lantly, on the Canada frontier, in the war of 1812; and, some years subsequently, was elected by the democracy Mayor of the city. He was an original and ardent supporter of "Old Hickory," for the Presidency, and was Collector of the Port of Philadelphia, from 1829 to 1838, when he was transferred to Washington City, by President Van Buren, as First Comptroller of the Treasury, and was, with a short intermission, connected with the Treasury Department ever since. He was a gentleman of fine literary taste, an earnest and energetic writer; and, during the Bank war and panic, from 1832 to 1836, was a constant and valued contributor to the columns of democratic journals, claiming attention not less from his ability than the force and originality of his thoughts. He was also the author of the successful drama of " Marmion," the tragedy of " Superstition," the comedy of "Smiles and Tears," and other smaller productions of merited popularity. He was, for several years, a contributor to American annuals, and wrote the beautiful poem called "The Sisters."

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He was married, in early life, to an amiable and handsome woman, Miss Rogers, who died before he left Philadelphia, as a permanent residence. He died in Washington City, on the 9th March, 1858, in the seventy-fourth year of his age.

Major Barker was truly a man of genius; and, like all such men, too liberal to consider pecuniary interest, in any point of view. There was nothing selfish about him; as a friend, a soldier, or politician, he was liberal in the extreme, and seemed not to know how to be sordid; nay, even prudent, for his personal interest and welfare.

December 2d, 1812. "The British cannonaded Black Rock, which was returned with great spirit by the Americans from the battery commanded by Lieut. Stevens, consisting of a twenty-four pounder; and also from the battery at Col. Swift's encampment, consisting of an eighteen pounder and a twenty-four pounder; and from the battery at Black Rock ferry, called Fort Gibson, consisting of a twenty-four pounder, commanded by Captain Nathan Towson, and an eighteen pounder commanded by Captain J. N. Barker; a shot from the latter entered an embrasure, and dismounted a heavy gun, the carriage of which was disabled. This affair commenced in the British having wantonly fired upon an open boat passing up

the American shore, and resulted in their three batteries being effectually silenced.

"On the commencement of hostilities, he was appointed captain of artillery, and in 1812 commanded Fort Mifflin. During the early part of that year, in anticipation of an attack on Philadelphia by the British, three companies of volunteers, amounting to about one hundred and sixty men, under Captains Fisler and Mitchell, and Lieut. Thomas Gray, marched to garrison that fort, to every one of whom he endeared himself by his mild and gentlemanly conduct, though preserving, at the same time, the strictest military discipline; and such was the respect and esteem in which he was held by his soldiery, that he raised two companies of artillery, and marched with them to the Canadian frontier. It is deeply to be regretted, however, that such was the foothold the horrible practice of duelling had obtained in the army, sanctioned even by a duel between the two commanding generals (A. Smyth and P. B. Porter), that he was also obliged to engage in one, and was wounded by a ball having passed through both of his thighs, which, for several years, incapacitated him from active service; he was, therefore, appointed, in 1814, Assistant AdjutantGeneral of the Fourth Military District. On the return of peace, he received the appointment on the peace establishment of Deputy Adjutant-General of the United States, with the rank of Major, four only of whom were retained in the service. On the resignation in his favor, by his father, General John Barker, as an alderman of the city of Philadelphia, he was appointed to that situation. Major Barker did not confine himself to the field of Mars: as a votary of the Muses he has contributed largely to the amusement of the sons of harmony and glee, by a number of patriotic and other songs; and by the amateurs of the drama, his Indian Princess,' first acted in Philadelphia, April 6th, 1808, was received with the most flattering approbation."

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CAPTAIN JOHN BARRY.

CAPTAIN BARRY, of the United States Navy, although born in Ireland, in the county of Wexford, in the year 1745, was a true Philadelphian in feeling and character. A passion for a maritime life, which he displayed at an early age, induced his father, who was an agriculturist, to place him on board of a merchantman. The intervals of his voyages were assiduously occupied in the improvement of his mind. At the age of fourteen or fifteen, he emigrated to America, and having entered into the employment of the most respectable merchants of this country, continued to pursue his favorite profession with earnestness and signal success. The commencement of the war of Independence found him a prosperous man, actively employed and rapidly acquiring wealth. To that contest he could not long remain indifferent. His ardent love of liberty, combined with those admirable qualities which were the foundation of his growing reputation, impelled him to sacrifice the highest prospects, to embark in the noble, but impoverishing, struggle for freedom by his adopted country. He accordingly abandoned, to use his own language, "the finest ship and the first employ in America," and entered into the service of his beloved country.

