Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Anthon, John

ANTHON, John, jurist, b. in Detroit, 14 May, 1784; d. in New York city, 5 March, 1863. He was the second son of Dr. G. C. Anthon, was graduated at Columbia college in 1801 at the head of his class, studied law, and, upon attaining his majority, was admitted to practice in the supreme court. During the war of 1812 he was in command of a company of militia, and served in the defence of New York city. He was also frequently employed during this period as judge-advocate. The establishment of the supreme court of the city of New York is largely due to his efforts, he having successfully urged its necessity upon the state legislature. He was one of the founders of the New York Law Institute, and at the time of his death was its president. He published “Digested Index to the Reports of the United States Courts” (5 vols., 1813); “Reports of Cases at Nisi Prius in the New York Supreme Court” (1820); “An Analytical Abridgment of Blackstone's Commentaries,” with a prefatory essay “On the Study of Law” (2d ed., 1832); and “Anthon's Law Student” and “American Precedents” (1810). — His brother, Henry, clergyman, b. in New York city, 11 March, 1795; d. there, 5 Jan., 1861, was graduated at Columbia in 1813, after which he studied theology under Bishop Hobart and took orders in the Protestant Episcopal church. In 1816, while still a deacon, he had charge of the parish of St. Paul's church in Tivoli-on-Hudson, N. Y.; but, his health failing, he removed to South Carolina, where he remained from 1819 to 1822. During the latter year he became rector of Trinity church, Utica, where he remained till 1829, when he took charge of St. Stephen's church, New York. This pastorate he resigned in 1837 and became rector of St. Mark's in the Bowery, continuing there till his death. All Souls' church, originally a chapel of St. Mark's, was completed afterward, and was made a memorial by his late congregation. A memorial tablet has been erected near the chancel by the vestry of St. Mark's. Dr. Anthon published “Historical Notices of St. Mark's Church from 1795 to 1845” (New York, 1845). — Another brother, Charles, educator, b. in New York city, 19 Nov., 1797; d. there, 29 July, 1867, was graduated at Columbia college in 1815, studied law in the office of his brother John, and was admitted to the bar in 1819, but never practised. In 1820 he was appointed adjunct professor of Greek and Latin at Columbia college, and ten years later he succeeded to the full professorship, and at the same time was made head master of the grammar school attached to the college. The latter post he occupied until 1864, when he was retired. In 1857 he was transferred to the Jay chair of Greek language and literature. He devoted considerable attention to the preparation of text-books for colleges, and in 1822 published a new edition of Lempriere's “Classical Dictionary.” Later appeared an edition of Horace, with notes (1830); a “Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities” (1843); a “Classical Dictionary” (1841), and nearly fifty other volumes of classical school-books, many of which were republished in Europe. A biographical sketch of Charles Anthon appeared in “The Galaxy” in 1867. — Their father, George Christian, a German physician, served in the British army until the surrender of Detroit in 1788, attaining the rank of surgeon-general, resigned, married the daughter of a French officer, and settled in New York city. — Charles Edward, numismatist, b. in New York city, 6 Dec., 1822; d. there, 7 June, 1883, was a son of John Anthon, was graduated at Columbia college in 1839, and from 1853 until 1883 he held the chair of history and belles-lettres in the College of the City of New York. He was an enthusiastic collector of coins, and owned one of the most valuable collections ever gathered in the United States. For some time he was president of the American Numismatic Society. — Another son of John, William Henry, lawyer, b. in New York city, 2 Aug., 1827; d. there, 7 Nov., 1875, was admitted to the bar in 1848, and soon became distinguished in its practice. He was counsel in the Brinckly divorce case, and in 1858 defended the rioters who burned the quarantine buildings on Staten Island. In 1851 he served as member of the state legislature, and during the civil war he was judge-advocate-general on Gov. E. D. Morgan's staff. — George Christian, educator, b. in Red Hook, N. Y., 19 March, 1820; d. in Yonkers, N. Y., 11 Aug., 1877, the eldest son of the Rev. Henry Anthon, was graduated at Columbia college in 1839, studied law, and was admitted to practice at the New York bar. He removed to New Orleans and there began teaching, but returned to New York and was appointed professor of Greek in the university of the city of New York. He established the Anthon grammar school in 1854, and was its principal until his death.