Vanuxem, Lardner
scientist, author, was born July 23, 1792, in Philadelphia, Pa. He was a scientist who was state geologist of New York in 1836-42; and the author of Geology of New York, Third District; and Essay on the Ultimate Principles of Chemistry, Natural Philosophy, and Physiology. He died Jan. 25, 1848, in Bristol, Pa.
VAN VALKENBURGH, ROBERT BRUCE, soldier, lawyer, state legislator, congressman, was born Sept. 4, 1821, in Steuben county, N. Y. He served three terms in the state legislature of New York. He was elected a representative from New York to the thirty-seventh congress; and in 1862, while in congress, took command as colonel of the one hundred and seventh regiment New York volunteers, and was present at the battle of Antietam. He was re-elected to the thirtyeighth congress. In 1865 he was appointed acting commissioner of Indian affairs during the absence of the commissioner; and in 1865 was appointed minister resident to Japan. He died Aug. 2, 1888, in Suwanee Springs, Fla. VAN VECHTEN, ABRAHAM, lawyer, state legislator, author, was born Dec. 5, 1762, in Catskill, N. Y. He was known as the father of the New York bar, being the first lawyer admitted to practice after the adoption of the state constitution. He was city recorder in 1797-1808; state senator in 1798-1805; member of the assembly in 1805-15; attorney-general in 1810 and 1813-15; and a member of the constitutional convention in 1821. In 1797-1823 he was a regent of the university of the state of New York. He died Jan. 6, 1837, in Albany, N. Y.
VAN VECHTEN, JACOB, clergyman, author, was born in 1788 in Catskill, N.
Y. In 1815-49 he was pastor of the reformed Dutch church in Schenectady, N. Y. He published Memoirs of Dr. John M.
Mason, in two volumes; and An Effective Ministry, a sermon. He died Sept. 15, 1871, in Auburn, N. Y.
VAN VLECK, JACOB, Moravian bishop, was born March 24, 1751, in New York city. In 1815 he was consecrated to the episcopacy at Bethlehem, having been appointed president of the executive board of the southern province. He died July 3, 1831, in Bethlehem, Pa.
VAN VLECK, JOHN MONROE, educator, author, was born March 4, 1833, in Stone Ridge, N. Y. He was a member of the expedition that was sent out under the auspices of the Nautical Almanac office to observe the total solar eclipse at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, in 1869. His publications include Tables giving the Positions of the Moon for 1855-56, and for 1878-91, and similar Tables giving the Positions of Saturn for 1857 to 1877, contributed to the American Nautical Almanac. VAN VLECK, WILLIAM HENRY, Moravian bishop, was born Nov. 14, 1790, in Bethlehem, Pa. He was consecrated to the episcopacy in 1836 at Bethlehem, and appointed president of the executive board of the southern province and pastor of the church at Salem. He died Jan. 19, 1853, in Bethlehem, Pa.
VAN VLIET, STEWART, soldier, was born July 21, 1815, in Ferrisburg, Vt. He served in the Seminole, Mexican and civil wars; and was brevetted major-general in the United States army in 1865.
VAN VOORHES, NELSON H., soldier, journalist, lawyer, jurist, congressman, was born Jan. 23, 1822, in Washington county, Pa. In 1850 he was elected a member of the Ohio state legislature; and in 1855 was elected probate judge. He resigned to again become a member of the legislature, and was made speaker; and by re-elections was a member ten years.
In 1861 he entered the army in the volunteer service; and in 1862 was commissioned colonel of the ninety-second regiment of United States troops. In 1871 he was again speaker of the assembly; served in that capacity four years. In 1874 he was elected a representative from Ohio to the forty-fourth congress; and was reelected to the forty-fifth congress as a republican. VAN VOORHIS, HENRY C., lawyer, congressman, was born May 11, 1852, in Muskingum county, Ohio. He was elected from Zanesville, Ohio, to the fifty-third and fifty-fourth congresses, and re-elected to the fifty-fifth congress as a republican.
VAN VOORHIS, JOHN, lawyer, congressman, was born Oct. 22, 1828, in Decatur, N. Y. He was a member of the Rochester city board of education in 1857; city attorney in 1859; and was appointed collector of internal revenue in 1862. He was elected a representative from New York to the forty-sixth, forty-seventh and fifty-third congresses as a republican.
VAN WART, ISAAC, patriot, was born in 1760 in Greenburg, N. Y. On Sept. 23, 1780, with John Paulding and David Williams, he intercepted Major John André on his return from the American lines. For this service he received the thanks of congress, a pension of $200 per annum for life, and a silver medal bearing on one side the word Fidelity, and on the other the legend Vincit Amor Patriæ. On June 11, 1829, the citizens of Westchester county erected a monument to his memory. He died May 23, 1828, in Mount Pleasant, N. Y.
VAN WINKLE, PETER G., state legislator, United States senator, was born Sept. 7, 1808, in New York city. He was a member of the legislature of West Virginia from its organization until 1863; and in November of that year was elected a senator in congress from West Virginia for the term ending in 1869. He died April 15, 1872, in Parkersburg, W. Va.
VAN WYCK, CHARLES HENRY, soldier, lawyer, congressman, United States senator, was born May 10, 1824, in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He was elected a representative from New York to the thirty-sixth congress; and was also elected to the thirty-seventh congress. While in congress he served in the volunteer service as colonel of a regiment; and in 1865 was appointed a brigadier-general by brevet.
He was elected to the fortieth congress; and was re-elected to the forty-first congress. He removed to Nebraska in 1874; and was a state senator from 1876 to 1880.
He was elected United States senator from Nebraska for six years from March 4, 1881.
VAN WYCK, SAMUEL, insurance president, was born Dec. 22, 1824, in West Hills, N. Y. In 1887 he was elected president of the La Fayette Fire Insurance company of Brooklyn, N. Y., which position he still holds. VAN WYCK, WILLIAM W., congressman, was born in Dutchess county, N. Y. He was a representative in congress from that state from 1821 to 1825.
VAN ZANDT, CHARLES COLLINS, lawyer, state senator, governor, was born Aug. 10, 1830, in Newport, R. I. He was speaker of the Rhode Island state house of representatives in 1858-59, from 1866 to 1869, and from 1871 to 1873; and was lieutenant-governor and ex-officio president of the state senate from 1873 to 1875. He was governor of Rhode Island from 1877 to 1880.
VAN ZANDT, MARIE, vocalist, was born Oct. 8, 1861, in Texas. She was befriended by Adelina Patti, who encouraged her to go on the stage. She has unconsciously copied the style of that great cantatrice. Her voice is clear and melodious and of astonishing compass. VAN ZILE, EDWARD SIMS, journalist, author, was born in 1863 in New York.
He is a novelist and journalist of New York city on the staff of The World; and the author of Wanted, a Sensation; The Last of the Van Slacks; A Magnetic Man, and Other Stories; Don Miguel, and Other Stories; The Manhattaners; and A Crown Prince.