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Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent dtre film6s d des taux de rMuction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6. il est film6 d partir de I'angle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche A droite. et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 z 3 ^■t : ' i t 4 i,- 5 6 t 3 1/ ->, HIOGRAPIIiCAL SKETCH '>K Dr. Abraham Qesner, By G. W. Gesner. Reprinted from Bulletin No. XIV, Natural History Society of New Brunswick, 1896. ST. .I(»1IN, N. M. ; BaRNKS iV ("(».. Si I'lnNCIO W'IM.IA.M StiU':kt. 45<^7 / /r <* '■'} 1 (Repriiitfil from Rullttiii XIV. i.f Natural Histury Society of New Uniiiswick.) AinM('l>K I. DR. ABRA1IA.\[ GESXEK— A BIOGRAIMIICAL SKET(ni. i!V (i. w. (ii:sM;i{. R.'iul April rill. IHOO. Abraliiini Goiut was honi in Coniwallis, ISTova Scotia, May 2n(l, 1707. His aiu-ostors orio-inally came troni Germany, wliere Gonrad Gesncr three liimdred years ago was so (listiiiu'uislKMl lor his scioutitic attaiiuneiit ; as to l)e called tlie IMiny of Germany, and wa> ennobled by tlie Emperor. A branch of the family afterwards settled in Zuricli, Switzerland, where Solomon Gesner became dis- tino-uislied as a jtoet, and where bis fellow citizens after- wards erected a moiniment to his memory. Anotber branch of the family settled in Holland, from wbich country Dr. Gesners grand fatlicr, NiclioUis Gesner, cmifrated lo Xew York, and settled on the banks of tbe Hudson Rivi'i- at Ta])i)antown, in Rockland Co., about twenty miles irom tlie city of New York. ITonry Gesner, tlie father of tbe subject of tbe present sketcb, one of tbe sons of Nicbolas Gesner and bis twin 4 nri,M:TiN ok tmi; natipai, iiistohy snciKTV. brotlier, Al)raliani, wore about sixteen years of airo wlieii the American revolutionary war heju^an. They were royalists, and ineensed by the ill treatment of their tiither, Nicholas, l)y the cowboys of the time, one of whom removed tlie liat of the old man and substituted liis own, sayiiifr tluit it was | 1 1< ' A I, SKKrciI. •"> whicli was carryiiii;- liorsos to \\w Wi'st Indies. Xoiiu of these wei'e j)r(»Htalile, however, iVoiii causes hi^youd his coiitroh On one ol' his voviiu'es he was wreeke(l in a <^ale at Wreek Jlill, Somerset I'arisli, JicrniiHhi, the vessel fortiinaloly itoundin-i- over the reef hefore it went to pieees. He and the survivors were brought to Hulifax hy one of Her Arajesty's frigates. On another of his voyages he was wrecked in the scliooner '"Mason's Daughter'" on Briar Island, at the entrance of 8t. Mary's J^ay, Nova Scotia. The crew were washed ashore in a wintry surf, and barely escai)od being frozen to death. But his courage and industry were not (j^uelled by tliese misfortunes. At the age of tweiity-eight he became a student of surgery a 1 Gwy'n I losi.ital, and of medicine at St. Bar- tholemewV hospital, the first being under the direction of Sir Astley Cooper, and the other under that of Dr. Abernethy. He was noted wlnle at Guy's Hospital for his earnest application and also his deej) spirit of piety. When anv jdiysiological mystery became a subject of speculation bis ultimate reason was always, "'God made it so,'" and the phrase came to be known as (Jesner's reason, and was habitually used among the students. He was marrieil in ISlU to Hari'iet, daughter of Dr. Isaac Webster, of Kentville. Xova Scotin. His children, beside three who died in infancy, were Jfenry, William, George Weltden, Abraham Herbert, Brower, John Fred- erick and (-onrad. Ol" tiiesc two survive at the [»resent time. Oeorge WeltdcMi and .John Frederick, both of whom are chemists and metallurgists and patentees of improvements in various branches of aiiplied science. ') liCIJ.Kl'IV or ■IIIK \.