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 GIBBES

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GIBBES

From 1843 to 1851 he was engaged in making analyses for Lord Dundonald of the bitumen of Trinidad and other products of the West Indies. Next he sought to turn his scientific discoveries to commerical use, and, proceeding to New York, set up two large factories for the manufacture of the illuminat- ing oil he called kerosene. The "New Oxford Dictionary," under the defini- tion of the word kerosene, says: "First manufactured by Abraham Ges- ner shortly after 1S46."

Dr. Gesner was of vigorous frame, always busy, but of kindly social dis- position, and held in great respect by his intimate acquaintances and the scientific men of his day.

Shortly after his medical graduation, Dr. Gesner married Miss Webster of Kentville, Nova Scotia, a sister of the naturalist, Dr. Webster, and had a large family.

A portrait of Dr. Gesner was publish- ed in the special mining number of "The Nova Scotian" (Halifax), October, 1903.

D. A. C.

Gibbes, Lewis Reeve (1810-1894).

Lewis Gibbes, mathematician and naturalist was born at Charleston, South Carolina, August 14, 1810, a descendant of Gov. Robert Gibbes of South Carolina, through whom he traced descent from the ancient Gybbys family of Warwickshire, England.

He graduated from the South Caro- lina College in 1829 and took his M. D. in 1836 from the Medical College of the state of South Carolina. Subse- quently he attended lectures at Paris under Velpeau, Andral and Louis, studying at the same time at the Sor- bonne and the Jardin des Plantes.

He was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.

He was tutor in mathematics in the South Carolina College from 1831 to 1834; acting professor of mathematics

in the same institution, 1834-35; pro- fessor in the College of Charleston from 183S to 1892, occupying first the chair of mathematics and later that of as- tronomy and physics.

Dr. Gibbes never practised medicine, but was devoted to scientific research and teaching. The extent and versa- tility of his knowledge were extraor- dinary. While astronomy seemed to be his chief love he likewise excelled in mathematics, chemistry, physics, botany and zoology; and in every field his work was characterized by thorough- ness and accuracy. The elder Agas- siz on one occasion referring to a certain investigation remarked that as Dr. Gibbes had gone over it no further re- search was necessary. As a teacher he was exceptionally gifted, insisting always upon attention to the smallest detail.

He married Anna Barnwell Gibbes September 21, 1848, and had nine children and died in his home at Charles- ton, South Carolina, November 21, 1S94, from the effects of a stroke of ap- oplexy received four months previously.

His writings consisted only of brief records of his work, of which the follow- ing will serve to indicate the range of his activity.

"Path of the Storm of Eighth of Sep- tember, 1854." ("Charleston Evening News," November 24, 1854.)

"Monograph of Genus of Crypto- podia." ("Proceedings of Elliott Society of Natural History," eleventh of June, 1856.)

" Discovery of New Species of Fir in Mountains of North Carolina, allied to Abies Canadensis. Proposed to call it Ab. Carolinensis." ("Proceedings Elliott Society Natural History," July 1, 1858.)

" Remarkable Flight of Thousands of Butterflies of Genus Callidyas across Charleston Harbor." (In "Canadian Entomologist.")

"Observations made upon the Earth- quake of Thirty-first of August." ("Proceedings of Elliott Society of