Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/180

160 line Abigail Smith, was a daughter of Col. Will- iam S. Smith, who served with distinction under Washington. She edited her mother's letters un- der the title of " The Correspondence of Miss Ad- ams, daughter of John Adams " (New York and London, 1847). The greater number of these let- ters were written during Miss Adams's travels abroad before her marriage with Col. Smith, which took place in London, 12 June, 1786. Mrs. Smith died in Quincy, Mass., on 14 Aug., 1813, and in 1814 her daughter Caroline married Mr. De Wint.

DE WITT, Benjamin, scientist, b. in 1774: d. in New York city in 1819. He was a practising physician in New York, and published a treatise on '"Oxygen" (New York, 1707); "An Oration" (1808) ; "and " Minerals in New York," in trans- actions of the American association of science.

DE WITT, Charles, member of the Continental congress, b. in 1728; cl. in Kingston, N. Y., in Sep- tember, 1787. He was a delegate from New York to the old congress during its sessions in Philadel- phia, Princeton, and Annapolis in 1783, at Tren- ton, N. J., in 1784, and the first session in New York citv in 1785.

DE WITT, John, clergyman, b. in Catskill, N. Y., in August, 178'J ; d. iii'New Brunswick, N. J., 11 Oct., 1831. lie studied for a time at Union, but was graduated at Princeton in 1809, studied theology "with Dr. Porter in Catskill, was licensed to preach in 1811, and held pastorates in the Re- formed Dutch church at Lanesborough, Mass., and Albany, N. Y.. till 1823, when he became professor of ecclesiastical history in the theological seminary at New Brunswick, N, J. In 1825 Dr. De Witt assumed also the professorship of belles-lettres, criticism, and logic in Rutgers college. The three chairs he filled until his death. His publications were confined to occasional discourses. — His son, John, b. in Albany, N. Y., 19 Oct., 1821, was graduated at Rutgers in 1838, and at the New Brunswick seminary in 1842. He was ordained in the Reformed church and was pastor at Ridgeway, N. Y., in 1842-4, at Ghent in 1845-8, at Canajb- harie in 1848-'9, and at Millstone, N. J., from 1850 till 1803, when he became professor of sacred lit- erature in the theological seminary at New Bruns- wick. He was a member of the Bible revision committee, and is the author of " The Sure Foun- dation and How to Build on it " (New York, 1860), and a new translation of the Psalms (1885).

DE WITT, Simeon, surveyor, b. in Ulster county, N. Y., 25 Dec, 1756 ; d. in Ithaca, N. Y., 3 Dec, 1834. He was graduated at Queen's (after- ward Rutgers) college in 1776, being the only graduate in that year. He joined the army of Gen. Gates, was present at the surrender of Burgoyne, and from 1778 till 1780 was assistant topographer to the Continental army, and then chief of the topographical stafE of Gen. Washington until the close of the war in 1783. In 1784 he became sur- veyor-general of the state of New York, in which post he remained until he died. He performed valuable services in locating lands and laying out roads, and was one of the chief promoters of the Erie canal. To Mr. De Witt it was long believed we were indebted for the extraordinary classical names of Carthage, Pompey, Sempronius, etc., given to various townships of the state. His sup- posed pedantry and folly afforded a fine theme for one of Drake and Halieek's " Croakers." But it is now known that the real culprit was the deputy- secretary of state of that period. In 1796 De Witt was nominated surveyor-general of the United States, but declined. He was for many years a resident of Albany, and was active in advancing its literary and material interests. He became a regent of the state university in 1798, vice-chan- cellor in 1817, and chancellor in 1829. He pub- lished a map of New York (1804), and a treatise on the " Elements of Perspective " (Albany, 1813). Dr. T. Romeyn Beck published a " Eulogium " on his life and services (Albany, 1835). — His wife, Snsan Linn (1778-1824), wrote " Justinea," a nov- el, and " The Pleasures of Religion," a poem.

DE WITT, Thomas, clergyman, b. in Kings- ton, N. Y., 13 Sept., 1791 ; d. in New York city, 18 May, 1874. He was graduated at Union in 1808, and studied theology in the seminary at New Brunswick, where he was graduated in 1812. The same year he was ordained pastor of the combined con- gregations of New Placken- sack and Hope- well, Dutchess CO., N. Y., where he remained un- til 1827, when he accepted a call to the Collegiate Dutch church of New York city, of which he was the senior clergyman from 1858 until his" death. He was vice - president for many yc-irs of the New York historical society, and its president in 1872-'4 ; also an active director of the Bible, Colonization, Tract, and Sunday-school societies, as well as the boards of his church. He published very little, even his ser- mons being generally unwritten. He was one of the last of" the ministers of the Reformed Dutch church who could preach in the Dutch language.

DE WITT, William Radcliffe, clergyman, b. in Clinton, Dutchess co., N. Y., 25 Feb., 1792 ; d. in Harrisburg, Pa., 23 Dec, 1867. He was trained to mercantile life, but studied theology with Dr. Alex- ander Proudfit. Leaving his studies to volunteer in the war of 1812-5, he fought under Com. McDonough on Lake Champlain. After the war he completed his theological course with the Rev. Dr. John M. Mason, of New York city, and became, in 1818, pastor of the church in Harrisburg, over which he presided until his death. From 1854 till 1867 he filled the office of state librarian, and in- terested himself in the public-school system of the state. — His son, John, clergyman, b. in Harris- burg, Pa., 10 Oct., 1842, was graduated at Prince- ton'in 1861, studied law, then theology, in Prince- ton seminary and the Union theological seminary in New York city, and was ordained, 9 June, 1865. From 1865 till 1869 he was pastor at Irvington, N. Y., then till 1876 of the Central Presbyterian church in Boston, Mass., and of the 10th Presby- terian church in Philadelphia from the latter year till 1882, when he became professor of ecclesiastical history in Lane seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio. He has published " Sermons on the Christian Life " (New York, 1885).

D'WOLFE, James, senator, b. in Bristol, R. I., in 1763 ; d. in New York city, 21 Dec, 1837. He was elected U. S. senator from Rhode Island, but served only from 3 Dec, 1821, till December, 1825, when he resigned the office.