History of Westfield, (Hampden County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Biographies:

Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden, geologist, was born in Westfield, Mass., Sept. 7, 1829. He was graduated at Oberlin college, Ohio, A.B., 1850, A.M., 1853, and at Albany medical college in 1858. He explored the "Bad Lands" of Dakota for Prof. James Hall, state geologist of New York in 1853, and the basin of the upper Missouri, 1854-55. His collections deposited in the St. Louis academy of science and in the Philadelphia academy of natural sciences, led to his appointment as geologist on the staff of Lieut. G. K. Warren of the topographical engineers in the surveying expedition of Captain Humphreys in Dakota and Nebraska for routes for a Pacific railroad, 1856-59. He was connected with the expedition of Capt. W. F. Raynolds in exploring the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers, 1859-62, as naturalist and surgeon. He entered the U.S. volunteer army in 1862 as assistant surgeon to the Satterlee hospital, Philadelphia, Pa., and was promoted surgeon, Feb. 19. 1863, and made chief medical officer at Beaufort, S.C. He was made assistant medical inspector of the department of Washington, February, 1864, and chief medical officer of the army of the Shenandoah at Winchester, Va., in September, 1864. He resigned in May, 1865, and was brevetted lieutenant-colonel for services. He was professor of mineralogy and geology in the University of Pennsylvania, 1865-72, maintaining in the meantime his position in the U.S. geological survey, being U.S. geologist, 1867-79. The Philadelphia academy of sciences in the summer of 1866 engaged him in gathering vertebrate fossils in the valley of the upper Missouri, and in 1867 congress appointed him to make the geological survey of Nebraska. This employed his time, 1867-69, and in April, 1869, it was organized as the geological survey of the territories of the United States. He explored Dakota, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado, 1869-72, in the interest of geology, natural history, climatology, resources and ethnology. His report led to congress setting apart the Yellowstone national park as a perpetual reservation. Dr. Hayden continued his geological and geographical survey of the territories, 1873-79, when the entire work was consolidated as the U.S. geological survey and he was made geologist-in-chief of the Montana division. He resigned at the close of 1886 on account of failing health. He was elected a member of the National academy of sciences in 1856; and of the America philosophical society in 1860. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from the University of Rochester in 1876 and from the University of Pennsylvavia in 1887. His reports to the government including "Report of the U.S. Geological Survey of the Territories" which he edited, embrace a large number of volumes besides his "Miscellaneous Publications" and contributions to scientific journals. He also published "Paleontology of the Upper Missouri" (1865); "Sun Pictures of Rocky Mountain Scenery" (1870); and "Yellowstone National Park" (1876). His widow, Emma W. Hayden on April 11, 1888, gave in trust to the National academy of sciences the sum of $2500 to provide for the Hayden memorial medal in bronze to be annually bestowed as "a reward for the best publication, explanation, discovery or research in the science of geology and paleontology, or in such particular branches thereof as may be designated, which award and the conditions and limitations attending the same and all matters connected with this gift shall be determined by a committee, etc., etc." The first award of this medal was made to Prof. James Hall, state geologist of New York, the first geologist to encourage young Hayden in 1851 by placing him in charge of an expedition to the region of the "Bad Lands." He died in Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 22, 1887.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Charles Sumner Plumb, agriculturist, was born in Westfield, Mass., April 21, 1860; son of David Henry and Helen Mar (Wallace) Plumb; grandson of David and Hannah (Doty) Plumb, and a descendant of John Plumbe, who came from Essex county, England, to Hartford, Conn., about 1663. He was graduated from the Massachusetts Agricultural college, Amherst, Mass., B.Sc. in 1882; was associate editor of the Rural New Yorker, 1883-84, and first assistant at the State Agricultural Experiment station, Geneva, N.Y., 1884-87. He was married Oct. 14, 1886, to Helen P., daughter of Llewellyn and Salena Purple (Gates) Gladwin of Westfield, Mass. He was professor of agriculture at the University of Tennessee and assistant director of the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment station, 1887-90, and in 1890 became connected with Purdue university, Lafayette, Ind., as professor of agricultural science, and with the Indiana Experiment station as vice-director. He founded in 1887 and published and edited until 1891, Agricultural Science, a monthly; and in 1891 he became director of the Indiana Agricultural Experiment station, at Lafayette, Ind. He was elected president of the American Cheviot Sheep society in 1900, president of the Indiana State Dairy association, 1901 and 1902, and secretary of the Indiana Wool Growers' association in 1900 and 1901; was elected a member of the executive committee of the Society for the Promotion of Agricultural Science, and its secretary and treasurer for four years. He was also lecturer at the Graduate Summer School of Agriculture, 1902, at Ohio State university, Columbus, and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His published writings include: Biographical Directory of American Agricultural Scientists (1889); Indian Corn Culture (1895); and numerous monographs and contributions to periodicals.