Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/591

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CASWELL
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of its board of trustees. He was prominent in the Baptist missionary union, and its president during 1867-'9, and also one of the original trustees of Rhode Island hospital, and its president from 1875 until his death. In 1850 he became an associate fellow of the American academy of arts and sciences, in 1849 was elected a member of the American association for the advancement of science, and in 1857 became its vice-president. He was also one of the original members of the Nation- al academy of sciences established by act of con- gress in 1863. Prof. Caswell delivered four lec- tures on astronomy before the Smithsonian insti- tution in 1858, which wei'e published in the annual report for that year. His meteorological observa- tions, made at Providence, of which monthly ab- stracts appeared in the Providence " Journal," were published as " Meteorological Observations at Providence, R. I., 1831-1860 " (Washington, 1860 ; enlarged ed.. 1831-1876. 1882). He was also the author of numerous addresses, including a Phi Beta Kappa oration on " The Mathematical Studies as a Branch of Liberal Education," and also " A Memoir of .lohn Barstow " (1864).


CASWELL, Richard, soldier, b. in Maryland, 3 Aug., 1729; d. in Fayetteville, N. C, 20 Nov., 1789. He removed to North Carolina in 1746, was for some years employed in the public offices, and afterward practised law successfully. He was a member of the colonial assembly from 1754 till 1771, and speaker of the house of commons in 1770-'l. Identifying himself with the patriots at the beginning of the revolution, he became a colo- nel of militia, was a delegate to congress in 1774-'5, and treasurer of the southern district ot North Carolina in 1775. For three years he was president of the provincial congress, which framed the state constitution in November, 1776, and was governor of the state during 1777-'9. On 27 Feb., 1776, he commanded at the battle of Moore's Creek, defeat- ing a large body of loyalists under Gen. McDonald, who was made prisoner — a victory of great benefit to the patriot cause in North Carolina, for which he received the thanks of congress and the appoint- ment of major-general for the district of Nevvbern. In 1780 he led the state troops in the disastrous battle of Camden. He was chosen speaker of the senate, and comptroller-general in 1782 ; was again governor in 1784-'6, and was a delegate to the con- vention that framed the federal constitution in 1787. In 1789 he was elected to the state senate from Dobbs co., and was a member of the conven- tion that in November ratified the federal consti- tution. When the assembly met he was chosen speaker, and while presiding, 5 Nov., 1789, was struck with paralysis.— His son, William, served through the war of the revolution, and was a briga- dier-general of militia in 1781.


CATENHUSEN, Ernst, musician, b. in Ratzeburg, duchy of Lauenburg, Germany, in 1841. He studied philosophy and history at Göttingen, and music under Ignaz Lachner. From 1862 till 1881 he was musical conductor at a number of German opera-houses successively. In the latter year he became musical conductor of the Thalia theatre in New York. In 1884 he accepted the place of conductor of the Milwaukee musical society.


CATESBY, Mark, naturalist, b. in England about 1680; d. in London, England, 24 Dec., 1749. A taste for natural history induced him, after studying the natural sciences in London, to make a voyage to Virginia, where he arrived 23 April, 1712, and was occupied in collecting its various productions. He returned to England in 1719 with a rich collection of plants, but, at the suggestion of Sir Hans Sloane and other eminent naturalists, re-embarked for America with the professed purpose of describing, delineating, and collecting the most curious natural objects in this country. He arrived on 23 May, 1722, explored the lower part of South Carolina, and afterward lived for some time among the Indians at Fort Moore, on Savannah river, 300 miles from the sea. He made excursions into Georgia and Florida, and, after spending three years in this country, visited the Bahama islands. He returned to England in 1726, and published in numbers “The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands” (2 vols., folio, 1731-'48; new ed., 1754 and 1771). In this work were found the first descriptions of several plants now cultivated in all European gardens. The figures were etched by himself from his own paintings, and the colored copies executed under his inspection. Catesby was a fellow of the royal society, to whose transactions he contributed a paper on “Birds of Passage” (1747), asserting the migration of birds on his own observations. He wrote “Hortus Europæ Americanus” (published posthumously, 1767), and some other works have been attributed to him. A plant of the tetrandrous class has been called after him, Catesbea, by Gronovius.


CATHCART. Charles William, senator, b. in the island of Madeira in 1809: d. in Michigan City. Ind., 22 Aug.. 1888. He followed the sea for several years, and in 1831 he settled in La Porte, Ind., later becoming a farmer. For several years he was land-surveyor for the United States, and also served as a member of the state assembly. He was a presidential elector on the Polk and Dallas ticket in 1844. He was elected to the 29th con- gress on the democratic nomination, and re-elected to the 30th. serving until March. 1849, when he was chosen U. S. senator from Indiana, to fill the vacancy caused bv the death of James Whitcomb. Mr. Catheart served until 3 March, 1853.


CATHCART, William, clergyman, b. in Lon- donderry, Ireland, 8 Nov., 1826." He was nurtured in the Presbyterian church, but became a Baptist. He received his literary education at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and his theological at Raw- don college, Yorkshire, England. He came to the United States in 1853, and his ministerial work has been performed chiefly in Philadelphia, Pa. In 1873 he received from the University of Lewisburg the degree of D. D. He is president of the Ameri- can Baptist historical society, and is the author of "The Baptists and the American Revolution," " The Papal System." and " The Baptism of the Ages and of the Nations." His best-known work is " The Baptist Encvclopaedia."


CATHCART, William Schaw, Earl. British soldier, b. in Petersham. England, 17 Sept., 1755; d. in Cartside, near Glasgow, Scotland, 16 June, 1843. He was the eldest son of the ninth Baron Catheart, and was educated at the University of Glasgow, studying law. though without any intention of practising. He entered the army in June, 1777, came to America, and served with the 16th dragoons. He was afterward aide to Gen. Spencer Wilson and Sir Henry Clinton, served with gallantrv at the storming of Forts Montgomery and Clinton, and was wounded at Brandywine' and Monmouth. Lord Catheart led one section of the " knights " at the famous " Mischianza " or entertainment given in honor of Sir William Howe in Philadelphia in May, 1778. He raised and led the Caledonian volunteers, afterward known as Tarleton's British legion, became major in the 38th foot, 13 April, 1779, and commanded that regiment in the actions at Springfield and Elizabethtown, N.J,