VAN REYPEN, William Knickerbocker,*
medical dir. U.S.N.; b. Bergen, N.J., Nov. 14,
1840; s. Cornelius C. and Christina Cantine
(Van Alen) V.; A. B., New york U., 1858, A,M.,
1863; M. D., Univ. Med. Coll. ( New York U. ),
1862; m. Nellie C. Wells, Sept. 21, 1876. Apptd.
from N.J. asst. surgeon U.S.N., Dec. 26, 1861;
passed asst. surgeon, May 26, 1865; surgeon,
May 12, 1868; med. insp., Aug. 16, 1887; med.
dir., Mar. 30, 1895. Served at the naval hosp.,
New York, 1862; on St. Lawrence, East Gulf
Blockading Squardron, 1863-4; naval hosp.,Chel-
sea, Mass., 1865, 1869-70; Lenapee, 1865-7; Ticon
deroga and Frolic, 1867-9; naval hosps., Nor-
folk, 1870-1, Annapolis, 1871-2, New York, 1874-
7; on Iroquois, 1872-4; Alaska, 1878-80; at Navy
Yard Norfolk, 1880; naval hospital, Brooklyn,
1881-3; Powhatan , 1883-4; asst. chief Bur. of
Medicine and Surgery, 1884-92 : fleet surgeon
Pacific Fleet, 1892-4 ; mem. Bd. of Inspection
and survey, 1894-7; during Spanish-Am. War
designed and fitted out the ambulance ship
Solace, the first ever used in naval warfare;
surgeon-gen. U. S. N. and chief of Bureau of
Medicine and Surgery, with rank of commo-
dore, 1897-9, with rank of rear-admiral, 1899-
1902; retired on own application after 40 yrs.’
service , with the rank of sr. rear-admiral,
Jan. 25, 1902. Del. representing U.S.N. at 12th
Internat. Med. Congress , Moscow, 1887; del.
Red Cross Conf., St. Petersburg, 1902; pres.
Am. Nat. Red Cross, 1904-5 (chmn. Central Com.
since 1905). Home: 1021 15th St. , N.W., Wash-
ington D.C.
01/20/2001
*William K. was the son of Cornelius C. and
Christina C. Van Alen.( Ancestry can be traced
back in Winfields “The History of Hudson County”.