Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1889, volume 6).djvu/274

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VAN DYKE
VAN DYKE

VAN DYKE, Henry Jackson, clergyman, b. in Abingdon, Montgomery co., Pa., 2 March, 1822. He was graduated at the University of Pennsylva- nia in 1843 and at Princeton theological seminary in 1845, was ordained to the ministry of the Pres- byterian church the same year, and was pastor in Bridgeton, N. J., in 1845-52, and in Germantown, Pa., in 1852-'3. At the last date he was called to the 1st Presbyterian church in Brooklyn, N. Y., which charge he continues to hold. The Univer- sity of Missouri gave him the degree of D. D. in 1860. He is an effective speaker and lecturer, and is popular as a pastor, occupying a high place in the Presbyterian church as an authority on doc- trine and discipline. He was active in 1870 in the movement for the reunion of the northern and southern branches of that body, and moderator of the General assembly in 1876. — His son, Henry Jackson, clergyman, b. in Germantown, Pa., 10 Nov., 1852, was graduated at Princeton in 1873, and at the Theological seminary there in 1877. He became corresponding editor of the Philadel- phia •'Presbyterian" in 1876, edited the "Prince- ton Book," and was licensed to preach the same year. He studied at the University of Berlin in 1877, became pastor of the United Congregational church, Newport, R. I., in 1878, and since 1882 has been in charge of the Brick (Presbyterian) church, New York city. Princeton gave him the degree of D. D. in 1884. He has published " The Reality of Religion " (New York, 1884), and many contribu- tions to periodicals, including a series of articles on " Gospel History in Italian Painting."


VAN DYKE, John, jurist, b. in Lamington, N. J., 3 April. 1807; d. in Wabasha, Minn., 24 Dec, 1878. He was admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1836, and immediately rose to prominence in the Suydam-Robinson murder trial. He held many offices of trust and was the first president of the Bank of New Jersey at New Brunswick. He was elected to congress in 1847 and served two terms, during which his course was marked by bit- ter opposition to slavery. In politics he was a Whig, and afterward one of the founders of the Republican party in New Jersey. In 1859 he be- came one of the state supreme court judges, which post he held until 1866. Two years later he went to Minnesota, and was there, by special appointment, judge of the 3d judicial district. He published some anti-slavery pamphlets and contributed to magazines. — His son, Theodore Strong, author, b. in New Brunswick, N. J., 19 July, 1842, was graduated at Princeton in 1863, and admitted to the bar in 1866. He practised law in Minnesota from 1869 till 1876, when feeble health forced him to remove to southern California. He chose lit- erature in nature for his subject, and soon be- came known through his letters on shooting, fish- ing, natural history, and gun-rifling in sporting journals. He was the first to make known the in- ternal beauties and advantages of southern Cali- fornia to the sportsman, 'settler, and invalid. In 1884 he travelled through Mexico as a special cor- respondent for several New York papers. In ad- dition to his magazine and newspaper contribu- tions, he has published " The Rifle, Rod, and Gun in California" (New York, 1881); "The Still Hunter" (1883); "Southern California" (1886); and "Southern California the Italy of America" (San Diego, Cal., 1887). — Another son, John Charles, author, b. in New Brunswick, N. J., 21 April, 1856, was admitted to the New York bar in 1877, but immediately abandoned the law for lit- erature. He studied art in Europe in 1883, 1887, and 1888, was editor of the " Studio " in 1884, and, besides many articles in magazines and newspa- pers, principally on art topics, has published " Books, and how to use Them " (New York, 1883) ; "Principles of Art" (1887); and "How to judge of a Picture " (1888).


VAN DYKE, Joseph Smith, clergyman, b. in Bound Brook, N. J., 2 Nov., 1832. He'was gradu- ated at Princeton in 1857, and at the theological seminary there in 1861, was tutoif in Greek while studying theology, pastor of the 1st Presbyterian church in Bloomsbury, N. J., in 1861-'9, and since the latter year has held a charge in Cranbury, N". J. In 1859-'60 he lectured on education. Princeton gave him the degree of D. D. in 1884. He has published " Popery the Foe of the Church " (Philadelphia, 1871) ; " Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic" (New York, 1879): "Through the Prison to the Throne, Illustrations of Life from the Biog- raphy of Joseph " (1881) ; " From Gloom to Glad- ness, Illustrations of Life from the Biography of Es- ther" (1883); "Giving or Entertainment: Which?" (1883) ; and " Theism or Evolution " (1886).


VAN DYKE, Nicholas, statesman, b. in New Castle county, Del., 25 Sept., 1738 ; d. there, 19 Feb., 1789. He was educated in his native county, studied law, was admitted to the Philadelphia bar in 1765, and attained eminence in the profession. He took an active part in the military and political affairs of his county, attaining the rank of major in the militia. In 1774, when the freeholders of New Castle county held a general meeting to consider the Boston port bill, he was appointed on the committee of thirteen to correspond with the other colonies. On this committee he was associated with Thomas McKean and George Read. He was a deputy from his county to the State convention of July, 1776, which framed the first constitution of the state. He was elected with James Sykes, 22 Feb., 1777, to the Continental congress in the room of John Dickinson and John Evans, who declined to serve. He continued in congress until 1783, and was one of the delegates that ratified the articles of confederation. In 1781 congress appointed him one of a committee of five to confer with the people of New Hampshire relative to the admission of that colony into the " federal union of these states." In 1777 he was a member of the council of the state of Delaware, and in 1779 its speaker. In 1777 he was also appointed a judge of admiralty. He was elected president of the state of Delaware in 1783, holding the office until 1786. Gov. Van Dyke was a firm believer in the sovereignty of the state. — His son, Nicholas, senator, b. in New Castle, Del., 20 Dec, 1769 ; d. there, 21 May, 1826, was graduated at Princeton in 1788. In his class were David Stone, afterward governor and chief justice of North Carolina, William Kirkpatrick, subsequently Federal judge and a member of congress, and Smith Thompson, afterward secretary of the navy and justice of the U. S. supreme court, yet President Witherspoon said of him in a letter to George Read, 2 Oct., 1787: "If you have any opportunity of seeing Mr. Van Dyke, S lease assure him that his son is, I think, without oubt, the first in his class." After his graduation he studied law with his brother-in-law, Kensey Johns, and was admitted to the bar at New Castle in April, 1792. He was elected in 1799 to the legislature of Delaware, and in 1807 to congress, serving until 1811. In 1815 he became a member of the senate of Delaware, and from 1817 till 1826 he was a member of the U. S. senate. Lafayette, who was present at the wedding of Mr. Van Dyke's daughter to Charles 1. Du Pont, and gave away the bride, was his personal friend, and declared that " in