Rash's Surname Index
Notes for Richard VAUX
VAUX, Richard, penologist, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 19, 1816; son of Judge Roberts and Margaret (Wistar) Vaux; grandson of Richard and Ann (Roberts) Vaux, and of Thomas and Mary (Waln) Wistar, and a great-grandson of George Vaux of Reigate, Sussex, England. Roberts Vaux (1786-1836) became judge of the court of common pleas of Philadelphia, 1835; was was a founder of the state public school system and of several benevolent local organizations; a penologist of note, and author of memoirs of Benjamin R. Smith, Benjamin Lay, Ralph Sandiford and Anthony Benezet; also "Notices of the Original and successive Efforts to improve the Discipline of the Prison at Philadelphia" (1826). He was of Quaker descent. Richard Vaux studied under private tutors, and was admitted to the bar, 1837. He was sent by President Van Buren to London as bearer of dispatches to U.S. Minister Andrew Stevenson in 1838; became secretary of legation, refusing a similar offer in the St. Petersburgh legation; assisted in re-organizing the U.S. embassy at Brussels, and was subsequently private secretary to Minister Stevenson, returning to Philadelphia in 1839. He was married, March 12, 1840, to Mary Morris, daughter of Jacob S. and Sarah (Morris) Waln; granddaughter of Richard and Elizabeth (Armett) Waln. He was a delegate to the Democratic national convention, 1840; recorder of Philadelphia, 1842-49, and after running four times as Democratic candidate for mayor was elected in 1856, in which capacity he effected several important municipal reforms. He was actively influential in framing and securing the present charter of the city of Philadelphia in 1885, and was elected an Independent Democratic representative from the third Pennsylvania district to the 51st congress to complete the unexpired term of Samuel J. Randall, deceased, serving, May 20, 1890-March 3, 1891. He succeeded his father in 1841 as comptroller of public schools and was for forty-seven years president of the board of inspectors of the state penitentiary for the eastern district of Pennsylvania and inspector fifty-one years, publishing forty-five volumes of reports (1842 et seq). He introduced a course of technology into the curriculum of Girard college, of which college he served as a director, 1859-66, and as president of the board, 1863-65. In 1884 he was appointed director of the board of the city trusts (including Girard college), and served until his death. He was a member of the American Philosophical society, and of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. He is the author of several publications on penology. He died in Philadelphia, Pa., March 22, 1895.
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