Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/277

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GAY


GAYLER


"William Cullen Br3'ant he prepared History of the United States (4 vols., 1876-80); and is the author of Life tf James Madison (1884), besides many magazine articles. He died at New Brigh- ton, Staten Island, N.Y., June 35, 1888.

QAV, Walter, painter, was born in Hingham. Mass., Jan. '22, 18,J6; son of Ebenezer and Ellen (Blake) Gay. In 1873, after a short time in a Boston business office, he turned his attention to painting and in 1876-79 studied under Bonnat in Paris, where he established his studio. The French government purchased for the Luxum- bourg museum his " Le Benedicite " (1888), and "Las Cigarreras" (1894). He was created a Knight of the Legion of Honor in 1894; received gold medals at the Paris salon, 1888; the Paris exposition, 1889; Vienna, 1891; Antwerp, 1894; Berlin, 1896; was elected to the leading art soci- eties of P.uis; a fellow for life of the Metropolitan museum of art; and a member of the Society of American artists and of the Paris society of American painters. His Fencing Lesson (1879); Knife Grinder (1882); Conspiracy tinder Louis XVJ (1883); Spinners (1885); mchelieu (1887); Young Girl at a mndow (1889); Le Plain Chant (1891); La Messe en Bretagne (1892) and Le Pardon (1893) are among his notalile works.

QAV, Winckworth Allan, painter, was born at Hingham, Mass., Aug. 18, 1821; son of Eben- ezer and Mary Allj-ne (Otis) Gay, and a brother of Sidney Howard Gay, author. He studied art under Robert W. Weir at West Point, and later spent some years in the studios in Italy and France. On his return to the United States he opened a studio in his native town, and became well known by his painting of New England scenery. The subjects of his paintings include: Scene in the White. Mountains; Scene in Japan; Mackerel Fleet; Beverly Coast, 3Iass. (1869); The Doge's Palace, Venice (1875); Windmills of Bilft- haven, Holland (1876); and numerous minor land- scapes

QAYARRE, Charles Etienne Arthur, antlior, was born at New Orleans, La., Jan. 9. 1805; grandson of Estevan Gayarre and of Etienne de Bone, the former of whom took possession of the colony of Louisiana for Spain in 1766 and the lat- ter of whom was the first mayor of New Orleans. He was graduated from the College of New Or- leans in 1825, studied law in Philadelphia, and was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1829. The following j-ear he returned to New Orleans and was elected state senator. He became deputy attorney -general of the state in 1831; presiding judge of the city court of New Orleans in 1833; and was elected to the U.S. senate in 1835. Instead of taking his seat in congress he resigned the senatorship. and was abroad eight years, devoting his time to collecting data for


a history of Louisiana. He returned to his home in New Orleans in 1844; served in the state legislature, 1844 and 1846, and as secretary of state, 1846-53. During his term in the latter office he established the first state library of Louisiana. At the outbreak of the civil war he was preparing to visit Spain, with the purpose of writing a history of that country in the English language, but when the struggle began he aban- doned his project to remain at home and aid the Confederacy. After the war he served several years as reporter of the supreme court of the state. The last years of his life were devoted to literary pursuits and at this period he became a constant contributor to periodicals and frequently appeared as a lecturer. He jiublished: History of Lonisiana (3 vols., 1847-66); Romance of the His- tory of Louisiana (1848); Louisiana, Its Colonial History and liomance (1851); Louisiana, Its History as a French Colony (2 vols., 1851-52); History of the Spanish Domination in Louisiana from 1769 to December, 1803 (1854); Philip IL of Spain (1866); Fernando de Lemos, Truth and Fiction, (1872), and its sequel, Aubert Dubayet (1882); The School for Politics, a drama (1854); and Dr. Bluff, a comedy. He died iu New Orleans. La., Feb. 11, 1895.

QAYLE, John, governor of Alabama, was born in Sumter district, S.C, Sept. 11. 1792. He was graduated from South Carolina college, Colum- bia, and was afterward admitted to the bar. In 1813 he removed to Mobile, Ala., where he prac- tised law. He was a member of the territorial legislature of Alabama in 1817, solicitor for the first judicial district in 1819, judge of the supreme court in 1823, a member of the lower house of the state legislature and speaker of that body in 1839. He was governor of Alabama, 1831-35; a presidential elector, 1836 and 1840; a Whig repre- sentative in the 30th congress, 1847^9, and judge of the U.S. district court of Alabama, 1849-59. He died in Mobile, Ala., in July, 1859.

GAYLER, Charles, playwright, was born in New York city, April 1, 1820. He received a limited education, taught school for two years at Dayton, Ohio, and engaged in newspaper writing. In 1848 he became editor of the Cin- cinnati Evening Dispatch. He studied law with Abraham Lincoln and was admitted to the bar in 1849. He then took up the profession of playwriting. " The Heir of Glen Avon." written during his boyhood, was produced in 1839. Dur- ing the California gold fever of 1849 he produced the drama "The Buckeye Gold Hunters" and later the operetta " The Frightened Friend " and the burlesque, "Tlie Clement County Snake." In 1850 lie returned to New York city where he engaged in newspaper work. He is credited with the authorship of nearly four hundred plays, over one hundred of which were produced