Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/28

* VANITY FAIB. 12 VAN BOOY. from January, 1847, to July, 1848, and in book form with illustrations by the author, in 1848. The name was suggested by the Vanity Fair of Pilgrim's Progress. It contains the famous character of Becky Sharp (q.v. ). VAN LEN'NEP, Henbt John (1815-89). An American missionary. He was born in Smyr- na, Asia Minor, and was sent to the United States for education at the age of fifteen. He grad- uated at Amherst College, 1837, studied theology for one year at Andover, and sailed as a mis- sionary of the American Board to Turke.y, 1849. He was stationed in Constantinople, Smyrna, and Tokat in connection with educational institu- tions, and traveled in Greece, Palestine, and Egypt. He returned to the United States. 1809, and became professor of natural sciences, Greek, and modern languages in Ingham University, Le Roy, N. Y., 1870, and principal of Sedgwick In- stitute, Great Barrington, Mass., 1879. He was a fine scholar and author of the valuable books. Travels in Asia Minor (1870), Ten Days Among the Oreek Brigands (1874), and Bible Lands (1879). VAN LENNEP, van len'nep, Jacob. A Dutch author. See Lennep. VAN LOO, 16. A family of French painters. See Loo. '. . VAN MARCKE, miirk, Emile (1827-90). A French cattle painter, born at S6vres. He stud- ied under Troyon at Barbison, and became a painter of exceptional ability. He difl'ers from his master in that be lacks the dramatic element, representing his animals in a state of repose. He received the cross of the Legion of Honor in 1872 and a gold medal at the Paris exhibition. His works are very popular in the Llnited States, and are to be fomid in the principal public and pri- vate collections. VANNES, van. The capital of the Depart- ment of Morbilian, France, at the mouth of the Vannes, 84 miles northwest of Nantes (Map: France, D 4). It is a quaint, decadent town, and contains the venerable Cathedral of Saint Pierre, a Hotel de Ville (1884), Saint Simon College (1886), with its seventeenth-century chapel, a nuiseum of natural history, and one of Celtic and Gallo-Roman anti(|uities. Part of the old walls remain, notably the Tour du Conn«- table. Vannes has linen and cotton mills, tan- neries, breweries, and iron works. Shipbuilding is e.vtensively carried on. There is a large trade in grain, salt, etc., through the Port du Conteau, three miles away. Vannes was the capital of the Veneti. It became the Roman Dariorignm Vene- torum. Population, in 19U1, 23,375. VANNUCCI, va-noo'che, Pietro. See Peru- GIKO. I'IKIKO. VAN KENSSELAEB, vlin rCn'scliir. Kti.lian (1595-1044). A Dutch merchant, active in the founding nf the Dnicb colnny of New Nctherland. He came of a wealthy family of .Amsterdam, where he received a good eilucation and became a lead- ing diamond and pearl merchant. Fie was one of the promoters and organizers of the Dutch West India Company, to which he advanced large sums of money, and loaned several vessels. After the successful settlement of the New Amsterdam colony, he purchased, through an agent, a large tract of land on the Hudson River. south of Albany, upon which he established a settlement of mechanics and farmers, which he called Eensselaerswick. The estate covered al- most the entire area now included in the three counties of Albany, Rensselaer, and Columbia, and was the first and the largest of the patroon- ships in New York. (See Patroons.) Van Rens- selaer himself did not come to America, but man- aged his estate through an agent. VAN BENSSELAEB, van ren's(^ler, Stephen ( 1704-1839 ) . An American political leader known as the 'Patroon.' He was born in New York, the fifth in descent from Killian Van Rensselaer (q.v. ), the original patroon of the Dutch colony of Rens- selaerswyck. He graduated at Harvard in 1782. Engaging early in politics, he was elected to the Assembly in 1789; was a member of the State Senate from 1790 to 1795; was Lieutenant-Gov- ernor of New York from 1795 to 1801; presided over the State Constitutional Convention of 1801 ; and was again in the Assembly in 1808-10. He took a great interest in military affairs, becoming major-general of the State militia, and in 1812 directed the unsuccessful assault upon Queens- town. He took an active interest in the construc- tion of the Erie Canal and was one of its strongest promoters. In 1810-11 he was one of a commission appointed to explore the proposed route, and from ISKi until his death was a mem- ber of the Canal Commission, being its president from 1824 to 1839. In 1819 he became a regent of the University of the State of New Y'ork, and was subsequently its chancellor. At his own cost he employed Professors Eaton and Hitch- cock to make agricultural surveys, in 1821-23, of a large part of New York. In 1824 he established at Troy a scientific school which, two years later, was incorporated as the Rensselaer Poly- technic Institute. From 1823 to 1829 he was a member of Congress. He published .1 Geological and Agricultural Survey of the District Adjoin- ing the Erie Canal (1824). Consult Barnard, A Discourse on the Life. Services, and Character of Stephen Va7i licnsselaer (1839). VAN EEY'PEN, William Knickerbocker (1840 — ). An American surgeon, chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in the United States Navy. He was born in Bergen, N. J. ; was educated in the University of New York ; entered the naval service of the United States as assist- ant surgeon, in December, 1861, and during the Civil War was stationed for a time at the Naval Hospital in New York City, and then served on the Saint Lawrence in the East Gulf Blockading Squadron. After the war he served successively in various naval hospitals and on various vessels; was promoted to be a surgeon in ISOS. a medical inspector in 1887, and a medical director in 1S95; and in 1897 became surgeon-general and chief of the Bureau wf Medicine and Sirgery, United States Navy, with the relative rank of commo- dore. During the Spanish-American War he lit led out the ambulance ship Solace. VAN BOOY, v-in nVe. Anton (1809—). A Dutch dramatic bass singer, born in Rotterdam. Most of his vocal training was received under Stockhausen of Frankfort. For a time he de- voted himself entirely to the concert platform, and w^on fame as a licder singer and in oratorio. 'I'he strong dramatic quality of his voice led Frau