History of Kent County Delaware United States of America

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John Patten, delegate, was born in Kent county, Del., in 1746. He was commissioned first lieutenant in the Delaware regiment, Jan. 15, 1776, and major in the Delaware line or "Blue Hen's Chickens," Dec. 14, 1779. He fought in almost every battle from Long Island to Camden, where he was taken prisoner, Aug. 10, 1780, and was on parole until the close of the war. He was a delegate to the Continental congress from Delaware, 1785-86, and was a representative in the 3d congress, 1793-94, when his seat was successfully contested by Henry Latimer, who served the remainder of the term. He was re-elected to the 4th congress, serving 1795-97, and died at Dover, Del., June 17, 1801.

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

William Beauchamp, circuit preacher, was born in Kent county, Del., April 26, 1772, son of a Methodist preacher who removed to Virginia and settled on the Monongahela river in 1788. The son acquired a good education, and in 1790 taught school in Monongahela. The following year he began to preach, and in 1793 left his father's house and travelled the circuit with the presiding elder. In 1794 he joined the itinerancy, and travelled two years on the Alleghany circuit, being ordained as deacon in 1796. He was afterwards in Pittsburg, New York, Boston, Provincetown, Mass., and in Nantucket. In 1807 he returned to Virginia and remained there until 1815, when he removed to Chillicothe, Ohio, to become editor of the Western Christian Monitor, at that time the only existing Methodist periodical. In 1817 he removed to Illinois, where he founded a settlement, and built up the town of Mr. Carmel, and, says a biographer, "Showed himself the truly great man in all the details of this new business, planning public measures and economical arrangements, devising mechanical improvements, for which he had rare genius, directing the instruction of the youth and simplifying its modes, ministering as pastor to the congregation, and meanwhile advancing in his own personal studies and improvement." In 1822 he was at St. Louis, in the itinerant ministry, and in 1823 was made presiding elder of the Indiana district, which included eleven large circuits. As a preacher he was gifted with overpowering eloquence, though his style was quite free from any element of the sensational, and he was designated the "Demosthenes of the West." He was the author of "Essays on the Truth of Christian Religion" (1811). He died Oct. 7, 1824.

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

Cornelius George Comegys, physician, was born at "Cherbourg," Kent county, Del., July 23, 1816; son of Cornelius Parsons and Ruhamah (Marim) Comegys. He was educated at the Dover classical academy and removed to Indiana, where he engaged in business. He returned to Philadelphia and was graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1848. He first practised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and then studied in Paris and London, 1851. Returning in 1852 he was made professor of anatomy in the Cincinnati college of medicine, and on the organization of the Miami medical college became its professor of the institutes of medicine, remaining with that institution after its connection with the Medical college of Ohio, with the exception of four years' interim, until 1868. He introduced numerous reforms in the course of the study of medicine and lectured frequently before medical classes and hospitals. He was married to Rebecca, daughter of the Hon. Edward Tiffin, first governor of Ohio. He assisted in organizing the University of Cincinnati in 1869, and was one of the founders and president of the Cincinnati academy of medicine. He translated Renouard's History of Medicine (1856). He died in Cincinnati, Ohio, Feb. 10, 1896.

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

James Clayton Douglass, naval officer, was born at "Mordington," Kent county, Del., Nov. 24, 1817; son of Walter and Harriet (Clayton) Douglass; nephew of John M. Clayton; grandnephew of Dr. Joshua Clayton; grandson of James and Mary (Stevens) Douglass; great-grandson of William and Sarah (Davis) Douglass; and great-great-grandson of James Douglass, who with his brothers Archibald, Thomas and Andrew, removed from Scotland in the early part of the eighteenth century and settled in the Pequea valley, Pennsylvania. He received a classical education; taught school in Georgia for one year; was a civil engineer and bridge architect in the construction of the Illinois Central railroad; was a purser in the U.S. navy, 1842-53, during which time he was on board the St. Louis in her voyage around the world; on the Fulton in the Gulf of Mexico; and at the Brooklyn navy yard where he was inspector of clothing and provisions for the navy. He was at Washington, D.C., in 1849, where he was private secretary to his uncle, John M. Clayton, secretary of state in President Taylor's cabinet. He was married in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Ellen, daughter of Purser William Sinclair, U.S.N. He was an active member of the Historical society of Delaware. He died at "Buena Vista," near New Castle, Del., Dec. 13, 1874.

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

History of Kent County Delaware

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