Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/152

 DA PONTE

DARGAN

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DA PONTE, Durant, journalist, was born in New York city about 1825; son of Lorenzo da Ponte. and grandson of Lorenzo da Ponte, pro- fessor in Columbia college. His niotlier was a sister of Thomas J. Durant, the famous jurist Durant da Ponte sjient his cliildliood in Kentucky and soutiiern Illinois and his education was limited to a few months at the district school. In 1842 he went to New Orleans, where he became con- nected with the Cres- cent as reporter in 1844 and as an editor in 1846. He served in the U.S. army in the Mexican war, 1847-48, and engaged in all the battles from Vera

Mexico, takmg part in the capture of that city. He was con- nected with the Picayune as editor and editor- in-chief, established and edited the Delta, and was otherwise identified with New Orleans jour- nalism until 1880. In the civil war he served in the Confederate army on the staffs of Generals Van Dorn and Magruder; was wounded in the forearm at the battle of Seven Pines, and was sent to the hospital at Richmond. He rejoined the army of General Lee and took part in the final engagements that ended in the surrender of the army of northern Virginia. He was paroled by Grant in person, liaving been a friend of the general for years. He studied law and in 1865-66 practised that profession in New Orleans. He was a member of the returning board in ±876 and aided in exposing election frauds. His edu- cation was chiefly gained by travel and observa- tion in America and Europe. He wrote and spoke fluently the French, Italian, Spanish, Ger- man, Portuguese and Low Dutch languages, and was versed in Latin and Greek. He was also a painter of some note. He was a member of the New Orleans stock exchange and engaged as a dealer in stocks and real estate from 1880 until his death. He acquired a fortune by buying New Orleans city premium bonds when they were not considered sound security. He was married to Sophia Brook of New Orleans, and their sons, Harry and Lorenzo, became interested with their father in business in New Orleans. After the death of his wife he was married in 188.3 to Rosa Salomon and they had one son, Serrill, born in 1884. He removed to his summer home at Alameda, Cal., in May, 1894, and died there Aug. 7, 1894.

DA PONTE, Lorenzo, composer and poet, was born in Venice, Italy, March 10, 1749, of an old and influential familj-, dating back to the early part of the sixteenth century. The name was derived from the occupation of the first Lorenzo, who was keeper of the kej's of the Bridge of the Rialto and became Lorenzo of the bridge or Lorenzo da Ponte. He was a teacher of rhetoric and composition in Italy and went to Vienna to become poet laureate to the archduke of Austria. He wrote the text of the operas " Don Giovanni '' and " Nozze di Figarro," and was decreed roj'alties on many of his works by both the French and Italian governments. The royalties were afterward repudiated b}- the French government. He was secretary and dramatist of the Italian opera and also a collector of rare books. In 1805 he removed with liis family to New York city where he taught the Italian language and was professor of Italian at Columbia college, 1826-37. He prepared text- books for acquiring the Italian language which he published and sold. He published Hixtonj of the Florentine BepuhUc (2 vols., 1838). His son, Lorenzo, married a sister of Thomas J. Durant, and removed to Kentucky and thence to New Orleans, La., where their son, Durant da Ponte, became a celebrated journalist and financier. He died in New York city, Aug. 17, 1838.

DARBY, John, educator, was born in North Adams, Mass. , Sept. 27, 1804. He was graduated at Williams college in 1831; was teacher of sciences and mathematics at Brahamville female institute, Columbia, S.C, four years; professor of sciences in the Wesleyan female college, Macon, Ga., fourteen years; professor of mathematics in Williams college, 1845-46; founder of the CuUo- den, Ga., female college; professor of natural sciences in Auburn female institute. Auburn, Ala.; professor of chemistrj' and natural history in the Eastern Alabama college, and president of the Kentucky Wesleyan college, 1869-75. He removed to New York city in 1875. His publica- tions include: Mamial of Botany ( 1841); The Botany of the Southern States (1855); and Chemistry (1860). He died in New York city, Sept. 18, 1877.

DARQAN, Edmund Spawn, juri.st, was born in Montgomery count}', N.C., April 15, 1805. His family were Irish Protestant and his father a Baptist preacher and farmer. He was .self edu- cated, .studied law with Judge Picket, and was admitted to the North Carolina bar at Wadesl)oro in 1829. He then taught school for a few months in Washington, Ala., and while there was elected a justice of the peace, which preferment deter- mined him to make Alabama his home. He practised law in Wasliington and in 1833 removed to the state capitol. In 1841 he was elected circuit judge of the Mobile district, which caused