I28715: BORDELON (ABT 1900

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Lucy May COMPTON (AFN:8ZQF-C7) Born: 26 Jul 1871 Place: Died: 18 Nov 1959; Spouse: Sherm POULTER (AFN: 8ZQF-Q4)

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The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans: Volume IX R Ritter, Fanny Raymond page 111
RITTENHOUSE, David, astronomer, was born near Germantown, Pa., April 8, 1732; son of Matthias and Elizabeth (William) Rittenhouse; grandson of Nicholas, the immigrant, 1690, and Wilhelmina (Dewees) Rittenhouse, and of Evan William of Wales, and (probably) great-grandson of William Rittenhouse, the immigrant, prior to 1674. Nicholas Rittenhouse settled at Germantown, Pa., established the first paper mill in the United States, and removed to Norriton after 1732, where David worked on his father's farm, and there developed unusual mechanical genius, constructing a perfectly modeled water-mill and many ingenious clocks. In 1851 he built a workshop in Norriton, where he made clocks and mathematical instruments, devoting his evenings to study, aided by Thomas Barton, a school teacher in Norriton. In 1763 he was employed by the Penn family to fix the "circle" or boundary line between Pennsylvania and Maryland, the chronometers which he used in this transaction, and in subsequently determining the boundary line between New York and New Jersey, being either of his own manufacture or mads under his inspection by his brother, Benjamin Rittenhouse. He married, Feb. 20, 1766, Eleanor, daughter of Bernard Colston, a farmer of Norriton. Their daughter Elizabeth married Jonathan D. Sergeant (q.v.). In 1767 he projected his orrery. This instrument, for which he received £300, became the property of the College of New Jersey, and a duplicate orrery, made on a larger scale, was purchased by the University of Pennsylvania for £400. He was appointed, Jan. 7, 1769, with the Rev. Dr. William Smith (q.v.) and eleven other members of the American Philosophical society, to observe the transit of Venus, June 3, from Norriton, Philadelphia, and the lighthouse at Cape Henlopen. For this purpose Rittenhouse built and furnished an observatory at Norriton, the equal altitude instrument, a transit telescope and a timepiece, being of his own invention. He also observed the transit of Mercury, Nov. 9, 1769, and that of the comet, June 16–17, 1770, and ascertained the latitude and longitude of Norriton and Philadelphia, to which latter city he removed in 1770, where, in addition to his regular occupation, he was engaged in several experiments, among them one on the Gymnotus Electricus, or Electric Eel. His wife died in 1771, and he was married, secondly, in December, 1772, to Hannah Jacobs of Philadelphia. He was appointed a commissioner on the navigation of the Schuykill in 1773, 1781 and 1784, and with Samuel Holland of New York, commissioner to determine the boundary line between New York and Pennsylvania in 1774, which commission he resumed in 1786, the boundary line being finally completed by Andrew Ellicott, and accepted, Sept. 29, 1789. In the spring of 1775 a petition to the state legislature was made by the American Philosophical society for aid in erecting an observatory, Mr. Rittenhouse to be appointed "public astronomical observer," [p.111] but the project was hindered by the turbulence of the Revolutionary period. He served as engineer to the committee of safety, 1775; was a member of the general assembly and vice-president and presiding officer of the committee of safety in 1776; a justice of the peace, and a member of the state constitutional convention of Sept. 28, 1776. He was state treasurer, 1777–89, resigning in 1789, and was made a member of the council of safety in 1777. He observed the transit of Mercury in November, 1776, and two eclipses of the sun in January, 1777, and June, 1778, respectively. He was one of the commissioners to settle the territorial dispute between Pennsylvania and Virginia, 1779–81; held the chair of astronomy in the University of Pennsylvania, 1779–82; was elected a trustee of the loan office in 1780; determined the western and southern boundaries of Pennsylvania in 1784–85, and in December, 1785, was made a commissioner for running the line between Massachusetts and New York. He was appointed by President Washington, March 26, 179l, to receive subscriptions in Pennsylvania to the Bank of the United States; was one of the three "agents of information" for the "opening and improving of certain roads, rivers and navigable waters in Pennsylvania," and on April 14, 1792, was commissioned director of the U.S. mint, which position he resigned, June 30, 1795. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1767, of which university he served as trustee, 1779–80, 1782–91, and by re-election, 1791–96, and as vice-provost, 1780–82. He also received the degrees, A.M., 1772, and LL.D., 1788, from the College of New Jersey. He was elected a member of the American Philosophical society, 1768; its secretary, 1771; vice-president, 1790, and in 179l succeeded Benjamin Franklin as president. He was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1782, and an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1795. His name received six votes for a place in the Hall of Fame for Great Americans in October, 1900. His scientific papers in the Transactions of the American Philosophical society, include An Oration on Astronomy (1775). His biography was written by William Barton (1813), and by James Renwick in Sparks's American Biography (1834). He died in Philadelphia, June 26, 1796.

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SANBOURNE. Dau of Daniel Sanborne. Father: Daniel Sandbourne Sanborne Sanbourne b: 1650 in Nansemond Co,Va; Mother: Sarah Copeland b: 1650 in Nansemond Co,Va; Marriage 2 Cornelius Ratcliffe Married: 23 SEP 1721.

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Peter Warren b. 1800 in Liberty Co., GA

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Marriage 1 John Wharton b: 1807 in London, London, England Married: 2 APR 1834 in Culpepper, Virginia ^[S2287]

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LDS 2nd Wife's Name Mary WATTS (AFN:1X26-VL6) Born: Abt. 1675 Westmoreland, Virginia

My Southern Family

BORDELON

ABT 1900 - ____

ID Number: I28715

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Avis CHESTER

Lucy May COMPTON

26 Jul 1871 - 18 Nov 1959

ID Number: I92615

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Pomfrett HERNDON

1745 - ABT 1820

ID Number: I67411

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Frank W. MCAFEE

ABT 1890 - ____

ID Number: I19432

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David RITTENHOUSE

8 Apr 1732 - 26 Jun 1796

ID Number: I69781

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Elizabeth SANBORNE

1682 - ____

ID Number: I61156

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Peter WARREN

1800 - ____

ID Number: I94985

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Lucy Anne WASHINGTON

9 Dec 1811 - 22 Aug 1885

ID Number: I53919

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Mary WATTS

ABT 1675 - ____

ID Number: I44636

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