Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/257

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

married Sarah, daughter of Gen. Robert Bo- gardus, of New York. His son, of the same name, also became a commodore in the navy.

Abert, John James, born in Shepherds- tcnvn, Virginia, September 17, 1788, died in Washington, D. C, September 27, 1863. He was the son of John Abert, who came to this country with Rochambeau in 1780. Young Abert was graduated at West Point in 181 1, but at once resigned, and was then employed in the war office. Meanwhile he studied law, and was admitted to the bar in the District of Columbia in 1813. In the war of 1 81 2 he volunteered as a private sol- dier in the defence of the capital. He was reappointed to the army in 18 14 as topo- graphical engineer, with a rank of major. In 1829 he succeeded to the charge of the topographical bureau at Washington, and in 1838 became colonel in command of that branch of engineers. He was retired in 1861 after "long and faithful ser\'ice." Col. Abert was associated in the supervision of many of the earlier national works of engi- neering, and his reports prepared for the government are standards of authority. He was a member of several scientific societies, and was one of the organizers of the Na- tional Institute of Science, which was sub- sequently merged into the Smithsonian In- stitute. His sons served with distinction in the United States army during the civil war.

Jesup, Thomas Sidney, born in Virginia, in 1788; received preparatory education; in 1808 joined the United States army as lieu- tenant ot infantry, and during the war of 1812 served un Gen. William Hull's staff as adjutant-general ; he was appointed, succes- sively, captain, January, 181 3, major, April 6, 1813, lieutenant-colonel, April 30, 1817;

was brevetted lieutenant-colonel for bravery ai the battle of Chippewa, July 5, 1814; colo- nel, April, 1817, for gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Niagara, where he was severely wounded, and major-general, May 8, 1828, for ten years' faithful services in the same rank; was appointed adjutant- general with the rank of colonel, March 27, 1818, and quartermaster-general with the rank of brigadier-general. May 8, 1818; he assumed command of the army in the Creek nation. May 20, 1836, and he succeeded Gov. Richard Keith Call in command of the army in Florida, December 8, 1836; was wounded during a fight with the Seminoles at Jupiter Inlet, January 24, 1838, and was relieved by Col. Zachary Taylor; he died in Washing- ton, D. C, June 10, i860.

Jones, Thomas ap Catesby, born in Vir- ginia, in 1789, son of Major Catesby Jones and Lettice (Turberville) Jones, his wife. He entered the navy in 1805, became lieu- tenant in 1812, commander in 1820, and cap- tain in 1829. From 1808 to 1812 he was engaged in suppressing the slave trade on the Gulf of Mexico. In 1814, with a small flotilla, he opposed a British squadron of forty vessels at the entrance to Lake Borgne. Although he was wounded and obliged to surrender, his conduct was much praised. While commanding a squadron on the Pa- cific, he took possession of Monterey, hav- ing been informed of a condition of war be- tween the United States and Mexico, but withdrew when he learned that he had been misinformed. He died in Georgetown, D. C, May 30, 1858.

Mettauer, John Peter, of Prince Edward county, Virginia, received a classical educa- tion at Hampden-Sidney College, and was

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