In 1776, he was employed by Congress to fit for sea the first fleet which sailed from Philadelphia; and by the authority of the Council of Safety of that city, he superintended the building of a state ship. In the month of March of the same year, he was requested to take command of the brig Lexington, of sixteen guns, and clear the coast of the enemy's small cruisers, with which it was infested; and he successfully performed the duty assigned to him. Prior to the Declaration of Independence, he was transferred to the command of the frigate Effingham, and in the succeeding winter he displayed fresh proofs of his enterprising and patriotic spirit. The frigate being useless, in consequence of the suspension of the navigation, he sought other means of aiding the cause he had espoused. Having obtained the command of a company of volunteers, and some

heavy cannon, he assisted in the operations at Trenton, and continued with the army during the winter campaign, performing important services, and winning admiration and respect.

In September, 1778, he was appointed to the command of the frigate Raleigh, of thirty-two guns, which then lay at Boston, and on the 25th went to sea. In 1781, he was appointed to the command of the frigate Alliance, of thirty-six guns. In the succeeding fall, Captain Barry was ordered to refit the Alliance, for the purpose of carrying the Marquis de Lafayette and Count Noailles to France, on public business. In March, 1782, the Alliance left the Havana, for the purpose of convoying the American sloop-of-war Luzerne, Captain Greene, having on board a large amount of specie, the safety of which was of the utmost importance to the country. The appearance of a British squadron proved a severe trial of the naval skill and dauntless courage of Captain Barry. The specie was removed to the Alliance, and the valuable treasure saved from the grasp of the enemy; and after a battle with an English sloop, and the abandonment of the Luzerne, a sail, which had appeared in sight prior to the engagement, was now discovered to be a French frigate. The united forces now gave chase to the British, which was continued until they lost sight of them in the darkness of night. The specie that was saved contributed to found the Bank of North America, at Philadelphia, chartered by Congress.

The active and useful life of this distinguished hero was closed by an asthmatic affection, with which he had been for many years afflicted. He died at Philadelphia, on the 13th September, 1803. His private life was as estimable as his public career was brilliant.

BENJAMIN SMITH BARTON.

BENJAMIN SMITH BARTON, Professor in the University of Pennsylvania, and the son of the Rev. Mr. Barton, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; born February 10th, 1766. His mother was the sister of Rittenhouse, whose life was written by his brother, William Barton. After spending several years in study in Philadelphia,

he went to Edinburgh and London, in 1786, to pursue his medical studies. His medical degree he obtained in Gottingen. In 1789, he returned to Philadelphia, and commenced the practice of physic. In the same year, he was appointed Professor of Natural History and Botany in the College. He succeeded Dr. Griffiths as Professor of Materia Medica, and Dr. Rush as Professor of Medicine. He died December 19th, 1815, aged forty-nine years.

Dr. Barton was distinguished by his talents and professional attainments. He contributed much to the progress of natural science, and his various works evince a closeness of observation, an extent of learning, and a comprehensiveness of mind, honorable to his character. He was the first American who gave to his country an elementary work on botany. His publications are the following: On the Fascinating Quality ascribed to the Rattlesnake, 1796; New Views of the Origin of the Tribes of America, 1797; Collections towards a Materia Medica of the United States, 1798; Remarks on the Speech attributed by Jefferson to Logan, 1798; Medical Physical Journal, begun 1804, continued several years; Eulogy on Dr. Priestley; Elements of Botany, with eighty plates, 1804 also in two volumes, forty plates, 1812; Flora Virginica, 1812; an edition of Cullen's Materia Medica, 1808; Account of the Syren Lacertina; Observations on the Opossum, 1813; Collections on Extinct Animals, &c., 1814; Fragments of the Natural History of Pennsylvania; Remedy for the Bite of a Rattlesnake; On the Honey Bee; On the Native Country of the Potato; and other papers in the American Philosophical Transactions.

JOHN BARTRAM.

JOHN BARTRAM was a most accurate observer of nature, and one of the first botanists this country ever produced; a self-taught genius, whom Linnæus called “the greatest natural botanist in the world." He seated himself on the banks of the Schuylkill, below Gray's Ferry, where he built a comfortable stone house, and formed his botanic garden, in which there still remain some of the most