Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1889, volume 6).djvu/284

256 VANUXEM, Lardner, geologist, b. in Philadel- phia, Pa., 23 July, 1792 ; d. in Bristol, Pa., 25 Jan., 1848. He was graduated at the Ecole des mines, Paris, in 1819, and soon after his return to the United States was called to fill the chair of chem- istry and mineralogy in South Carolina college. In 1826 he retired from the college and devoted his attention exclusively to geology as a profession. During that year he published in the newspapers and in Robert Mills's " Statistics of South Caro- lina " reports on the geology of the state, and then visited Mexico to examine mining property. In 1827-'8 he studied the geological features of the states of New York, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, under the auspices of the state of New York, and made his report to its legislature. On the establishment of the geological survey of New York in 1836, Prof. Vanuxem was assigned to the charge of the 3d geological district, and continued in the active work of the survey until 1841. The results are given in " Geology of New York, 3d District " (Albany, 1842). At the close of the survey he spent some time in Albany in ar- ranging the state geological cabinet, out of which has grown the New York state museum. Prof. Vanuxem's private collection of mineral and geo- logical specimens was considered at the time of his death as " the largest, best arranged, and most valuable private collection in the country." He was a member of the Philadelphia academy of nat- ural sciences, and of other scientific associations. It was the habit of those connected with the New York survey to meet at Albany at the end of each field season for the purpose of comparing observa- tions and of becoming acquainted with each other. In the autumn of 1838 Prof. Vanuxem suggested that an invitation be given to the geologists of Pennsylvania and Virginia for the purpose of de- vising and adopting a geological nomenclature that might be acceptable to all those that were then •engaged on the state surveys, and thus become the nomenclature of American geology. This meeting was finally held in 1840, and then the Association of American geologists was organized, which is now represented by the American association for the advancement of science, probably the largest scientific body in the world. In addition to the report that has been mentioned, and numerous pa- pers on scientific subjects in the " American Jour- nal of Science," he published " An Essay on the Ultimate Principles of Chemistry, Natural Philoso- phy, and Physiology " (Philadelphia, 1827).

VAN VALKENBURG, Robert Bruce, con- gressman, b. in Steuben countv, N. Y.„ 4 Sept., 1821 ; d. at Suwanee Springs, Fla., 2 Aug., 1888. He received an academic education, adopted the profession of law, and served three terms in the New York assembly. When the civil war opened he was placed in command of the state recruiting depot at Elmira, N. Y., and organized seventeen regiments for the field. He served in congress in 1861-'5, having been chosen as a Republican, and took the field in 1862 as colonel of the 107th regiment of New York volunteers, which he com- manded at Antietam. In the 38th congress he was chairman of the committees on the militia, and expenditures in the state department. He was ap- pointed by President Johnson in 1865 acting com- missioner of Indian affairs, during the absence of the commissioner, and in 1866-'9 was U. S. min- ister to Japan. He became a resident of Florida when he returned from that mission, and was chosen associate justice of the state supreme court, which place he held at his death. Judge Van Valkenburg was an able politician and jurist.

VAN VECHTEN, Abraham, lawver, b. in Cats- kill, N. Y, 5 Dec, 1762 ; d. in Albany, N. Y., 6 Jan., 1837. He was educated at Columbia, studied law under John Lansing, and began practice in Johns- town, Montgomery co., N. Y., but soon removed to Albany. He was known as the " father of the New York bar," being the first lawyer admitted to prac- tice after the adoption of the state constitution. Mr. Van Vechten was city recorder in 1797-1808, state senator in 1798-1805, member of the assemblv 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 Uni- versity of the state of New York. He declined a seat on the supreme bench of the state that was tendered him by Gov. John Jay. He was a learned, eloquent, and successful lawyer, and as a legislator was the author of many laws that have given in- ternal improvements and educational advantages to New York state. — His nephew, Jacob, clergy- man, b. in Catskill, N. Y., in 1788 ; d. in Auburn, N. Y., 15 Sept., 1871, was graduated at Union col- lege in 1809, at the Associate Reformed seminary in, and at New Brunswick theological seminary in . In 1815-'49 he was pastor of the Reformed Dutch church in Schenectady, N. Y. He then re- tired from the ministry, passing the remainder of his life in intellectual and literary pursuits. He published " Memoirs of Dr. John M. Mason " (2 vols., New York, 1856), and "An Effective Min- istry," a sermon (1868).

VAN VLECK, Jacob, Moravian bishop, b. in New York city, 24 March, 1751 ; d. in Bethlehem, Pa., 3 July, 1831. In 1772 he went to Germany in order to complete his education in the Moravian theological seminary of that country, and he returned after an absence of seven years. He labored among the young men of the church at Bethlehem, and subsequently was appointed secretary of the provincial or governing board. In 1789 he went back to Germany as a delegate to the general synod. On returning in the following year he accepted the principalship of the girls' boarding-school at Bethlehem, which post he resigned when he was appointed senior pastor of the church at the same place. Subsequently he served as pastor at Nazareth, Pa., as principal of the boys' boarding-school, and as pastor of the church at Lititz, Pa. On 7 May, 1815, he was consecrated to the episcopacy at Bethlehem, having been appointed president of the executive board of the southern province. In this office he continued until 1822, when failing health constrained him to retire. He enjoyed universal confidence, and his influence among the young was very great. — His son, William Henry, Moravian bishop, b. in Bethlehem, Pa., 14 Nov., 1790; d. there, 19 Jan., 1853, was one of the three graduates of the first Moravian theological seminary in America. He served with success in the Moravian churches of Philadelphia and New York city, and also as principal of the boys' boarding-school at Nazareth, Pa. He was consecrated to the episcopacy, 20 Nov., 1836, at Bethlehem, and appointed president of the executive board of the southern province and pastor of the church at Salem. In 1848 he attended the general synod that convened at Herrnhut, Saxony, and in the following year resigned the presidency of his district and retired to Bethlehem. Bishop Van Vleck was a graceful and captivating preacher, a wise and gentle ruler, and a man of saintly character. He exercised a great influence. — William Henry's son, Henry Jacob, Moravian bishop, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 29 Jan., 1822, for twenty-five years labored as a teacher in the schools of the church, and in 1864 entered the