Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Fernow, Berthold

FERNOW, Berthold, author, b. in Inowraclaw, province of Posen, Prussia, 28 Nov., 1837. He was the son of Edward Fernow, a royal councillor, and Bertha de Jachman, sister of the vice-admiral of that name. He was educated at the royal gymnasium of Our Lady at Magdeburg, Saxony, and at a similar institution at Bromberg, Posen, in 1858. He then emigrated to the United States, served during the civil war as lieutenant of the 3d U. S. colored troops, and subsequently as topographical engineer. For a time he was one of the state librarians, keeper of the historical records at Albany, N. Y., and the editor of the 12th, 13th, and 14th volumes of “Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York” (Albany, 1877-'85); “State Archives” (vol. i., 1887); and “Albany and its Place in the History of the United States” (1887). Mr. Fernow has also contributed to Wilson's “History of New York” (4 vols., 1892-'3), and edited “Records of New Amsterdam” (7 vols., 1897-'8).