Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/689

Macon, Ga., practised for several years. In 1850 he entered the Lawrence scientific school of Harvard, and there devoted his attention principally to the natural sciences and geology under Louis Agassiz. He received the degree of B.S. in 1851, and during the same year ac- companied Agassiz on an exploring ex- pedition to Florida. In 1852 he became professor of natural science in Oglethorpe college, and a year later was called to the chair of geology and natural history in Franklin college. He accepted, in 1857, the professorship of chemistry and geology in South Carolina college - and in 1869 became professor of

geology and natural

history in the University of California, which chair he still (1887) retains. During the civil war he served as chemist to the Confederate laboratory for the manufacture of medicines in 1862-'3, and in a simi- lar capacity to the nitre and mining bureau in 1864— '5. Prof. Le Conte's work includes numerous original investigations in geology and physiologi- cal optics, and he has written essays on subjects pertinent to the development theory, that have been contributed* to scientific journals, to the re- views, or to the transactions of societies with which he is connected. He received the degree of LL. D. from the University of Georgia in 1879, and is a member of numerous scientific societies, includ- ing the National academy of sciences, to which he received an election in 1875. Prof. Le Conte lias published " Religion and Science," a series of Sun- day lectures (New York, 1873) ; " Elements of Ge- ology " (1878) : "Sight : an Exposition of the Prin- ciples of Monocular and Binocular Vision " (1880) ; ^'Compendof Geology" (1884): and "Evolution: its Nature, its Evidences, and its Relation to Re- ligious Thought " (1887).— John Eatton's son. John Lawrence, naturalist, b. in New York city, 13 Mav, 1825; d. in Philadelphia, Pa.. 15 Nov., "1883, was graduated at Mount St. Mary's college, Emmetts- burg, Md., in 1842, and at the College of physicians and surgeons of New York in 1846. As a student he devoted considerable attention to the study of natural history, visiting Lake Superior and the upper Mississippi in 1844. the Rocky mountains in 1845, and the Lake Superior region again in 1846. He visited this region for a third time, with Louis Agassiz, in 1848, and during the following year went to California, where he remained until 1851, exploring the Colorado river. In 1857 he spent several months in Honduras, during the survey of the interoGeanic route across that country, and in 1867 he visited parts of Colorado and New Mexico while the survey for the Kansas Pacific railroad was in progress. Subsequently he made other expe- ditions at various times to Panama, Europe, Egypt, and Algiers, collecting valuable material on the fauna of the world. In 1852 he moved to Philadel- phia, where he resided until his death. Soon after the beginning of the civil war he enlisted in the U. S. army as surgeon of volunteers, and was ad- vanced to the office of medical inspector with the rank of lieulenant-colonel, which he retained until the end of the war. He became chief clerk of the U. S. mint in Philadelphia in 1878, and held that place until his death. Dr. Le Conte was a member of various scientific societies, held the vice-presi- dency of the American philosophical society in 1880-'3, and was one of the founders of the Ameri- can entomological society. He was one of the charter members of the National academy of sci- ences, and in 1873 was elected president of the American association for the advancement of sci- ence, delivering his retiring address at the Detroit meeting on " Modern Biological Inquiry," in which he collated the known facts concerning the actual distribution of certain American coleoptera. Dr. Samuel H. Scudder calls him " the greatest en- tomologist that this country has yet produced." His specialty was the coleoptera, and full lists of his papers are given by Louis Agassiz in his " Bib- liographia Zoologhv," and by Hermann A. Hagen in his " Bibliotheca Entoniologiea." The Smith- sonian collections include his " Classification of the Coleoptera of North America" (part i., 1862; part ii., 1873) ; "List of Coleoptera of North America" (part i., 1866) ; and " New Species of North Ameri- can Coleoptera " (part i.,1866 ; part ii., 1873).

LECOR, Carlos Federico (lay-kor ), Portuguese soldier, b. in Algarve, Portugal, about 1765; d. in Sacramento, Brazil, in 1836. He was educated in Holland, his father's native country, and was in- tended for a commercial career, but entered the Portuguese army, and at the close of the Napo- leonic wars was a lieutenant-general. He was sent to Brazil at the head of an army of 4,500 men in 1816, and captured Montevideo, 20 Jan., 1817. The Banda Oriental was then exposed to a revolution- ary movement in consequence of the intrigues of Jose Artigas, and Lecor, after routing the latter, persuaded the country to recognize the provisional authority of the court of Brazil. He was rewarded by his sovereign with the title of Baron de Laguna. Vhen it was seen that the Brazilian occupation was to be permanent, there was an insurrection in Montevideo that resulted in a disastrous war. Finally Lecor was commissioned by the court to propose that the inhabitants should place them- selves under the protectorate of Brazil, while re- taining their independence. This proposition was submitted to an assembly of notables ; but, in con- sequence of the intrigues of Lecor, the deputies pronounced in favor of the union of the country with the united kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and Algarve. In 1822 Dom Pedro I., who had been proclaimed emperor of Brazil, sent Lecor to Monte- video to persuade or force the deputies to swear to accept the act of union. The city was divided on the question, and Lecor took command of the Bra- zilian troops against those who favored a continu- ance of the union with Portugal; but the Portuguese party was victorious, and Lecor was forced to leave Montevideo. Afterward the place fell into his hands again, and he kept control of it till 1825. The discontent of the inhabitants ended in an in- surrection which was supported by the government of Buenos Ayres. The army of Lecor was defeated, but he maintained his position in Montevidep until re-enforced from Brazil in 1826. After this he was dismissed, and retired to private life.

LEDERER, John, traveller. He explored the Alleghany mountains in 1669-'70. and wrote in Latin an account of his discoveries, which was translated by Sir William Talbot with the title “The Discoveries of John Lederer in Three Several Marches from Virginia to the West of Carolina and other Parts of the Continent; begun in March, 1669, and ended in September, 1670. Together with a General Map of the whole Territory which he traversed” (London, 1672). The translator says