Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1889, volume 6).djvu/311

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VERRILL
VESEY
283

French, for the use of congregations in the United States that have services in that language. This book was republished in Paris.

VERRILL, Addison Emory, naturalist, b. in Greenwood, Me., 9 Feb., 1839. He was graduated at the Lawrence scientific school of Harvard in 1862, where he specially studied natural history under Louis Agassiz. In 1864 he was called to the chair of zoölogy in Yale, which he still retains. And he was also professor of entomology and comparative anatomy in the University of Wisconsin in 1867-70. The instruction on geology in the Sheffield scientific school of Yale is under his care, and since 1867 he has been curator of zoölogy in the Peabody museum. The zoölogical collection has been created by him, and it now ranks as one of the host in this country. Since 1860 he has devoted part of every summer to collecting and studying the marine animals of the Atlantic coast, and since 1871 he has had charge of the dredging of marine invertebrates of the United States under the auspices of the U. S. fish commission, to whose reports he has annually contributed an account of his work. Prof. Verrill is a member of various scientific societies, and in 1872 was elected to the National academy of sciences. The degree of A. M. was conferred on him by Yale in 1867. He has made original investigations on corals, mollusca, annelids, echinoderms, tunicata, and bryozoa, and of the gigantic cephalopods of Newfoundland. His bibliography is quite large and includes papers in the “American Journal of Science” and the proceedings of various societies of which he is a member.

VERSCHOOR, Julius Wilhelm Van (fair-shore), Dutch navigator, b. in Dordrecht about 1575; d. there in 1640. He sailed as rear-admiral of a fleet that was equipped by order of the states-general of Holland and Prince Maurice of Nassau for an expedition against Peru, under command of Admiral Jacob L'Hermite Clerk, which left Amsterdam, 29 April, 1623. They stopped at the Cape Verde islands, where rich prizes were secured, and, on 1 Feb., 1624, made Cape Peñas on Tierra del Fuego. The admiral was already very sick, and after July, 1623, the fleet was virtually commanded by Vice-Admiral Gheen Huygen Schapenham and Verschoor. On 2 Feb. they entered the Strait of Le Maire, and, the fleet being dispersed by winds, Verschoor discovered Nassau bay, between Navarin, Hoste, and Wollaston islands. His mathematician, Johan von Walbeck, made a chart of the southeastern coast of Tierra del Fuego and the Strait of Le Maire, which was at that time the most authentic map of the extremity of South America. In March, 1624, Verschoor was detached with a division for the American coast, while the admiral sailed for Juan Fernandez. Verschoor joined him there, and the fleet attacked Callao on 12 May, burning thirty merchant vessels in the harbor. On 23 May, Verschoor was sent to attack Guayaquil, which he partly burned, but he was repelled there and again at Pisco. After Hermite's death, 2 June, 1624, Schapenham took the command-in-chief, and, in opposition to Verschoor's advice, refused to attack Callao again, which could have been easily carried, and a new expedition against Pisco was decided upon; but the Dutch were driven back on 26 Aug., owing to Schapenham's ill-concerted measures. When the fleet reached the coast of New Spain, Verschoor secured several rich prizes and was ordered to sail for the East Indies, Schapenham returning by way of Cape Horn to the Atlantic. Verschoor arrived on 2 March at Ternate, in the Moluccas, and, the vessels being assigned to other services, he returned to Holland to report to the states-general. His secretary, Hessel Gerritz, published “Journal van de Nassauche Vloot” (Amsterdam, 1626). A German version, with additional remarks, was made by Adolf Decker, who had served as captain of marines in the expedition. It is entitled “Journal oder Tag-Register der Nassauischen Flotte” (Strasburg, 1629). De Bry published a later version of it in his “Historiæ Americanæ” (1634), but the best-known version was published in French in the “Recueil des voyages de la Compagnie des Indes.” Des Brosses gave also an account of the expedition in his “Voyages aux terres australes,” and Capt. James Burney published an English translation in his “Voyages to the South Sea” (London, 1811).

VERTIN, John, R. C. bishop, b. in Rudolfswerth, Carniola, 17 July, 1844. He emigrated to the United States in 1863 with his father, and, having resolved to study for the priesthood, entered the theological seminary of St. Francis at Milwaukee, Wis. He was ordained a priest on 31 Aug., 1866, by Bishop Baraga, in Marquette. He was then appointed pastor at Houghton, and in 1871 transferred to Negaunee. He was consecrated bishop of Marquette on 14 Sept., 1879. The diocese has made considerable progress under his administration. It contains 40 priests, 36 churches, 4 chapels, and 68 stations. There are 11 convents, an academy, 10 parochial schools, and 2 orphan asylums. The Catholic population is about 40,000.

VERY, Jones, poet, b. in Salem. Mass., 28 Aug., 1813; d. there, 8 May, 1880. He was graduated at Harvard in 1836. In his youth he made several voyages to Europe with his father, a sea-captain. He was a teacher of Greek at Harvard from 1836 till 1838, was licensed as a preacher by the Cambridge (Unitarian) association, and, though never ordained over a congregation, preached occasionally. He published “Essays and Poems” (Boston, 1839). A complete edition of Mr. Very's essays and poems, with a biographical notice of the author by James Freeman Clarke, was published (Boston, 1886). His poetry is characterized by remarkable purity and delicacy of thought and great ease and simplicity of style.—His brother, Washington, clergyman, b. in Salem, Mass., in 1815; d. there in 1853, wrote hymns and poems for the press.—His sister, Lydia Louisa Anna, poet, b. in Salem, Mass., 2 Nov., 1823, from 1845 till 1875 taught in the schools of her native city. She shares the poetical gift of her family, and contributed poems to various Boston and Salem newspapers while engaged in teaching. As an artist Miss Very has produced excellent pictorial illustrations for children's stories. She has published “Poems” (Andover, 1856) and children's books.

VESEY, Denmark, conspirator, b. about 1767; d. in Charleston, S. C., 2 July, 1822. He was an African of great physical strength and energy, who had been purchased in St. Thomas, when fourteen years old, by a sea-captain of Charleston, S. C., whom he accompanied in his voyages for twenty years, learning various languages. He purchased his freedom in 1800, and from that time worked as a carpenter in Charleston, exercising a strong influence over the negroes. For four years he taught the slaves that it would be right to strike a blow for their liberty, comparing their situation to that of the Israelites in bondage, and repeating the arguments against slavery that were made in congress by speakers on the Missouri compromise bill. In conjunction with a negro named Peter Poyas, he organized a plot for a general insurrection of slaves in and about Charleston, which was disclosed by a