History of Atlantic City, (Atlantic County) New Jersey United States of America

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Biographies:

William Aikman, clergyman, was born in New York city, Aug. 12, 1824, son of Robert and Sarah (Smith) Aikman. He was graduated at the University of the City of New York in 1846, receiving the degree D.D. in 1869; attended the Union theological seminary, 1846-'9; was pastor of various Presbyterian churches, serving that at Atlantic City, N.J., from 1883. He was moderator of the synod of Pennsylvania in 1863; a trustee of Wells female college, 1878-82, and author of: "Our Country, Strong in Her Isolation" (1851); "Seductive Powers of the Romish Church" (1860);"The Future of the Colored Race" (1862); "Government and Administration" (1863); "Commerce and Christianity" (1864); "Life at Home" (1870); "Moral Power of the Sea" (18?); "The Altar in the House" (1880); "Heavenly Recognitions" (1882), and "Talks on Married Life" (1883).

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

Cuvier Grover, soldier, was born in Bethel, Maine, July 24, 1829; son of Dr. John and Fanny (Lary), grandson of John (a Revolutionary soldier) and Jerusha (Wiley), great-grandson of James and Sarah (Wellman), great, great-grandson of James and Sarah (Austin), great, great, great-grandson of Andrew and Mary, great, great, great, great-grandson of Thomas and Sarah (Chadwick), and great, great, great, great, great-grandson of Thomas Grover, who emigrated from England and settled in Chariestown, Mass., in 1642. Cuvier was prepared for college, but refused to go, wishing to enter the army. He was then too young, however, to enter the Military academy and for two years worked as a clerk in the drygoods store of Eben D. Jordan, Boston, Mass. He was graduated from the U.S. military academy in 1850, and was assigned to the 1st artillery. He was promoted 2d lieutenant in 1853, and served on the exploration of a route for the Northern Pacific railroad, 1853-54. He was mede 1st lieutenant, March 3, 1855; captain, Sept. 17, 1858; was called from the west in 1861 to the defence of Washington and was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers and assigned to the command of the 1st brigade, 2d division, 3d army corps, army of the Potomac, April 14, 1862, and took part in the battle of Williamsburg, May 5, and on June 28, 1862, approached within four miles of the city of Richmond. He was brevetted lieutenant-colonel in the regular service for gallantry at Williamsburg, Va., and colonel for Fair Oaks. His brigade was transferred to Pope's army, and on Aug. 30, 1862, at the 2d battle of Bull Run with 1500 men he held the Confederate line in check, charged two brigades, holding a railroad embankment, and forced his way over the road, but was obliged to fall back before a superior force, after a desperate hand to hand struggle that lasted over an hour, and which resulted in a loss of about one-third of his men. His brigade was then transferred to the department of the gulf and he was given command of the 4th division of the 19th army corps under General Banks, and with his division took possession of Baton Rouge, La., Dec. 16, 1862. In the siege of Port Hudson, May 23-July 3, 1863, he commanded the right wing of Banks's army. He was promoted major in the regular service, Aug. 31, 1863, and in July, 1864, was transferred to the army of the Shenandoah and was assigned to the command of the 2d division, 19th army corps. He held the right of the 2d corps in the first line of battle at Winchester, Sept. 19, 1864, and charged the enemy with great bravery, dispersing their first line. His division then without orders rushed impetuously on the second Confederate line which was protected by woods and stone walls, and was repulsed with considerable loss. At Fisher's Hill, September 22, his division took an important part in the battle, and at Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, 1864, his division held the same relative position as at Winchester, and was opposed by Gordon's division in the final stand during the afternoon of that day, after the surprise and confusion of the morning. His division was the first to meet the onslaught of Gordon's troops, and as they rose up en masse and delivered their fire the enemy disappeared and they followed up the advantage, driving the Confederates from behind successive woods and stone walls, and before sunset the Federals had entire possession of the field. In this engagement he was wounded and on the same day he received in recognition of his gallantry at Winchester and Fisher's Hill, the brevet of major-general of volunteers. He was brevetted brigadier-general and major-general in the regular service, March 13, 1865, for gallant services throughout the war. He was mustered out of the volunteer service, Aug. 24, 1865, and was with his regiment, the 10th infantry, on frontier duty, 1865-66, and stationed at Jefferson barracks, Mo., 1866-67. He was made lieutenant-colonel of the 38th infantry, July 28, 1866; was assigned to the 3d cavalry in 1870, and to the 1st cavalry as colonel Dec. 2, 1875. He died at Atlantic City, N.J., June 6, 1885.

