MASON, JOHN MITCHELL, a divine and pulpit orator, was born in the city of New York, in 1770, and after graduating at Columbia college, prepared himself for the sacred ministry. His theological studies were completed in Europe. In 1792, he returned to New York, and was established in the ministry at that place till 1811, when he accepted the appointment of provost in Columbia college. This situation his ill health obliged him to resign, and he visited Europe to repair his constitution. On his return, in 1817, he again resumed his labors in preaching, and in 1821, undertook the charge of Dickinson college, in Pennsylvania. In 1824, he returned to New York, and died in 1829. He was the author of Letters on Frequent Communion; A Plea for Sacramental Communion on Catholic Principles; and a number of essays, reviews, orations, and sermons, published at different times.
MATHER, INCREASE, a learned divine, was born at Dorchester, in 1639, was educated to the ministry, and was settled in the North church, Boston, in 1664. He continued there for sixty-two years, discharging the duties of his sacred office with zeal and ability. In 1685, he was appointed to the presidency of Harvard college, which he resigned in 1701. He died in 1723. He was an indefatigable student, and published a variety of works on religion, politics, history, and philosophy.
MATHER, COTTON, a celebrated divine, son of the preceding, was born in February, 1663, and was educated for the profession of theology. In 1684, he was ordained minister of the North church in Boston, as colleague with his father. He died in 1728. His learning was marvellous,but his taste was eccentric, and he was very pedantic and credulous. His publications are 382 in number; the most celebrated of which is Magnalia Christi Americani.
M’DONOUGH, THOMAS, a distinguished naval officer, was born in Newcastle county, Delaware, and after his father’s death in 1796, he obtained a midshipman’s warrant, and went out with our fleet to the Mediterranean. In 1812, at the age of twenty-seven, he commanded the American forces on lake Champlain. In the battle of September 11, 1814, after an action of two hours and twenty minutes, he obtained a complete victory, which he announced to the war department in the following terms:—‘The Almighty has been pleased to grant us a signal victory on lake Champlain, in the capture of one frigate, one brig, and two sloops of war of the enemy.’ The state of New York gave him a thousand acres of land on the bay in which the battle was fought. He died in November, 1825, at about the age of thirty-nine years.
MIDDLETON, ARTHUR, a signer of the declaration of independence, was born in South Carolina, in 1743, and received his education in Europe. Soon after his return home, he began to take an active part in the revolutionary movements, and in 1776, was chosen one of the delegates from his native state to the American congress. At the close of the year 1777, he resigned his seat, leaving behind a character for the purest patriotism and unwavering resolution. In the year 1779, many of the southern plantations were ravaged, and that of Mr. Middleton did not escape. On the surrender of Charleston, he was taken prisoner, and kept in confinement for nearly a year. In 1781, he was appointed a representative to congress, and again in 1782. In the latter year he went into retirement, and died in 1787.
MONROE, JAMES, was born in Virginia, in 1759, and was educated in William and Mary college. He entered the revolutionary war, in 1776, as a cadet, was at the battles of Haerlem Heights and White Plains, and in the attack on Trenton, and rose through the rank of lieutenant to that of captain. He was present at the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth, as aid to lord Sterling. Resuming the study of the law, he entered the office of Mr. Jefferson, and after being a member of the assembly of Virginia and the council, he was elected, in 1783, a member of the old congress. In 1790, he was elected a member of the senate of the United States, in 1794, went as minister plenipotentiary to France, and in 1799, was appointed governor of Virginia. In 1803, he was appointed minister extraordinary to France, in the same year minister to London, and in the next minister to Spain. In 1806, he was again appointed, in conjunction with Mr. William Pinkney, minister to London. He was subsequently governor of Virginia; in 1811, was appointed secretary of state, and continued to exercise the duties of this department, and for some time those of the department of war till 1817. In that year he was chosen president of the Union, and in 1821, was re-elected by a vote unanimous, with the single exception of one vote in New Hampshire. He died in New York, on the fourth of July, 1831.
MONTGOMERY, RICHARD, a major-general in the army of the revolution, was born in Ireland, in 1737. He entered the British army, and fought with Wolfe at the siege of Quebec, in 1759. He subsequently left the army and settled in New York. Joining the cause of the colonies, hewas appointed a general in the northern army, and fell at the assault on Quebec, in 1775. By a vote of congress, a monument of white marble, with emblematical devices, was executed by Mr. Cassiers, at Paris, and is erected to his memory in front of St. Paul’s church, New York. His remains, in pursuance of a resolve of the New York legislature, were disinterred by his nephew, colonel Livingston, in June, 1818, the place of their burial having been pointed out by an old soldier, who attended their burial forty-two years before. They were removed to New York, and again interred in St. Paul’s church, with the highest civil and military honors. His widow was then living.
MORGAN, DANIEL, a distinguished officer in the army of the American revolution, was born in New Jersey, and removed to Virginia in 1755. He enlisted in Braddock’s expedition as a private soldier, and on the defeat of that general, returned to his occupation as a farmer. At the commencement of the revolution he was appointed to the command of a troop of horse, and joined the army under Washington, then in the neighborhood of Boston. He distinguished himself very much in the expedition against Quebec, where he fell into the hands of the enemy. On the exchange of prisoners, he rejoined the American army, was appointed to the command of a select rifle corps, and detached to assist general Gates on the northern frontier, where he contributed materially to the capture of general Burgoyne. After a short retirement from service, on account of ill health, he was appointed brigadier-general by brevet, and commanded the force by which colonel Tarleton was routed at the battle of Cowpens. He soon after resigned his commission. In 1794, he commanded the militia of Virginia called out to suppress the insurrection in Pennsylvania, and continued in the service till 1795. He afterwards was elected to a seat in congress. He died in 1799.
MORRIS, GOUVERNEUR, an eminent statesman and orator, was born at Morrisania, near the city of New York, in 1752, was graduated at King’s college in 1768, and licensed to practice law in 1771. In 1775, he was a member of the provincial congress of New York, and was one of the committee which drafted a constitution for the state of New York. In 1777, he was chosen a delegate to the continental congress, and in the following year wrote the celebrated Observations on the American Revolution. In 1781, he accepted the post of assistant superintendent of finance, as colleague of Robert Morris; and in 1787, was a member of the convention which framed the constitution of the United States. In 1792, he was appointed minister plenipotentiary to France, and held this station till his recall by the request of the French government, in 1794. In 1800, he was elected a senator in congress from the state of New York, and in this body was very conspicuous for his political information and his brilliant eloquence. Many of his speeches in congress and orations have been published; and a selection from his correspondence and other valuable papers, with a biographical sketch, by Mr. Jared Sparks, was issued in 1832.
MORRIS, LEWIS, a signer of the declaration of independence, was born at the manor of Morrisania, near the city of New York, in 1726. He was educated at Yale college, and took an early part in the cause of the colonies. In 1775, he was elected a delegate to the continental congress, and while in this body served on several of the most important committees. His rich estates were laid waste by the British army in 1776. He left congressin 1777, and died in 1798. Three of his sons served with distinction in the revolutionary army.