# Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Leslie, Eliza

Edition of 1900.
LESLIE, Eliza, author, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 16 Nov., 1787; d. in Gloucester, N. J., 2 Jan., 1858. Her father, a watchmaker of Philadelphia, was a personal friend of Franklin, Jefferson, and other eminent men. Eliza accompanied her parents to England in 1793, and, after her return in 1800, resided chiefly in Philadelphia. Her first compositions were in verse. In her fortieth year she published her first prose work, a cookery-book, which met with a large sale, and subsequently, after obtaining a prize for her story, “Mrs. Washington Potts,” which was published in “Godey's Ladies' Book,” she adopted literature as a profession and edited “The Gift,” a popular annual. Her writings are distinguished for good sense, ease of expression, and quiet humor, and her works on cookery and housekeeping were for many years very popular. Her publications include “Seventy-five Receipts” (Philadelphia, 1827); “American Girl's Book” (1831); “Pencil Sketches” (1833-'7); “Domestic Cookery-Book” (1837); “Althea Vernon” (1838); “Henrietta Harrison” (1838); “House-Book” (1840); “Ladies' Receipt-Book” (1848>; “The Dennings” (1851); and “Behavior-Book” (1853). During the last ten years of her life she was engaged on a life of John Fitch, the steam navigator. — Her brother, Charles Robert, artist, b. in London, England, 19 Oct., 1794; d. there, 5 May, 1859, accompanied his family to the United States in 1800, was educated in the public schools of Philadelphia, and apprenticed to a bookseller, but in 1813 returned to England, where he was in the studios of Benjamin West and Washington Allston, and soon attained notice. He was elected an associate of the Royal academy in 1821 and academician in 1825. In 1831 he became professor of drawing in the U. S. military academy, but resigned the next year, owing to the discontent of his English wife. In 1848-'51 he was professor of painting in the Royal academy. His “Cooke as Richard III.” and “Murder of Rutland by Clifford” are in the Philadelphia academy of fine arts. His most famous paintings are in the Vernon collection in the National gallery, London, and in the Sheepshank's collection. His works include “The Coronation of Queen Victoria,” “Anne Page and Master Slender,” “Sir Roger de Coverley going to Church,” and “May Day in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth.” He published “Memoirs of John Constable” (London, 1848), and “Life and Times of Sir Joshua Reynolds,” continued by Tom Taylor (1865). See “Charles Robert Leslie's Autobiographical Recollections,” edited by Tom Taylor (1860; republished, Boston, 1860). — Another brother, Thomas Jefferson, soldier, b. in London, 2 Nov., 1796; d. in New York city, 25 Nov., 1874, was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1815, was paymaster of engineers from that date till 1838, was appointed 2d lieutenant in 1816, 1st lieutenant in 1819, and brevetted captain for ten years' faithful service in 1829. He was major and paymaster in 1838, declined the appointment of deputy paymaster-general in 1847, and during the civil war was chief of the paymaster's department of New York district. In 1865 he was brevetted colonel and brigadier-general for faithful performance of duty during a continuous period of fifty years' service. He was retired in 1869.