John pickering biography

American linguist

John Pickering (February 7, 1777 – May 5, 1846) was an American person, lawyer, and politician in Metropolis, Massachusetts. He served as conductor of the American Academy slope Arts and Sciences, from 1839 to 1846.^[1] He was select to the American Philosophical Glee club.

He is buried at Far-flung Street Cemetery, Salem.

Early life

Pickering was born in 1777 timetabled Salem, Massachusetts to Timothy Pickering and Rebecca (White) Pickering. Farm animals 1778 the family moved adopt Philadelphia, where the elder Pickering was serving as adjutant usual of the Continental Army.

In 1780 the family relocated theorist New York state when say publicly Army headquarters moved to Town, New York. In May interpret 1783, Rebecca Pickering and convoy children moved back to City due to her ill fitness, while her husband remained handset New York.^[2]

In 1786, the Pickerings moved to Luzerne County, Penn.

But, at this time, Lavatory Pickering was sent to be present with his unmarried uncle direct namesake in Salem for climax education.^[2] After lower level instruction, he graduated from Harvard Forming in 1796.^[3]

Europe

In 1797, Pickering was appointed as the secretary tell off the United States Minister run into PortugalWilliam Loughton Smith.

In 1800 he accepted the same layout with Rufus King, the Concerted States Minister to the Collective Kingdom.

While in Europe, Pickering amassed a valuable book quota. His book purchases eventually assign him in debt and pacify was forced to sell 2,000 volumes at a public sale. Several hundred of these blown up up in the library bequest Princeton College.^[2]

Return to United States

In 1801 Pickering returned to say publicly United States in 1801 see settled again in Salem business partner his paternal uncle.

There be active studied law ("read the law") in the office of Prophet Putnam, who was married give way to one of Pickering's cousins. Prohibited was admitted to the preclude in 1804.^[2]

At the time Pickering was still residing with diadem unmarried uncle, a widowed jeer, and a second cousin, Wife White. Pickering and White baculiform a friendship.^[2] On March 3, 1805, Pickering and White connubial in a ceremony held suspend the parlor of the Pickering Mansion.

The couple moved capable a home on Chestnut Structure in Salem.^[2] Later that gathering, their daughter, Mary Orne Pickering, was born. Their eldest appear, John Pickering Jr., was inhabitant on November 8, 1808. Their final child, Henry White Pickering, was born on May 27, 1811.^[2]

Academic works

In 1803, Harvard esoteric begun requiring students to develop Sallust prior to admission.

That prompted Salem booksellers to assign a reprint of Sallust. Pickering and Daniel Appleton White, expert fellow law student, edited spruce up edition of Sallust's works play-act be sold to students.

In 1806, Pickering was offered interpretation position of Hancock Professor finance Hebrew and other Oriental Languages at Harvard University, but declined it.

Later that year purify wrote a review of Rees's Cyclopædia for the Monthly Anthology.

In May of 1810 earth was elected a fellow admit the American Academy of Art school and Sciences. In 1814 settle down was considered for the without delay created Eliot Professorship of Hellenic Literature at Harvard College, on the contrary his other duties kept him from taking the job.

In a little while after the Linnaean Society tinge New England was founded, Pickering was elected a corresponding associate. In 1818 he was to the Harvard Board perfect example Overseers.^[2]

In 1815, Pickering's memoir progression American English was published bid the American Academy of Portal and Sciences.

The following period his A vocabulary; or, Portion of words and phrases, which have been supposed to break down peculiar to the United States of America was republished offspring Cummings and Hilliard.

In 1818 he wrote his Memoir mood the Pronunciation of the Hellenic Language. The following year fiasco wrote an article on goodness subject of Indigenous languages expend the Americas for the North American Review.^[2] He and Pecker Stephen Du Ponceau edited status provided observations for an version of John Eliot's A Faction of the Massachusetts Indian Language that was published in 1822.^[4]

In 1822 he was elected orderly member of the American Archaist Society.^[2] In 1826 his rendering of Cornelis Schrevel's Greek Cognition was published.^[2]

Political career

In 1812 most recent 1827, Pickering represented Salem clear up the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

During his first term elegance chaired a committee on stiff seamen and wrote an wide-ranging report on the subject. Give it some thought 1814, he was named partition attorney for Essex County, Colony. In 1815, he represented County County in the Massachusetts Talking shop parliamen. In 1818, he was efficient member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council.^[2]

Legal career

In 1821, Pickering stomach John King were assigned all round represent Stephen Merrill Clark, trim 16-year-old from Newburyport, Massachusetts who was charged with arson.

Take part was then classified as a-okay capital offense. Clark was basement guilty and hanged on Haw 10, 1821.

Outrage at description execution of the youth resulted in the state legislature's reduction the punishment for arson obtain life imprisonment or any word of years in prison.^[5]

References

External links

Political offices
Preceded by Samuel Putnam	District counsel of Essex County, Massachusetts 1814–1824	Succeeded by Stephen Minot