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Thomas Church Brownell, 3rd bishop of Connecticut, and 19th in succession in the American episcopate, was born at Westfield, Mass., Oct. 19, 1779. He taught in a common school at the age of twelve, but was not able to complete his preparation for college till he was twenty-one. In 1800 he entered the college of Rhode Island, from which he removed, with President Maxcy, to Union college in 1802, and was graduated there in 1804 with the highest honors of his class. While in college he studied theology under Rev. Dr. Eliphalet Nott, who became president of Union in 1804, and he made young Brownell tutor in the classics, and a year later professor of logic and belles lettres in the college. After this he spent a year in Great Britain and Ireland in the study of the natural sciences, and returned to teach chemistry at Union college, at first as lecturer, and in 1814 as professor. About this time he changed his religious belief from the Calvinistic creed to that of the historical episcopacy, and was ordained a deacon of the Protestant Episcopal church, April 11, 1816. Two years later he was elevated to the priesthood and accepted the position of assistant minister in Trinity church, New York, and in June, 1819, he was elected to the episcopate of the diocese of Connecticut, which had been vacant for six years. He was consecrated Oct. 27, 1819. He renewed the efforts to secure a charter for a college in the state, which should be free from Congregational control; and in 1823 the charter of Washington college (afterward Trinity) was granted with full academic prerogatives. It was located at Hartford, and scholastic work was begun in October, 1824, with nine students. Bishop Brownell had been chosen president, and with him was soon associated a tall faculty, including men of no little ability. Two buildings of freestone were erected on a sightly campus southeast of the centre of the city. The number of undergraduates rapidly increased, partly on account of the provision made for practical work and for special courses, and one of the best libraries in the country was soon within its walls. For seven years Bishop Brownell guided the plans and the actual work of the college. In 1831, at the request of the convention of the diocese, he resigned his position as president of Trinity college and was elected to the honorary office of chancellor. Before this date, however, the bishop had three times paid a visit to the southern states in the interest of the advancement of the Episcopal church. For twenty years longer he administered the diocese alone, and in 1851 the Rev. Dr. John Williams, president of Trinity college, was elected his assistant. Bishop Brownell, though suffering much from infirmity, officiated from time to time as late as 1860. For twelve years he was presiding bishop of the Protestant Episcopal church on account of his seniority. During the closing years of his life, on each commencement day, the procession on its way from the college buildings to the public hall stopped before his house to salute him, and all stood with uncovered heads while the band played "Auld Lang Syne." A colossal bronze statue of the bishop stands on the college campus. His published writings, besides a lecture on the theology of agriculture, are sermons, addresses, and charges, a Commentary on the Prayer-book, a Compilation on the Religion of the Heart and Life, and an edition of Holden's Commentary on the New Testament. He died at Hartford, Conn., Jan. 13, 1865.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Edward Bancroft, author, was born at Westfield, Mass:, Jan. 9, 1744. Having a natural love for adventure, he left home at an early age, and shipped on a vessel. A second voyage took him to Guiana, where he engaged in the practice of medicine. He afterwards went to England where he devoted himself to literary work. Through the influence of Benjamin Franklin he became a writer on the Monthly Review. He was suspected of aiding in the attempt to burn the Portsmouth dock-yard and was obliged to take refuge in France, in 1777, where, through his acquaintance with Silas Deane, commissioner of the Continental Congress, he obtained intelligence about American Continental affairs of use to the British government, and he imparted his knowledge to the British ministry. He was in the employ of both the English and Continental governments as a spy. He accumulated a large fortune by securing patents from England and France for exclusive right to import yellow oak bark for dyeing purposes. He was a member of the Royal college of physicians in London, and a fellow of the Royal society. His publications include "Natural History of Guiana" (1769); "Remarks on the Review of the Controversy between Great Britain and Her Colonies" (1771); "Charles Wentworth"; "Experimental Researches Concerning Permanent Colors" (1794); "Philosophy of Permanent Colors" (2 vols., 1813), and many short articles. He died in England, Sept. 8, 1820.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor