Bicentenary of David Rittenhouse

Abstract

ON April 8 occurs the bicentenary of the birth of David Rittenhouse, the American astronomer, who has been described as “a true product of American genius and toil, and the highest embodiment of the pioneer spirit in science during the colonial period”. The eldest son and the third child in the family of a farmer of Norriton, about twenty miles from Philadelphia, as a boy he began work on the land, but the gift of some tools and mathematical books stimulated his interest in mechanics and science. While still a youth he set up as a clockmaker, and at twenty was studying Newton's “Principia”. Though in after years he devoted much time to mathematics and physics, his first important work was in astronomy. He made the first transit instrument and the first orrery constructed in America, in 1768 began the erection of an observatory at Norriton, and the following year took a prominent part in observing the transit of Venus. One of the earliest members of the American Philosophical Society, he contributed nineteen papers to its Transactions, in 1775 he delivered an oration on the history of astronomy, and, on Franklin's death in 1790, was chosen president. From 1777 until 1789 he was treasurer of the State of Pennsylvania, and from 1792 until 1795 master of the Mint of the United States. He received honorary degrees from Harvard, Prince-ton, and Pennsylvania Colleges, and in 1795 was elected a fellow of the Royal Society. His death took place in Philadelphia on June 26, 1796, and he was buried in the Presbyterian churchyard in that city.