John Palmer

John Palmer, an English clergyman, born in Southwark in 1729, died June 26, 1790. In 1759 he became pastor of a Presbyterian congregation in London, with which he remained connected till 1780, when, having married a lady of fortune, he retired from the ministry, and devoted himself to literary pursuits. In the latter part of his life he abandoned the doctrines of Calvin for those of Socinus. His principal works are: " Observations in defence of the Liberty of Man as a Moral Agent," in reply to Dr. Priestley's "Illustrations of Philosophical Necessity " (8vo, London, 1779); an appendix to that production, and a " Letter to Priestley" on the same subject; and a "Summary View of Christian Baptism".

John Parker Boyd

John Parker Boyd, an American soldier, born in Newburyport, Mass., in 1768, died in Boston, Oct. 4, 1830. He entered the United States army in 1786, but soon afterward went to India, where he raised three battalions, each of about 500 men, with a few English officers, whom, as well as his men, he hired at a certain amount per nionth. The equipment, including guns and elephants, was his sole property, and he let out the services of his little army to any of the Indian princes who would give him the best pay. The demand for his services diminishing, he sold out, and in 1808 returned to the United States, and took part as colonel in the battle of Tippecanoe, Nov. 7, 1811. He was afterward appointed brigadier general, put at the head of a detachment of 1,500 men of Wilkinson's army in the expedition to Upper Canada, and fought the battle of Chrystler's Farm, Nov. 11,1813. He published "Documents and Facts relative to Military Events during the late War " (1816).

John Pearson

John Pearson, an English bishop, born at Snoring, Norfolk, Feb. 12, 1613, died in Chester, July 16,1686. He was educated at King's college, Cambridge, of which he became fellow in 1635; took orders in 1639; and after various preferments was made prebendary of Ely and master of Jesus college, Cambridge, in 1660, Lady Margaret professor of divinity in 1661, and master of Trinity college in 1662. In 1672 he was consecrated bishop of Chester. He published several theological works, but is chiefly remembered for his " Exposition of the Creed" (1659), which has been frequently republished, abridged by several authors, and translated into Latin by Arnold (1691).

John Petherick

John Petherick, a British traveller in Africa. In 1845 he went to Egypt, entered the service of Mehemet Ali as mining engineer, and in January, 1847, was sent to Kordofan. He spent several years in the region of the upper Nile, but on the death of Mehemet Ali he resigned his employment and became a merchant at Khartoom, where he was made British consul. In 1859 he went to England, and published "Egypt, the Soudan, and Central Africa, with Explorations from Khartoom on the White Nile to the Regions of the Equator" (London, 1861).