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

Paul Boyton, swimmer, was born in Dublin, Ireland, June 29, 1848. From his youth he was an expert swimmer, and by the time he was twenty-five had saved seventy people from drowning. He came to America prior to the civil war, and served with distinction in the United States navy until 1865. In 1867 he engaged in the life-saving service on the Atlantic coast. He organized a life-saving brigade to operate during the bathing season at Atlantic City, N.J., where twenty had been the average number of persons drowned during the bathing seasons, but not a single casualty occurred during the superintendence of Captain Boyton. He invented a rubber life-saving dress, which was inflated by the mouth, and which had a propelling paddle capable of making one hundred strokes a minute. To test its efficacy, he had himself lowered from the steamship Queen, off the Irish coast during a severe storm, in October, 1874. After being seven hours at sea, buffeted by the strong waves, he landed on the coast of Ireland, forty miles from his point of starting. With this dress he gave exhibitions in England before the Queen, and subsequently in various parts of Europe and America. In May, 1875, he crossed the British Channel in twenty-four hours, and he also traversed with the same apparatus the other principal rivers of Europe, and crossed the Straits of Gibraltar. In America he performed various feats, paddling 100 miles in twenty-four hours; swimming 2,342 miles in eighty days, from Oil City, Pa., to the mouth of the Mississippi; descending the Connecticut river from Canada to Long Island Sound, and between Sept. 17 and Nov. 20, 1881, making a trip of 3,580 miles down the Missouri river. During the war between Chili and Peru he was in command of the Peruvian torpedo service, and, falling into the hands of the Chilians, he was condemned to be executed, but, escaping to the shore, he swam to a passing vessel and was soon in safety. He described his experiences in "Roughing it in Rubber" (1886).

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

Charles Janeway Stille, educator and author, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 23, 1819; son of John and Maria (Wagner) Still?. He was graduated from Yale, A.B., 1839; was admitted to the bar, but did not practise, preferring to devote his interests to literature. He was a member of the U.S. sanitary commission during the civil war; was professor of belle-lettres, English language and literature in the University of Pennsylvania, 1866-67; of history and English literature, 1867-68; John Welsh Centennial professor of history and English literature, 1878-80, and professor emeritus of the same, 1880-99. During his connection with the university he was influential in founding the scientific department and in effecting the change of its location and the erection of new buildings in West Philadelphia. He received the honorary degree of A.M. in 1866, and LL.D. in 1868 from Yale college, and the latter degree also from the University of Pennsylvania in 1896. He is the author of: How a Free People Conduct a Long War (1862); Northern Interest and Southern Independence: a Plea for United Action (1863); Memorial of the Great Central Fair for the United States Sanitary Commission (1864); Historical Development of American Civilization (1864); History of the United States Sanitary Commission (1866); Annals of the United States Christian Commission (1868); Memoir of Rev. William Smith, D.D. (1869); Studies in Medi?val History (1882); Beaumarchais; The Lost Million, and Life and Times of John Dickinson (1891). His estate, amounting to about $160,000, he bequeathed to his widow, and after her death, to the Gloria Dei church of Philadelphia, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and to Yale university: the Yale bequest to be used for the benefit of undergraduates in history and political science. He died in Atlantic City, N.J., Aug. 11, 1899.

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