BR. ABRAHAM GESNER — A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. V 



a locality now termed '• Blissville," was in 1856 quite a 

 landmark among the factories along the creek. 



In 1861 Dr. Gesner pubhshed "Coal, Petroleum and 

 other Distilled Oils," and in 1863 returned to Halifax, 

 where he resided until his death. lie was a man of great 

 energy and industry, and capable of enduring enormous 

 labor. His explorations, particularly those of the Tobique 

 and Madawaska rivers in New Brunswick, were enough 

 work for most men in his profession, but when to these is 

 added the cft'ort necessary to give to his invention of 

 Kerosene and its introduction, wliich was very difficult at 

 first, the magnitude of his labor can be appreciated. 



Sir Charles Lyell and Sir Roderick Murchison under- 

 stood and expressed their appreciation of his geological 

 abilities. 



Shortly l)efore his death he was ofl'ered the (ihair of 

 natural history in Dalhousie College, Halifax. He was 

 a fellow of the Geological Society of England, correspond- 

 ing member of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall, 

 member of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, 

 corresponding member of the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences of Philadelphia, and a member of the Geogra- 

 phical Society of New York. 



Dr. Gesner was a man of medium height, but with 

 deep chest and square shoulders. He had black eyes, 

 which shone brilliantly when he was excited, or in earnest 

 conversation. His lace in repose always showed reflection 

 and deep thought, and gives one the impression of strong 

 intellectual power. His hair was black to the end of his 

 days — 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 quick, nervous way, 

 when he came to the point, and laughing heartily. His 

 lively disposition probably came from his French blood 



