1 88 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



In the field of pure mathematics, Dr. Strong was one of the 

 leading minds of his day. But two of his contemporaries among 

 American mathematicians may be mentioned as sharing his 

 preeminence Dr. Bowditch and Dr. Adrian to whom and to 

 Dr. Strong more than to any others, is due the introduction of 

 the study of the higher mathematics into the schools of this 

 country. 



(From J. P. BRADLEY, in Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of 

 Sciences, vol. 2, 1 886, pp. 1-28.) 



JOHN TORREY 

 Born, August 15, 1796; died, March 10, 1873 



Although most widely known as a botanist, Torrey's life was 

 spent as a professor of chemistry. His father, William Torrey, 

 was of New England ancestry. He served throughout the 

 Revolution in a New York infantry regiment of which his uncle, 

 Joseph Torrey, was a major, and returned to that city at the close 

 of the war. Here his son, John Torrey, was born on August 

 15, 1796. His early education was obtained in the schools of 

 New York and Boston. While still a youth, he became 

 acquainted with Amos Eaton, who taught him the elements of 

 botany, and he soon developed a taste for other branches of 

 natural science. At the age of nineteen years he began the study 

 of medicine in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and three 

 years later began medical practice in New York. His first 

 scientific papers were published while he was still a medical 

 student, the earliest being one on plants growing near New York, 

 which appeared in 1817. In 1824 he published the first volume 

 of his " Flora of the Northern and Middle Sections of the United 

 States," an important descriptive work, which, however, was 

 never completed. The same year he became Professor of 

 Chemistry, Mineralogy and Geology at West Point, and three 

 years later transferred his field of labor to the College of 

 Physicians and Surgeons, New York, where he became Pro- 

 fessor of Chemistry and Botany (" practically that of chemistry 



