Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-12-24
Gbe gntelligtnttr.
A. Ii. f. HILDRETH, Editor.
Charles City, Iowa, Dec. "a, 1863
James Wilson,
THE FIRST AMERICAN GLOBE MAKER.

THE FIRST AMERICAN GLOBE MAKER.
James Wilson, who was the make
of the first pair of Terrestrial and Ct
lestial Globes ever made in America
was a native of Londonderry, y. III
and was born in l763. He early feI
strong love of knowledge, and CAV,
proof of talents of the right stamp fo
acquiring it but he felt constrainet
by circumstances to devote himself t,
the laborious occupation of farmer
| Up to the age of thirty-three he pur
sued that employment in the place o
his nativity; not however, withou
reading, observation and reflection.
His inclination and genius turned hi.
thoughts and studies especially to Ge
ography and Astronomy, with thu
means of their illustration. In the
year 1896 he removed with his family
to Bradford, VT, and took up his per
manent abode on Il farm which he pur
chased there, on the Connecticut river
about one mile north of the village
We knew him well.
When about thirty-six years old, Mr.
Wilson had the pleasure of seeing ano
examining a pair of English globes
and he resolved to initiate them. He
commenced with balls turned from
blocks of wood, which he nicely GOV
cred with paper and scientifically finish
ed off with all the lines and reprcsen
tations which belong to such appara.
tus drawn upon them.
This rude beginning was followed
by a much better method. The solid
balls were thickly covered with layers
of paper firmly pasted together. This
shell was then divided into hemispheres,
which being removed were again uni.
ted and finished with due regard to
lightness, strength, and smoothness.
But how were these spheres to be
covered with maps equal to those Of
the European artists p? Mr.. Wilson
procured copper plates of sufficient
size for his thirteen inch globes, pro.
jected his maps on them in sections,
tapering as the degrees of longitude
do from the equator to the poles, and
engraved them with such admirable
accuracy of design, that when cut
apart and duly pasted on his spheres,
the edges with their lines and even the
different parts of the finest letters
would perfectly coincide, and make
one surface, truly representing the
earth, or celestial consultations.
Although in the use of the graver
he was self-taught, and this species of
design and engraving was incompara-
bly, more difficult than plain work, yet
by his ingenuity and incredible pcrse-
verance, he succeeded admirably, and
brought forth globes, duly mounted,
and in all respects fitted to rival in the
market any imported from foreign
countries. In the prosecution of his
work and general studies, Mr.. Wilson
doubtless derived important assistance
from the Edinburgh Encyclopedia,
which constituted the principal part OF
his library.
He published the first edition of his
globes in 1914; and personally pre-,
sented to the people of Boston the first
American Globes, which Were seen
there. Quite sensation was produc'
ed among the hterati by such novel
ty; and when earnest inquiry was
made, "Who is this James Wilson
Where is he?" he has been heard t
say that he felt exceedingly mortified
in consideration of his rustic garb ano
manners, when obliged to come out
and confess himself But the gentle
men in question knew how to prize hi
talents, and were proud of the homo
which he had done his country. The,
encouraged him to prosecute his III
dertaking, by the assurance that h
should find there ready market fo
all the globes he could furnish. For
time he pursued his vocation at Brat
ford, VT, and also at Londonderry
N. H., but finally, in company with hi
sons, who inherited good share {
their fathers taste and ingenuity, h
established, about the year 1915,
large manufactory in Albany, N. Y
and, in 1926, brought out from fres
engraving still more perfect an
splendid edition.
These globes, consisting of thre
different sizes, so elegantly and sciel
y tifically constructed, are an honor, nj
only to their makers, but to the Amer
: can people. That mandatory at A
!. a bany is yet sustained though IL
z young artists who commenced it WEI
q q down to early graves, and their age
father, not long after, wholly withdre
e himself from the business.
ID
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