published (3 vols., Amsterdam, 1752). They contained grave accusations against the Louisiana and West Indian companies, which appear to have secured recruits and immigrants by false promises, and, when these means failed, to have shipped to America young convicts and women of questionable character. Wouwerman's works caused a scandal at the time of their publication, and all available copies were bought and destroyed by order of the officials of the company. Abbé Prévost, in his noted “Manon Lescaut,” mentions that it was the custom of the company to send criminals to the American colonies.
WRAGG, William, lawyer, b. in South Carolina
in 1714; d. at sea in September, 1777. He was of
Huguenot descent, and was educated in England,
where he studied law. After returning to South
Carolina, he served for many years in the assembly
and in the council. In 1759 he declined the
appointment of chief justice of the colony, that he
might give evidence to those whose political course
he opposed without being charged with acting in
hope of official distinction. His sense of duty
prevented his espousing the cause of independence,
and, on refusing to take the oath prescribed by the
Provincial congress, he was banished. He sailed
for England in the summer of 1777, but was
shipwrecked off the coast of Holland. He possessed a
fortune, and was much esteemed. A monument
was erected to his memory in Westminster Abbey.
He published “Reasons for not concurring in the
Non-Importation Resolution” (1769).
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WRANGEL, Charles Magnus von, clergyman, b. in Sweden about 1730; d. in Sala, Sweden, in 1786. He was a descendant of an illustrious Swedish general, and was educated at Vestrås and the University of Upsala, in 1757 received the degree of D. D. from Göttingen university, and was then immediately nominated as court preacher to the king of Sweden. In 1759 he was called to the provostship of the Swedish churches in this country, and arrived at Philadelphia in the same year. He at once took charge of the Wicaco parish and the oversight of all the Swedish Lutheran congregations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He was one of the most zealous and successful laborers in the Swedish churches. According to the instruction of the archbishop of Sweden, he cordially and actively co-operated with the German ministers in the defence of their common faith and the extension of the Lutheran church in America, and under this salutary influence both parties were perfectly united and frequently met in conference for consultation and in synod for the transaction of business pertaining to the welfare of the German and Swedish churches. He was an indefatigable worker and an eloquent preacher. When the weather permitted, he was usually obliged, in consequence of the crowds, to preach in the open air. Besides attending to the duties of his own parish, he built two new churches for the Swedes — one at Kingsessing, under the name of St. James church, the other at Upper Merion, under the name of Christ church — and in 1765 obtained a charter from Richard Thomas Penn for the “United Swedish Lutheran churches of Wicaco, Kingsessing, and Upper Merion.” He also visited the Germans at Lancaster and York. He often preached in English, since he found that the young could understand that language better than either Swedish or German. He also prepared an improved English translation of Luther's small catechism for the use of his young people. The church in which Dr. Wrangel labored is “Gloria Dei Church,” or the “Old Swedes Church,” on Swanson and Christian streets, Philadelphia. The building in which he preached is still in good preservation, and is one of the oldest buildings in Philadelphia. The first house of worship was a block-house, erected in 1669, and was used by Swedish Lutherans both as a defence against the Indians and as a place of worship. On 2 July, 1700, the new Gloria Dei church was dedicated and was used by Lutherans for nearly a hundred years, but in the latter part of the eighteenth century it passed into the hands of Episcopalians. The church is sixty feet long and thirty feet wide, built of brick, every alternate brick being glazed. (See illustration.) After nine years' faithful service, Dr. Wrangel returned to Sweden in 1768, and received from the government the pastorate of Sala, where he died, after a useful and eminently successful career.
WRANGELL, Ferdinand Petrovitch, Baron
von, Russian navigator, b. in Pleskau, Esthonia,
29 Dec., 1796; d. in Dorpat, Livonia, 10 June,
1870. He was educated in the school for cadets at
St. Petersburg, entered the naval services in 1812,
and was attached to the scientific expedition to
Siberia and Kamtchatka in 1817. He was appointed
in 1820 to command an expedition to explore the
Russian polar seas. Sailing from St. Petersburg,
he arrived, on 2 Nov., 1820, at Nijnii-Kolvmsk, and
performed, early in 1821, a remarkable journey to
Cape Schelagin on sledges drawn by dogs. He
sailed afterward up Kolyma river, advancing about
125 miles into the interior, through the territory
inhabited by the warlike Yakutes. On 10 March,
1822, he resumed his journey northward, and
travelled forty-six days on the ice, reaching 72º 2' north
latitude. He left Nijnii-Kolymsk on 1 Nov., 1823,
and arrived at St. Petersburg, 15 Aug., 1824. In
1825 Wrangell, who had been promoted commander,
made a journey around the world on the sloop-of-war
“Kratkoi,” and on his return to Kronstadt
in 1827 was appointed governor of Russian America
(now Alaska). He repaired to his post early in
1829, by way of Siberia and Kamtchatka, and on
his arrival devoted all his energy to developing the
resources of the country. After thoroughly reforming
the administration, he introduced the culture
of the potato, opened and regulated the working
of several mines, and urged upon the home
government the organization of a fur company. He
foresaw also the great future of the country,
endeavored to induce capitalists to invest money there,
and sent missionaries to the remotest districts. He
likewise began a survey of the country, opened
roads, built bridges and government buildings, and
promoted the civilization and improvement of the
natives. He also made valuable geographical and
ethnographical observations, which he embodied
in a memoir to the navy department. Being
recalled in 1834, Wrangell made his return by way
of the Isthmus of Panama and the United States,
where he visited several cities. He was promoted
rear-admiral in 1837, and made director of the
ship-timber department in the navy office, which post
he held for twelve years. He became vice-admiral
in 1847, but resigned in 1849, and temporarily sev-
