The career of Sir Henry M. Stanley is not only of a more or less romantic nature, but furnishes lessons that are as obvious as they are useful. Beginning life as an unknown boy, he is now one of the best-known, as he is the most highly honored of men. And he has thus achieved, through the medium of his stalwart mental and physical attributes. Sir Henry was born in Denbigh, Wales, and emigrated to the United States in 1856. He was adopted by a New Orleans merchant, whose name he now bears. Coming north, he became connected with the New York Herald, and in 1870 was sent to Africa by that newspaper, in order to explore some of the then unknown sections of that country. Returning to America, in 1874, he was ordered at brief notice by James Gordon Bennett, of the Herald, to find Dr. Livingston, the late famous traveler and missionary, from whom no tidings had been heard for some time. Stanley successfully carried out the instructions. Subsequently he discovered the source of the Congo, and still later his explorations, undertaken at the request of the King of Belgium, resulted in the foundation of the Congo Free State. He also commanded the Emin Pasha relief expedition. Since 1895 he has been a member of the British parliament. His books are many and have for the most part to do with his adventures and experiences in Africa. He was knighted by the late Queen Victoria for his services to science as explorer.
Walter Wellman.
Walter Wellman, journalist and explorer, was born in Mentor, Ohio, November 5, 1858. He was educated in the district schools, and during his boyhood gave evidence of his journalistic instincts, for when but fourteen years of age he established a weekly newspaper at Sutton, Nebraska. When he attained his majority, he founded the Cincinnati Evening Post, the venture being of a successful nature. For many years he was political and Washington correspondent of the Chicago Herald and Times-Herald. Mr. Wellman, in 1892, succeeded in locating the landing place of Christopher Columbus, on Watling Island, in the Bahamas, and erected a monument upon the spot. In 1894 he took his initial trip to the Arctic regions, making explorations on the northeastern coast of Spitzbergen. Four years later he explored Franz Josef Land, where he discovered many new islands and made valuable contributions to Arctic geography. As a writer on subjects connected with the frozen north, he is well known by reason of his articles in leading magazines. He has also written on political and general topics.
EDUCATORS.
Elisha Benjamin Andrews.
Elisha Benjamin Andrews was born at Hinsdale, New Hampshire, January 10, 1844. He received a public school education, meantime working on a farm. At the outbreak of the Civil war, although only seventeen years of age, he enlisted and served with distinction, being promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. A severe wound destroyed the sight of his left eye, and he received his honorable discharge in 1864. Forthwith preparing for college at Powers institute, he later studied at Wesleyan academy, entered Brown university and was graduated in the class of 1870. During the two years following he was principal of the Connecticut Literary institute at Suffield. In 1874 he graduated from the Newton Theological institution and was the same year ordained pastor of the First Baptist church, Beverly, Massachusetts. One year after he accepted the presidency of Denison university, Granville, Ohio. Afterward he held the professorship of homoletics, pastoral theology and church polity in Newton Theological institution, where he remained three years, and after studying a year in Germany, he filled the chair of professor of history and economy in Brown university. In 1889 he was elected president of Brown university. He has always been noted for his interest in public questions and has been a liberal contributor to magazines and other periodicals. He has published several books on history, philosophy and economics. In 1870 he married Ella A. Allen, of Boston, and has had two children by her.
Nicholas Murray Butler.
Nicholas Murray Butler was born at Paterson, New Jersey, April 2, 1862. He was educated in the public schools of his native city, where his father for many years had been president of the board of education. At sixteen he entered Columbia College, New York, and was graduated in 1882. The following year he received the degree of A.M. from his alma mater, and in 1884 the degree of Ph.D. The same year he visited Europe, studying at the universities of Berlin and Paris. Upon returning to America, in 1886, he became an instructor in philosophy in Columbia college. In 1890 he was made professor of philosophy, ethics and psychology. For a number of years he was president of the board of education of Paterson, New Jersey, and in 1887 he organized the New York college for the training of teachers, and which is now the Teachers’ college, Columbia university. In 1891 he founded the magazine Educational Review, which he has edited ever since and which is probably the foremost educational publication in the world. He is also the editor of the Teachers’ Professional Library and has published numerous educational essays and addresses. In 1894 he became an examiner for the state of New York, and in the same year was elected president of the National Educational association. In September, 1901, he was elected president of Columbia university to succeed Seth Low. On February 7, 1887, he married Susanna Edwards Schuyler. One daughter is the issue of the union.