History of Washington, District of Columbia United States of America

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Biographies:

Edmund R. Calhoun, naval officer, was born in Chambersburg, Pa., May 6, 1821. He entered the navy as midshipman, April 1, 1839, receiving his appointment from Missouri. He served in the Brazil and Mediterranean squadrons until 1845, when he was assigned to the naval school at Philadelphia. In July, 1845, he was appointed passed midshipman and was made master Jan. 6, 1853, resigning June 27 of that year. He re-entered the navy as acting lieutenant Sept. 24, 1861; was commissioned commander Nov. 17, 1862; captain, March 2, 1869; commodore, April 26, 1876, and rear admiral, Dec. 3. 1882, when he was retired from active service. He served in the Mexican war in the first attack on Alvarado, under Conner, and in the assault on Tabasco, under Perry. In 1861-62 he commanded the steamer Hunchback of the North Atlantic blockading squadron, and took part in the battle of Roanoke Island, the capture of Newbern and the engagements below Franklin in the Blackwater River in October, 1862. In 1863 he commanded the steamer Ladona, and afterwards the monitor Weehawken, of the South Atlantic squadron, in her various engagements with Forts Sumter, Wagner and Beauregard in 1863. In 1864-65 he commanded the monitor Saugus of the North Atlantic squadron, and engaged Howlett's battery on the James River June 21, and again Dec. 5, 1864, also taking part in the bombardment of Fort Fisher. From the close of the war until 1876 he was in command of the Asiatic and South Pacific stations, and on April 17, 1877, he took command of the navy yard at Mare Island, California, where he remained until Jan. 15, 1881. He was then on special duty until his retirement in December. 1882. He died in Washington, D.C., Feb. 17, 1897.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Henry Watterson, journalist, was born in Washington, D.C., Feb. 16, 1840; son of Harvey Magee Watterson and Tabitha (Black) Watterson. He was educated by private tutors; was a reporter and editorial writer for the Washington States, 1858-61; editor of the Democratic Review, 1860-61; of the Republican Banner, Nashville, Tenn., 1865-68; served as a casual volunteer staff-officer in the Confederate army, 1861-63, and as chief of scouts in General Jothnston's army, 1864; returned to the editorship of the Banner at the close of the war, having meanwhile edited the Chattanooga Rebel, 1862-63, and in 1868 removed to Louisville, Ky., to assume the management of the Journal, which, with W. N. Halden, he consolidated with the Courier and the Democrat in 1868 under the new name of the Courier-Journal, of which he was still editor in 1903. He was temporary chairman of the Democratic national convention of 1876; a representative from Kentucky in the 44th congress, completing the term of Edward Young Parsons, deceased, and serving, Aug. 12. 1876-March 3, 1877; subsequently declined all offers of official nomination or appointment, and was a delegate to the Democratic national conventions of 1880, 1884, 1888 and 1892, serving as chairman of the platform committee of those of 1880 and 1888. He was married, Dec. 20, 1865, to Rebecca, daughter of Hon. Andrew Ewing of Nashville, Tenn. The honorary degree of D.C.L. was conferred upon him by the University of the South in 1891. He became well known as an orator; edited Oddities of Southern Life and Character (1882); is the author of: History of the Spanish-American War (1899), and Lectures and Addresses (1903).

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Alexnder Burton Hagner, jurist, was born in Washington, D.C., July 13, 1826; son of Peter and Frances (Randall) Hagner, and a brother of Peter Valentine Hagner. He was graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1845; was admitted to the bar at Annapolis, and began practice there in 1848. He was chairman of the committee on ways and means in the Maryland legislature of 1854, to which he was elected as a Whig; was Independent Union candidate for representative in congress in 1858, and in 1874 was endorsed by the Republican convention in a district strongly Democratic, and in both instances unsuccessful. In 1850 he was judge advocate of a naval court of inquiry to investigate the capture of Alvarado. In 1858 he married Louisa, youngest daughter of Randolph Harrison of Elk Hill, Goochland county, Va. In 1876 he served as judge advocate of a naval general court-martial convened in San Francisco for the trial of Pay-Inspector Spalding. In 1864 he was appointed special judge to try a large number of causes in Prince George's county, Maryland, in which the circuit judge was disqualified to act, and was engaged during several years in that capacity. In January, 1879, he was commissioned associate justice of the supreme court of the District of Columbia, and still had that office in 1900.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Trevanion Barlow Dallas, manufacturer, was born in Washington, D.C., Sept. 11, 1843; son of Com. Alexander J. and Mary Byrd (Willis) Dallas. His maternal great-grandfather, Dr. Barlow of the Church of England, was a distinguished astronomer, and his great great grandfather was Sir Nicholas Trevanion of Cornwall. He was educated principally in Virginia and before the formation of a Confederacy he joined the forces of General Chase in Florida and was with the state troops who took possession of Forts Barrancas and McRae, Pensacola, in 1860. He then enlisted in the Confederate army as a private and was in the command under Gen. Braxton Bragg. He was one of the detail in the bloody night attack on Santa Rosa Island, and afterward served in the battle of Shiloh. He was commissioned lieutenant of artillery, served in the army of Tennessee, principally on staff duty, and surrendered as captain of artillery at Greens bore, N.C. in 1865. He then visited France as the guest of his aunt, Princess Murat, wife of Prince Achille, eldest son of the King of Naples and Caroline Bonaparte. While in Europe he acted in 1866 as a voluntary aide-de-camp in the Prussian army during the war between Prussia and Austria. He then engaged in banking in New York city and in Virginia, and in 1869 entered the dry goods business in Nashville, Tenn. He afterward became a cotton manufacturer at Nashville, Tenn., and at Huntsville, Ala. He was married, May 11, 1869, to Ella, daughter of Hugh Douglas of Nashville, Tenn. Their son, Hugh Douglas Dallas, became assistant treasurer of the Dallas manufacturing company. Mrs. Dallas died in 1870 and Mr. Dallas was married, Jan. 18, 1876, to Ida, daughter of Dr. M. H. Bonner of Nashville. In 1899 his cotton mills operated 70,000 spindles and 2200 looms.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor