Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/364

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336
HYATT
HYDE

invertebrates in the Museum of comparative zoology at Cambridge, and since 1881 has held the profes- sorship of zoology and paleontology in the Massa- chusetts institute of technology. Prof. Hyatt also has a class in the Boston university, and in connection with the Society of natural history is manager of the Teachers' school of science, which was founded in 1870. A general laboratory of natural history was founded at An- nisquam, Mass., by the Woman's edu- cational societv of Boston, and Prof.

Hyatt is also in

charge of this enterprise, the origin of which is due to him. He was elected a fellow of the American academy of arts and sciences in 1869, and in 1875 was made a member of the National academy of science. The American society of naturalists was organized in consequence of sug- gestions that were made by him, and at the first meeting in Springfield, Mass., in 1883, he was elected its president. Prof. Hyatt has devoted special attention to the lower forms of animal life. Among his important researches are " Observations on Polyzoa " (1866) ; " Fossil Cephalopods of the Mu- seum of Comparative Zoology " (1872) ; " Revision of North American Peroferae " (1875-'7), which is the only work on North American commercial sponges, and is recognized throughout the world as an au- thority ; " Genesis of Tertiary Species of Planorbis at Steinheim " (1880), giving the details of his study at Steinheim of the fossils, which were at that "time regarded in Europe as the only positive demonstration of the theory of evolution ; and " Genera of Fossil Cephalopoda " (1883). containing important contributions to the theory of evolution. " Larval Theory of the Origin of Cellular Tissue " (1884) contains his theory of the origin of sex. Be- sides the foregoing, Prof. Hyatt has edited a series of "Guides for Science Teaching," and is him- self the author of several of the series, includ- ing " About . Pebbles," " Commercial and other Sponges," " Common Hydroids, Corals, and Echin- oderrns," " The Oyster, Clam, and other Common Mollusks," and " Worms and Crustaceans."


HYATT, John Wesley, inventor, b. in Starkey, N. Y., 28 Nov., 1837. He received a common- school education in Yates county, and then spent one year in the Eddytown seminary. At the age of sixteen he removed to Illinois, where he became a printer. Subsequently he devoted his attention almost exclusively to inventing, and his first pat- ent, received in February, 1861, was for a knife- grinder or sharpener. His next important inven- tion was a composition billiard-ball, the patent being issued in October, 1865. The Albany com- pany controlling this invention with subsequent improvements has from that date led the market in the manufacture and sale of artificial billiard and pool balls. Large quantities of them are used all over the world, supplying the deficiency caused by the scarcity of ivory. In 1869 Mr. Hyatt ob- tained patents on a new style of domino, which, with subsequent improvements, formed the basis of the Embossing company, of Albany, which is still in profitable existence." During the same year he first discovered the method of dissolving pyrox- yline under pressure, and formed the nucleus to "the celluloid business, which, owing to his genius and skill in producing ways and means for nmnu- i'acturing and manipulating the so-called celluloid, has become a large and profitable industry. Mr. Hyatt's experiments with pyroxyline were begun in Albany ; but, unable to interest capital to de- velop the invention in that city, he went to New York, where he obtained the requisite support, and established works in Newark, N. J., which rapidly grew into a very large business. In 1875 he turned his attention to the production of a school-slate, and succeeded in producing the finest slate ever put upon the market, together with special ma- chinery for making it. This he disposed of to the Embossing company, and afterward to another concern, which now manufactures the goods. Mr. Hyatt discovered in 1878 a new compound, con- sisting chiefly of bone and silica, which he called " bonsilate." Subsequently, by means of patents, he perfected the manufacture of that substance, which is made in Albany, and is used in the manu- facture of billiard-balls, knife-handles, buttons, and similar articles. This material is useful for the production of many articles that are now made of celluloid, and, as it is also both fire-proof and wa- ter-proof, it is capable of being employed in cases where celluloid would not answer. In 1881 Mr. Hyatt's attention was called to the necessity of an efficient method of purifying water. This he found a very large field, there being no reliable system in vogue capable of accomplishing good results. His investigations in this direction led to the comple- tion of a pure-water system, in which the methods arrived at are said to be in advance of all other scientific and practical researches on the subject. By it the foulest river, canal, and lake waters are rendered perfectly bright, pure, and sparkling. This system is in operation in more than a thou- sand places in the United States, and in 1887 he went to Europe for the purpose of introducing it there. He has received nearly 200 patents.


HYDE, Alvan, clergyman, b. in Franklin, Conn., 2 Feb., 1768 ; d. in Lee, Mass., 4 Dec, 1833. He was graduated at Dartmouth in 1788, studied theology, and on 6 June, 1792, was ordained pastor of the church in Lee, where he remained till his death. For thirty-one years he was a member of the corporation of Williams college, and its vice- president from 1812 till his death. The degree of D. D. was given to him by Dartmouth in 1812. Dr. Hyde published " Sketches of the Life of Rev. Stephen West " (1818) ; an " Essay on the State of Infants " (1830) ; and occasional sermons. — His half-brother, Lavius, clergyman, b. in Franklin, Conn., in 1789 ; d. in Vernon, Conn., 3 April, 1865, was educated by his brother, and graduated at Williams in 1813. He studied theology in Andover, and in 1818 was ordained pastor in Salisbury, Conn. In 1823 he was settled in Bolton, Conn., and subsequently at Ellington, Conn., and Wayland, and Becket, Mass., but afterward returned to Bolton. In 1859 he retired from the ministry and spent the last years of his life in Vernon. He possessed a large and valuable library. He published the "Remains" of the poet Carlos Wilcox, with a memoir (Hartford, 1828) ; a memoir of his brother Alvan (Boston, 1835) ; and a new edition of Dr. Nettleton's "Village Hymns " (Hartford, 1858).


HYDE, Edward, governor of North Carolina, b. in England about 1650; d. in North Carolina, 8 Aug., 1712. From 1706 till 1712 the colony of North Carolina was in a state of confusion from the conflicting claims of Anglicans and Quakers, each party having its governor and its house of