Verplanck colvin biography examples

American lawyer

Verplanck Colvin (January 4, 1847 – May 28, 1920) was a lawyer, author, illustrator and topographical engineer whose understanding and appreciation for the environment of the Adirondack Mountains led to the creation of New York's Forest Preserve and the Adirondack Park.

Biography

Colvin was born on January 4, 1847, in Albany, New York, to Andrew James Colvin, a wealthy lawyer, and his second wife, Margaret Crane Alling; his first name was his grandmother's maiden name.^[1] He was tutored for several years before entering The Albany Academy; then, during the Civil War the family moved to Nassau; there he attended Nassau Academy, where he excelled in the sciences, and graduated in 1864.^[1] Although he preferred attending West Point Military Academy, he joined his father's law office in Albany and was later admitted to the bar.

Working in real estate law gave him his first experience in surveying.

In 1865, when he