Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/250

 DEVITT

DEWEY

DEVITT, Edward i^atius, educator, was born in Bt).stun. M;is>, D.-c. KJ. 1><41; son of tltH>r;j;f Devitl. He \v:is Franklin medal scholar from tl»e Eliot sciiotd, 1S.'>4; was graduated from the English higli school; a student for several years at tiie College of the Holy Cross. Worces- ter. Mass.. and left before graduating to enter the 8hy at the College of the Sacred Heart, Woodstock. Md., 1879-83; lecturer on philosophj' at Georgetown university, 1883-85; professor of theology at the College of the Sacred Heart, Woodstock, Md., 1885-88; professor of pliilosophy at the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Mass., 1888-91; president of Boston college to succeed the Rev. Robert Fulton, S.J., 1891-94; professor of logic, metaphysics and ethics at Georgetown college, D.C., from 1894, and a mem- ber of the board of direction of Georgetown university.

DE VRIES, Marion, representative, was born near Woodbridge, San Joaquin county, Cal., Aug. 15, 1865. He was graduated from San Joa- quin Valley college in 1886 with the degree of Ph.B. and "from the law department of the Uni- versity of Michigan in 1888. He was admitted to the bar in 1887 and practised in Stockton, Cal., after January, 1889. He was assistant district att<jrney for San Joaquin county, 1893-97, and a Democratic representiitive from California in the 55tli and 5tiih congre.sses, 1897-1901.

DEW, Thomas Roderick, educator, was born in King and yueen county, Va., Dec. 5, 1810; son of Cai»t. Thomas R. and Lucy (Gatewood) Dew. His father was a soldier in the Revolution and a captain in the war of 1812. The son was graduated from William and Mary college in 1820, and in 1827 returned there to accept the cliair of history, metaphysics, and political econ- omy. In 1836 he was elected president of the college and held the office during the rest of his life. He published : The Policy of the Government (1829) ; An Ex>«nj in Faxor of Slavery (1833) ; and A Di'jejst of the Lfiics, Cuxtomsi, Manners, and Institu- tions of Ancient and Modern Nations (1853). He died in Paris. Fnince. Aug. 6. 1846.

DEWEY, Charles Augrustus, jurist, was lx)rn in WiUiam.stown, Ma.ss., March 13, 1793; son of Judge Daniel Dewey of the .state supreme court. His mother was a daughter of Judge

David Noble of the court of common pleas. He was graduated at Williams college in 1811, studied law under the direction of his father and gained admittiince to the bar in 1814. He removed his law office to Northampton in 1826, where he practised with Isaac C. Bates, his brother in-law subsequently a U.S. senator. He was district attorney for the western district of Massachu- setts, 1830-37. Governor Everett appointed him a justice of the supreme court in 1837 and he con- tinued on the bench up to the time of his death. He was married in 1820 to Frances A., daughter of the Hon. Samuel Henshaw. She died in 1821 leaving one son, Francis Henshaw Dewey. In 1825 he was married to Caroline H., daughter of Gen. James Clinton of New York. He was a trustee of W^illiams college, 1824-66, and receiveil the degree of LL.D. from Harvard in 1840. He died in Northampton, Mass., Aug. 22, 1866.

DEWEY, Chester, educator, was born in Sheffield, Mass., Oct. 25, 1784; son of Stephen, Jr., and Elizabeth (Owen) Dewey; grandson of Capt. Stephen, great-grandson of James, great ^ grandson of Jedediah, and great^ grandson of Thomas Dewey, who came from England to the colony of Massachusetts in 1630. He was gradu- ated at Williams college in 1806, studied theology with the Rev. Dr. Stephen We.st of Stockbridge, and was licensed to preach in 1807. He preached in Tyringham for a short time and was tutor in Williams college, 1808-10, and professor of mathe- matics and natural philosophy, 1810-26, resigning his chair in the last named year and removing to Pittsfield, Mass., to become principal of the Berk- shire gymnasium. He was professor of chemistry and botany in the Berkshire medical college from 1822 for about forty years, and also at Woodstock, Vt., from 1841, si:)ending four months of each year as long as his strength remained. In 1836 he removed to Rochester. N.Y'., and was principal of the Rochester collegiate institute, 1836-50. He was professor of chemistry and natural philosoi)hy in the University of Rochester which he heli>ed to found, 1850-60, and was professor emeritus up to the time of his death. He helijed to lay tlie foundation for the study of science in the United States. His corresiwndence extended to eminent botanists all over the world and he was tiie acknowledged authority on carices. He gave his remarkable collection of gras.ses to Williams college. He was a member of the American as.so- ciation for the advancement of science and of the American philo.sophical society. Y'ale conferred uixm him the degree of M.A. in 1809, and that of M.D. in 1825; Union the honorary degree of D.D. in 1838, and Williams that of LL.D. in 18.50. He wrote: Ilixtory of the Herbaceous Plants of Massachusetts, published by the state; and among his review articles are : The True Place of Man in