States and Canada. Two years later he went abroad and spent much time in consulting the archaeologi- cal treasures of the British museum and the great libraries of the continent. He then became a co- laborer with Heinrich Karl Brugsch, commonly known as Brugsch Bey, and Gaston C. C. Maspero, in the field of Egyptology, accompanying the latter on five winter exploring expeditions up the Nile. Mr. Wilbour now (1889) continues the work, using his own dahabeeyah, or Nile boat. He has published " Rachel in the New World," from the French of Leon Beauvallet, with John W. Palmer (New York, 1856); a translation of Victor Hugo's " Les Miserables " (1862-'3) ; and " The Life of Jesus," from the French of Ernest Renan (1863). — His wife, Charlotte Beebee, b. in Norwich, Conn., 2 March, 1830, was educated at Wilbraham, Mass., and married Mr. Wilbour, 18 Jan., 1858. She was elected president of Sorosis in 1870, and five times re-elected. She was a founder of the club, devoted much time and thought to securing for it a permanent foundation, and was instrumen- tal in organizing the Association for the advance- ment of women that was formed by it in 1873. She instituted lectures on health and dress reform, suggested and aided in preparing entertainments for various purposes, and assisted many women in obtaining public recognition. Since she has re- sided abroad she has maintained her interest in the elevation of her sex, and sought every opportu- nity to labor for it.
WILBUR, Hervey, author, b. in Wendell,
Franklin co., Mass., in 1787 ; d. in Newburyport,
Mass., 5 Jan., 1852. He studied theology and
had charge of the Congregational church in his
native town in 1817-23, but afterward was princi-
pal of several schools for girls. He was a pioneer
in the establishment of Bible classes, and was prob-
ably the first in this country to compile and pub-
lish a Bible-class text-book. He engaged in many
literary and scientific labors, and was the author
of a popular work on astronomy, the compiler of
a " reference " Bible, and a lecturer on natural
history and astronomy. He received the honorary
degree of A. M. from Dartmouth in 1812. Mr.
Wilbur published " A Discourse on the Religious
Education of Youth " (2d ed., Boston, 1814) ; " A
Reference Bible " (1828) ; " Elements of Astrono-
my " (New Haven, 1829) ; " Lexicon of Useful
Knowledge " (New York, 1830) ; and " A Reference
Testament for Bible Classes " (London, 1831). —
His daughter, Anne Toppan, b. in Wendell,
Franklin co., Mass., 20 June, 1817 ; d. near Mari-
etta, Ohio, 14 Sept., 1864, was educated at New-
buryport and elsewhere. After completing her
studies, she taught music at New Hampton, N. H.,
Gorhara, Me., and in schools in other places. She
translated several volumes from the French and
other languages, among them "The Solitude of
Juan Fernandez " (Boston, 1851), and contributed
chiefly fiction, under the name of " Florence Leigh,"
to various periodicals. In 1848 she edited the Bos-
ton " Ladies' Magazine " and the Lowell, Mass.,
" Ladies' Casket." After becoming Mrs. Joseph
Wood, she published English versions of X. B.
Sain tine's " Queen of the Danube " and Edmond
About's " La question Romaine " (Boston, 1859),
and " Romance of a Mummy " (Columbus, 1860). —
His son, Hervey Backus, philanthropist, b. in
Wendell, Franklin co., Mass., 18 Aug., 1820 ; d. in
Syracuse, N. Y., 1 May, 1883, was graduated at
Amherst in 1838, and at the Berkshire medical in-
stitution, Pittsfield, Mass., in 1842. Meantime he
studied engineering, and he subsequently practised
medicine at Lowell and Barre, Mass, Being greatly
impressed by the perusal of an account of Dr.
Edouard Seguin's school for idiots at Paris, he re-
ceived several idiot pupils into his own house at
Barre in July, 1848, and organized the first school
for idiots in the United States. By his own ear-
nest personal studies and efforts, he thus developed
the system of education for the weak-minded that
has been adopted in every similar institution in
this country, in Canada, and in some parts of Eu-
rope. In 1815 Dr. Hervey Backus prevailed upon
the legislature of New York to establish an experi-
mental school at Albany, which, under Dr. Wilbur's
direction, was so successful as to be fully organized
in 1854 as the State asylum for idiots at Syracuse.
Dr. Wilbur remained in charge of this institution
until his death. He published numerous reports
and other papers on idiocy. A tablet with the fol-
lowing inscription has been placed on the walls of
the asylum : " Hervey Backus Wilbur, M. D., the
First in America to Attempt the Education of the
Feeble-Minded ; and the First Superintendent of
this Asylum. By his Wisdom, Zeal, and Humanity
he Secured its Permanent Establishment. To his
Memory this Tablet is raised by the Board of Trus-
tees." — Another son, Charles Toppan, physician,
b. in Newburyport, Mass., 18 May, 1835, while a
student of medicine became connected as a teach-
er with the New York state asylum for idiots,
of which his brother was superintendent, and he
was thus led to an investigation of the various
forms of dementia. In 1858 he was called to as-
sist in the organization of the Ohio state asylum
for idiots at Columbus, and for some time he acted
as its assistant superintendent. In 1859 he re-
moved to Lakeville, Conn., and aided in the estab-
lishment of a school for feeble-minded children,
which was afterward conducted by Dr. Henry M.
Knight. In 1860 he was graduated at the Berk-
shire medical institution and returned to Ohio, set-
tling at Marietta, where he began to practise. The
following year he entered the volunteer service,
and remained in the army until the end of the
civil war as assistant surgeon and surgeon. In
September, 1865, he took charge of the Illinois in-
stitution for the education of feeble-minded chil-
dren at Jacksonville, and he was so successful in
its management that the legislature subsequently
voted the erection of larger and more appropriate
buildings at a cost of $185,000. It was afterward
removed to Lincoln, 111. In 1883 he severed his
connection with the institution, and the following
year he opened a private asylum for the feeble-
minded at Kalamazoo. During his connection
with the Illinois asylum Dr. Wilbur was instru-
mental in establishing similar institutions in Iowa,
Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, and other
western states. In January, 1882, he founded the
" Philanthropic Index and Review," a monthly
publication devoted to the interests of feeble-
minded children, and the only periodical of the
kind in existence.
WILBUR, John, Quaker preacher, b. in Hopkinton, R. I., 17 July, 1774; d. there, 1 May, 1856. He was the son of Quaker parents, and became a preacher of the society. He opposed the introduction of religious views that he deemed to be at variance with the original doctrines of his sect, and in 1838 was accused by several members of the Rhode Island yearly meeting of circulating in his conversation "and writings opinions and statements derogatory to the character of the English Quaker, Joseph John Gurney, then on a visit to the United States. He was sustained by a large majority in his own monthly meeting (that of South Kingston, R. I.), but that body having been dis-
