Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/193

 KANE

KANE

gree of A.M. from Waterville college in 1856 and from Madison university in 1857. He was pastor of the First Baptist church, Rockland, Maine, 1851-56 ; of Tremont Temple, Boston, Mass., 1856-60 ; of the Laight Street church. New York city, 1860-63. In 1863 he removed to Kansas, and was a charter trustee of Ottawa university, 1865-68; president of the board, 1864-68; treas- urer, 1867-68, and first president of the institution, 1806-68. He was one of the founders of Ottawa City, and was a representative in the Kansas leg- islature, 1872. He removed to California in 1875 and was pastor of a Baptist church in San Fran- cisco. 1875-80, and mayor of the city, 1879-82. He removed to Sehome, Washington Territory, where, and at Tacoma, he was pastor. He re- ceived the degree of D.D. from La Grange univer- sity in 1877. He died in Tacoma, Wash., in 1890. KANE, Elias Kent, senator, was born in New York city. June 7, 1796. He was a cousin of John Kintzing Kane, the jurist, (q. v.). He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and prac- tised in Nashville, Tenn. In 1815 he removed to Kaskaskia, 111., and was appointed a delegate to the convention that fi'amed the state constitution in 1818. He was the first secretary of the state of Illinois; a representative in the state legislature, was elected U.S. senator to succeed J. McLean in 1825, and was re-elected in 1831, serving, 1825- 35. He died in Washington, D.C., Dec. 11, 1835. KANE, Elisha Kent, explorer, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 20, 1820; son of John Kintzing and Jane Duval (Leiper) Kane. Decid- ing to become a civil engineer, he entered the University of Virginia in 1837, but owing to a

severe illness he was obliged to abandon liis studies. After partially recovering his health he was graduated with lirst honors from the luedi- cal department of the University* of Penn- sylvania in 1842. He entered the U.S. nav}' as assistant surgeon, July 21, 1843, was i)romoted passed assistant sur- geon, Sept. 14, 1848, and served on the Brandyu-ine. He visited Brazil, Bombay, Ceylon, the Piiilippines, — where he descended into the crater of the volcano Tael, a feat previously at- tempted by but one European. — Persia, Syria, Greece, Austria, Germany and Switzerland. In May, 1846, he was commissioned surgeon, went to the coast of Africa, and made an excursion into

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the interior, visiting the king of Dahomey. He was taken ill with rice fever and returned to the United States in 1847. He served in tlie war with Mexico, and after the war he was attached to the store-ship Sujiply, visiting the Mediterranean and the West Indies in 1849, and the same year he was i^resented with a sword by the city of Pliiladelphia. In 1850 he prepared for an arctic voyage with the first Grinnell expedition undar Lieutenant Edwin J. de Hazen, to search for Sir John Franklin and his companions. The expedi- tion was absent for sixteen months, and after many hardships and disappointments they re- turned, having found no trace of the missing ex- plorers. On his return Kane published a narra- tive of the voyage, containing an account of the discovery of Grinnell Land, an island at the head of Wellington channel. He was active in organizing another expedition and gave the pro- ceeds of his lectures and his pay for twenty months for the equipment. George Peabody contributed liberally and Mr. Grinnell gave the brig Advance. This expedition sailed in June, 1853 ; reached the coast of Greenland, and by fol- lowing the coast of Smith sound, they attained a latitude of 78° 43' N., the highest ever reached. Here they were imprisoned in the ice. Short sledge journeys were made in exploration and Dr. Kane engaged in scientific investigation, and the Humboldt glacier, and what they supposed to be the polar sea, were discovered. The expe- dition suffered greatly during the winter for want of food and fuel, and from the scurvy. After enduring great hardships the vessel was abandoned in May, 1855, and an attempt was made to reach the nearest Danish settlement in South Greenland. They travelled over 1200 miles of broken ice, the sledges being drawn by the men, although suffering from weakness. They reached Upernavik, Aug. 6, 1855, where they found that an expedition had been sent to their relief. They arrived in the United States in October, 1855, where an enthusiastic welcome was accorded them. The U.S. government presented arctic medals, and the English government Queen's medals to officers and men. Dr. Kane was pre- sented with the founder's medal of 1856 by the Royal Geographical society and also with the gold medal of 1858 from the Societe de geographic. His health being undermined by exposure Dr. Kane visited Europe in an effort to recuperate. From there he went to Havana, Cuba, where he died. His remains were returned to Philadelphia and accorded civic and military honors. In the selection of names for the Hall of Fame, New York university, made in October, 1900, his was one of the twenty-one in " Class E, Missionaries and Explorers," and received twenty-two votes, a number exceeded only by Judson and Boone with