\Tri!AI, IIIS'ldliY SOflK'I'V. Tliey reside in New York. lirower became a surgeon in the United States army, and Herbert an eminent clergyman of tlie Episcopal cliurcb. Herbert's sons Anthon and lliclimond are also clergymen. After taking liis degree in medicine and surgery in London, Dr. Gesner resided at Tarrsboro, Nova Scotia, and was for a long time a country medical man, travelling along the shores of Minas Basin in his neighborhood and returning after visiting his patients with his saddle bag laden with specimens from along his route. His way lay in a district Avhich was extremely rich in finely crystallized mineralogical specimens. In 1836 he published " Remarks on the Geology and Mineralogy of Nova Scotia,'' and in 1838 was appointed I'rovincial Geologist of the Province of New Brunswick, and moved to St. John, making it his headquarters while engaged in the explorations embodied in his reports on the Geological Survey of the Province of New Brunswick, printed by the government of that province. While living at St. John, Dr. Gesner established the Gesner Museun], afterwards purchased l)y the Natural History Society of New Brunswick, its formation bega'- with his personal collections in his various explorations. Many specimens he obtained at Parrsboro. Blomidon, on the opposite side of the Minas Basin, was a favorite locality for his researches, and all the places mentioned in his "Remarks on the Geology and Mineralogy of Nova Scotia" were visited by him in person. The animal portion of the museum was brought together at St. John. The birds were a portion of what had fallen before his own gun, as he was an excellent shot. The moose, deer, caribou and larger animals were all stuffed and preserved at St. John, at his residence on McNab's Hill, and in setting them up several Micmac i»r;. AiiHAiiAM .,i;s\i:i; .\ I!|(h.i;m.mi(ai. mu:t( ii. 7 Indians Mere ciiii.loycd, mid jdniost niiy cvcjiini,^ diiriii ItULI.ETlX OK TIIK N.\Tl H.\I, IIISIOIiY Sof'IETV. the ])itcli lake of Triiiidacl, ami t'roni if extracted a burn- iiiii: oil for lanii)s. Afterwards lie extracted an illmiiiiia- tiiig oil from coal and otlier bituminous sul)stances, and in 1854 i»atented it under tlie name of Kerosene in the United States. This invenfion laid flie Ibundation in America of u lar^-e industry, leadiiiir to tlie use of jietro- leum for illnminating- purposes and to the enormous petroleum industry as it now exists.^ At he time Dr. Gesner ltei>:an flie manufacture of Kerosene at Xew York, cami»hene — a mixture of alcohol and spirits of turpentine and whale oil - and certain vegetable oils, were with tallow and siicrmaceti candles used for affording light as well as gas. In the manufacture of oil from co.il and bituminous matter, a waxy substance called })araffiii was }>roduccd in considerable quantity, and in naming flie new oil it was thought best to call if ''wax oil'" from the Greek words keros "wax," and 'elaior "oil,"' The ferm "Keroselene" was lirst projiosed and afterwards shortened to •■Kerosene"' j to distinguish oils of this kind , and under that name was j patented. ! Even with the best skill at command flie first kerosene, or coal oil, as if was also called, had when prepared for market, very coiihiderable odor. The kero- sene oil works on Xewton Creek, near Tenny Bridge, n BH. ABRAHAM <;;:s\I:k a niociIAI'IIICAL SKKTCU. 9 a locality now tornied '• Blipsvillo,'" Ava? in 185G quite a landmark among tlic factories along- the crock. Tn 18(J1 Dr. Gesncr published "Coal, Petroleum and other Distilled Oils,"" and in 1868 returned to Halifax, where he resided until his death. He was a man of o-reat energy and industry, and canahle of endurinii; enormous labor. 1 1 is exiuorations. particularly those of the Tobique and Madawaska rivers in New Drunswick, were enou"-]) work lor most men in his profession, but when to these is added the effort necessary to give to his invention of Kerosene and its introdu.