History of Easton, (Northampton County) Pennsylvania United States of America

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Biographies:

John Peter Hecht, clergyman, was born in Bucks county, Pa., Feb. 28, 1790. He was educated for the ministry of the Lutheran church and preached his first sermon in Philadelphia in 1806. He had charge of two congregations in Montgomery county after 1808. He was then called to Carlisle and on Dec. 10, 1815, removed to Easton, where he was pastor of St. John's church till 1845. He was a director and superintendent of schools in Easton; professor of German in Lafayette college, 1840-45, and a trustee of the college, 1839-45. He served as secretary and as president of the synod of Pennsylvania. He resigned his pastorate and college duties in May, 1845, and died at Easton, Pa., Jan. 30, 1849.

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

James McKeen Cattell, psychologist, was born in Easton, Pa., May 25, 1860; son of the Rev. William Cassady and Elizabeth (McKeen) Cattell. He was graduated at Lafayette in 1880 and received the degree of Ph.D. from Leipzig in 1886. He was a fellow of Johns Hopkins university, 1882, assistant in the University of Leipzig, 1886, lecturer at Cambridge, England, 1888, professor of psychology in the University of Pennsylvania, 1889-91; of experimental psychology in Columbia university, 1891-96, and of psychology from 1896. He edited Science, The Psychological Review and The Science Series.

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

William Sebring Kirkpatrick, representative, was born in Easton, Pa., April 21, 1844; son of Newton and Susan (Sebring) Kirkpatrlck; grandson of the Rev. Jacob Kirkpatrick, and a descendant of Alexander Kirkpatrick who was born in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, came to Newcastle, Del., 1736 and settled at Mine Run, near Baskingridge, N.J. He attended Lafayette college, 1859-62: studied law with Judge H. D. Maxwell 1862-65; was admitted to the bar in 1865, and was solicitor of Easton, 1866-74. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from Lafayette in 1872; was a member of the board of control of Easton, Pa.; president of the Alumni association of Lafayette, 1874; president judge of the third judicial district, 1874-75; dean of the law department of Lafayette college and professor of elementary law and history of jurisprudence, 1875-77; a delegate to the Republican national convention of 1884; attorney-general of Pennsylvania, 1887-91, and a representative from the eighth district of Pennsylvania in the 55th congress, 1897-99.

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

William Barnet Le van, engineer, was born in Easton, Pa., June 3, 1829; son of Isaac and Harriet (Hawk) Le Van; grandson of Abraham Le Van, and a descendant of Abraham Le Van, a French Huguenot, who came to America about 1776 and settled in South Carolina. He attended school in his native town, and removed to New York city in 1847, where he was an apprentice in the machine and draughting departments of the Novelty iron works. He became connected as engineer with the steamship firm of Howland & Aspinwall and with the Collins steamship line. He was consulting engineer in New York city, 1854-57, and in Philadelphia, Pa., after 1857, where he was for many years agent for the Corlisa Steam Engine company of Providence, R.I. Among his inventions are: the Le Van grate bar; a steam engine governor; a self-recording steam engine indicator; a glass water gage; an improved stationary engine; a telescopic hydraulic lift, and an improved boiler set in brick work. In 1857 he became a life member of the Franklin Institute; was one of the board of managers for thirteen years; curator for two years, and served on the committee of science and art for thirty years. He was a charter member and one of the originators of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, organized in 1880. He is the author of: Useful Information for Engineers, Boiler Makers and Firemen, with Facts and Figures (1876); The Steam Engine Indicator and its Use (1890); The Steam Engine and the Indicator, Their Origin and Progressive Development (1890); Safety Valves (1892); The Practical Management of Engines and Boilers (1897); a book for engineers and firemen in the form of questions and answers (in MS., 1901), and numerous scientific papers read before the Franklin Institute, 1873-88.

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