A List of Important American Scientists of the Early 19th Century

A List of Important American Scientists of the Early 19th Century

A couple of nights ago I was doing my V.O.F reading (as a good USHAP'er is expected to do) and I came across a passage of John Quincy Adams arguing for greater scientific involvement from the US (#58). The excerpts description said that "Adams's proposals alarmed all believers in strict construction of the constitution. Few of his ambitious ideas received support in congress". I was marginally surprised, since in the 20th century the US was, and still is, a key player in the scientific world. So when did things change? Was the early 19th century really a dark time for American scientists? To help answer these question I compiled the below list of lesser known 19th century American scientists and their greatest achievements.

Charles Goodyear - discovered vulcanized rubber in 1844 - vulcanization is instrumental in the creation of reliable and usable car tires and also footwear. He was completely self-taught and his discovery initiated decades of successful rubber manufacturing in the Lower Naugatuck Valley.

Samuel Colt - an American inventor, industrialist, businessman, and hunter. He helped make a type of revolver that was commercially producible. In the Civil War his company, the Colt Manufacturing Company, supplied both the North and the South with firearms.

Asa Gray - considered the most important American 19th century botanist. His most famous work, Darwiniana, argued that religion and science are not mutually exclusive and that evolution must be guided by God. He worked at Harvard University for 10 years and maintained close correspondence with Charles Darwin. He also discovered that some East Asian plants are very similar to some East American plants, now called the Asa Gray Disjuncture

William Worrall Mayo - a British-American medical doctor and chemist, Mayo studied in Manchester with John Dalton. Once on the US, he held numerous occupations including: tailor, lab assistant, military doctor, census-taker, assistant steamboat operator, farmer, and justice-of-the-peace. After a tornado hit his town, Mayo began a clinic that evolved into the modern day Mayo Clinic

Maria Mitchel - the first American women to work as a professional astronomer, she discovered a comet in 1846 that became known as Miss Mitchel's Comet. She received a medal from King Frederick VI of Denmark for her discovery. She also helped make on of the first extensive collections of sun-spot photographs. She was in-touch with Herman Melville and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

John Wesley Powell - famous for leading the first US expedition across the Grand Canyon, geologist John Wesley Powell is also well known for his three month Powell Geographic Expedition. He, along with thousands of others, helped explore the western coast of the US.