HALSTEAD, MURAT, an American journalist; born in Ross, Butler co., O., Sept. 2, 1829. He spent his minority on a farm. At 18 he began writing for news papers. In 1851 he finished his schooling at Farmers' College, near Cincinnati, and then decided to study law. He did local newspaper reporting on several Cincinnati papers; in 1853 became man ager of a department on the Cincinnati "Commercial," and subsequently part owner. In 1866 it was considered one of the most potent newspapers in the West. In 1890 he removed to Brooklyn, N. Y., and edited the "Union" newspaper. He wrote: "The Story of Cuba"; "Life of William McKinley"; "The Story of the Philippines"; "History of American Ex pansion"; "Life of Admiral Dewey"; "The Boer and British War"; etc. He died July 2, 1908.
HAM (Hebrew, burnt, swarthy, black), a son of Noah. The impiety re vealed in his conduct toward his fathe drew on him, or, rather, according to the Bible statement, on his son Canaan, a prophetic malediction (Gen. ix: 20-27).
Ham was the father of Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and Canaan, that is the ancestor of the Canaanites, southern Arabians, Ethiopians, Egyptians, and the Africans in general (Gen. x: 6-20).
HAM (am), a town in France, de partment of Somme, on the river of that name, 12 miles S. W. of St. Quentin. Its ancient fortress or castle was rebuilt by the Comte de Saint Poi in 1470. and now is used as a state prison. It is memorable as the place of confinement of Joan of Arc, Moncey, and others; of Polignac, Peyronnet, and Guernon de Ranville from 1831 to 1836; of Louis Napoleon from 1840 till 1846; and after the coup d'etat, of the republican generals Ca vaignac, Lamoriciere, Changarnier, etc.