Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/493

 WYMAN

WYTHE

is Heresy (1840); published many sermons and left in MSS. ..4 Treatise on Rhetoric and TJie Training of Youth. Dr. "VVylie died in Bloom- ington, Ind., Nov. 11, 1851.

WYMAN, Jeffries, scientist, was born in Chelmsford, Mass., Aug. 11, 1814; son of Dr. Rufus Wyman, the first physician of the McLean Insane asylum. He was graduated from Har- vard, A.B., 1833, A.M. and M.D., 1837; began practice in Boston, Mass.; was demonstrator in anatomy at Harvard, 1836-37; became curator of the Lowell Institute in 1839, giving a course of lectures there on comparative anatomy and phys- iology, 1840-41, and a second course in 1849; continued his medical studies in Paris and Lon- don, 1841-43; was professor of anatomy and phy- siology in Hampden-Sidney college, Ya., 1843-47, and Heresy proft-ssor of anatomy at Harvard, 1847-74. He was also a member of the faculty of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, which he had himself founded, and an instructor in com- parative anatomy in the Lawrence Scientific school. Harvard. He was a member of the Bos- ton Societ}^ of Natural History, its recording sec- retarj', 1839-41, curator of various departments, and president of the societj', 1856-70, leaving to this organization his rare collection in compara- tive anatomy; a fellow, councillor, and president (1850) of the American Academy of Arts -and Sciences; was named by congress a corporate member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1863; was chosen one of the original seven trus- tees of the Peabody museum, and also its curator, contributing to the Reports of the trus- tees (7 vols., 1867-74); was a member of the Lin- nseau society of London, of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain, and of various other scientific organizations. His researches resulted in important discoveries in comparative anatomy, physiology, palaeontology, ethnology and arch- Eeology. His bibliography, embracing 175 titles, includes: On the External Characters, Habits, and Osteology of the Gorilla (1847); On the Ner- vous System of the Bull-Frog (1853); Observations on the Development of the Skate (1865); Observa- tions and Experiments on Living Organisms in Heated Water (1867), and Fresh-water Shell- mounds of the St. Johns River, Florida (posthu- mously, 1875). See: "Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences" (Yol. II., 1886); also biograpliical sketches by Asa Gray, O. W. Holmes, S. Weir Mitchell, F. W. Putnam, B. G. Wilder, and a memorial sonnet by Lowell. He died in Bethlehem, N. H., Sept. 4. 1874.

WYMAN, Robert Harris, naval officer, was born in Portsmouth, N. H., July 13, 18'-32; son of Thomas White W^yman. He entered the navy as midshipman, March 11, 1837; attended the naval school at Philadelphia, 1842-43; was advanced

passed midshipman, June 29, 1843, and served as acting master on the frigate Brandywine, 1843- 46. He was attached to the Gulf squadron dur- ing the Mexican war, taking part in the siege and capture of Yera Cruz, and in the expeditions against Tuspan and Tampico in 1847; was at the naval observatory, Washington, D.C., 1848-50; and 1853-54; being commissioned lieutenant, July 16, 1850, and on the outbreak of the civil war, commanded the steamer Yankee until October, 1861. He commanded the Pawnee, in the capture of Port Royal in 1861; was assigned to the com- mand of the Potomac flotilla; was promoted commander, July 16, 1802; commanded the steamer Wachusett, 1862-63; the Santiago de Cuba, 1863-64, and the Colorado, flag-sliip of the European squadron, 1865-67; was promoted cap- tain, July 25, 1866; and appointed chief liydro- grapher, U.S.N, at Washington, D.C., in October, 1869, serving till 1877. He was promoted com- modore, July 19, 1872; rear-admiral, April 26, 1878; was comniander-in-cliief of the North Atlantic fleet, 1879-82; and was appointed a mem- ber of the light-house board in Maj', 1882. He died in Washington, D.C., Dec. 2, 1882.

WYTHE, George, signer, was born in Eliza- beth City county, Va., in 1726. He received a liberal education at home and at William and Mary college; studied law under John Lewis, was admitted to the bar in 1757, and was a mem- ber of the house of bugesses, 1758-75. He was a member of the committee appointed to prepare a petition to the king remonstrating against tJie stamp act, and in August, 1775, was appointed a delegate to the Continental congress, signing the Declaration of Independence of Juh' 4, 1776. He was a member of the committee appointed to re- vise the state laws of British and colonial enact- ment for use under the new government; speaker of the house of delegates in 1777; chosen one of the three judges of the chancery- court of Yirginia the same year, and appointed chancellor of the court of equity, on its reorganization, serving for over twentj' years. He decided the claims be- tween American and British merchants to be recoverable. He was professor of law at William and Mar}- college, 1779-89; and a member of the U.S. constitutional convention in December, 1786, but failed to sign the constitution. He re- moved to Richmond, Ya., in 1789; was twice a Presidential elector, and later in liis life eman- cipated his slaves. The honorary degree of LL. D. was conferred on him by William and Mary in 1790. He is the author of Decisions in Vir- ginia by the High Court of Chancery (1795). He died from the effects of poison, and his nephew, George W^'the Sweeney, was tried for the crime but was acquitted. His death occurred in Rich- mond, Ya., June 8, 1806.