The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-05-07
AN INDIANA SCIENTIST.

AN INDIANA SCIENTIST.
The Quaker Shoemaker Who Has Made
Himself an Astronomer.
J. c. Fletcher In the Indianapolis journal.
Spiceland, Henry county, Indiana, has
long been celebrated for It's academy,
founded by the Society of Friends, and
it is the place where Miss Susan RUSSELL
lives-that philanthropic Quaker lady who
was instrumental in inducing Representa-
tive Charles s. Hubbard, in the Indiana
legislature, to bring forward and carry
through successfully the project Of found
ing an asylum for feeble minded children.
But Spiceland has another distinction.
/: has the beet practical astronomer in In
diana, in the shape of a shoemaker, who
earns his daily bread (for he is poor) by
cobbiing. found every circumstance
SO interesting connected with this as
tronomer. that am sure the readers of
the Journal will also find an interest in
sketch of his pursuit of knowledge
under more difficulties than those of the
Elder Herscbell. or of James Ferguson,
the Scotch astronomer. William Dawson
is the name of the Quaker shoemaker
and astronomer, who made his own tele
scope, constructed his own observatory,
and who for more than twenty years has
furnished the Smithsonian Institute and
the Meteorological bureau at Washington
with valuable statistics and observations.
Last month I was invited to deliver a
course of lectures in Spiceland, aud when
walking with Clarkson Davis, the prin-
cipal of the academy, I noticed house
constructed With dome. inquired of
Mr.. Davis if that was an observatory con-
nected with the scademys He replied:
mo; it is private observatory, built by
very excellent and worthy man, a shoe
maker, William Dawson, who constructed
his own telescope, and is truly a prof.
cient in astronomy"
asked for an introduction, and in
few moments was talking with quiet,
plain looking, intelligent man, who was
haf-soling pair of rough cowhide boots,
for a rustic customer, who sat by in his
stocking feet I do not know when l
have more enjoyed an hour than when
listening to this humble, unpretentious
Quaker shoemaker, who most unostenta-
hously and learnedly discoursed Of as
tronomy and meteorology as upon his
cobbler's form he stitched and ham,
mered," like Whittier's cobbler Keezen,
that slough old Teuton" of the old COLO
NAL days.
learned that Dawson was born IN
Stark county, Ohio, but was taken by his
parents when two years old to Cadiz,
Henry county, Indiana. He had only the
advantage of a common school education.
For his reading, the books were few. but
he had access to the New Castle Courier,
and the weekly religious paper of the So
ciety of Friends. His thirst for hnowl
edge, was, however, intense, and not one
of the characters which figure in Smiles
"Self-help" ever struggled more bravely
in the acquisition of knowledge. He
began early to study the phases of the
weather, to observe clouds and winds,
and to note the degrees of heat and cold
On common thermometer. His atten-
ton went higher, and sun, moon and
stars in their diurnal and annual revolu-
tons intensely interested him. AS he
grew older, and by his trade of shoe
maker and cobbler he obtained q little
means, he studied optics, and finally
could command a small telescope. But
his means were limited. He informed
me that in the most "aush'' times he
never made more than. $500 in a year
and that in the last few years, on &C.
count Of the heavy importation of ready
made boots and shoes from the East, be
has rarely reached $500 with which to
supply himself and family-altogether
four persons.
In 1854 he began to keep regular
record Of thermometrical and barometri-
cal observations. Six years later the
Smithsonian institute heard of him and
wrote to him, asking him to make and
keep observations for the meteorological
bureau. After the first year the officers of
the bureau found his report so accurate
and reliable that they begged him to
send them copy of all his operations
since 1854. He received few instru-
ments and the annual reports of the
Smithsonian institute, and this has con.
stituted all his compensation for years
and years of nights and days OF regular
observations. Unfortunately, when he
began his contributions for the institu te
the powers that be at Washington had
ceased to grant to their observers certain
instruments necessary for accurate OBJ
servations; among these are the psychom.
eter and some other instruments. Since
the bureau of meteorology has been trans
ferred to the war department the powers
at Washington are not more liberal, and
am sorry to say that VIM. Dawson, who
cannot afford to buy these instruments
suffers for the want of them.
Learned many interesting facts from
Mr.. D. in regard to the weather in the
last quarter of a century. In answer tt
my question :"What have been the coldest
day in Henry county since 1S54?" he
replied without turning to record, anc
without ceasing hammering his leather
10th and 10th Of January, 1855, when a
IA. NJ. my Fahrenheit thermometer indi
Gated IS deg, below zero; and on the 81
of January, 1870, when at A. NJ. m,
present accurate thermometer gave 2;
deg. below Zero" 'But," he continued
II would inform thee that the Their
mometer employed in 1856 was an ordi
nary Fahrenheit, and not the presen