Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/236

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MARCOUX
MARCY

its collection of fossils. In 1847 he was made travelling geologist for the Jardin des plantes, and was sent to study the United States and the English possessions in North America. He accompanied Louis Agassiz to Lake Superior, visited the copper-mines of Keweenaw point, Lake Huron, and Niagara, returning to Cambridge after six months' exploration and sending to Paris valuable collections of minerals. In January, 1849, he directed his attention to the geology of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Later he crossed the Alleghany mountains, visiting the Mammoth cave and other localities, and then traversed Canada and the adjacent provinces. He returned to Europe in 1850, but soon came back to the United States, and was occupied with the preparation of his “Geological Map of the United States and British Provinces of North America” (2 vols., Boston, 1853). In 1853 he entered the U. S. service, was the first geologist that crossed the United States, being attached to the Pacific railroad exploration of the 35th parallel, and made a section from the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean. Failing health compelled his return to Europe, and in 1855-'9 he was professor of geology in the Polytechnic school of Zurich. In 1861 he returned to the United States, and was associated with Louis Agassiz in the foundation of the Museum of comparative zoology, having charge of the paleontological division in 1860-'4. Subsequently he devoted himself to scientific research until 1875, when he again entered the National service in his professional capacity. He was a member of scientific societies, and was decorated with the cross of the Legion of honor in 1867. Since the death of Ebenezer Emmons (q. v.), Prof. Marcou has been the strongest supporter of the Taconic system of New York, publishing nearly a dozen important papers on that system in Vermont and Canada. In addition to numerous scientific memoirs, he has published “Recherches géologiques sur la Jura Salinois” (Paris, 1848); “Geology of North America” (Zurich, 1858); “Lettres sur les roches du Jura et leur distribution géographique dans les deux hemisphères” (Paris, 1860); “Geological Map of the World” (Winterthur, 1861; 2d ed., Zurich, 1875); “De la science en France” (Paris, 1869); and “ A Catalogue of Geological Maps of America” (Washington, 1884); and “The Taconic System and its Position in Stratigraphic Geology” (Cambridge, 1885). In geography he has explained the origin of the name American in “Origin of the Name America” (Boston, 1875, and Paris, 1887), and “First Discoveries of California, and the Origin of its Name” (Washington, 1878).


MARCOUX, Joseph, Canadian missionary, b. in Canada about 1770; d. there in 1855. After his ordination he labored among the Iroquois tribes, and was finally stationed at Caughnauaga, or Sault St. Louis, in 1819. After many trials he succeeded in rendering the Indians of his mission sober and industrious. He built a fine church in 1845, a large school-house, and obtained for his flock all the advantages that were enjoyed by the whites. His long intercourse with the tribe gave him a thorough mastery of their language. He composed an Iroquois grammar and French-Iroquois and Iroquois-French dictionaries, and also published a "Life of Christ," written in Iroquois, a prayer- book (1852), and a catechism (1854).


MARCY. Oliver, educator, b. in Coleraine, Mass., 13 Feb.. 1820 ; d. in Evanston, 111.. 19 March, 1899. He was graduated at Wesley an, and then taught natural science. In 1862 he became pro- lessor of natural history in Northwestern univer- sity, and continued to hold that chair, also acting- as president after 1876. During 1866 he was ge- ologist on the government road from Lewiston, Idaho, to Virginia City, Montana. He was a mem- ber of various scientific societies, and in 1876 re- ceived the degree of LL. D. from the University of Chicago. Prof. Marcy published numerous scien- tific articles and addresses, and also a " Record of the Marcy Family" in the "New England Historical and Genealogical Register" for July, 1875.


MARCY, Randolph Barnes, soldier, b. in Greenwich, Mass., 9 April, 1812 ; d. in Orange, N. J., 22 Nov., 1887. lie was graduated at th& U. S. military academy in 1832, and served in the Black Hawk expedition of that year, also on frontier duty with the 5th infantry. During the war with Mexico he participated in the bat- tles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, and was made captain in May, 1846, after which he served on recruiting service. Subsequently he was engaged in the exploration of the Red river country in 1852-'4, in the Florida hostilities against the Seminole Indians in 1857, and in the Utah expedition of 1857-8, having command of a detachment that was sent to New Mexico in No- vember, 1857, and returning in March, 1858, after great suffering. In 1859 he was promoted major on the staff and served as paymaster of the north- western posts in 1859-01, becoming inspector-gen- eral with the rank of colonel on 9 Aug., 1861. During the civil war he served as chief of staff to his son-in-law, Gen, George B. McClellan, and acted in that capacity in McClellan's campaigns of western Virginia, in the peninsular campaign, and in the Maryland campaign until November, 1862. He had been made brigadier-general of vol- unteers on 23 Sept., 1861. He was then assigned to inspection duties in the departments of the Northwest, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, and the Gulf until 1865, when he became inspector-general of the military division of the Missouri. In 1869" he was transferred to Washington, and became in- spector-general of the U. S. army with the rank of briga- dier-general, to date from 12_Dec., 1878, continuing in that office till his retire- ment on 2 Jan., 1881. He received the brevets of brig- adier-general and of major-general on 13 March, 1865, for services during the civil war. He had the reputation of being a famous spoilsman, spend- ing much time in hunting in the

Rocky mountains.

Gen. Marcy has contributed to magazines, and published " Exploration of the Red River in 1852 "^ (Washington, 1853); "The Prairie Traveller, a Handbook for Overland Emigrants " (New York, 1859) ; " Thirty Years of Army Life on the Bor- der" (1866); and "Border Reminiscences" (1871). — His brother, Erastus Edgerton, physician, b. in Greenwich, Mass.. 9 Dec, 1815, was gradu- ated at Amherst in 1834, and at Jefferson medical college in 1837. During the ten ensuing years he practised in Hartford, but in 1847, after becoming a convert to homoeopathic views, he came to New