life. He took part in the establishment of the Cleveland medical college, lectured at Bowdoin, Dartmouth, Geneva, and other colleges throughout the country, and at his death left the manuscript notes of over seventy different courses on almost every branch of medical science. He was an incessant student, gifted with a clear mind, a never-failing memory, and a remarkable command of language, and it is doubtful whether, as a college lecturer, he has ever been surpassed in this country. As a consulting physician, his opinions took high rank. In 18(J0 he resigned his work in connection with the college, and was made professor emeritus, at the same time receiving the degree of LL. D. He subsequently delivered fifty lectures, taking the place of a member of the faculty called away on duties arising from the civil war, which was his last appearance in public.
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DE LANCEY, Étienne (Stephen), merchant, b. in Caen, France, 24 Oct., 1663; d. in the city of New York, 18 Nov., 1741. Having been compelled, as a Protestant, to leave France on the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (18 Oct., 1685), he escaped into Holland. Deciding to become a British subject and to emigrate to America, he crossed to England and took the oath of allegiance to James II. He landed in New York, 7 June, 1686. His mother had given him, on his departure from Caen, a portion of the family jewels. He sold them for £300, became a merchant, and amassed a fortune of £100,000. He married Anne, second daughter of Stephanus van Cortlandt, 23 Jan., 1700. He took a prominent part in public affairs, representing the fourth ward of New York as alderman in 1691-'3, and was a member of assembly for twenty-four years. While sitting in the latter body he gave his salary, during one session, to purchase the first town-clock erected in New York; and with the aid of his partner imported and presented to the city the first fire-engine that had been brought into the province. Mr. De Lancey was buried in the family vault in Trinity church. New York. The three of his sons that left descendants are mentioned below. His eldest daughter married Sir Peter Warren, K. C. B. The De Lancey house, which is now (1887) the oldest building in the city of New York, was erected in 1700 by Étienne, upon a piece of land given to him by his father-in-law. Mr. De Lancey resided there until he erected a larger house in Broadway, just above Trinity church, which was removed about 1792 to build the City hotel. The site is now occupied by the “Boreel Building.” The old house was then converted into a store. At Stephen de Lancey's death, in 1741, it passed to his youngest son, Col. Oliver de Lancey (the Brig.-Gen. De Lancey of the Revolution). Retiring from mercantile life, Oliver de Lancey sold it to Samuel Fraunces (or Francis, as commonly spelled), a mulatto of French origin, who bought it to establish a tavern, which he named the “Queen's Head,” in honor of the new Queen Charlotte. Five years later Fraunces transferred it to John Jones, who only remained till 1767, when Bolton and Sigell succeeded and kept it till February, 1770. Bolton remained alone till May, 1770, when Samuel Fraunces (or “Black Sam,” as he was usually styled) resumed possession of his property and kept it in the best style till some time after the Revolution. During all this period the house was the headquarters for all societies and clubs, being used for public and private dinners and social gatherings. There it was, in the long room, originally Mrs. De Lancey's drawing-room, with its five windows front, that, in 1783, Washington bade farewell to the officers of the Army of the Revolution. Since 1776 many centennial celebrations have been held in the old hostelry. Originally it had two stories, with a hip-roof, and raised cornice and balustrade, the upper stories being a modern addition. It is of small Holland brick, with heavy timbers, in the old Dutch style. — James, chief justice and lieutenant-governor of the province of New York, eldest son of the preceding, b. in New York city, 27 Nov., 1703; d. there, 30 July, 1760. He was graduated at Cambridge, England, and subsequently studied law in the Inner Temple, London. Having been admitted to the bar, he returned to New York toward the close of 1725, and soon became prominent in public life. He was made a member of the council in 1729, and in 1731 was appointed second judge of the supreme court. The year previous he had been placed at the head of a commission to frame a new charter for the city of New York. The instrument then prepared, known as “the Montgomery charter,” was mainly the work of Judge De Lancey, who, for his services, was presented with the freedom of the city, he being the first person upon whom that honor was conferred. In 1733, on the removal of Chief-Justice Lewis Morris, Judge De Lancey was appointed in his stead, and he retained the office during the remainder of his life. In 1746 occurred a contest between Gov. Clinton and the assembly regarding the former's salary. As the chief justice espoused the popular side in the controversy, he gained the ill-will of the governor, which soon developed into active hostility on the occasion of the latter's receiving a commission from the king bearing date 27 Oct., 1747, appointing De Lancey lieutenant-governor. Instead of delivering it to him as ordered, Clinton pocketed it and wrote an urgent letter to the ministry not only advising its withdrawal, but demanding De Lancey's removal from the chief justiceship. With neither of these requests did the home government comply; but Clinton maintained his hostile attitude, and it was only after his own supersedure, and the death by suicide of his successor, that he finally delivered the delayed commission (October, 1753). On 19 June, 1754, Gov. De Lancey convened and presided over the first congress ever held in America, a congress of delegates from all the colonies, held by direction of the English government for the purpose of a common defence and conciliating the Indians. It was at this congress that Benjamin Franklin proposed a plan for the union of the colonies by act of parliament. On 31 Oct., 1754, Gov. De Lancey granted the charter of King's (now Columbia) college; but so great was the opposition of the Presbyterians that he kept it in his possession until May of the following year before delivering it to the new corporation. About the same time he attended a council of the governors of the different colonies,
