Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1889, volume 6).djvu/276

248 In 1871 he was elected an associate of the National academy, and in 1885 he became an academician. He has received medals at Amsterdam (1860) and Philadelphia (1876), and has contributed many pictures to the exhibitions at the Academy of de- sign. His "Clearing off, Adirondacks," "The Grove in the Heath," "Russell's Falls, Adiron- dacks," and " Autumn in the White Mountains " were at the Philadelphia exhibition of 1876.

VAN HORNE, William C., railroad president, b. in Will county, 111., in February, 1843. He began his railway career as a telegraph-operator on the Illinois Central in 1856, was attached in various capacities to the Michigan Central and Chicago and Alton railroads from 1858 till 1872, was general superintendent of the St. Louis, Kansas City, and Northern line in 1872-4, general manager of the Southern Minnesota in 1874-8, and president in 1877-9, and in 1879 also filled the office of gen- eral superintendent of the Chicago and Alton. He was next general superintendent of the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul road, then became general manager of the Canadian Pacific railroad, of which the section through the wheat-districts of Manitoba had just been completed. He was elected vice- president of the company in 1884, and in 1888 became its president.

VAN KOUGHNET, Philip (van-ko'-net), Cana- dian statesman, b. in Cornwall, Upper Canada, in ' 1789 ; d. there, 17 May, 1873. His father, Michael, a United empire loyalist, removed to Canada at the time of the American Revolution. The son was present at the battle of Chrysler's Farm, 11 Nov., 1813, as a subaltern officer, and at the battle of the Windmill, at Prescott, 13 Nov., 1837, as lieutenant- colonel of the 5th battalion of incorporated mili- tia, and remained in command till the regiment was disbanded. He was a member of one or the other branch of the legislature of Upper Canada for more than thirty years, being in the legislative council in 1840, when the union of Upper and Lower Canada took place. At the time of his death he was chairman of the board of government arbitrators for the Dominion. — His son, Philip Michael Scott, Canadian statesman, b. in Corn- wall, Ont., 26 Jan., 1823; d. in Toronto in the autumn of 1869, was admitted to the bar in 1844, began practice in Toronto, and in 1850 was ap- pointed queen's counsel. In 1856 he became president of the executive council and minister of agriculture in the Tache-Macdonald government in the place of Sir Allan N. MacNab, who had re- signed. When the Cartier-Macdonald ministry was formed he vacated the office of minister of agriculture for that of commissioner of crown lands. He resigned his portfolio in 1862, and was appointed chancellor of Canada, in which post he continued till his death. He represented Rideau division in the legislative council of Canada, and became and continued during his political career leader of the government in that body. He was at one time a delegate to England to confer with the imperial government regarding the international railway. — Another son, Laurence, b. in Cornwall, Ont., 7 Oct., 1836, was educated at Trinity college, Toronto, and in May, 1880, became deputy superin- tendent-general of Indian affairs in the Dominion.

VAN LENNEP, Henry John, missionary, b. in Smyrna, Asia Minor, 8 March, 1815. He is de- scended from an eminent family of Dutch schol- ars and writers. In 1830 he was sent to this coun- try, and he was graduated at Amherst in 1837. After studying one year at Andover theological seminary, he was ordained to the ministry of the Congregational church, returned to Asia Minor as a missionary, and established new mission-posts in European Turkey, Asia Minor, and Syria. H& subsequently was connected with collegiate and theological institutions in Constantinople, Smyrna, and Tocat, and made many exploring expeditions and travelled extensively in Egypt and the East. He also became familiar with ten oriental dialects, in five of which he was able to preach. He lost his sight from cataract in 1869, returned to this coun- try, was professor of natural sciences and modern languages in Ingham university, Le Roy, N. Y., in 1876-'8, and subsequently a teacher in Great Bar- rington, Mass. He has published " Travels in Asia Minor " (2 vols., London, 1870), and " Bfble Lands " (1879). — His wife. Mary Elizabeth, missionary, b. in Hartford, Conn., 16 April, 1821 ; d. in Constan- tinople, Turkey, 27 Sept., 1844, was a daughter of the Rev. Joel Hawes, and was educated in Hart- ford and New Haven. She married Mr. Van Len- nep in 1843, accompanied him to Asia Minor, and established a school for native girls in Constanti- nople. See an interesting " Memoir " by her mother (Hartford. Conn., 1847).

VAN NESS, John Peter, congressman, b. in Ghent, N. Y., in 1770 ; d. in Washington, D. C, 7 March, 1847. He studied at Columbia and was prepared for the bar, but was prevented from practising by delicate health. He was chosen to congress as a Democrat in 1800. After he became major of the uniformed militia of the District of Columbia the house of representatives declared that he had forfeited his seat by accepting a com- mission from the general government, and he was relieved from office, 17 Jan., 1803. On the death of his wife's father he came into possession of a large fortune, built a fine mansion, and entertained on a luxurious scale. He then became a citizen of Washington, occupied many offices of trust, was president of the Metropolitan bank, mayor of the city, and a trustee of various institutions. — His wife, Marcia Burns, philanthropist, b. in Wash- ington, D. C, in 1782 ; d. there in September, 1832, was a daughter of David Burns, of Washington, and was married in 1802. She was carefully educat- ed, and, as the wealthiest heiress in her section of the country, held a conspicuous place in Wash- ington society. While meeting all the claims that her large wealth and high standing could present, she led a life of much benevolence and religious beauty. She established the Protestant or- phan asylum, gave the ground on which two churches were built, and contributed liberally to charities. Mr. and Mrs. Van Ness were buried in a mausoleum that was erected after the pattern of the Temple of Vesta at Rome. It stood in the grounds of the Protestant orphan asylum, and for many years was one of the curious and interesting relics of old Washington. It has since been removed to a cemetery. Mrs. Van Ness was the only woman in Washington that ever received a public funeral, which was awarded her on account of her extensive charities. — His