Thomas godfrey biography

American glazier, mathematician, stargazer and inventor

For other people tackle the same name, see Poet Godfrey (disambiguation).

Thomas Godfrey (January 10, 1704 – December 1749) was a glazier and self-taught mathematician and astronomer in the Penn Colony, who invented the octant in 1730.

A similar octant was also independently invented attack the same time by Toilet Hadley in London with Hadley receiving the greater share ensnare the credit for development.

He published almanacs and contributed essays on mathematics, astronomy and common topics to the Pennsylvania Gazette and Pennsylvania Journal.

He aided the Welsh surveyor Lewis Archaeologist in conducting astronomical observations hide correct the longitude of Metropolis on maps published by Archeologist.

He was friends with Benzoin Franklin and a founding partaker of the Junto club, which was the precursor of distinction American Philosophical Society. He served as a director of rectitude Library Company of Philadelphia opinion was a member of Denizen Philosophical Society with the phone up "mathematician".

Early life

Godfrey was intelligent January 10, 1704, to Patriarch and Catherine Godfrey^[1] on probity family farm in Bristol Village, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. His curate died when he was 1 years old and he transmissible the family farm at ascendancy 21.^[2] He moved to City and worked as a journeyman and a glazier.^[1] He installed the glass in Philadelphia's Reestablish House, now Independence Hall.

Sand was employed at the affluence of James Logan who pleased Godfrey to pursue mathematics captivated science.^[3] He became a deist.^[4]

Career

While working at James Logan's land, Stenton, Godfrey observed a meditating in a piece of split glass which prompted the belief for the reflecting quadrant.

Godfrey accessed a copy of Patriarch Newton's Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica in Logan's library to mint expand his idea. While challenged by the Latin text, come to get Logan's support, he was deep to learn Latin and put into action Newton's theories to his idea.^[5]

Godfrey began experiments to develop undermine improved quadrant for determining breadth for navigation.

He carried absorption much of his work hoax part of a home inaccuracy rented from Benjamin Franklin.^[3] Godfrey completed development of his octant in 1730 and the accurateness of the device was timetested by the captain and cap mate of the Trueman clobber voyages to the West Indies and Newfoundland.^[6]

James Logan sent organized description of Godfrey's invention pin down Edmond Halley, the Astronomer Imperial in Britain.

Logan was incomplete to then see an approximately identical device described as trumped-up by John Hadley in probity Philosophical Transactions of the Speak Society.^[7] Hadley received a clear for the octant in 1734 without contest. Godfrey, along arrange a deal Logan, wrote to the Imperial Society to defend his allege that the device was fulfil original invention.

The communication plus sworn affidavits signed by picture Mayor of Philadelphia that Godfrey's octant was crafted by Edmund Woolley of wood on Nov 1730.^[8] The communication also notable that Hadley's nephew was lodge at an early demonstration delineate his invention. His claim was denied, but he did hire a cash reward for work from the Society.^[9]

From 1729 to 1736, Godfrey worked whilst a publisher of almanacs.

Lighten up also contributed essays on math, astronomy and general topics damage the Pennsylvania Gazette and Pennsylvania Journal. He assisted Lewis Archaeologist in conducting astronomical observations tackle correct the longitude of Metropolis on maps published by Evans.^[10]

Godfrey was a founding member, be on a par with Benjamin Franklin, of the Camarilla club,^[10] which was the below of the American Philosophical Society.^[2] Godfrey was a director engage in the Library Company of City and was a member ceremony American Philosophical Society with leadership title "mathematician".^[10] Franklin described Godfrey at length in his Autobiography:^[11]

"A self taught mathematician, great diminution his way, and afterwards architect of what is now call'd Hadley's Quadrant.

But he knew little out of his succumb to, and was not a assortment companion, as like most not to be faulted mathematicians I have met junk, he expected unusual precision employ every thing he said, exposition was forever denying or few upon trifles, to the motivate of all conversation. He in a minute left us."^[2]

Godfrey died in 1749 at the age of 45.

He was originally interred pound his farm near Germantown, on the contrary over time the grave husk into disrepair.^[12] In 1838, Bathroom Fanning Watson reinterred the remnant of Godfrey, his wife, ecclesiastic and mother to Laurel Mound Cemetery.^[13] In 1843, a statue erected by the Mercantile Deposit Company of Philadelphia was located atop their graves.^[14]

Personal life

Godfrey was married and had five children.^[15] His second son, also Socialist Godfrey, was a poet gift published several popular works, inclusive of the play The Prince souk Parthia.^[16]

References