-rioii, which was very difiicult at tirst, the nujgnitudc of his labor can 1)C aiq»reciated. Sir Charles IacI! and Sir Koderick Murchison under- stood and expressed their api.reciation of his ireolodcal abnities. Shortly before his death he was offered the chair of natural history in Dalhousic College, Halifax. Tie was a fellow of the (JeologicaJ Society of England, correspond- ing member of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall, member ot the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, corresponding member of the Academy of Xatural Sciences of riiiladelphia, and a member of the Geogra- jdiical Society of New V(>rk. Dr. Gesner was a man of medium height, l)ut with deep chest and s(iuare shoulders, lie had black eyes, Avhich shone brilliantly when he was excited, or in earnest conversation. His lace in i-ei)ose always showed retlection and deeji thought, and gives one the impression of strong intellectual power. His hair was black to the end ot his (hiys — he died at the age of sixty-seven. He had a habit when telling a good story of scratch- ing his head with his hand, in a (piick, nervous wav, when he came to the point, and laughing heartily. His lively disposition probably came from his Frencii blood 10 nri-LirriN ni' tiii; natlkal iiist(ii!Y sofiK'iv. — his mother being u riiieo — a member of the Acadian family of tliat name. Dr. Gesner was popular with tliose with whom he came in contact, and siigiixstions of [tohtical success and prel'erment were often made to liim in consequence, but lie could not l)e induced to enter the political arena, but remained true to his beloNcd scitMice. lie A\as an enthu- siastic; sportsman, botli with rod and gun, and we have seen Ijow he made tliese accomiilishments the handmaids of liis scientific lal)ors. lie was ver\' lond of music and (juite a ('a}»al)le })er- former on the thite and violin in the lamily circle. After a wearinu' dav's work lie would seek recreation and pleasure in playing over old airs, especially the Scotch music, of which he was jtarticularly fond. Jle was always abstemious and temperate in his liabits ot' life, but liked and would smoke a ii'ood ci<>ar. lie rose earlv and retired early, believing in the old maxim with reference to sleei>ing. Many anecdotes might be told showing the geniality and generosity of his disposition. lie remained a tirm chui'chman all his life, and was a warden for many years of Ciirist Church, Brooklyn, N. Y. Here he had an opi»ortunity ol entertaining many of the clergy, some of whom had large pai'ishes in Xew York. On one of these occasions he somewhat disturbed the pious serenity of a very wise looking theologian who was dining with him, and whose name was Walton, by smiliuiflv inquirinu' if he was anv relation to the famous Isaac Walton, author of the ''Complete Angler." A storv is told showiui:: the natural generositv of his charat'ter when su[)erintending a Sunday-school picnic of the church to which he belonged. The picnic was held in grounds surrounded by a high board fence to protect i)H. ADiiAiiAM (;i:sm;i{- a hio(;i!ai'iii(al ski;t( ji. II t)i(^ s('li(,Iai-s (Voin a r. (iesner lies huried in Camp Hill cemetery, Halifax. Nova Scotia. hi', (icsrici-'s Kcpoi'ts on tlic ( ;r..|.,-y of Nrvv I'.IllIlsNvick ;il(" MOW (iillicuh to ol.taiii. Prof. L, W. I',;ii|,.y uTid I )| . C. l\ Muttlicw cai'h possess H full sft. the l.ihcaiy of l^irliamcnt lias the third report, lioston Pul.lie Pil.nuy two ,.r three reports, I'.oston Soeiety of Natiu'iil History two or thrve reports, Har- vard has none, and l'r.,f. W. p. (iaiiotn,^ has the first r.'pc.rt. 'i'lie reports were issued as follows : First Hepoi-t on the ( ieolo-ieal Sur\(y of New I'.iutiswiek, I S;','), Henry Chuhh, St. John, >;?' pa,L;-es. Second IJiport on the ( leoloMJ,.;,! Sur\(y of N,.w lirunswieh, ISIO, 7() pa.<;-es, ele\en woodcuts. Thil-d I'veport on the (Jeolo-ieal Surv(y of New P.ruiiswick, I>i41, SO pai^es, nine woodruts. Fo«irth iJeport on the (Jeoloni.wd Surv.yof New IJrunswiek, \^i-, 101 pai^es. ei^■ht woodruts. 'I'opographieal an