Early American Scientific Instruments and Their Makers — John Shaqi
Early American Scientific Instruments and Their MakersBedini, Silvio A.
History
Early American Scientific Instruments and Their Makers
Bedini, Silvio A.
Scientific apparatus and instruments
Likewise, the very earliest examples of mathematical instruments for
surveying and navigation in the Colonies were imported with the settlers
from England. It was not long after the establishment of the first
settlements, however, that the settlers, and later the first generation
of native Americans, began to produce their own instruments. Records
derived from historical archives and from the instruments themselves
reveal that a considerable number of the instruments available and used
in the Colonies before 1800 were of native production. Apparently,
relatively few instrument makers immigrated to the American continent
before the end of the Revolutionary War. Later, with the beginning of
the 19th century, makers of and dealers in instruments in England and
France became aware of the growing new market, and emigrated in numbers
to establish shops in the major cities of commerce in the United States.
Quite possibly the few instrument makers trained in England who
immigrated to the Colonies in the early epoch of Colonial development
may have in turn trained others in their communities, although no
evidence has yet been found. Perhaps more data on this aspect of the
subject will eventually come to light.
There is reason to believe that a few mathematical practitioners and
instrument makers lived and worked in the New England colonies as early
as the first century of colonization.
The evidence, frankly meager, consists of two items. The first is a
reference relating to James Halsie of Boston. In a land deed made out to
him in 1674 he was referred to as a "Mathematician."[2] Halsie was
listed as a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1690. He
apparently was the forbear of the several members of the Halsy family of
instrument makers of Boston of the 18th century, mentioned later in this
study. It is uncertain whether the use of the term "mathematician" in
this connection meant an artisan, but if not it may be inferred that
Halsie was a practitioner.
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