Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/163

This page needs to be proofread.

120


VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY


peake & Ohio canal ; to this end a company was afterwards formed, of which he was elected president: in 1816-17 he introduced in the \'irginia legislature a bill for the pro- motion of public education, including a uni- versity, colleges, academies and primary schools, which passed the house of dele- gates, but was lost in the senate by a tie vote : this bill preceded that of Mr. Jefferson for the establishment of the University of \*irginia ; elected as a Republican to the fif- teenth, and to the eleven succeeding con- gresses, and served from March 4. 1817, to December 26, 1839. when he resigned; he was an ardent supporter of Monroe and John Quincy Adams, but an opponent of Jackson and Van Curen ; he favored the pro- tection of American industries, and was earnest and outspoken in his opposition to the African slave trade; it is said that he was the first to place before congress a reso- lution for the elimination of slavery from the United States, and in 1853 he visited Europe in the interest of abolition, consult- ing with many eminent men on the subject ; for some years he was prominent as presi- dent of the American Colonization Society ; he wrote 'The Weakness and Inefficiency of the Government of the United States," which was published in London after his death (1863); he died unmarried, at How- ard, Fairfax county, Virginia, near Alex- andria, May 4. 1858, and is buried at Lees- burg, Virginia.

Millson, John Singleton, born in Norfolk, Virginia, October i, 1808; pursued an aca- demic course; studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1829, and commenced practice in Norfolk; presidential elector on the Polk- Dallas ticket in 1844, and on the Cass-But-


ler ticket in 1848 ; elected as a Democrat to the thirty-first, and to the five succeeding congresses (March 4. 1849-March 3, 1861); resumed the practice of law: died in Nor- folk, \'irginia, February 26, 1873.

Moore, Samuel McDowell, born in Phila- delphia. Pennsylvania, February 9, 1796, son ot Andrew Moore (q. v.) ; attended the pub- lic schools, and Washington College ; locat- ed in Lexington, Virginia; member of Vir- ginia constitutional conventions of 1829 and 1861 : elected as a Whig to the twenty-third congress (March 4, 1833-March 3. 1835); unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the twenty-fourth congress ; served in the Con- federate army; died in Lexington. \'irginia, September 17, 1875.

Moore, Thomas L., born in Jefterson county, \'irginia ; pursued an academic course ; elected to the sixteenth congress, to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of George L. Strother; reelected to the seven*- tcenth congress, and served from November 13. 1820, to March 3, 1823.

Morgan, Daniel, born in Hunterdon coun- ty, New Jersey, in 1736; moved to Virginia; commissioned captain of a company of Vir- ginia riflemen in July, 1775 • taken prisoner at Quebec, December 31. 1775 ; colonel of the Eleventh Virginia Regiment, November 12, 1776; regiment designated the Seventh Vir- ginia, September i^rr/jS ; brigadier-general in the Continental army, October 30, 1780; given thanks of congress and a gold medal (resolution of March 9, 178O "for fortitude and good conduct of himself, and officers and men under his command, in the action at the Cowpens, S. C, January 17, 1781 ;" served to the close of the war, and then re-


Digitized by


Google