Van H. Manning (engineer)

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Van H. Manning
2nd Director of the U.S. Bureau of Mines
In office
1915–1920
Preceded byJoseph Austin Holmes
Succeeded byFrederick Gardner Cottrell
Personal details
Born1861 (1861)
Horn Lake, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedJuly 13, 1932(1932-07-13) (aged 70–71)
Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, New York, U.S.
Resting placeOak Hill Cemetery,
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Spouse(s)
Emily S. Stevens
​
(m. 1898)​
Children2
Parent(s)
  • Van H. Manning (father)
RelativesLevi Manning (brother)
Alma materUniversity of Mississippi

Van H. Manning (1861 – July 13, 1932) was the 2nd director of the U.S. Bureau of Mines and was instrumental in developing chemical warfare defense technologies during World War I.

Early life[]

Van H. Manning was born in Horn Lake, Mississippi to Van H. Manning, a Mississippi congressman, in 1861.[1][2] He graduated from the University of Mississippi with an engineering degree in 1881.[1][2]

Career[]

In 1886, Manning joined the U.S. Geological Survey as a civil engineer. He worked there until 1910. He then worked at the U.S. Bureau of Mines; starting as the assistant director. He became director in 1915 and served in that role until he resigned in May 1920.[1][2]

Manning worked with the War Department starting in 1917 to perform experiments with helium to reduce its price by large margins and save the military millions of dollars.[1] Under his purview, the Bureau started the War Gas Investigations Branch to research toxic gas as an instrument of war and to develop a chemical warfare defense.[3][4] He established chemical laboratories at American University, which would later be used by the Chemical Warfare Service in World War I.[2][4] Manning argued that chemical production and research should remain under civilian control and not military, but President Wilson transferred 1,700 American chemists to the Chemical Warfare Service in June 1918.[4]

Manning then became the director of research for the American Petroleum Institute in 1920. He held that role until 1924 when he became a consulting engineer for the Bureau of Mines.[1]

Personal life[]

Mrs. Manning and mine rescue methods

Manning married Emily S. Stephens in 1898. Together, they had two sons: Van H. Manning Jr. and Oscar Stevens Manning.[1][2]

Awards[]

Manning was given an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree by the University of Pittsburgh in 1919.[1]

Death[]

Manning died on July 13, 1932 at his home in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City. He was interred at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C.[1][2]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Van H. Manning Sr., Engineer, Dies at 70". New York Times. July 14, 1932. Retrieved October 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Manning Funeral Set at Oak Hill". July 15, 1932. p. A9. Retrieved October 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  3. ^ Spelce, David; Rehak, Timothy R.; Metzler, Richard W.; Johnson, James S. (2017). "Pre-World War I Firefighter Respirators and the U.S. Bureau of Mines Involvement in WWI". Journal of the International Society for Respiratory Protection. 34 (2): 128–135. PMC 7278273. PMID 32514225.
  4. ^ a b c Gross, Daniel A. (Spring 2015). "Chemical Warfare: From the European Battlefield to the American Laboratory". Distillations. 1 (1): 16–23. Retrieved October 30, 2021.

External links[]

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