Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/270

 MARCHANT

MARCY

James Adger, in the South Atlantic blockading squadron in 1862; engaged in the capture of Fernaudina, and received a wound while on the Stono river in March, 1863; commanded the sloop Lackawanna, of the Eastern Gulf scjuadron, 1863- 64; encountered the iron-clad Tennessee at the battle of Mobile Bay, Aug. 5, 1864, and was placed on the retired list, Aug. 27, 1870. His brother, Albert G. Marchand, was a Democratic represent- ative froin Pennsylvania in the 26th and 27th congresses, 1839-43, and died at Greensburg, Pa., Feb. 5. 1848. Commodore Marchand died at Car- lisle, Ph., April 13. 1875.

MARCHANT, Henry, delegate, was born in Martha's Vineyard, Mass., in April, 1741; son of

Capt. Hex ford and (Butler) Marchant.

He removed with his parents to Newport, R.I., where his mother died shortly afterward. He

was prepared

OLD COURT-HOUSE I YORK, PA.

»777-'77S.

for college in the best schools in Newport and matriculated in the class of 1759 at Philadelphia college (Uni- versity of Penn- sylvania). He studied law un- der Judge Ed- ward Trow- bridge of Cam- bridge, Mass., 1759-64, was ad- mitted to the bar and settled in practice in Newport. He wrote the deed by which William Read conveyed to William Ellery and others what is known as the '* Liberty Tree Lot " in 1766. He was attorney- general of the colony, 1770-77, and in this capac- ity was in England. 1771-72. Before the Revo- lution he removed his family to Narragansett, R.L, where they remained until peace was de- clared. He was a member of the Rhode Island assembly and chairman of the committee to prepare instructions to the delegates in congress; a delegate to the Continental congress, 1777-80, and 17H3-84: one of the signers of the Articles of Confederation, and while in congress delivered patriotic speeches and was a member of impor- tant committees. He again served in the state assembly after the war: was a meml>er of the state convention that ratified the Federal con- stitution, and was judge of the U.S. district court for Rhode Island by appointment of Presi- dent Wasliington, 1790-96. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from the University of

Pennsylvania and from Harvard in 1762, and that of LL.D. from Yale in 1792. He died in Newport, R.I., Aug. 30, 1790.

MARCOU, Jules, geologist, was born in Salins, Jura, France, April 20, 1824. He was a student at the College of Besangon, and at St. Louis col- lege, Paris, and while travelling in Switzerland for his health became interested in natural science and was associated with Jules Thurmann in his work on the geolog}' of the Jura moun- tains. While pursuing this work he met Louis Agassiz in 1846. He was engaged in classifying the fossils in the mineralogical departments of the Sorbonne, 1846; and was travelling geologist for the Jardin des Plantes of Paris in 1847. He ac- companied Agassiz on a six-months' trip to Lake Superior, Lake Huron and Niagara. 1848. returned with Agassiz to Cambridge, and from there sent a large collection of his specimens of copper ore and other minerals to Paris. He explored the mineral resources of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Kentucky, and also revisited Canada in 1849. He settled in Cambridge, Mass., in 1850, where he prepared his geological maps. He en- tered the United States service in 1853, as geolo- gist to the Pacific railroad exploration of the 35th parallel from the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean, of which survey he made a section map. He was professor of geology in the Zurich Polytechnic school, 1855-59, and in 1861 returned to the United States, where he assisted Professor Agassiz in founding the Museum of Comjiarative Zoology in connection with Harvard university. He was curator of the division of palaeontology, 1861-64, and devoted himself wholly to scientific study and research, 1864-75. He re-entered the government employ in 1875. He was decorated with the cross of the Legion of Honor in 1867, and was a member of many scientific societies. Beside numerous scientific articles including papers supporting the Taconic systems of New York, Vermont and Canada, he is the author of: Recherclies Geologiques siir la Jura SaZ/no/s (1843); Geological Map of the United States and British Provinces of North America (2 vols., 1853); Geol- oQy of North America (1858); Geological Map of the iVorld (1861, 2d edition, 1875); Origin of the Name America (1875); FHrst Discoveries of Cali- fornia and the Origin of its Name (1878); A Catalogue of Geological Maps of America (1884). He died in Cambridge, Mass., April 17, 1898.

MARCY, Erastus Edgerton, physician, was born in Greenwich. Mass., Dec. 9, 1815; son of Laban and Frances (Howe) Marcy; grandson of William Marcy, and a brother of Gen. Randolph B. Marcy, U.S.A. He was graduated at Amherst, A.B., 1834, and at the Jefferson Medical college, M.D., 1837. He practised in Hartford, Conn., 1834-47, and in 1847 visited Paris, studied the