WI BIO - Dane Co - VAN CLEEF, Frank Louis
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 402-403

Frank Louis VAN CLEEF, professor of Greek in the University of Wisconsin [at 
Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin], was born at Wellington, Lorain County, 
Ohio, 20 May 1863, son of George Anson and Maria (KNOX) VAN CLEEF. He traces 
his paternal ancestry back to Jan VAN CLEEF, who left his home in Holland in 
1685, came to America, and located in New Amsterdam, now New York. There are 
breaks in the genealogical chain from this until we come down to the great 
grandfather of our subject, Lawrence VAN CLEEF, who served under General 
SULLIVAN, of WASHINGTON's army in the Indian struggles in New York, and whose 
home was at Elizabethtown [Union County?], New Jersey. He [Lawrence VAN 
CLEEF], on one of these scouts, visited Seneca Falls [Seneca County], New 
York, and was so impressed with the grandeur and beauty of the place that he 
resolved if he lived through that campaign he would return and locate there. 
This he [Lawrence VAN CLEEF] did in 1790, and was therefore the founder and 
first settler of that now handsome city. In 1855 George Anson VAN CLEEF, his 
son, moved from New York to Wellington [Lorain County], Ohio, where he and 
his family have since resided. Of his [Anson VAN CLEEF's] eight children, 
four are still living, the Professor [Frank Louis VAN CLEEF] being the 
youngest.

Professor [Frank Louis] VAN CLEEF graduated in the high school of his native 
town [Wellington, Lorain County, Ohio] in 1880, after [p 403] which he 
entered Oberlin College, took a classical course, and graduated with the 
degree of A. B. in 1884. He then entered the senior class of Harvard 
College, from which he received the degree of A. B. the following year. He 
remained at Harvard, taking post graduate work in Greek and Sanscrit 
[Sanskrit] until 1888, when he was given a traveling fellowship. For two 
years he was abroad. At the University of Bonn, Germany, he continued his 
researches in Greek and Sanscrit [Sanskrit], and also studied Latin and 
German until he could converse fluently in both. Returning to America, he 
was engaged as private tutor at Cambridge [Middlesex or Worcester County?], 
Massachusetts, one year, at the end of which time he was tendered a 
professorship from the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin, as 
professor of Greek. He accepted the position in 1890, and has since filled 
it with credit to himself and also to the university. While at Bonn 
University he prepared a thesis in Latin upon a Greek subject, which gave him 
the degree of Ph. D. He has since written an article that was published in 
the eighth volume of the Transactions of the Wisconsin Academy of Science, 
Arts, and Letters.

Professor [Frank Louis] VAN CLEEF was married 31 July 1888 to Florence 
THURSTON, of Cambridge [Middlesex or Worcester County?], Massachusetts. She 
was reared and educated in that city and is a lady of rare culture and 
refinement. She accompanied her husband to Germany. They are members of the 
Congregational Church.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly