Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/299

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HOUGH
HOUGHTON
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months in the Maryland and Virginia campaigns. He then settled in Lowville, N. Y., and devoted himself to scientific and historical studies. He was superintendent of the state census in 1865, preparing the pamphlet of instruction by order of the legislature, and for several years was chief of the forestry division of the U. S. department of agriculture. He published, besides many pam- phlets, reviews, and essays, " A Catalogue of Plants m Lewis and Franklin Counties, N. Y." (Albany, 1847) : " History of St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties, N. Y." (1853); "Plan for seizing and carrying to New York William Goffe, the Regicide " (1855) ; " Papers relating to Cromwell County, N. Y." (1856) ; " Proceedings of the Commission- ers of Indian Affairs " (1861) : an annotated transla- tion of Badan's "Guerre de Crimee," under the title of "Military and Hospital Camps" (New York, 1862) ; " History of Duryea's Campaign " (1864) ; " Washingtoniana, or Memorials of the Death of George Washington " (Roxbury, Mass., 1865): "The Siege of Charleston, May 12, 1780" (Albany, 1867) ; " The Duty of Government in the Preservation of Forests " (Salem, 1873); "Ameri- can Biographical Notes " (Albany, 1875) ; and " Re- port on Forestry " (Washington, 1878-80).


HOUGH, George Washington, astronomer, b. in Tribes Hill, Montgomery co., N. Y., 24 Oct., 1836. He was graduated at Union in 1856, and then directed his attention to astronomy. In 1860 he was appointed astronomer and director of the Dudley observatory, Albany, N. Y., where he re- mained until 1874, devoting his time to meridian observations of zone stars and meteorology. In 1879 he was called to the directorship of Dearborn observatory, Chicago, where he has since remained. His work in this place has included mierometrical measurements and discovery of double stars, and physical observations on the planet Jupiter. Of the double stars, 300 different ones have been dis- covered by him, and a catalogue of 209 prepared for publication. He has made many improvements in the apparatus used in astronomy, and his inven- tions include a star-charting machine (1862) ; an au- tomatic registering and printing barometer (1865) ; the same applied to the thermometer and other me- teorological apparatus now tised by the U. S. signal service and others (1866) ; a barograph and thermo- fraph for recording meteorological phenomena at efinite intervals, also used by the U. S. signal service (1869) ; a printing chronograph (1871), re- modelled and improved (1885) (this is the only print- ing chronograph in the world); a recording chro- nograph (1879) ; and an observing-seat for equato- rial telescope (1880), now used by the principal ob- servatories in the United States. More recently he has invented a sensitometer and an exposing base and plate-holder (1884). He is a member of several scientific societies, and, besides numerous miscel- laneous contributions on astronomical and other scientific subjects to American and foreign jour- nals, he has published " Annals of Dudley Observa- tory" (2 vols., Albany, 1866-'71) and "Annual Re- ports of Dearborn Observatory " (Chicago, 1880-6).


HOUGH, Jacob B., physician, b. in Camargo, Lancaster co., Pa., 23 June, 1829. He was graduated at the medical department of the University of Michigan in 1863, and for two years taught analytical and medical chemistry there, but resigned a few months before the termination of the civil war, to enter the army. He practised in Ohio in 1866-'72, and in 1875 became professor of chemistry and toxicology in Miami medical college, Cincinnati, where he has resided since 1873, work- ing as an analytical and consulting chemist. He has published various papers on chemical, physical, and medical subjects, and has invented numerous mechanical and technological devices. Among his papers are "Chlorinated Anaesthetics," "Report on Medical Chemistry," " First Phases of Living Forms," " Melanoidin, a New Compound," " Origin of Animal Heat," and " Report of the Analysis of School-room Atmospheres, in the tenth annual report of the Cincinnati health department (1876.)


HOUGH, John Stockton, physician, b. in Yardley, Bucks co., Pa.. 5 Dec, 1845. His ances- tor, Richard Hough, of Cheshire, England, was a follower of William Penn, came to this country in 1683, and bought a large tract of land, now Yard- ley, Pa. He was a member of the Supreme execu- tive council of Pennsylvania, and a representative in the provincial assembly, till he was drowned in 1704. John Stockton finished his preparatory edu- cation at the Polytechnic college. Philadelphia, 1867, where he became master of chemistry in 1870, and was graduated at the University of Pennsyl- vania in 1868, and in that year became adjunct professor of experimental chemistry at the Phila- delphia high-school. He was a resident physician to the Philadelphia hospital, 1868-'9, after which he was a physician in Philadelphia till 1874. He has invented a process of constructing fire-proof buildings, and various surgical instruments, and is the author of numerous papers on biology, specula- tive physiology, social science, vital statistics, etc., a complete list of which is contained in the " Index Catalogue of the Library of the Surgeon-General's Office," Washington, D. C. At present (1887) he is compiling a bibliography of medical literature.


HOUGHTON, Douglas, naturalist, b. in Trov, N. Y., 21 Sept., 1809 ; d. on Lake Superior, 13 Oct., 1845. At an early age he removed to Fredonia, N. Y. He erected a hermitage in his father's orchard, where he engaged in various researches. Among his experiments was the manufacture of percussion-powder, which had been recently invented. An explosion occurred in which he was blown up with his manufactory. Although receiving no serious injury, he bore evidence of this accident throughout his life. He was graduated at the Rensselaer polytechnic institute in 1829, remained there as assistant, and in the following year was appointed adjunct to the junior professor of chemistry and natural history. He delivered a course of scientific lectures in Detroit in 1830, which attracted large audiences. In 1831 he was licensed to practise medicine by the medical society of Chautauqua county, and at this time served as physician and botanist on the government expedition organized by Henry R. Schoolcraft to explore the sources of Mississippi river. His report on the botany of this region proved his extensive knowledge of the flora of the northwest, and extended his reputation. He settled in Detroit, where he practised as a physician and surgeon from 1832 till 1837, when he projected the geological survey of Michigan, and received the appointment of state geologist. In 1838 he was appointed professor of geology, mineralogy, and chemistry in the University of Michigan. In 1840 he explored the southern coast of Lake Superior, the results of which research he reported to the legislature. In 1842 he was elected mayor of Detroit. He was a member of the National institute of Washington, D. C, of the Boston society of natural history, an honorary member of the Royal antiquarian society of Copenhagen, and of other scientific and literary associations. He lost his life while engaged in a new government survey on Lake Superior. Anxious to arrive at his destination, he did not heed the warnings of the threatened snow-