Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/281

 VICTOR

VILAS

York city, edited the Home 3Ionfhly Magazine, 1859-61. Slie is the author of: Tivo Mormon Wives (1856; London, 1858); Miss Slimmen's Windoio (1859); The Gold Hunters (1861); and Mauvi Guinea (1862), Jo Davies' Client (1863); Too True (1868)': Dead Letter, under the pen-name " Seeley Regester" (1868), which had an immense circulation, was issued in three distinct book forms and was republished in England; Figure Eight (1868); Passing the Portal (1877); The Bad Boy's Diary (1880); 27ie Rasher Family (1884); TJie Naughty Girl's Diary (1884); Blunders of a Bashful Man (1885), and several serial stories. She died in Holiokus, N.J., June 26, 1886.

VICTOR, Orville James, editor and author, was born in Sandusky, Ohio, Oct. 23, 1827; son of Henry and Gertrude (Nash) Victor; grandson of David and Jane (Brady) Victor and of Thomas and Mary (Horton) Nash, of patriotic Revolu- tionary ancestry. He was graduated from the seminary and Theological institute of Norwalk, Ohio, B.D., 1847; was a contributor to various magazines, 1847-61, and associate editor of the Sandusky Daily Register, 1851-56. He was mar- ried, July 2, 1856, to Metta Victoria, daughter of Adonajaii and Lucy Fuller. He edited the Cos- mopolitan Art Journal 1858-61, and in 1858 re- moved to New York city, where he edited the United States Journal, until 1860; The Beadle & Adams publications, 1862-80; Beadle's Magazine of To-day, 1865-66; Western World, 1869; Sat- urday Journal, 1872-80; The Fireside Library, The Sunny side Library and Waverly Library, 1882-88, and the Banner Weekly, 1885-93. He served as representative of the Associated Publishers of New York city in opposing legislation aimed at second-class matter in the U.S. mails. 1886-1901. He is the author of: History of the Southern Re- bellion (i vols., 18Q2-6(i); TJie American Rebellion, a pamphlet (England, 1862); Incidents and Anec- dotes of the War (1862); History of American Con- spiracies (1863), and biographies of John Paul Jones, Israel Putnam, Anthony Wayne, Ethan Allen, Winfleld Scott, and Garibaldi for the " Dime Biographical Library" and "Great Americans" series (1872-76). He was residing in Hohokus, N.J., in 1903.

VIELE, Egbert Lodovikus, soldier and engin- eer, was born iu Waterford, N.Y., June 17, 1825; son of Judge John L. and Cathalina (Knicker- bocker) Vielo; grandson of Col. Johannes Knick- erbocker, an officer in the Revolutionary war. His first ancestor in America settled in New York in 1630. He attended Albany academj' and was graduated from the United States military acad- emy, July 1. 1847, being brevetted 2d lieutenant of the 2d infantry. He served in the war with Mexico, 1847^8; was promoted 2d lieutenant, 1st infantry, Sept. 8, 1847; was on frontier duty

in Texas, 1848-52, being promoted 1st lieutenant, Oct. 26, 1850, and was on leave of absence, 1852- 53. He resigned his commission, June 1, 1853; established himself in New York city as a civil engineer; was state topographical engineer of New Jersey, 1854-56; prepared the original plan which was adopted for New Yoi'k Central park; was appointed chief-engineer of the park, 1856; designed and was engineer of Prospect park, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1860, and was in the same year appointed captain of the engineer corps of the 7th New York regiment. He entered the volun- teer service in 1861, commanding a force that opened Potomac river to Washington, where he served in defence of that city, August, 1861, be- ing promoted brigadier-general, U.S. volunteers, Aug. 17, was in command of a camp of instruc- tion in Scarsdale, N.Y., September, 1861; sec- ond in command of the Port Royal expedition, November, 1861, and in command of the forces in Savannah river above Fort Pulaski, on the South Atlantic expedition, April-May, 1862; was in charge of the march upon Norfolk, and ex- ecuted the capture of the city, officiating as its military governor. May, 1862-October, 1863; subsequently superintended the draft in northern Ohio, and resigned his commission, Oct. 20, 1863. In connection with the practice of his profession, he interested himself in all progressive move- ments along sanitary lines; was commissioner of parks in New York city, 1883, and president of the department, 1884: a Democratic representa- tive from the thirteenth New York district in the 49th congress, 1885-87, and during his term ac- tively promoted the Harlem river improvement bill. In 1896 he appeared before a committee of the British House of Lords on the subject of municipal administration. He was a fellow of the National Academy of Sciences; the National Academy of Design, and the American Geo- graphical society, beingalsoits vice-president and a member of its council; a member of the Amer- ican Association for the Advancement of Sci- ence. He published a Hand-book for Active Ser- vice (1861); a Topographical Atlas of the City of New York (1865), and numerous papers on geog- raphy, sanitation and engineering. General Viele died in New York city, April 22, 1902.

VILAS, William Freeman, senator, was born in Chelsea, Vt., July 9, 1840; son of Levi B. and Esther G. (Smilie) Vilas; grandson of Moses and Mercy Vilas, and of Nathan and Esther G. Smilie. Moses Vilas went from Connecticut to Sterling mountain, Vt., at an early date, and Levi B. Vilas, a lawyer, removed with his family to Sladison, Wis., in June, 1851, where five of his sons werQ graduated from the University of Wisconsin, William Freeman Vilas receiving the de-rees, A.B., 1858, and A.M., 1861. He was also