BLOOMER COSTUME, a style of dress introduced about the year 1849 by Mrs. Amelia Jenks Bloomer (q.v.), who proposed thereby to effect a complete revolution in female dress and add materially to the health and comfort of her sex. It consisted of a jacket with close sleeves, a skirt reaching a little below the knee and a pair of Turkish pantaloons secured by bands around the ankles. Though adopted rather ex tensively in America, it was unable to hold its ground against the united strength of prejudice and ridicule, and abroad it scarcely made fur ther way than furnishing a favorite subject of burlesque on the stage and of ridicule in the pages of the comic papers. One or two 'strong minded' women who ventured to brave public opinion in London by donning the new costume were persecuted by the mob. This movement, however, led the way to more rational dress and to the divided skirt. The bloomer is now used for athletic and gymnastic exercises only.
Joseph, American sol dier: b. Woodbridge, J., about 1755; d. Bur lington, N. Y., 3 Oct. 1823. When the Revolu tionary War broke out he was studying law but joined the cause of the colonists with en thusiasm. In 1776 he received a captain's commission in the 3d New Jersey regiment, served with distinction throughout the war and was mustered out a major. Resuming his legal studies, he acquired a successful practice in Burlington was elected attorney-general and twice 1812) governor of the State. Dur ing the War of 1812 he commanded a brigade. From 1817 to 1821 he was a representative in Congress, and as chairman of the committee on Revolutionary pensions he reported the bill granting pensions to soldiers of the Revolu tionary army. In 1793 he was appointed a trus tee of Princeton and during his eight years' membership of the board did much to promote the interests of that college.