Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/146

126 swam ashore with his crew, and on reaching Buenos Ayres was made commodore. After the peace he delivered a corvette to the porte for Henry Eckford. He was with him in Constantinople when he died, Eckford at the time being superintendent of the Ottoman ship-yards. Returning to New York, De Kay married in 1833 Janet, only child of Joseph Rodman Drake, the poet. In 1847 he took the U. S. frigate &ldquo;Macedonian&rdquo; to Ireland with supplies for the sufferers from the famine, having exerted himself to secure the passage of an act of congress permitting a government vessel to be so employed. See &ldquo;Outline of the Life of Com. George C. De Kay&rdquo; by Fitz-Greene Halleck (New York, 1847). — George Coleman's son, Joseph Rodman Drake, soldier, b. 21 Oct., 1836; d. in New York city, 9 June, 1886, served with credit during the civil war on the staffs of Gens. Mansfield, Pope, and Hooker, and won the brevet of lieutenant-colonel for gallantry in several battles. — Another son of George Coleman, George Coleman, soldier, b. 24 Aug., 1842; d. in New Orleans, 27 June, 1862, left his studies in Dresden, Saxony, in 1861, returned to the United States, and entered the National service as lieutenant of artillery, and afterward was on the staff of Gen. Thomas Williams till he received a mortal wound in a fight with bushwhackers at Grand Gulf. — Another son of George Coleman, Sidney, soldier, b. 7 March, 1845; d. in 1890, left school in the second year of the civil war and joined the 71st New York volunteers. He was afterward made lieutenant in the 8th Connecticut regiment, served on the staffs of Gens. B. F. Butler, Devens, and Terry, and received the brevet of major. After the war he went to Crete to assist the Greeks against the Turks. — Another son, Charles, author, b. in Washington, D. C., 25 July, 1848, has published &ldquo;The Bohemian&rdquo; (New York, 1878); &ldquo;Hesperus&rdquo; (1880); &ldquo;Vision of Nimrod&rdquo; (1881); &ldquo;Vision of Esther&rdquo; (1882); and &ldquo;Love Poems of Louis Barnaval&rdquo; (1883). His best known story is &ldquo; Manmatha.&rdquo;

DE KOVEN, James, clergyman, b. in Middletown, Conn., 19 Sept., 1831; d. in Racine, Wis., 19 March, 1879. He was graduated at Columbia in 1851, and at the General theological seminary in 1854, was ordained priest in 1855, and became rector of the church of St. John Chrysostom, DelafieJd, Wis., and principal of St. John's hall, the preparatory department for Nashotah theological seminary. In 1859 this department, through his instrumentality, was merged in Racine college, Mr. De Koven becoming the warden. He was a leader in the high-church movement in the west, and inaugurated radical changes in the management and discipline of the college. He introduced the Oxford cap and gown in 1861. to be worn both by students and professors; inaugurated the conferring a gold tassel to be worn by the student that attained the highest proficiency; invited from England a celebrated teacher of church-music, and established the first Episcopal surpliced choir west of New York city. He was prominent in all matters of church education, and a leader in the diocesan and general conventions. The degree of D. D. was conferred upon him in 1862 by Hobart. In 1873 he lacked but a few votes of being elected bishop of Massachusetts. The election turned on the questions at issue between the high and low church parties of New England, and Dr. De Koven was the candidate of the former, being put forward as one of the most powerful orators of the Episcopalian pulpit. But more general attention was attracted to him by an address delivered in the convention of 1874. The controversy between the high and low church parties had then assumed a bitter antagonism, and threatened a serious dissension if not a final division. The address in question produced a profound impression, and Dr. De Koven was perhaps in consequence elected bishop of Illinois, but was not confirmed by the diocese. In the year following, his name was again proposed for a bishopric, but was siibsequently withdrawn by his friends, there being no hope of a confirmation. Meantime he continued his work as an educator in building up the institution at Racine. By his efforts a commodious edifice was erected for the college chapel, 200 acres of adjoining land was purchased, and costly buildings were put in as extensions and connections to those already standing, until the college quadrangle was nearly completed. In 1878 he was called to be an assistant rector of Trinity church, New York, but declined. A short time before his death he was chosen rector of St. Mark's, Philadelphia, but had not time to act upon it. He was noted for his kindly courtesy, his genial humor, and his brilliant conversational powers. In the pu][nt he displayed many of the best qualities of the saci'ed orator. His death was caused by slipping on the ice in a lonely place, on his way from the station to the college, and breaking his leg. The weather was cold, and he lay for several hours before it was known and any help reached him. He was the author of several stories for boys and "Sermons Preached on Various Occasions," published since his death, with a preface by the Rev. Morgan Dix, D. D. (New York, 1880).

DE KRAFFT, James Charles Philip, naval officer, b. in the District of Columbia, 12 Jan., 1826; d. there, 29 Oct., 1885. He was appointed midshipman from Illinois in 1841, and attaclicd to the frigate " Congress," in the Mediterranean squadron. During the Mexican war he took part in the first attack on Alvarado in 1846. He was commissioned lieutenant, 15 Sept., 1855, and detailed to the command of the frigate " Niagara " in 1860, in which vessel he was present at the assault on Fort McCrean, one of the defences of Pensacola, the following year. In 1862-'3 he was on duty in the navy-yard at Washington, and commanded the steamer "Conemaugh," Western Gulf-blockading squadron, in 1864-'6, during which period he assisted in the operations against Fort Powell, Mobile bay. Commissioned as commander in 1866, and as captain in 1872, he served subsequently as captain of the " Hartford," as chief of staff of the Asiatic station, and had charge of the Washingtcm and Philadelphia navy-yards. He was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral in Jiuie, 1885.

DE KROYFT, Sarah Helen, author, b. near Rochester, N. Y., 29 Oct., 1818. Her maiden name was Aldrich. She obtained a good education by teaching in winter and attending school in summer for seven years. Her attainments included French, Italian, and the higlier mathematics. She was graduated at Lima, N. Y., seminary, and in 1845 married Dr. William De Kroyft, of Rochester, who died on his wedding-day of injuries received in falling from a carriage. Within the month following she awoke one morning to find her sight entirely gone. She spent a year or two at the New York institution for the blind, with the intention of becoming an organist, and while there began to write for newspapers and periodicals. In 1850 she published a collection of letters under the title "A Place in thy Memory," nearly 200,000 copies of which have been sold. She has travelled extensively in the United States. About 1865 she added Latin to tiie list of her acquisitions, and a few years later entered the lecture-