Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/193

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TORREY


TOTTEN


Lund, Sweden ; of the Wernerian society of Edin- burgh, and a member of various scientific socie- ties in the United States. His name is perpetuated in the Torrey Botanical club, of which he was first president, and was also given by discoverers to trees in the southern states, California, Japan, and China. In selecting names for a place in the Hall of Fame for Great Americans, New York univer- sity, his name received one vote in Class H, Scientists, fifteen in the class of nineteen receiv- ing more votes. He is the author of : Catalogue of Plants Groioing Spontaneously within Tliirty Miles of the City of New York (1819) ; Flora in the North and Middle States (1834); Reports of Western Explorations (1836-30): North America Cyperacice (1836); Flora of North America, joint- ly with Dr. Asa Gray (1838-43) ; Flora of the State of New Forfc (1849), and of contributions to jour- nals. He died in New York city, March 10, 1873.

TORREY, Joseph, educator, was born in Rowley, Mass., Feb. 3, 1797. He was graduated from Dartmouth college, A.B., 1816, A.M., 1819, and from Andover Theological seminary, 1819. He engaged in missionary work ; was ordained pastor of a Congregational church at Royalton, Vt., Aug. 25, 1834, serving until 1827 ; was pro- fessor of Latin and Greek in the University of Vermont, 1827-42. spending the year 1828-29 in European travel and study and establishing the university library in 1834 ; professor of moral and intellectual philosophy, 1843-57, and president, 1863-66. He received the honorary degree of D.D. from Harvard in 1850, and was ex-officio trustee of the University of Vermont, 1862-66. His daughter, Mary Cutler, born in Burlington, Vt., May 28, 1831, author of " America " a poem (1863), edited Joseph Torrey's "Theory of Fine Art" (1874) ; and his revised edition of Nean- der's " Church History," publishing the index volume (1881). His son, Joseph Tori-ey, Jr., born Dec. 25, 1832, A.B., University of Vermont, 1852, D.D., Andover Theological seminary, 1858, was pastor at East Hard wick, Vt., 1860-74, and at Yarmouth, Maine. In addition to his art lec- tures, Joseph Torrey, Sr., edited with memoirs, "Remains of President James Marsh" (1843) and " Select Sermons of President Worthington Smith" (1861), and translated Neander's " Gen- eral History of the Christian Religion and Church " (5 vols. 1847-54 ; 2d edition edited by his daughter, 1872). He died in Burlington, Vt., Nov. 26, 1867.

TOTTEN, Joseph Gilbert, soldier, was borr in New Haven, Conn., Aug. 23, 1788 ; son of Peter G. and Grace (Mansfield) Totteu, and grandson of Joseph Totten. His mother died when he was quite young and he was brought up by his uncle, Jared Mansfield (q.v.). He was graduated from the U.S. Military academy, July


I, 1805; was commissioned 2d lieutenant, corps of engineers, but resigned March 31, 1806 ; was re- appointed in the army in 1808, and supervised the building of Fort Clinton at Castle Garden, N.Y. He was promoted 1st lieutenant, July 23, 1810, and captain in the corps of engineers, July 31, 1812 and served as chief-engineer of the army in 1812 and 1813, on the Niagara frontier, and on the Lake Champlain line of operations, 1813-14. He was brevetted major, June 6, 1813, for meri- torious services, and lieutenant-colonel for gal- lant conduct at the battle of Plattsburg, Sept.

II, 1814; participated in many engagements, and when, on Oct. 5, 1814, Fort Erie was abandoned. General Izard entrusted him with the blowing up of the fort. He superintended the fortification of upper New York ; was promoted major of en- gineers, Nov. 12, 1818 ; brevetted lieutenant-col- onel, corps of engineers, Sept. 11, 1824; served on various boards of ordnance, artillery, etc., and in constructing defences and improving harbors. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel. May 24, 1838 ; colonel and chief engineer, U.S.A., Dec. 7, 1838, serving in the latter capacity at the siege of Vera Cruz, and was brevetted brigadier-general, U.S.A., March 29, 1847. He served on the light- house board, 1851-58, and on coast fortification, 1859-61 ; commanded the corps of engineers, and was at the head of the engineer bureau at Wash- ington, D.C., 1861-64, having special charge of the celebrated Minot's light, near Cohasset, Mass.,


MINOTS LEP<iE UKHT-HOUSe.


built during this time. He also served on va- rious temporary boards. In addition to his mili- tary offices, he was a regent of tlie Smithsonian Institution from its establishment in 1846 until his deatli ; harbor commissioner for New York and Boston, 1860-64 ; a corporator of the American Academy of Sciences, 1863-64, and a member of