Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/145

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DE HART
DE KAY
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ing Ship." "Off the Coast of France," "Sunset at Sea," "The Breaking up of a Storm at Star Island,"

"The Beach at West Hampton," "Early Morning off the Coast," "White Island Lighthouse," "Drifted Ashore in a Fog," "Long Island Sound by Moonlight," "The Shipwreck," "Moonrise and Sunset," "Dundle Cove, Isle of Wight," "Sunset at Cape Ann," "A Marine View, Scarborough," and "The Rapids above Niagara."


DE HART, William, lawyer, b. in Elizabethtown, N. J., 7 Dec, 1746; d. in Morristown, N. J., 16 June, 1801. He practised law before the RevoIution. He was appointed major of the 1st New Jersey battalion, 7 Nov., 1775, and lieutenant-colonel in 1776. Before the close of the war he resigned his commission and resumed law-practice at Morristown. One of his two brothers was also engaged in the service as aide to Gen. Wayne, and fell at Fort Lee in 1780. Colonel De Hart was eminent as a lawyer, and possessed much wit and humor. He was president of the St. Tammany society in 1789.— His son, William Clietwood, soldier, b. in New York state in 1800; d. in Elizabethtown, N. J.. 2 April, 1848, was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1820, and became a lieutenant of ordnance. He served on ordnance duty until 1822, and was in various garrisons and courts-martial till 1831, when he became aide-de-camp to Gen. Scott. In 1838 he was made captain of the 2d artillery, serving on the northern frontier during the disturbances in Canada. While on special duty from 1845-'7 he prepared his "Observations on Military Law, and the Constitution and Practice of Courts-Martial." In 1847 he served in the war with Mexico under Gen. Scott, and was lieutenant-governor of Puebla.


DE HAVEN, Edwin J., arctic explorer, b. in Philadelphia in 1819; d. there, 2 Oct., 1865. He was a midshipman when only ten years of age, and after thirty-six years of naval service was placed upon the retired list on account of his impaired vision. His last cruise was completed in 1857, when he resigned. He served in Wilkes's exploring expedition from 1839 till 1842, and commanded the first expedition fitted out, at the expense of Henry Grinnell, of New York, to search for Sir John Franklin. It consisted of two small vessels—the "Advance," of 140, and the "Rescue," of 90 tons. This expedition, of which Dr. Kane has written so graphically, left New York, 24 May, 1850, and was absent over sixteen months, winteriog in the Arctic circle. On his return, Lieut. De Haven was employed in the coast survey, and in the national observatory under Lieut. Maury.


DEHON, Theodore, P. E. bishop, b. in Boston, Mass., 8 Dec, 1776; d. in Charleston, S. C, 6 Aug., 1817. He was graduated at Harvard in 1795, with the highest honors. He studied theology under the Rev. Dr. Parker, rector of Trinity chui-ch, Boston, officiating during that time as lay reader at Cambridge and Newport, R. I. He was ordained deacon by Bishop Bass, in Newburyport, 24 Dec, 1797, and early in January, 1798, entered upon the duties of rector of Trinity church, Newport. He was ordained priest, 9 Oct., 1800. In 1802-3 he visited the south for the benefit of his health, and, after his return home, received urgent invitations from two churches in Charleston, S. C, to remove to that city, which were declined. In 1808 he was a deputy from the eastern diocese to the general convention, held in Baltimore, Md. The next year he accepted the rectorship of St. Michael's church, Charleston, and in 1810 removed thither. He was elected bishop of the diocese in February, 1812, being consecrated on 15 Oct. He was present at the general convention held in Philadelphia in May, 1814, and also at that held in New York in May, 1817. On his return to Charleston he was stricken with the yellow fever, and died tranquilly and hopefully. His mortal remains were buried in the chancel of St. Michael's church. Bishop Dehon published a number of Episcopal charges and sermons. After his death a selection from his discourses was published, which met with a large sale (London, 1821 and 1823; New York, 1857).


DEITZLER, George Washington, soldier, b. in Pine Grove, Schuylkill co., Pa., 30 Nov., 1826; d. near Tucson, Arizona, 11 April, 1884. He received a common-school education, removed to Kansas, and “grew up with the state.” He was a member of the Kansas house of representatives in 1857-'8, and again in 1859-'60, and during the former period was elected speaker. He was subsequently mayor of Lawrence, and treasurer of the University of Kansas. At the beginning of the war he was made colonel of the 1st regiment of Kansas volunteers. He was promoted to be brigadier-general, 29 Nov., 1862, but resigned in August of the year following. In 1864 he was commissioned major-general of Kansas militia. He was killed by being thrown from a carriage.


DE KAY, James Ellsworth, naturalist, b. in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1792; d. in Oyster Bay, L.I., 21 Nov., 1851. He studied medicine at Edinburgh, and there took his degree as a physician. On his return to the United States he married a daughter of Henry Eckford, the naval architect, whom he subsequently accompanied to Turkey, where the latter was appointed superintendent of the naval yards at Constantinople. Dr. De Kay also became intimate with his brother-in-law, Joseph Rodman Drake, Fitz-Greene Halleck, William Cullen Bryant, and other men of mark in literature and science. He was intrusted by Mr. Eckford with negotiations with Brazil and other South American powers, relative to the ships of war that had been ordered by the latter. Upon returning to this country, he settled permanently at Oyster Bay. L. I., devoting himself to the study of natural history and contributing to the New York press. On the outbreak of cholera in the latter city, Dr. De Kay hastened to give his services to the afflicted, although the practice of his profession was repugnant to him. He was subsequently a founder of the Lyceum of natural history, afterward merged into the National academy of science. In 1836 the state ordered a geological survey, making it comprehensive enough to cover botany and zoology, and intrusting those departments to Dr. De Kay. The results of his researches are contained in five volumes of the “Survey” (1842-'9). Besides these, he is the author of “Travels in Turkey” (New York, 1833). — His brother, George Coleman, naval officer, b. in New York city in 1802; d. in Washington, D. C., 31 Jan., 1849. He was prepared for college, but ran away to sea. He became a skilful navigator, and took vessels built by Henry Eckford to South America. He volunteered in the navy of the Argentine republic, then at war with Brazil, and was given command of a brig in June, 1827. After taking several prizes, he accepted a captain's commission, which he had declined on entering the service, preferring to win it by promotion. In an engagement with the brig “Cacique,” commanded by Capt. Manson, that vessel was captured, though twice the size of De Kay's, and much more heavily armed. When returning to Buenos Ayres in June, 1828, his brig, the “Brandtzen,” was driven inshore in the river Plata by a Brazilian squadron. He scuttled the vessel to prevent her capture,