John Monroe van Vleck   [1833-1912]

John Monroe Van Vleck was the first member in a distinguished three member academic dynasty consisting of the grandfather, John Monroe Van Vleck, an astronomer, the father, Edward Burr Van Vleck, a mathematician, and the son, John Hasbrouck Van Vleck, a physicist and Nobel Prize winner in 1977.

John Monroe Van Vleck graduated from Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, in 1850. He began teaching at Greenwich Academy, probably focusing on the sciences and mathematics. The latter would become one of his specialties. After a number of years as a teacher, he apparently decided to pursue further graduate study, because Van Vleck was awarded a LL.D. degree from Northwestern University in 1876, 26 years following the degree from Wesleyan in 1850.

Van Vleck’s first university appointment was at Wesleyan University in 1853, when he was appointed as an adjunct professor of mathematics. In 1858, he was promoted at Wesleyan to professor of mathematics and astronomy. He would remain on the Wesleyan faculty for the remainder of his life. He served as professor until 1904, and then as professor emeritus until 1912, the year of his death.

During his academic association with Wesleyan University, he was called upon to serve the institution as acting president from 1872 to 1873, and again from 1887 to 1889. Later, he also served the institution as a vice president from 1890 to 1893. During his tenure at Wesleyan, Van Vleck appointed the future U.S. President Woodrow Wilson to the faculty at Wesleyan.

Activities outside of Wesleyan University include serving as a vice president of the American Mathematical Society in 1904. As an astronomer, he was a member of the Solar Eclipse Expedition to Mount Pleasant, Iowa in 1869. Van Vleck was also a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the German Astronomical Society, Astronomische Gesellschaft.

Van Vleck’s publications include, “Tables giving the positions of the Moon for 1855-1856, and for 1878-1891”. He also prepared, “Positions giving the position of Saturn for 1857-1877”. The Van Vleck Observatory at Wesleyan University, and a crater on the Moon are named after him.

John Monroe Van Vleck was born in Stone Ridge, Ulster County, New York on March 4, 1833. His parents were Peter Van Vleck [1806-1872] and Ann Hasbrouck [1803-1854]. He married Ellen Maria Burr on May 2, 1854. The couple had four children, including three daughters and a son. The son was Edward Burr Van Vleck, mentioned above. The daughters were named Anna, Clara, and Jane. John Monroe Van Vleck passed away at Middletown, Connecticut on November 4, 1912.

 

REFERENCES

John Monroe Van Vleck, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Monroe_Van_Vleck

Family Databases of MAUS members, John Monroe Van Vleck,http://www.genealogy.net/vereine/maus/datenbanken/familien/famreport.php?familie=poppe&ID=332&nachname=VanVleck&lang=en (link no longer active)

 

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PROMINENT DUTCH AMERICANS, CURRENT AND HISTORIC

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PROMINENT DUTCH AMERICANS IN U.S. GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, 2015

 

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