HOYT, John Wesley, educator, born near Worthington, Franklin County, Ohio, 13 October, 1831. After his graduation at the Ohio Wesleyan university in 1849, he studied law under Hon. William Dennison, afterward governor of Ohio. He then entered the Cincinnati law school, and also attended lectures at the Ohio medical college and at the Eclectic medical institute, receiving his degree from the latter in 1855 when appointed to the chair of chemistry and medical jurisprudence in this college. He then became professor of chemistry and physic in Antioch, serving in 1855-'6, meanwhile delivering lectures in the Medical institute in Cincinnati. In 1856 he accepted the chair of chemistry and medical jurisprudence in the Cincinnati college of medicine, and in 1857 removed to Madison, Wisconsin, owing to impaired health. He was editor and publisher of the "Wisconsin Farmer and Northwestern Cultivator" from 1857 till 1867, and secretary and managing officer of the Wisconsin state agricultural society from 1860 till 1872. He was also vice president of the United States agricultural society for many years, and was active in securing national endowments for colleges of agriculture and the mechanic arts. In 1862 he was state commissioner to the London exhibition, and made an extensive tour through Europe in the interest of industry and education, the reports of which were published by order of the Wisconsin legislature. He was state and United States commissioner to the Paris exposition of 1867, and made a second educational tour. Dr. Hoyt was instrumental in securing a reorganization of the Wisconsin state university, together with large additions to the endowment fund, and founded the Wisconsin academy of sciences, of which he was president for six years, during which time he also directed the Chicago historical society. He was executive and, for a time, acting chief commissioner for the United States at the Vienna exposition of 1873, serving also as president of the international jury for education, by appointment of the Austrian imperial commission, receiving a grand diploma, and being knighted. He was also chairman of the board of judges for education and science at the centennial exhibition in 1876. Dr. Hoyt served as governor of Wyoming from 1878 till 1882, after which he organized various enterprises for the development of industry in that territory, and was the author of the measure for establishing free public libraries in every county. In 1885 he was chariman of the international jury for education at the New Orleans "world's exposition." He is a member of various learned societies, and president of the Territorial and historical society of Wyoming. He has now (1887) a bill before congress for a National university to be endowed by the government. In May, 1887, he was chosen president of Wyoming university. His publications consist of exhaustive reports and brochures. He received the degree of LL. D. from the University of Missouri in 1876.-His wife, Elizabeth Orpha, poet, born in Athens, Ohio, 7 December, 1834, is the daughter of John Sampson, of Massachusetts, and was educated principally by professors in Ohio university. From 1851 till 1853 she taught higher mathematics and metaphysics in Worthington female seminary, and in 1854 she married Dr. Hoyt. She has published poems in magazines and newspapers, several small volumes of poems for children (Cincinnati, 1855-'6), and philosophical essays. She has a volume entitled "The Nature of Consciousness" ready for publication (1887).