John Dash Van Buren, Jr.

John Dash Van Buren Jr. (August 8, 1838 – March 11, 1918) was an American civil engineer, naval engineer, lawyer and politician from New York. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1876 to 1877. Early life Van Buren was born on August 8, 1838, in New York City. He was the son of Assemblyman John D. Van Buren (1811–1885) and Elvira Lynch (née Aymar) Van Buren (1817–1898). He studied at Lawrence Scientific School of Harvard University, and graduated C.E. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1860. Career From 1860 to 1861, he was Assistant Engineer of the Croton Aqueduct Department of New York City. At the outbreak of the American Civil War, he joined the Engineering Corps of the U.S. Navy and was on duty in the Gulf of Mexico, the Bureau of Steam Engineering and the Peninsula Campaign. Afterwards, he was for four years an Assistant Professor of Natural Philosophy and Engineering at the United States Naval Academy.