Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/187

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FOX


FRAILEY


Line in the Revolutionary war. In his early life Oscar spent Ids summers in working in his father's flour- ami sawmills and attended and taught school during the winter months, giving especial attention to physics. He attended New York central college for three yeai"s, and from 18.56 to 1860 was prin- cipal of Nelson acad- emy.Ohio. Returning to the east he raised and became captain of a company in the 76th N.y. volunteers, serving at Rappahan- nock Station, War- renton Springs and Gainesville, Va. At the last named en- gagement, Aug. 28, 1863, he was severely wounded through the lungs and was discharged for disability, Dec. 23, 1863, receiving a commission as brevet major. In 1864 he was given a clerical position in the war department at Washington and was a member of the funeral cortege of President Lincoln. In May, 1870, he was appointed a member of the examining corps of the U.S. patent office, and in July, 1873, after successive promotions from competitive exami- nations, he became principal examiner. He was admitted to the bar in 1876. In that year he con- ceived the idea of introducing compressed air into the hermetically sealed tube of large refracting or reflecting telescopes as a support for the ob- jective or speculum to prevent flexure from gravity. He also invented a uniform-motion- mechanisni for rotary mercurial parabolic reflectors of any possible aperture, for zenith observations. He was elected a fellow of the American association for the advancement of science in 1891; a member of the Microscopical society of Washington, D.C.; of the American microscopical society in 1893, and of various lit- erary and scientific associations.

FOX, Thomas Bayley, clergyman, was born in Boston, Mass., Aug. 30, 1808. He was graduated from Harvard A.B., 1838, and B.D., 1831. He was pastor of the first religious society of New- buryport, Mass., 1831-4.5, and in 184.5 removed to Boston, Mass., where he established the Indi- ana Street church, which in 18.55 united with the Church of the Disciples. He was correspondent of the New York fliristinn Inqvircr; for three j-ears editor of the Boston Cln-i.-titit) Iler)ister, assistant editor of the Cliristirtn Eynmhwr, and for six years its proprietor; and for a time editor of the Bonton Trnnsrript. He is the author of: Sketch fif the Pufonnation; The Minislmj of Jesus (1837); The


Sunday-School Frmjcr-Book (1838); Hints for Sun- (hiy-School 'J'eui.hcrs (1840); Allegories and Christian Lessons for Children (1845); 'I'he Acts of the Apos- tles (1846); and Hie School Hymn Book, for Nor- mal. High and Grammar Schools (1850). He died in Dorchester. Mass., Jime 11, 1876.

FOYE, James Clarke, educator, was born in Great Falls, N.H., March 1, 1841; son of John M. and Rhoda (Clark) Foye. He was graduated from Williams college in 1863; was professor of natural science in Wesleyan female college, Cin- cinnati, Ohio, 1863-65; president of the Jones- borough female college, Tenn., 1865-67; professor of chemistry and physics in Lawrence university, Appleton, Wis., 1867-93, and vice-president of the institution, 1869-93; and director of the depart- ment of chemistry and chemical engineering in the Armour institute of technology, Chicago, 111., 1893-96. He was married in 1873 to Jeannette, daughter of the Rev. J. M. Williams, D.D., of Waupun, Wis. He I'eceived the honorary degree of Ph.D. from De Pauw university, Ind., in 1881, and that of LL.D. from Lawrence university in 1893. He is the author of: Tables for Determination, Description and Classification of Minerals (1875); Chemical Problems (1879); Handbook of Mineralogy (1886). He died in Chicago. 111., July 3, 1896.

FRACKELTON, Susan Stuart, artist and pot- ter, was born in Milwaukee, AVis., June .5, 1848; daughter of Edwin H. and Marj' Stewart (Robin- son) Goodrich; granddaughter of Julius Goodrich and of James C. Robinson, and a descendant of William Goodrich, who came to America prior to 1648. She was educated in jirivate schools; in the studios of Milwaukee under Henrj- Vianden, and in New Y'ork under the Harts, Jlrs. Beers and Sirs. Greatorex. In 1874 she began to devote her attention to ceramics. Slie received prizes in various European, American, Canadian and Mexican competitions, including a medal at the Antwerp exposition in 1894, and the gold and sil- ver medals at the International competition at Atlanta, Ga. She received eight awards at the Columbian exposition, Chicago. She refused an offer from the Mexican government of a profes- sorsliip in the academy of San Carlos, 1881. She invented and patented a gas kiln for firing deco- rated china and glass in 1887. She founded and was first president of the National league of min- eral painters. She was married in 1869 to Richard Y'. Frackelton. She is the author of Tried by Fire, a work on china decoration (1887, 3d ed., 1897).

FRAILEY, James Madison, naval officer, was born in Marylaml. Jlay 6, ISOO. He entered the marine .service of the United States as a midship- man. May 1. 1828, and sailed in Mediterranean, Pacific and West Indian waters till he was pro- moted passed midshipman, June 4, 1836. On