The Days of a Man [1825 



literary character. As a member of the Indiana 

 legislature he led in shaping the public school sys- 

 tem of the state. David Dale, the second son, and 

 Richard, the youngest of this remarkable family, 

 were intimately associated throughout their lives. 

 David, afterward United States Geologist, was 

 especially interested in fossils and minerals. He 

 classified the great collection left by Maclure, which, 

 with his own extensive accumulations, afterward 

 formed the Owen Museum (of 85,000 specimens) 

 of the University of Indiana, one of the largest 

 fossil displays in America up to its partial destruc- 

 tion by fire in 1883. 



Neef The New Harmony schoolmaster, Dr. Joseph 

 Neef, was a blunt, plain-spoken, honest man, a 

 great favorite with his pupils. An Alsatian by birth, 

 he had formerly been priest, soldier, and at the 

 same time a mathematician of high ability for 

 a while, also, associate of Pestalozzi in his famous 

 school at Yverdon, Switzerland. The latter once 

 commended him as an earnest, manly worker who 

 "did not disdain to occupy himself with the elements 

 of science." Maclure met Neef in Paris and brought 

 him over to America. 'It is my highest ambition," 

 said Neef, ;< to be a country school teacher amidst 

 a hardy, vigorous community." His two daughters 

 both married Owens, the one David Dale, the other, 

 Richard. 



Many distinguished scientific visitors came to 

 New Harmony, among them the Dutch scientist, 

 Dr. Gerard Troost, who remained for some time, 

 becoming later state geologist of Tennessee; and 

 Sir Charles Lyell, greatest of all geologists, was 

 once a guest of the Owens. The eccentric Rafinesque 



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