Edwin Smith (astronomer)

Edwin Smith
Edwin Smith
Born	April 13, 1851; New York City
Died	December 1, 1912 (aged 61); Rockville, Maryland
Nationality	American
Education	City College of New York
Occupation	Astronomer
Employer	United States Coast and Geodetic Survey
Spouse	Lucy Scott Smith
Children	6

Edwin Smith (April 13, 1851 - December 1, 1912) was an American astronomer, and a founding member of the Cosmos Club and National Geographic Society.^[1]

Early life

Edwin Smith was born in New York City on Sunday, April 13, 1851, and was raised during the Gilded Age. He was the fourth son of six children born to Edwin, a city surveyor,^[2] and Adelia Olivia Smith (née McIntyre). His paternal grandfather George B. Smith, brother of Theophilus W. Smith, was the long time agent for John Jacob Astor.^[3] George B., his grandfather, and his father Edwin were witnesses for the publication of John Jacob Astor's will on December 30, 1836.^[4]

He attended the College of the City of New York.^[5]

Career

Transit of Venus

On April 8, 1874,^[6] it was announced that Edwin was chosen as "chief of party" to lead an expedition to Chatham Island, New Zealand, to study the Transit of Venus.^[7]^[8]^[9]

On January 10, 1875, Edwin and his party returned to Otago aboard the steam ship USS Swatara^[10] Letters by Edwin, dated January 15, were received in Washington, D.C.,^[11] and were reprinted in newspapers.^[12]

In April 1882, Edwin, attended a meeting of the National Academy of Sciences.^[13]

In July 1882, he was in New Zealand.^[14]

Alaskan expedition

On March 31, 1905, Edwin left Washington, D.C., bound for Seattle, Washington,^[15] on route to Alaska.^[16] He arrived in Skagway, Alaska on June 24, after passing though Juneau.^[17]

Edwin returned home in April 1906.^[18]

On July 30, 1906, Edwin arrived in Spokane on his way to Alaska.^[19] The goal of the trip was to identify the exact boundary between the United States and Canada.^[20]

Personal life

Edwin and his wife Lucy had six children, Edwin (born in 1886), Lucy (born in 1888). They moved to Rockville, Maryland in 1890,^[21] and had Theron (born in 1890), twins Duncan and Ralph (born in 1892), and Harold (born in 1894).

In 1896, Edwin left to visit New York for a month.^[22]

In August 1906, Edwin attended a "baby party," where everyone present wore "genuine baby pattern garments."^[23]

Edwin was acquainted with James Veirs, and attended a dinner he hosted at Montgomery Country Club.^[24] Edwin would also play euchre at the country club.^[25]

He was a co-founder of the Cosmos Club^[5] and served on its "House committee".^[26]

Edwin died December 1, 1912.^[5]^[27]

Bibliography

Smith, Edwin (May 1, 1884). Determinations of Gravity With The Kater Pendulums at Auckland, New Zealand; Sydney, New South Wales; Singapore, British India; Tokio, Japan; San Francisco, Cal. And Washington, D.C. (Report). Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office. p. 439-473.

Smith, Edwin (October 7, 1904). Determination of Longitude (Report). Vol. 20. Science. pp. 466–471. Retrieved May 8, 2023.

Smith, Edwin (May 22, 1909). "William Eimbeck, 1841-1909". Science. 30 (758). Washington, D.C.: American Association for the Advancement of Science: 48-50.^[a]

Legacy

The 1964 film Lilith, starring Warren Beatty utilized the home Edwin built in Rockville, Maryland.^[28] His daughter Lucy, portrayed the grandmother of Beatty's character Vincent.^[29]

Notes

^ Memorial address before the Philosophical Society of Washington, May 22, 1909.

References

^ Crossette, George (1966). Founders of the Cosmos Club of Washington. Washington, DC: The Cosmos Club.
^ Smith I, Edwin (February 15, 1873). Map of land in the 16th Ward of the City of New York belonging to the heirs of John Murray. Hoboken, N.J.: Spielmann & Brush.
^ "The Wealth of the Astors". The Yonkers Statesman. June 9, 1859. p. 5.
^ "The Will of Mr. Astor". The Brooklyn Evening Star. April 14, 1848. p. 2.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Death of Edwin Smith: One of Cosmos Club's Founders and Member of Coast Survey". The Washington Post. No. 13325. December 2, 1912. p. 6. ProQuest 145169206. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
^ "Special Dispatch to the Commercial: Astronomical Preparations". The Pittsburgh Commercial. April 11, 1874. p. 2.
^ "The Transit of Venus: List of Persons Designated For The Observation, With The Stations". The New York Times. May 22, 1874. p. 1.
^ "The Transit of Venus: Importance of To-Nights Event". The New York Times. Vol. 24, no. 7247. December 8, 1874. p. 3. ProQuest 93389775. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
^ "The American Astronomical Expedition". Vol. 22, no. 2872. Christchurch: The Press. November 3, 1874. p. 3.
^ "Shipping - Arrivals". Otago Daily Times. January 11, 1875. p. 2.
^ "The Transit of Venus: Successful Observations by the Mexican Scientists". The New York Daily Herald. February 25, 1875. p. 7.
^ "Venus In Transit: The Work On Chatham Island". The New York Daily Herald. March 24, 1875. p. 5.
^ "Academy of Sciences: Its Eighteenth Spring Meeting In Washington City". The Washington Post. April 19, 1882. ProQuest 137892094. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
^ "The Transit of Venus". The Washington Post. September 3, 1882. p. 4. ProQuest 137801925.
^ "Geodetic Work". The Alaska Prospector. April 13, 1905. p. 1.
^ "The Northland: Information for Everybody". Vol. 7, no. 21. Douglas Island News. April 12, 1905.
^ "Personal Mention". The Daily Alaskan. June 24, 1905. p. 4.
^ "Society: Social and Personal". The Washington Post. No. 10900. April 15, 1906. p. E5. ProQuest 144652609. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
^ "Look For The Boundary". The Spokane Chronicle. July 30, 1906. p. 3.
^ "Fix Boundary By A Star: Exact Line Between Alaska and British America Found". The Spokane Chronicle. September 15, 1906. p. 7.
^ "Mrs. Lucy Smith, 91, Dies at Rockville". The Evening Star. June 28, 1949. p. 14.
^ "News of the Suburbs: Rockville, Gaithersburg, Etc". The Washington Post. No. 6363. August 9, 1896. p. 11. ProQuest 143711167. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
^ "Society: Social and Personal - Rockville". The Washington Post. No. 11033. August 26, 1906. p. E5. ProQuest 144666612. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
^ "Rockville Society". The Washington Post. No. 11812. October 11, 1908. p. E7. ProQuest 144791869. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
^ "Rockville Society". The Washington Post. No. 11812. October 11, 1908. p. E6. ProQuest 144791869. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
^ "Election of Officers: Annual Meetings of the Corcoran Art Gallery Trustees, Cosmos Club and Other Organizations". The Washington Post. No. 2467. January 13, 1885. p. 4. ProQuest 137984684. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
^ "Edwin Smith, Astronomer, Dead". The Baltimore Sun. December 3, 1912. p. 9. ProQuest 533806989. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
^ "Old Homes in Rockville On Tour". The Washington Times Herald. April 8, 1967. p. C1. ProQuest 143253086.
^ Pearson, Richard (November 20, 1980). "Lucy N. Smith of Rockville Dies at 92; Made Acting Debut in 1963 Film, 'Lilith'". The Washington Post. p. C4. ProQuest 147130050.