New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-11-23

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a watch, bat not clock. such an article not
yet having found its way into the quiet and
secluded valley in which he lived. The watch
was therefore his model. 1t took him o good
while to accomplish this feat; his great difi
Guilty, rs he often used to say, being TO make
the hour, minute, and second hands correspond
In their motion. But the clock was finished at
las', and raised still higher the credit Of Ban
neker in his neighborhood as an ingenious man,
as we'll as q good arithmetcian.
The making Of the clock was an important
matter, Tor 1t was probably owing to the fame
of it, that the Ellicott family, who had Just
commenced q settlement where Ellicotts Mills
now stand, were induced to Geek him out.
Well educated, and having great aptness for
the useful mechanics, they were the men of all
Others able to understand and appreciate the
character and abilities of Banneker. and they
continued during his life bis firm and jealous
friends.
As already stated, the basis of Bannekers arith
metical knowledge was obtained from the school
book into which he had advanced as far as Double
Position: but in 1851 Mr. George Eliicott lent
him Mayors Tables, Ferguson's Astronomy,
and Leadbetter's Lunar Tables. Along with
these books were some astronomical instru-
ments. Mr.. Ellicott was accidentally pre-
vented from giving Banneker any information
as to the use of either books or instruments at
the time he lent them but before he again
met him, and the interval was brief one, Ban
! ecker was independent of any instruction, aud
was already absorbed 10 the contemplation of
the new world which was thus opened to his
view. From this time, the study of astronomy
became the great object of his life and for a
season he almost disappeared from the sight of
his neighbors. He was unmarried, and was
tue sole occupant of cabin on the lot of
ground already mentioned. His parents had
died at date which is not remembered; be-
| ore the period, however, to which We now
particularly refer. He was still obliged to
labor for his bread but by contracting his
wants he made little serve him, and he thus
obtained leisure to devote to his books. HIS
favorite time for study was night, when he
could look out upon the planets whose story
he was reading, and whose laws he was gradu-
ally but surely mastering During the hours
,f darkness Banneker was at his labors, and
shutting himself up in his house, when not OBJ
liged to toll out of doors with his hands, he
| slept during the day. In this way be lost the
| reputation for industry which he had acquired
n early life; aud those who saw but little of
him in his field, and found him sleeping when
they visited his home, set him down as a lazy
fellow, who would come to no good, and whose
old age would disappoint the promise of his
youth. There was q season, when this esti-
bors led to attempts TO impose on him, and at
times gave him serious Inconvenience. But as
people came to understand him, his character
was restored most honorablv. A memoran-
dun in his handwriting, dated December 18th.
1870, states - informed me that -
stole my horse and great coat, and that th.
said - intended to murder me when op
portunity presented. - gave me a
caution to let no one come into my house after
dark" The names of the parties were origin
ally written in full but they were afterwards
carefully cancelled as though Banneker bad
reflected, that it was wrong to leave an IN
authenticated assertion on record against an
individual which might prejudice HIM, if in-
correct, by the mere fact that it had been
made.
Very soon after the possession Of the books
already mentioned had drawn Banneker's at
tention to astronomy, he determined to com
pile an almanac, that being the most familiar
use that occurred to him of the information he
had acquired. Of the labor of the work, few
OF those can form an estimate who would at
this day commence such task, with all the
assistance afforded by accurate tables and we'll
digested rules. Banneker had no such aid ;
and it is narrated as well known fact, that
he commenced and had advanced far in the
preparation of the logarlthms ne -essary for his
purpose. when he was furnished with set OF
tables by Mr.. George Ellicott. About this
time he began the record of his calculations.
which is still In existence and is left with the
Society for examination. A memorandum
contained in il thus corrected an error In Fer
gusson's Astronomy: g II appears TO me that
the wisest of men may at times be in error;
for instance, Dr. FERGUSON informs as that when
the san is within l2' Of either node at the time
offull, that the moon will be eclipsed; but find,
according to bis method of projecting lunar
eclipse, there will be none by the above elements,
aud yet the sun is within Ito Az ~ of the
moons ascending node. But the moon beingin her
apogee prevents the appearance OF this eclipse"
Both FERGUSON and Leadbeater would proba-
bly, have looked iucredulous had they been in
formed that their labored works had been re
viewed aud corrected by free negro in the
then unheard of valley of The Patapsco. The
hrst almanac which Banneker prepared, tit for
publication, was for the year 1892. BY ths
time his requirements had become generally
known, and among Others who took an interest
in him was james McHenry, Esq Mr.. Nc
Henry wrote letter TO Goddard and Angel,
then the almanac publishers in Baltimore,
which was probably the means of procuring
the publication Of the first almanac. 1t Con
tans short account of Banneker, and is in-
serted as the most appropriate preface that
could have been furnished for the work. MIR.
McHenry's letter does equal homer to his heart
and understanding. copy of the almanac is
presented herewith to the Society, in the name
OF Mrs. Elicott, the widow of George Ellicott,
Banneker's steadfast friend.
In their editorial notice, Messrs. Goddard
and Angel say, "they feel gratied 10 the op
portunity Of presenting to the public, through
their press, what must be considered a. an ex
traordinary effort of genius complete and
accurate Ephemers for the year 1892, calculs
ted by sable descendant of Africa" &C. And
that philanthropic public, in this enlightened
era, will be induced to give their patronage
aud support to this work, not only on account
of It's intrinsic merits, lit having met the ap.
probation OF several Of the most distinguished
astronomers of America, particularly the cele :
brated Mr.. RitteDhouse,) but from similar mo
tlves TO those which induced the editors to give
this calculation he preference, the ardent de
sire of drawing modest merit from obscurty
aud controverting the long established illiberal
prejudice against the blacks"
The motive alluded to by Goddard and An
CELL. IN the extract just quoted. of doing justice
TO the intellect Of the colored race was u
prominent object with Banneker himself; and
the only occasions when he overstepped q mod
esty, which was his peculiar characteristic,
we're when he could, by SO doing, "controvert
the long established illiberal prejudice against
the blacks" We find ham. therefore, sending
a copy Of his first almanac to Mr.. Jefferson.
then Secretary of State under General Wash
ington, saying in the letter that accompanied
1t, ''alihough you may have the opportunity OF
perusing 1t after its publication, yet chose to
send II TO you in manuscript previous thereto,