John Monroe Van Vleck

John Monroe Van Vleck (March 4, 1833–November 5, 1912) was an American mathematician and astronomer.

Born in Stone Ridge, New York, he was the son of Peter Van Vleck and Ann Hasbrouck. He graduated from Wesleyan University in 1850, and began teaching at Greenwich Academy. (He subsequently earned an LL. D.) From 1851-3 he was an assistant at the Nautical Almanac Office. He was married to Ellen Maria Burr on May 2, 1854.cite book
first=John William | last=Leonard
coauthors=Marquis, Albert Nelson | year=1903
title=Who's who in America, Vols. 28-30
publisher=Marquis ]

He taught astronomy and mathematics at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut for more than 50 years, serving as adjunct professor 1853-57, professor 1885-1904, and professor emeritus 1904-12. He served as the acting president for the university on two occasions, 1872-73 and 1887-89, the vice president 1890-93. [cite web
url=http://www.wesleyan.edu/physics/history/faculty.html
title=Department of Astronomy
publisher=Wesleyan University
accessdate=2007-12-03 ] In 1904 he was vice-president of the American Mathematical Society.cite book
first=Raymond Clare
last=Archibald
year=1938
title=American Mathematical Society Semicentennial Publications, Volume 1, A Semicentennial History of the American Mathematical Society, 1888-1938.
publisher=American Mathematical Society
id=ISBN 082180118X ]

In 1869 he was a member of the Solar Eclipse Expedition to Mount Pleasant, Iowa. He was a fellow of the A.A.A.S. The Van Vleck Observatory at Wesleyan University was named after him, as was the Van Vleck crater on the Moon.

His wife died December 26, 1899, but he lived an additional 12 years. J. M. van Vleck was survived by a son and three daughters. [cite news
date=November 5, 1912
title=Prof. John Monroe Van Vleck.
publisher=The New York Times
url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B06EFDB133CE633A25756C0A9679D946396D6CF
accessdate=2007-12-03] Their son, Edward Burr Van Vleck, was a leading mathematician in the United States. [cite web
last=O'Connor | first=J. J.
coauthors=Robertson, E. F.
date=August 2005
url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Van_Vleck.html
title=Edward Burr Van Vleck
publisher=
accessdate=2006-08-10] Edward taught at the University of Wisconsin, where he became professor emeritus in 1926.

ee also

* John Hasbrouck van Vleck

References