Van Amringe was born on April 3, 1835, in Philadelphia. He was the son of William Frederick Van Amringe (1791 - 1873), the author of two scientific works, and Susan Budd Sterling, daughter of James Sterling of Burlington, New Jersey.
His grandfather, Leon Van Amringe, was born in Rotterdam, South Holland; married Elizabeth Oborne, a Hampshire woman, in London; and emigrated to America in 1791. The family moved to New York City about 1840.
Van Amringe was educated by his father and at the Montgomery Academy in Orange County, New York, whence he entered Yale in 1854.
He remained there two years, and after a two-year interlude of teaching entered Columbia College, graduating in 1860 with second honors. The same year he was appointed tutor in mathematics; in 1863, he became an adjunct professor.
Van Amringe became a professor of mathematics in the School of Mines, Columbia University, in 1865 and in the School of Arts in 1873. In 1894, he succeeded Henry Drisler as dean of the School of Arts. For a short time in 1899, he was acting president of Columbia University. He resigned his offices, June 30, 1910, and was made an emeritus professor of mathematics.
After the death of his former teacher and colleague, Prof. Charles Davies, he became editor of the Davies Series of mathematical textbooks. He wrote various professional papers, two pamphlets on life insurance (1872 and 1874), and many articles on Columbia and its alumni.
Long active in Episcopal organizations in New York, he served as vestryman of Trinity Church and trustee of the General Theological Seminary. He was unanimously elected president of the Columbia University Club in New York City on its foundation in 1901 and held office until his death. For decades no alumni gathering was complete without him. He prepared the alumni necrology for many years and used this material as a basis for nine new editions of the General Catalogue, which he edited from 1865 to 1906.
His interest in history, originally stimulated by his courses with Francis Lieber, was life-long. He compiled An Historical Sketch of Columbia College (1876), and wrote the section on Columbia for Universities and Their Sons, revising this for A History of Columbia University, 1754-1904 (1904).
John Howard was one of the founders of the New York Mathematical Society (later the American Mathematical Society), and its first president (1888 - 90). He was one of the most popular members of the Century Association and was a vice-president at the time of his death. He is memorialized with a bust enshrined in a column-supported cupola on "Van Am Quad" in the southeastern portion of the campus, surrounded by three Columbia College dormitories and by the main College academic building, Hamilton Hall. The Memorial was built in 1917-18 and was dedicated on Commencement Day in 1918. In honor of Van Amringe, Columbia University's Department of Mathematics has presented a "Van Amringe Mathematical Prize" each year to the best freshman or sophomore mathematics student, based on a very challenging examination.
John Howard was a tall man, with a military bearing, and wore a great drooping mustache. His death occurred in Morristown, New Jersey. "Van Am, " as he was universally called, is a unique figure in the history of Columbia. Probably no other teacher in Columbia's history influenced the lives and ideals of his students as did Van Amringe.
Probably no other teacher of his day was so loved and revered, and "his boys" have delighted to perpetuate his memory at Columbia in song and stone and bronze and oils. Scarcely had he become an alumnus when he began to arouse an interest in the college among the alumni and to restore the semi-moribund alumni association; imbuing others slowly with his own enthusiasm, he made the association a vital and vivifying influence in the whole university.
He was at first secretary, then president of the association, and later president of the alumni of the federated schools of the university. He was a fluent orator, speaking in "exquisitely phrased sentences, rich in thought and suggestion, often imbued with deep feeling and genial humor".
Quotes from others about the person
"As a teacher he was clear, quick and incisive; having a perfect mastery of his subject, he expected and demanded hard work of his students, and was intolerant of inattention or neglect. Keen to detect a fault and sharp to reprimand, he was equally ready to recognize good work and anxious to do strict justice".
On June 20, 1865, Van Amringe married Cornelia, daughter of William Goelet Bucknor of New York City; they had three sons and one daughter.
22 May 1791 - 16 March 1873 Was the author of two scientific works.
1798 - 4 December 1891
1828 - 23 June 1909
1838 - 10 May 1914
1869 - 3 April 1936
