In 1871 he was elected an associate of the National academy, and in 1885 he became an academician. He has received medals at Amsterdam (1860) and Philadelphia (1876), and has contributed many pictures to the exhibitions at the Academy of de- sign. His "Clearing off, Adirondacks," "The Grove in the Heath," "Russell's Falls, Adiron- dacks," and " Autumn in the White Mountains " were at the Philadelphia exhibition of 1876.
VAN HORNE, William C., railroad president,
b. in Will county, 111., in February, 1843. He
began his railway career as a telegraph-operator
on the Illinois Central in 1856, was attached in
various capacities to the Michigan Central and
Chicago and Alton railroads from 1858 till 1872,
was general superintendent of the St. Louis, Kansas
City, and Northern line in 1872-4, general manager
of the Southern Minnesota in 1874-8, and president
in 1877-9, and in 1879 also filled the office of gen-
eral superintendent of the Chicago and Alton. He
was next general superintendent of the Chicago,
Milwaukee, and St. Paul road, then became general
manager of the Canadian Pacific railroad, of which
the section through the wheat-districts of Manitoba
had just been completed. He was elected vice-
president of the company in 1884, and in 1888
became its president.
VAN KOUGHNET, Philip (van-ko'-net), Cana-
dian statesman, b. in Cornwall, Upper Canada, in '
1789 ; d. there, 17 May, 1873. His father, Michael,
a United empire loyalist, removed to Canada at the
time of the American Revolution. The son was
present at the battle of Chrysler's Farm, 11 Nov.,
1813, as a subaltern officer, and at the battle of the
Windmill, at Prescott, 13 Nov., 1837, as lieutenant-
colonel of the 5th battalion of incorporated mili-
tia, and remained in command till the regiment
was disbanded. He was a member of one or the
other branch of the legislature of Upper Canada
for more than thirty years, being in the legislative
council in 1840, when the union of Upper and
Lower Canada took place. At the time of his
death he was chairman of the board of government
arbitrators for the Dominion. — His son, Philip
Michael Scott, Canadian statesman, b. in Corn-
wall, Ont., 26 Jan., 1823; d. in Toronto in the
autumn of 1869, was admitted to the bar in 1844,
began practice in Toronto, and in 1850 was ap-
pointed queen's counsel. In 1856 he became
president of the executive council and minister of
agriculture in the Tache-Macdonald government
in the place of Sir Allan N. MacNab, who had re-
signed. When the Cartier-Macdonald ministry
was formed he vacated the office of minister of
agriculture for that of commissioner of crown
lands. He resigned his portfolio in 1862, and was
appointed chancellor of Canada, in which post he
continued till his death. He represented Rideau
division in the legislative council of Canada, and
became and continued during his political career
leader of the government in that body. He was at
one time a delegate to England to confer with the
imperial government regarding the international
railway. — Another son, Laurence, b. in Cornwall,
Ont., 7 Oct., 1836, was educated at Trinity college,
Toronto, and in May, 1880, became deputy superin-
tendent-general of Indian affairs in the Dominion.
VAN LENNEP, Henry John, missionary, b. in
Smyrna, Asia Minor, 8 March, 1815. He is de-
scended from an eminent family of Dutch schol-
ars and writers. In 1830 he was sent to this coun-
try, and he was graduated at Amherst in 1837.
After studying one year at Andover theological
seminary, he was ordained to the ministry of the
Congregational church, returned to Asia Minor as
a missionary, and established new mission-posts in
European Turkey, Asia Minor, and Syria. H&
subsequently was connected with collegiate and
theological institutions in Constantinople, Smyrna,
and Tocat, and made many exploring expeditions
and travelled extensively in Egypt and the East.
He also became familiar with ten oriental dialects,
in five of which he was able to preach. He lost his
sight from cataract in 1869, returned to this coun-
try, was professor of natural sciences and modern
languages in Ingham university, Le Roy, N. Y., in
1876-'8, and subsequently a teacher in Great Bar-
rington, Mass. He has published " Travels in Asia
Minor " (2 vols., London, 1870), and " Bfble Lands "
(1879). — His wife. Mary Elizabeth, missionary, b.
in Hartford, Conn., 16 April, 1821 ; d. in Constan-
tinople, Turkey, 27 Sept., 1844, was a daughter of
the Rev. Joel Hawes, and was educated in Hart-
ford and New Haven. She married Mr. Van Len-
nep in 1843, accompanied him to Asia Minor, and
established a school for native girls in Constanti-
nople. See an interesting " Memoir " by her mother
(Hartford. Conn., 1847).
VAN NESS, John Peter, congressman, b. in
Ghent, N. Y., in 1770 ; d. in Washington, D. C, 7
March, 1847. He studied at Columbia and was
prepared for the bar, but was prevented from
practising by delicate health. He was chosen to
congress as a Democrat in 1800. After he became
major of the uniformed militia of the District of
Columbia the house of representatives declared
that he had forfeited his seat by accepting a com-
mission from the general government, and he was
relieved from office, 17 Jan., 1803. On the death
of his wife's father he came into possession of a
large fortune, built a fine mansion, and entertained
on a luxurious scale. He then became a citizen of
Washington, occupied many offices of trust, was
president of the Metropolitan bank, mayor of the
city, and a trustee of various institutions. — His
wife, Marcia Burns, philanthropist, b. in Wash-
ington, D. C, in 1782 ; d. there in September, 1832,
was a daughter of David Burns, of Washington,
and was married
in 1802. She was
carefully educat-
ed, and, as the
wealthiest heiress
in her section of
the country, held
a conspicuous
place in Wash-
ington society.
While meeting all
the claims that
her large wealth
and high standing
could present, she
led a life of much
benevolence and
religious beauty.
She established
the Protestant or-
phan asylum , gave
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the ground on which two churches were built, and contributed liberally to charities. Mr. and Mrs. Van Ness were buried in a mausoleum that was erected after the pattern of the Temple of Vesta at Rome. It stood in the grounds of the Protestant orphan asylum, and for many years was one of the curious and interesting relics of old Washington. It has since been removed to a cemetery. Mrs. Van Ness was the only woman in Washington that ever received a public funeral, which was awarded her on account of her extensive charities. — His