Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/436

 LEUTZE

LE VAN

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death. He also left incomplete several subjects ordered by the government. He died of a sun- stroke in Washington, D.C., July 18, 1868.

LEUTZE, Eugene Henry Cozzens, naval offi- cer, was born in Diisseldorf, Prussia, Nov. 16, 1847 ; son of Emanuel and Julia (Lottner) Leutze. While midshipman, on leave from the U.S. Naval academy during the summer of 1864, he volunteered for ac- tive service and was ordered to the North Atlantic blockading squadron on board the U.S.S. 3Ionticello, Lieut. William B. Gushing, command- ing. He was gradu- ated from the U.S. Naval academy in 1867 ; was promoted ensign, Dec. 18, 18- 68 ; served on the Severn and Worcester of the North Atlan- tic fleet, 1868-72 ; was favorably mentioned in an official report of Cap- tain Lowry of the Severn for coolness and effi- ciency in an emergency caused by the ironclad Terror running into the Severn ; was promoted master March 21, 1870, and lieutenant March 21, 1871 ; served on Nicaraguan surveying expedi- tions, 1872 and 1873, and was executive officer of the Panama surveying expedition, 1874-75 ; was attached to the Tuscarora of the Pacific fleet in 1875-76, and was on special duty on board that vessel, having charge of the deep-sea sounding for a cable from Honolulu to Brisbane, Australia. He served on the coast survey on the Pacific coast, 1876-80, commanding the surveying steamer Me Arthur ; was on leave in Mexico, 1881, being employed by the Tehuantepec railroad company ; and was executive officer of the monitor Nan- tucket during the summer of 1882. He was navigator of the U.S.S. Juniata, 1882-85, and with this vessel visited the Mediterranean, Per- sian Gulf, India, Burmah, Java, the Asiatic station, the east coast of Africa, and Madagascar, returning home via the Cape of Good Hope. He was stationed at the U.S. Naval academy, 1886- 90, as head of the department of modern lan- guages : and during the summer of 1887 was executive officer of the practice-ship Constellation. He was promoted lieutenant-commander March 26, 1889 ; was executive officer of the U.S.S. Philadelphia, 1890-92 ; attached to the navy yard, Washington, D.C., as senior assistant to the superintendent of the gun factory and head of department of yards and docks, 1892-96 ; com- manded the U.S.S. Michigan, 1896-97 ; was pro-

moted commander Jan. 3, 1897 ; and was inspector of the lighthouse district on Lake Michigan in the summer of 1897. He commanded the U.S.S. Alert from Jan. 7, 1898, to May 18, 1898, the vessel being employed with interoceanic canal commis- sion at the Pacific terminal of the proposed canal, and protecting American interests on the coast of Nicaragua during the war between that state and Costa Rica, the treaty of peace being finally made on board his vessel. The Spanish war having broken out, the Alert was ordered to San Francisco, Cal., and Commander Leutze was ordered to command the U.S. monitor Monterey. He sailed for Manila on June 7, 1898, arriving at Manila, P.I., Avigust 4th. On August 13 he led the column of vessels, which in conjunc- tion with the army forced the capitulation of that city. On Oct. 1, 1898, he was ordered to command the captured naval station at Cavite, P.I., in addition to his other duties, and he per- formed both duties until December, 1899. During February, 1899, the Monterey visited Hong Kong and during the summer and fall of 1899 she took part in the actions of Zapote bridge and Subig Bay. From Oct. 1, 1899, to Dec. 18, 1899, Com- mander Leutze had charge of the defence of the peninsula of Cavite, and on March 31, 1900, as- sumed the duty of superintendent of the naval gun factory at Washington.

LE VAN, William Barnet, engineer, was born in Easton, Pa., June 3, 1829; son of Isaac and Harriet (Hawk) Le Van ; grandson of Abraham Le Van, and a descendant of Abraham Le Van, a French Huguenot, who came to America about 1776 and settled in South Carolina. He attended school in his native town, and removed to New York city in 1847, where he was an apprentice in the machine and draughting departments of the Novelty iron works. He became connected as engineer with the steamship firm of Howland & Aspinwall and with the Collins steamship line. He was consulting engineer in New Yoi"k city, 1854-57, and in Philadelphia, Pa., after 1857, where he was for many years agent for the Cor- liss Steam Engine company of Providence, R.I. Among his inventions are : tlieLeVan grate bar ; a steam engine governor ; a self-recording steam engine indicator ; a glass water gage ; an im- proved stationary engine ; a telescopic hydraulic lift, and an improved boiler set in brick work. In 1857 he became a life member of the Franklin Institute ; was one of the board of managers for thirteen years ; curator for two years, and served on the committee of science and art for thirty years. He was a charter member and one of the originators of the American Society of Mechan- ical Engineers, organized in 1880. He is the author of : Useful Information for Engineers, Boiler Makers and Firemen, with Facts and