BANCROFT, George, American historian: b. Worcester, Mass., 3 Oct. 1800; d. Washing ton, D. C., 17 Jan. 1891. He was the son of Rev. Aaron Bancroft (q.v.), a Unitarian clergyman, and Lucretia Chandler Bancroft. He fitted for college at Phillips Academy, Exe ter, N. H., entered Harvard College at the age of 13, and was graduated before reaching his 17th birthday. Edward Everett, then professor of Greelc, having proposed that some young graduate of promise be sent to Germany for purposes of study in order that he might after.: ward become one of the corps of instructors, Bancroft was chosen, and in the stunmer of 1818 went to Gottingen, where two years later he.received his degree of Ph.D. At GOttingen he studied German literature under Benec.ke; Italian and French literature under Artaud and Bunsen; Oriental languages and New Testa ment Greek under Eichhorni natural history under Blumenbach; and the antiquities and literature of Greece and Rome under Dissen, an enthusiastic admirer of Plato, with whom he went through a thorough course of Greek philosophy. But his chicf attention was given to history, which he studied under Heeren, the greatest historical critic of that day, and one of the most scientific of all historians. In choosing this special branch, Bancroft gave as a reason his desire to see if facts would not clear up theories and assist in getting out the true one. For a time he also studied at Ber lin, where he was warmly received by the lead ers in the academic world, notably Wolf, the editor of Homer; Schleiermacher and. Hegel, to whom he brought tidings of their fame in the New World. In an extended tour through Germany and other countries he met Goethe at Jena, studied for a time with Schlosser at Heidelberg, formed an acquaintance with Man zoni at Milan and a life friendship with Chev alier Bunsen at Rome, where he also met Nie buhr. At Paris he was kindly received by Cousin, Benjamin Constant and Alexander von Humboldt. Returning to America in 1822 he served for a year as tutor in Greek at Har vard. In 1823, in conjunction with J. G. Cogs well, he established the famous Round Hill School at Northampton, Mass., a preparatory school far in advance of its time as to systems of study and classbooks. The teachers were good, the instruction inspiring and the students led a happy, healthy life, but the undertaking proved a failure financially. Bancroft with drew in 1830, and Cogswell two years later. Many of their students afterward became men of national reputation or prominence, among them being J. L. Motley, Ellery Channing,
G. E. Ellis and Theodore Sedgwick. Hence forward his career is best separated into po litical and literary. During the Round Hill years he had cut loose from the political tradi tions of the Harvard circle. In a public speech in 1826 he had avowed his principles to be for universal suffrage and uncompromising demo& racy, and at once became foremost in the coun cils of the Democratic party, though twice de clining nomination or election to the State leg islature. Van Buren appointed him collector of the port of Boston (1838-41) and his ad ministration of the office won the praise of his political opponents. While collector he ap pointed Nathaniel Hawthorne and Orestes Brownson to offices within his jurisdiction. In 1844 he was defeated as the Democratic candi date for governor of Massachusetts, althougfi he received more votes than any previous can didate of his party. In 1845 he became Secre tary of the Navy under Polk. It was he who planned and established the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md.; he gave the first order to take possession of California; and while Acting Secretary of War ordered General Taylor to march into Texas, thus ultimately leading to the annexation of that State. During 1846-49 he was Minister-plenipotentiary to Great Britain and there successfully urged upon the British ministry the necessity of adopting more liberal navigation laws. Has reputation as a man of letters put the manuscript treasures of the great English families at his disposal and he combined his public duties with ardent his torical researches. From 1849 to 1867 he lived in New York city, absorbed in literary worlc. During the Civil War he was a patriotic War Democrat and delivered a powerful speech ef fectually demolishing the Constitutional plea for slavery. Before both Houses of Congress he delivered a masterly eulogy on Lincoln. Ap pointed Minister to Prussia in 1867 he achieved a diplomatic triumph in bringing about the adoption of treaties in which England and Ger many finally recognized the right of expatria tion and abandoned their doctrine of °once a citizen, always a citizen.° In the northwest boundary treaty, negotiated by Polk, there was an ambiguity concerning a portion of the line. It was decided to submit the point to the Ger man Emperor for arbitration. Bancroft pre pared the whole American argument and the reply to the case of the British. The decision was unreservedly in favor of the United States.