor of Chalmer's church, Kings- ton. In 1855 he took charge of Knox church, St. Catherines, retaining it for twelve years, during which time he was a member of the grammar- school board, and organized the system of Sabbath- school conventions. In 1867 he became pastor of the Scottish church in Chicago, and, after minister- ing there for three years, during part of which time he assisted Mr. Moody in his evangelistic work, he accepted a call to Cote street church, Montreal, and in 1875 was transferred to Fort Massey Pres- byterian church, Halifax, N. S. He was a mem- ber of the second pan-Presbyterian council, which was held in Philadelphia in 1880, also of the third, held in Belfast in 1884, representing the mari- time provinces. He was a delegate to the Interna- tional temperance council, held at Philadelphia in 1876, to Raikes's centennial of Sabbath-schools, held in London in 1880, and also from the international committee to the World's convention of young men's Chi-istian associations in Berlin in 1884. In 1866 the degree of D. D. was conferred upon him by Hamilton college. He has published, besides the life of his father, " Maple Leaves for the Grave of Abraham Lincoln " (St. Catherines, 1865) ; " Plea for Lord's Day " (Montreal, 1874) ; " Maine Law" (Halifax, 1875); "Modern Babylon" (1876); " Confession and Absolution " (1888) ; a contro- versy with Roman Catholic authorities ; and con- tributions to current periodicals.


BURNS, Robert Easton, Canadian jurist, b. in Niagara, Canada West, 26 Dec, 1805 ; d. near Toronto, 12 Jan., 1863. He was educated at home, studied law, was admitted to the bar, and practised for several years in Niagara, St. Catherines, and Hamilton. In September, 1837, he was appointed judge of Niagara district, and in 1838 removed to Toronto, and entered into partnership with Attor- ney-General Hagerman. When the seat of govern- ment was taken to Kingston, the court of chancery followed, and he became a resident of that city, but returned to Toronto when the government was established in Montreal. In Toronto he en- tered into partnership with Philip Vankoughnet, afterward chancellor of Upper Canada, and Oliver Mowat, premier of Ontario. Soon afterward he was appointed judge of the home district, which office he retained until his resignation, in 1848. Within a short time, however, he was appointed by the Baldwin - Lafontaine government puisne judge of the court of queen's bench, an office which he retained until his death.


BURNS, William Wallace, soldier, b. in Co- shocton. Ohio, 3 Sept., 1825 ; d. in Beaufort, S. C, 19 Aprd, 1892. Joining the 3d infantry after graduation from the U. S. military academy, he served through the war with Mexico, and, after ten years of frontier, garrison, and recruiting service, received a staff appointment as captain and com- missary of subsistence. His experience in the sup- ply department led to his appointment for similar important duties during the civil war. He served in the Army of the Potomac, and was wounded in the action at Savage's station, 29 June, 1862. He was in the field with the Army of the Potomac to and including the battle of Fredericksburg, De- cember, 1862, and was then appointed chief com- missary of the department of the northwest. During the closing years of the civil war he was in charge of the commissary departments successively of the Carolinas, of Georgia, and of Florida, and lastly of the whole department of the south. Since the war he has been on duty at Washington.


BURNSIDE, Ambrose Everett, soldier, b. in Liberty, Ind., 23 May, 1824 ; d. in Bristol, R. I., 3 Sept., 1881. The Burnside family is of Scottish origin. Having followed the fortunes of Charles Edward the pretender until his final defeat at CuUoden in 1746, the founders of the American branch emigrated to South Carolina. The revolt of the American colonies against Britain divided them, some joining the patriots, others remaining loyal to the crown. Among the latter was James, grandfather of Ambrose, who was a captain in one of the regi- ments of South Carolinian roy- alists. When it became certain that the revolu- tion would be successful, he,in company with others,whose es- tates were con- fiscated,escaped to Jamaica, but eventually ob- tained amnesty from the young republic and re- turned to South

Carolina. After

his death, his widow and her four sons migrated to Indiana, manumitting their slaves from conscientious motives. Edghill, the third of these sons, settled in the new town of Liberty, and in 1814 married Pamelia Brown, another emigrant from South Carolina. He taught school for a time, and, having some legal knowledge, was in 1815 elected associate judge of the county court, and subsequently clerk of court, which office he held until 1850. Ambrose, the fourth of nine children, was born in a rude log cabin at the edge of the wilderness. The village schools were exceptionally good for a frontier town, and at seventeen he had acquired a better education than most boys of his age; but his father could not afford to give him a professional training, and he was indentured to a merchant tailor. After learning the trade, he returned to Liberty and began business as a partner under the style of " Myers & Burnside, Merchant Tailors." Conversation with veterans of the second war with Great Britain interested him in military affairs. He read all the histories and other books bearing on the subject that he could procure, and local tradition is to the effect that Caleb B, Smith, congressman from the district, entering the shop to have his coat repaired, found the young tailor with a copy of "Cooper's Tactics" propped up against the " goose," and kept open by a pair of shears, so that he could study and work at the same time. Some conversation followed, and the congressman was so impressed by the intelligence and appearance of the young man that he sought his appointment as a cadet at the mili-