eal society, the American oriental society, and other learned societies, and has published " Cir- cassia, or a Tour to the Caucasus " (New York, 1850) ; " Crimora " (Boston, 1852) ; " The Para Pa- pers on France, Egypt, and Ethiopia" (Paris, 1858) : " The Crescent and French Crusaders " (New York, 1859 ; reissued as " Adventures and Observations on the Northern Coast of Africa ") ; and " The Federati of Italy " (Boston, 1871). He has in preparation (1898) a " History of Ohio."
DITSON, Oliver, publisher, b. in Boston. Mass.,
20 Oct.. 1811; d. there, 21 Dec, 1888. He was
educated in public schools, and at the age of thirteen entered the service of Samuel H. Parker in
the book and music business. In 18^4 he became
a partner of his employer, under the firm-name
of Parker & Ditson. They continued together in
a small way until 1844. when the senior withdrew
from the concern, leaving Mr. Ditson to follow
his own fortune. In 1856 one of his emplovees,
J. C. Haynes, became interested in the business,
and the firm-name was permanently changed to
Oliver Ditson & Co, In 18G7 a branch house was
established by his eldest son in New York city,
under the style
of C. fl. Ditson
& Co., and in
1876 another in
Philadelphia, J.
E. Ditson & Co.
The published
catalogue of the
Ditsons numbers
over 80,000 different pieces of
sheet-music and
more than 2,300
music - books.
Of piano - forte
methods they
have published
the enormous
number of 111,
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and of books for the organ, about 100. In 1887 the Boston house employed about 100 clerks and book-keepers. They have twenty printing-presses constantly at work. Application, method, economy, and acute business judgment secured Mr. Ditson's success, and he absorbed the patronage and the publications of many rival publishers. Mr. Ditson was officially connected with several monetary institutions, and president of the Continental bank in his native city for nearly twenty-five years prior to his denth.
DIVEN, Alexander Samuel, lawyer, b. in Catherine, Tioga co., N. Y., 10 Feb., 1809; d. in Elmira, N. Y., llJune, 1896. He studied law. After his admission to the bar he settled in Elmira, and acquired a large practice. He was elected a state senator in 1858, and then was sent to congress as a Republican, serving from 4 July. 1861, till 8 March, 1863. Soon afterward he entered the volunteer
army, becoming captain in May, 1863, and rose till
he was made brevet brigadier-general in August,
1864.' In January, 1865, he resigned his commission
and returned to Elmira. Subsequently he became
vice-president of the Erie railway company.
DIVOL, Ira, instructor, b. in Topham, Vt., in
October, 1820; d. in Baraboo, Wis., 22 June, 1871.
He lost both parents while still a child, and was
fitted for college by an elder brother. He was
graduated at the University of Vermont in 1847,
and, going to New Orleans, became principal of a
grammar-school. In 1852 he turned his attention
to law, but removed to St. Louis in 1855, and was
elected superintendent of the public schools, holding
this office for eleven years, when failing health
compelled his withdrawal. He was afterward
elected state superintendent of public schools. His
firm policy carried the schools safely through the
dangers of the civil war, and prevented their
disintegration. He also laid the foundation of the
public-school library, which afterward became the
public library in St. Louis.
DIX, Dorothea Lynde, philanthropist, b. in
Worcester, Mass., about 1794; d. in Trenton, N. J.,
19 July, 1887. After the death, in 1821, of her
father, a merchant in Boston, she established a
school for girls in that city. Hearing of the
neglected condition of the convicts in the state prison,
she visited them, and became interested in the
welfare of the unfortunate classes, for whose elevation
she labored until 1834, when, her health
becoming impaired, she gave up her school and
visited Europe, having inherited from a relative
sufficient property to render her independent. She
returned to Boston in 1837 and devoted herself to
investigating the condition of paupers, lunatics,
and prisoners, encouraged by her friend and pastor,
Rev. Dr. Channing, of whose children she had been
governess. In this work she has visited every state
of the Union east of the Rocky mountains, endeavoring
to persuade legislatures to take measures for
the relief of the poor and wretched. She was
especially influential in procuring legislative action
for the establishment of state lunatic asylums in
New York, Pennsylvania. North Carolina, Illinois,
Indiana, and other states. In April, 1854, in
consequence of her unwearied exertions and petitions
that she presented to congress in 1848 and 1850, a
bill passed both houses appropriating 10,000,000
acres to the several states for the relief of the
indigent insane; but the bill was vetoed by President
Pierce, on the ground that the general government
had no constitutional power to make such
appropriations. During the civil war she was superintendent
of hospital nurses, having the entire control
of their appointment and assignment to duty.
After its close she resumed her labors for the
insane. Miss Dix published anonymously “The
Garland of Flora” (Boston, 1829), and “Conversations
about Common Things,” “Alice and Ruth,”
“Evening Hours,” and other books for children; also,
“Prisons and Prison Discipline” (Boston, 1845);
and a variety of tracts for prisoners. She is also
the author of many memorials to legislative bodies
on the subject of lunatic asylums and reports on
philanthropic subjects.
DIX, John Adams, b. in Boscawen, N. H., 24 July, 1798 ; d. in New York city, 21 April, 1879. His early education was i-eceived at Salisbury, Phillips Exeter academy, and the College of Montreal. In December, 1812, he was appointed cadet, and going to Baltimore aided his father, Maj. Timothy Dix of the 14th U. S. infantry, and also studied at St. Mary's college. He was made ensign in 1813, and accompanied his regiment, taking part in the operations on the Canadian frontier. Subsequently he served in the 21st infantry at Fort Constitution, N. H., where he became 2d lieutenant in March, 1814, was adjutant to Col. John De B. Walback, and in August was transferred to the 3d artillery. In 1819 he was appointed aide-de-camp to Gen. Jacob Brown, then in command of the Northern military department, and stationed at Brownsville, where he studied law, and later, under the guidance of William Wirt, was admitted to the bar in Washington. He was in 1826 sent as special messenger to the court of Denmark. On his return he was stationed at Fort Monroe, but contin-
