Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/64

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ALDEN
ALDEN

ALDEN, Ebenezer, physician, b. in Randolph, Mass., 17 March, 1788; d. there 26 Jan., 1881. He was of the seventh generation from John Alden of Mayflower memory, and was graduated at Harvard in 1808. He was the last survivor of his class, which included his friends Richard Henry Dana, and Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, of South Caro- lina. He studied medicine at Dartmouth and at the university of Pennsylvania, where he received his degree in 1812, and followed his profession throughout his life in his native town. He published " Historical Sketch of the Massachusetts Medi- cal Society " (Boston, 1888); "Memoir of Mrs. M. A. 0. Clark" (Boston, 1844); and the "Alden Me- morial " (Boston, 1867). In October, 1881, a me- morial brochure was published, containing a bio- graphical sketch, with a portrait, of Dr. Alden, together with the funeral addresses.


ALDEN, Henry Mills, editor, b. in Mt. Tabor, Vt., 11 Nov., 1836. He was graduated at Williams college in 1857, and at Andover theological seminary in 1860. In the winter of 1863-'4 he delivei-e& before the Lowell institute of Boston a series of twelve lectTires on "The Structure of Paganism." In 1869 he became managing editor of "Harper's Magazine." He is the author of "The Ancient Lady of Sorrow," a poem (1872), and, jointly with A. H. Guernsey, " Harper's Pictorial History of the Great Rebellion" (New York, 1862-'65), Mr. Guernsey writing the eastern campaigns and Mr. Alden the western.


ALDEN. Ichabod, soldier, b. in Duxbury, Mass., 11 Aug.. 17;J9; d. 10 Nov., 1778. He was a great-grandson of John Alden of the original Plymouth colony. Before the revolution he was lieutenant-colonel of the Plymouth regiment, and he held the same rank in Baldwin's regiment at the siege of Boston. Subsequently he was promoted to the colonelcy of the 7th Massachusetts regiment. He was killed by Indians at Cherry Valley, N. Y.


ALDEN, Isabella, author, b. in New York in 1841. Her maiden name was McDonald. She is the author of a popular juvenile series called the "Pansy Books," embracing nearly 60 titles, most of which are adapted to the use of Sunday-school libraries. Among the most popular of these are "An Endless Chain," "The King's Daughter," "Mary Burton Abroad," "Chautauqua Girls at Home," "Four Girls at Chautauqua," "New Year's Tangles," and "Six Little Girls." Mrs. Alden has from the beginning been identified with the Chautauqua system of instruction, and has also edited "Pansy," a juvenile publication.


ALDEN, James, naval officer, b. in Portland, Me., 31 March, 1810 ; d. in San Francisco, Cal., 6 Feb., 1877. He was appointed midshipman in 1828, and in that capacity accompanied the Wilkes exploring expedition around the world in 1838-'42. He was commissioned lieutenant in 1841, and served during the Mexican war, being present at the capture of Vera Cruz, Tuxpan, and Tabasco. In 1855-56 he was actively engaged in the Indian war on Puget's sound. At the outbreak of the civil war he was in command of the steamer " South Carolina," reenforced Fort Pickens, Fla., and was in an engagement at Galveston, Texas. He commanded the sloop of war " Richmond " at the passage of forts Jackson and St. Philip and the capture of New Orleans (April, 1862). and was also at Port Hudson. He was made captain in 1863, and commanded the " Brooklyn," participating in the capture of Mobile bay (August, 1864) and in the two attacks on Port Fisher. He was commissioned commodore in 1866, and two years later was placed in charge of the navy-yard at Mare island, Cal. In 1869 he was appointed chief of the bureau of navigation and detail in the navy department. He was promoted to the rank of rear admiral in 1871, and assigned command of the European squadron.


ALDEN, John, magistrate of the Plymouth colony, b. in England in 1599 : d. in Duxbury, Mass., 12 Sept., 1687. He was hired as a cooper at South- ampton, where the " Mayflower " was undergoing repairs, and signed the compact in her cabin in 1620. He married Priscilla Mullens in 1621, and the incident of his courtship has been made the- subject of one of Longfellow's longer poems. His wisdom, integrity, and decision won for him the con- fidence of his associates, and, although the youngest of the pilgrims, he became one of the most important members of the colony. The " Mayflower," shown in the engraving, was a vessel of 180 tons.


ALDEN, Joseph, educator, b. in Cairo, N. Y., 4 Jan., 1807 ; d. in New York, 30 Aug., 1885. At the age of fourteen he began teaching in a public school and showed great ability in this direction. He was graduated at Union college in 1829, and studied at Princeton theological seminary, where for two years he was tutor. In 1834 he was ordained pastor of the Congregational church in Williamstown, Mass., and subsequently (1835-'52) became professor of Latin, and then of rhetoric and political economy, in Williams college. From 1852 to 1857 he was professor of mental and moral philosophy at Lafayette college. In 1857 he became president of Jefferson college, and from 1867 to 1872 he was principal of the Albany, N. Y., normal school. He was a prolific writer, and prepared more than 70 volumes, mostly Sunday-school literature. Among his works are "The Example of Washington," "Citizen's Manual," "Christian Ethics," "The Science of Government," "Elements of Intellectual Philosophy," and "First Steps in Political Economy." He was also a constant contributor to periodical literature and for some time editor of the New York " Observer " and of the Philadelphia "Christian Library."—His son, William Livingston, author, b. in Williamstown, Mass., 9 Oct., 1837, was educated at Lafayette and Jefferson colleges, graduating in 1858, and then studied law. He was for several years a contributor to the magazines, but has achieved his reputation principally by humorous editorials, of which those in the New York "Times" are the most famous. In 1885 he was appointed U. S. consul-general at Rome. To him is due the credit of introducing canoeing as a recreation into the United States, and in 1870 he founded the