POLLOCK
POLLOCK
representative in the 2»th, 29th and 30th con-
gresses, 1841-49. and on June 23, 1848, introduced
in congress the subject of the construction of a
railroad to the Pacific cojist and was made chair-
man of the siHJcial committee rendering the first
report favorable to
the project. He was
president judge of
the eighth judicial
district of Pennsyl-
vania, 1850-54, and
was governor of the
state, 1854-58. Dur-
ing his administra-
tion, lie succeeded in
greatly reducing the
state debt, and on the
outbreak of the finan-
cial crisis of 1857 he
restored public con-
fidence by calling an
extra session of the
legislature, which passed a bill, Oct. 13, 1857, pro-
viding for the " resumption of specie payments
by state banks." He was a member of the Wash-
ington compromise convention of 1860; director
of the U.S. mint at Philadelpliia, 1861-66 and
1869-79, and obtained the approval of Secretary
Cliase to stamping on national coins the motto
'• In God we trust." He was superintendent of
the U.S. mint, 1873-80. He was naval oflScer of
Pliiladelphia, 1880-84. and engaged in the prac-
tice of law in Philadelphia, 18S4-90. He was ap-
pointed federal cliief supervisor of elections in
April, 1885. The honorary degree of LL.D. was
conferred on him by the College of New Jersey
in 1855, and by Jefferson college in 1857. He
died at Lock Haven, Pa., April 19, 1890.
POLLOCK, Oliver, i)atriot, was born in Ireland in 1737; son of Jarit Pollock, who came with his family to Carlisle, Pa., about 1760. In 1762 Oliver migrated to Havana, Cuba, where he en- gaged in mercantile pursuits. He removed to New Orleans in 1768, and established a coasting and foreign trade. In 1769, when Alexander O'Reilly, governor-general of Cuba, was made governor of the province, and his troojts needed provisions, Mr. Pollock placed a cargo of flour at their disposal at a moderate price, and for his generosity ever afterward enjoyed a free trade there. He was commercial agent of the United States at New Orleans, 1777-83, and in 1779 fitted out the captured British ship West Florida under American colors and afterward sent the ves.sel to assist in the capttire of Mobile, Ala. He secured gunp<;wder from the Spanish store in New Orleans, and by forwarding it to Gen. George Rogers Clark aided materially in the success of his campaign in Illinois. He borrowed
for the state of Virginia $65,000 from France and
for the secret committee of congress $70,000
from the royal treasury of Spain in 1778, but
when he made drafts on this account on the
treasury the secretary failed to honor his de-
mands, and he appealed unsuccessfully to congress
several times for aid. In Maj', 1783, lie was ap-
point^ U.S. agent at Havana, Cuba, was taken
prisoner, and all his gold and other property was
seized by order of the Spanish governor in May,
1784, for the debts of the United States, and for
eighteen months he remained in custody, all
communication between him and the United
States being cut off. He was released on parole
on the arrival of Governor Galvez, and returned
to the United States in 1785, where he was
awarded $90,000 with interest to cover the Span-
ish claim, but there was no money in the treasury
to pay the debt. He resumed business in New
Orleans, and in 1790 was enabled to pay all the
claims of Spain against the United States govern-
ment. He purchased and settled on property in
Cumberland county, Pa., in 1792, and that year
received $108,605 from the United States on ac-
count of the claim. He was an unsuccessful
candidate for representative in congress in 1797,
1804 and 1806, and in 1800 was an inmate of the
debtors' prison in Philadelphia. He removed
to Baltimore, Md., in 1806. and in 1815 to Pinck-
neyville. Miss., where he spent the rest of his
life. He was a member of the Friendly Sons of
St. Patrick, and the Hibernian society of Phila-
delphia. He was married, first, in 1765, to Mar-
garet O'Brien, and secondly, Nov. 2, 1805, to
Winifred, widow of Daniel Deady of Baltimore, Md.
He died in Pinckneyville. Miss., Dec. 17. 1823.
POLLOCK, Pincicney Daniel, educator, was born in Houston county. Ga., Nov. 22, 1859; son of James Greenberrj' and Nancy (Brunson) Pollock; grandson of Almarine and Liza (Woodard) Brunson and of Morris and Polly Watson Pol- lock. He was pre- pared for college at Armurchee acad- emy, Chattooga coun- ty, Ga.; attended Mercer university, Macon, Ga., and was graduated from the University of Geor- gia, B.L., 1884. He continued liis studies in the Universities of Paris and Berlin, 1889-91; taught school for several years; was superintendent of city schools, Newnan, Ga., 1891-93; professor of English,
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