DIX, JOHN ADAMS (1798-1879), American soldier and political leader, was born at Boscawen, N.H., on July 24, 17 93. He studied at Phillips Exeter academy and at the College of Montreal, and as a boy took part in the War of 1812. In July 1828, having attained the rank of captain, he resigned from the army, and for two years practised law at Cooperstown, N.Y. He soon became prominent as one of the leaders of the Democratic Party in the State and for many years was a member of the so called "Albany regency" (q.v.), a group of Democrats who be tween about 182o and 185o exercised a virtual control over their party in New York. In 1833-39 he was secretary of State and superintendent of schools in New York, and in this capacity made valuable reports concerning the public schools of the State, and a report (1836) which led to the publication of the Natural History of the State of New York (184 2-66) . From 1845 to 1849 he was a United States senator from New York. In May 186o he became postmaster of New York city, and from January until March 1861 he was secretary of the Treasury of the United States, in which capacity he issued (Jan. 29, 1861) to a revenue officer at New Orleans a famous order containing the words, "If any one at tempts to haul down the American flag, shoot him on the spot." He was appointed major-general of volunteers in June 1861, and during the Civil War commanded various departments until July, 1865. He was minister to France in 1866-69, and in 1872 was elected by the Republicans governor of New York, but was de feated two years later. He had great energy and administrative ability and served as president of important railways. He died in New York city on April 21, 1879. Among his publications are A Winter in Madeira and a Summer in Spain and Florence (185o), and Speeches and Occasional Addresses (1864). He wrote Eng lish versions of the Dies irae and the Stabat mater.
His son, MORGAN DIX (1827-1908), graduated at Columbia in 1848 and at the General Theological seminary in 1852, and was ordained deacon (1852) and priest (1853) in the Protestant Episcopal Church. In he was assistant minister, and in 1859-62 assistant rector, of Trinity Church, New York city, of which he was rector from 1862 until his death. He published sermons and lectures ; A History of the Parish of Trinity Church, New York City (1898-1905) ; and a biography of his father, Memoirs of John Adams Dix (1883) .