to Nova Scotia in 1824. At first he practised his profession, but soon turned his attention to sci- entific pursuits. In 1888 he was appointed by the legislatures of the lower provinces of British Noi-th America to explore and report on their geological resources. In this connection he made collections of minerals, of specimens illustrating the surveys, and of ethnological implements, and also gathered many other objects of natural history, which now constitute the Gesner museum in St. Johns, N. B. He became familiar with numerous Indian dialects, and was appointed Indian commissioner of Nova Scotia in 1850. Dr. Gesner had an excellent knowl- edge of chemistry, and was among those who early became connected with the development of arti- ficial illuminants from hydrocarbons. In 1851 he experimented with Trinidad asphalt, and obtained from it an illuminating oil. Subsequently he dis- tilled an oil, suitable for burning in lamps, from cannel coal and bituminous shale, thus originating in America the discovery of '• kerosene," the name which he gave it, and which since has been ex- tended to all mineral illuminating oils. The name, as he first formed it, was " keroselain," from the Greek Kr]pds, wax, and e\aiov, oil, and was suggested by the waxy nature of paraffin, which is derived from the distillation of bituminous substances, coming over with the oily part of the distillate. Afterward it was shortened to " kerosene." In 1858 Dr. Gesner came to New York, and took out sev- eral patents for the manufacture of kerosene from coal, but subsequently disposed of them to the New York kerosene company, whose extensive works were erected under his supervision. These soon ceased to be valuable in consequence of the discov- ery of petroleum in Pennsylvania, at which time there were fifty-six such factories in the United States. Shortly before his death he returned to Nova Scotia, expecting to fill the chair of natural history in Dalhousie college, but meanwhile occu- pied himself with literary work. He was a mem- ber of the Royal geological society of London and of other scientific associations in England, and also maintained a continual correspondence with emi- nent scientists abroad, among whom were Sir Rod- erick Murehison, Sir Charles Lyell, and the Earl of Dundonald. Besides scientific papers and reports, he published " Remarks on the Geology and Min- eralogy of Nova Scotia " (Halifax, 1887) ; " Reports on the Geological Survey of the Province of New Brunswick " (St. Johns, 1844) ; " New Brunswick, with Notes for Emigrants " (London, 1847) ; " In- dustrial Resources of Nova Scotia " (Halifax, 1849) ; " A Practical Treatise on Coal Petroleum and other Distilled Oils " (New York, 1861). He left an un- completed manuscript on " The Fisheries of the Provinces," which has not been published.
GETTY, George Washington, soldier, b. in
Georgetown, I). C, 2 Oct., 1819. He was gradu-
ated at the U. S. military academy in 1840, as-
signed to the 4th artillery, and served at Detroit
during the border disturbances of that year. After
doing garrison duty at various posts, he was pro-
moted to 1st lieutenant on 81 Oct., 1845. During
the Mexican war he was brevetted captain, 20
Aug., 1847, for gallantry at Contreras and Churu-
busco. and was also engaged at Molino del Rey,
Chapultepee, and the assault and capture of the
city of Mexico. From this time till the civil war
he was in various garrisons, but fought against the
Seminoles in 1849-'50 and 1856-'7, and took part
in quelling the Kansas disturbances of 1857-'8.
He was made aide-de-camp, with the rank of lieu-
tenant-colonel, on 28 Sept., 1861, commanded the
artillery in the engagements near Budd's Ferry in
November and December of that year, and in the
peninsular campaign of 1862 commanded four bat-
teries at Yorktown, Gaines's Mills, and Malvern
Hill. He was at South Mountain and Antietam,
was made brigadier-general of volunteers on 25
Sept., 1862, and took part in the Rappahannock
campaign of 1862-"8, being engaged at Fredericks-
burg and in the defence of Suffolk, Va., from 11
Api'il till 3 May, and receiving the brevet of lieu-
tenant-colonel on 19 April for his services. He
was brevetted colonel for gallantry at the battle
of the Wilderness, where he was severely wounded,
served in the defence of Washington in July, 1864,
and in the Shenandoah campaign, being brevetted
major-general of volunteers, 1 Aug., 1864, for his
services at Winchester and Fisher's Hill, and brig-
adier-general in the regular army for gallantry at
Petersburg. He was at Lee's surrender, and on 13
March, 1865, was brevetted major-general, U. S.
army, for services during the war. He became
colonel of the 37th infantry on 28 July, 1866, was
transferred to the artillery in 1870, and afterward
served in command of various districts and posts.
He commanded the troops along the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad during the riots of 1877, and,
on 2 Oct.. 1883, was retired from active service.
GEYER, Henry Sheffle, jurist, b. in Frederick-
town, Md., 9 Dec, 1790 ; d. in St. Louis, Mo., 5
March, 1859. He began to practise law in his na-
tive city in 1811, and on 20 May, 1813, became 1st
lieutenant in the 88th infantry. He was made regi-
mental paymaster on 25 Dec, and served till June,
1815, when he was mustered out. He then removed
to St. Louis, Mo., at that time a frontier village, and
was a memlaer of the territorial legislature in 1818,
and captain of the first militia company in the
territory. He was a delegate to the State con-
stitutional convention of 1820, and was five times
chosen to the legislature after the admission of
Missouri to the Union, serving as speaker of the
first three general assemblies of the state. In 1825
he was one of the revisers of the statutes, and con-
tributed largely to the adoption of a code, which
was at that time superior to that of any other
western state. He declined the post of secretary
of war, tendered him by President Fillmore in
1850, and was then elected U. S. senator over
Thomas H. Benton, on the fortieth ballot, by a
majority of five votes. He served from 1851 till
1857, and while in Washington was one of the
counsel in the Dred Scott case. He was the oldest
member of the St. Louis bar, both in years and in
professional standing. He published " Statutes of
Missouri " (St. Louis, 1817).
GHERARDI, Bancroft, naval officer, b. in Jackson, La.. 10 Nov.. 1832. He entered the navy from Massachusetts as midshipman, 29 June, 1846, served on the " Ohio," of the Pacific squadron, till 1850, entered the naval academy in 1852, and was made passed midshipman on 8 June of that year. He became master and lieutenant in 1855, and at
the beginning of the civil war was on the "Lancaster," of the Pacific squadron. He was made lieutenant-commander, 16 July, 1862, took part in the engagement with Fort Macon in that yeai-, and in 1863-'4 commanded successively the gun-boat "Chocorua" and the steamer " Port Royal." of the
West Gulf blockading squadron. In the latter vessel he took part in the battle of Mobile Bay, and distinguished himself for coolness and courage. During the action, by the orders of Capt. Thornton A. Jenkins, to whose vessel, the " Richmond," the " Poi't Royal " was lashed, Gherardi cast off, and went in chase of the Confederate gun-boats
" Morgan," " Gaines," and " Selma." Later in the
