25 June, 1877, became colonel of the 3d cavalry. Grcn. Grant, in a conversation with Thnrlow Weed, called Gen. Devin, next to Gen. Sheridan, the best cavalry officer in the National army.
DEVINE, Thomas, Canadian surveyor, b. in
the county Westmeath, Ireland, in 1823. lie was
educated in Fox's engineer's academy, and in the
corps of Royal engineers, and, after being employed
on the ordnance survey of Ireland, emigrated to
Canada. He became connected with the surveying
department in Canada in 1846, and was deputy sur-
veyor-general in 1873-'9. In 1849 he constructed
for the government a map of Canada from Lake Su-
perior to Nova Scotia (new ed., including Manitoba,
1879), and also constructed the first geological map
of the Hudson bay territory before the- Canadian
government obtained control of it. He was elected
a F. R. G. S. of London in 1860, and F. G. S. of
London in 1873, and has also been elected a cor-
responding member of the Geographical society of
Berlin and of the American geographical and sta-
tistical society. He is the author of a field-book,
exclusively used in Canadian and other surveys.
DE VINNE, Daniel, clergyman, b. in London-
derry, Ireland, 1 Feb., 1793 ; d. in Morrisania,
N. Y., 10 Feb., 1883. His family emigrated to the
LTnited States before he was a year old, settling in
Charleston, Montgomery Co., N. Y., where he lived
till eleven years of age. In 1819 he became a min-
ister of the Methodist Episcopal church, and filled
appointments in Louisiana and Mississippi for five
years. In 1825 his dislike of slavery caused his
transfer to the New York conference, in which
connection he remained imtil his death. He was
a frequent contributor to the religious press, and
published in book form " The M. E. Church and
Slavery" (Boston, 1844); "Recollections of Fifty
Years in the Ministry" (1869): and the "Irish
Primitive Church" (1870). — His son, Theodore
Low, printer, b. in Stamford, Conn., 25 Dec,
1828, left school at fourteen years of age, and in
1844-'8 worked as a printer in the office of the
Newburgh, N. Y., " Gazette." He went to New
York in 1849, entered the employ of Francis Hart,
and in 1859 became his partner. Mr. Hart died
in 1877, and in 1883 the firm name became Theo-
dore L. De Vinne and Company. In his own office,
and as a member of the Typothetjp, the Grolier
club, and the Authors' club, Mr. De Vinne has
been active in efforts to improve typography. His
style of book composition and his press-work of
wood-cuts have given him a wide reputation in
this country and abroad. He has printed " St.
Nicholas " since its beginning in 1873, and the
" Century " since 1874. In 1886 he removed to a
new building in Lafayette place specially designed
by him. He has contributed to current literature
on books and printing, and has published the
" Printers' Price List," an office manual (New York,
1871) ; " Invention of Printing " (1876) ; and " Plis-
toric Types" (1886).
DE VRIES, David Pleterssen, colonist, lived
in 17th century. Several of the directors of the
New Amsterdam chamber of the West India com-
pany took measures to secure for themselves a share
of the privileges, which they offered to enterpris-
ing capitalists in the charter of 1629. A few days
before the passing of the charter the agents of Sam-
uel Godyn and Samuel Bloemmaert bought from
the Indians the tract of country on the southwest
side of South River bay, which purchase was rati-
fied by the director-general and council at Fort
Amsterdam on 15 July. 1630. The possession of
these desert tracts of land would be of no profit
unless means were adopted to cultivate them, and,
in order to accomplish this, a number of associa-
tions were formed, consisting of wealthy men.
Each guild was under the authority of a patroon.
In October, 1630, an association was formed for
planting a colony on the South river. Its members
were Godyn, Bloemmaert, Van Rensselaer, De Vries,
and others. On 12 Dec, 1630, two vessels, with a
number of emigrants and a large stock of cattle,
were sent out by De Vries, under the command of
Peter Heyes, to occupy the new possessions on the
Delaware. The smaller of these vessels was cap-
tured by the Dunkirk privateers before it had left
the Dutch waters ; the other, " The Walrus," car-
rying eighteen guns, arrived safely in the Delaware,
and a settlement was made on Lewis creek, a short
distance from the mouth of the river. The little
fort, flanked by palisades, was named Fort Op-
landt, and the lands were called by the poetic name
of " Swanendal." The chief purpose in acquiring
these lands was to cidtivate grain and tobacco and
to engage in the whale-fishery. Heyes, however,
did nothing to establish the whale-fishery, and re-
turned to Holland on 31 Sept.. 1631, leaving Hosset
in charge of the colony, which consisted of about
thirty-two men. The result of this expedition was
a disappointment to the stockholders, who had an-
ticipated a large profit from the enterprise, and it
was therefore decided that De Vries should com-
mand a second expedition, and become patroon of
the colony. With a large vessel and a yacht he
set sail, 24 May, 1632. At the moment of start-
ing he received news that the settlers of Swanen-
dal had been massacred by the Indians and all
their possessions destroyed. On 5 Dec. he reached
the Delaware, and the cry of "Whale near the
ship ! " stimulated their hopes, soon to be dispelled,
for the sight of the settlement of Swanendal pre-
sented a melancholy spectacle. The ground was
decorated with the skulls and bones of the colo-
nists, and the heads of horses and cattle were scat-
tered over the plain. They succeeded in communi-
cating with the Indians on the following day, and
invited them to a " nice talk." The savages came
with their chief, and by the free use of presents and
pacific policy De Vries gained their confidence and
concluded a treaty of peace. Encouraged by their
friendly disposition, De Vries moved up the river
to Fort Nassau in quest of provisions. Here he
met savage Indians, who had massacred the English
settlers from the Virginia colony. Desirous of see-
ing the country, De Vries sailed for Virginia, W'here
he was heartily welcomed by the governor, who
was much surprised to know that the Dutch had a
colony on the Delaware. De Vries returned to
Swanendal, and found that his party had only taken
seven whales, which yielded but little oil. Conclud-
ing that this enterprise was not profitable, he gath-
ered up his effects, and, taking his party, set sail
for Holland on 14 April, 1634, leaving no Euro-
peans in the valley of the Delaware. He published
"Voyages from Holland to America, from 1632 till
1644," which was translated from the Dutch by
Henry C. Murphy (New York, 1853).
DEW, Thomas Roderick, educator, b. in King and Queen county, Va., 5 Dec, 1802 ; d. in Paris, France, 6 Aug., 1846. He was graduated at William and Mary in 1820, and afterward travelled two years in Europe. In 1827 he was appointed professor of history, metaphysics, and political economy in William and Mary, of which college he was made president in 1836. He held this office until his death, which occurred while he was travelling in Europe with his bride. His published works are : " The Policy of the Government " (1829) ; " An Essay in Favor of Slavery " (1833), which produced
