Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/199

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DILLON
DIMITRY
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O'Brien in 1848. After the failure of this attempt he escaped to the Arran islands, where he was protected by the peasants, although a large reward was offered for his capture. He went to France, and thence to the United States, and was admit- ted to the bar in New York. In 1853 he returned to Ireland, and in 1865 was elected a member of the British parliament, where he defended the in- terests of his country up to his death.


DILLON, John Forrest, jurist, b. in Mont- gomery county, N. Y., 25 Dec, 1831. He went to Iowa when about eight years old, and was gradu- ated at the medical department of Iowa university, but, after practising about six months, began the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in 1852. He was in the same year elected state prosecuting attorney, and in 1858 became judge of the 7th judicial district of Iowa. He was elected in 1862 for a second term, luit before its expiration was chosen to the supreme bench of the state for six years, during the last two of which he served as chief justice. Pie was re-elected to the state su- preme bench in 1869, but in December of that year was commissioned by President Grant U. S. circuit judge for the 8th judicial circuit. He held that office till 1879, when he accepted the professorship of real estate and equity jurisprudence in the Co- lumbia law-school. He held this' professorship for three years, when he resigned it, and gave his at- tention wholly to the practice of his profession in New York city. Judge Dillon is a member of the Institut de droit international, and of the Asso- ciation for the reform and codification of the law of nations. He is the author of " U. S. Circuit Court Reports " (5 vols., l871-'80) ; " Municipal Corporations " (Chicago. 1872) ; " Removal of Causes from State to Federal Courts" (1875); and " Municipal Bonds " (1876).


DILLWYN, George, member of the Society of Friends, b. in Philadelphia, 26 Feb., 1738; d. 23 June, 1821. He entered into business in Philadel- phia in 1759, but did not succeed. Afterward he became a Quaker preacher, and in this capacity visited the southern states. In 1784 he went to England, where he resided for the next eighteen years, his religious services being limited to Lon- don and its vicinity. In 1802 he returned to the United States and settled at Burlington, N. J. He claimed to have a foreknowledge of events, and this gift was conceded to him by the members of his denomination. He was the author of " Dill- wyn's Reflections." A memoir of his life has been published. See " Friends' Library," vol. viii.


DIMAN, Byron, governor of Rhode Island, b. in Bristol, R. "l., in 1795 ; d. there, 1 Aug., 1865. He was educated under the private tuition of Alexander V. Griswold. afterward bishop of Massa- chusetts, and at an early age entered the counting- house of James De Wolf. He afterward engaged extensively in the whale-fishery, and, as that de- clined, turned his attention to manufacturing. He was for many years either a state senator or a member of the lower house, and was lieutenant- governor of the state for three years. In 1846 he was elected governor, in the exciting canvass at- tending the disruption of the " Law-and-Order " party, and served one term. Gov. Diman had a remarkable memory, and was fond of antiquarian research. — His son, Jeremiah Lewis, clergyman, b. in Bristol, R. I., 1 May, 1831 ; d. in Providence, R. I., 3 Feb., 1881, was graduated at Brown in 1851, and afterward studied in the universities of Halle, Heidelberg, and Berlin. Returning to America, he was graduated in 1856 at the theological seminary in Andover, Mass., and was pastor of the 1st Congregational church in Fall River in 1856-'60, and of the Harvard church at Brookline in 1860-4. In 1864 he was appointed professor of history and political economy in Brown university. In 1870 he received the degree of D. D. Many of his sermons and addresses have been published, and he con- tributed many articles to periodicals. He published in book-form "The Theistic Argument " (Boston, 1881), and "Orations and Essays" (1882). His " Memoirs " have been written by Caroline Hazard (Boston, 1887).


DIMICK, Justin, soldier, b. in Hartford coun- ty. Conn., 5 Aug., 1800 ; d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 13 Oct., 1871. He was graduated at the U. S. mili- tary academy in 1819, and assigned to the light artillery. After serving at various posts, and as assistant instructor of infantry tactics at West Point for a few months in 1822, he was promoted to 1st lieutenant in the 1st artillery, 1 May, 1824, and brevetted captain, 1 May, 1834, for ten years' faithful service in one grade. He was given his full commission in 1835, and brevetted major, 8 May, 1836. for gallant conduct in the Florida war, having on that date killed two Seminole Indians in personal encounter while skirmishing near Hernandez plantation. He was engaged in sup- pressing the Canada-border disturbances at Rouse's Point, JSI. Y., in 1838-'9, and in the performance of his duty seized a vessel laden with ammuni- tion for the Canadian insurgents. For this act he was called upon in 1851-'3 to defend a civil suit in the Vermont courts. He served as lieutenant-colonel of an artillery battalion of the army of occupation in Texas in 1845-'6, and dur- ing the Mexican war received two brevets, that of lieutenant-colonel, 20 Aug., 1847, for gallantry at Contreras and Churubusco, and that of colonel on 13 Sept., for his services at the storming of Cha- pultepec, where he was wounded. Besides these battles, he was at Resaca de la Palma, La Hoya, and the capture of the city of Mexico. He served again against Florida Indians in 1849-'50 and 1856-'7, was made major in the 1st artillery, 1 April, 1850, lieutenant-colonel, 5 Oct., 1857, and commanded the Fort Monroe artillery school in 1859-'61. He was promoted to colonel on 26 Oct., 1861, and commanded the depot of prisoners of war at Fort Warren, Mass., until 1 Jan., 1864. He was retired from active service on 1 Aug., 1863, and in 1864-'8 was governor of the soldier's home near Washington, D. C. On 13 March, 1865, he was brevetted brigadier-general, U. S. army, " for long, gallant, and faithful services to his country." — His son, Justin E.. d. near Chancellorsville, Va., 5 May, 1863, was graduated at the LJ. S. military academy in 1861. served as 1st lieutenant of the 1st artillery, and received mortal wounds in the battle of Chancellorsville.


DIMITRY, Alexander, educator, b. in New Orleans, La., 7 Feb., 1805 ; d. there, 30 Jan., 1883. His father, Andrea Demetrios, a native of the island of Hydia, on the coast of Greece, went to New Orleans in 1794, and was for many years a merchant there. Alexander was graduated at George- town college, D. C, and soon afterward became editor of the New Orleans "Bee." He was a fine pistol shot and an accomplished fencer, and in his early manhood took part in several duels, either as principal or second. He was subsequently a professor in Baton Rouge college, and in 1834 was employed in the general post-office department. On his return to Louisiana in 1842 he created and organized the free-school system there, and was state superintendent of schools in 1848-'51. In 1856 he became translator to the state depart-