Arkansas weekly mansion., 1884-01-05
BENJAMIN BANNEk ER,
THE NEGRO ASTRONOMERS.


by Rev. John II. Slsttery, in the Catholic
World
The neero stands at the white mans door
and asks for schools and school-ieachers.
Are you--demands the white man In return
"a being of sufficient Intelligence 10 De
worthy OF a good schooling? 10 answer
that question the readers OF the Cith"lc
Worly will permit me, 4 lover of the colored
race, to tell them something of one negro :
history which may stimulate their sense OF
Siustice-ju stice, / say; for the system OF
American slavery, which made the soul OF
the black man darker than his Skin win
law-enforced ignorance, was the woik OF
white nier. What our white people did
wroHgfuliy to theii black brethren IN foi :
mer times it is but lust that we should set
right to tbeir children in these our tlmes
BENJAMIN Banneker was born in Baitl-
more county. not far from Ellicott's Mills,
in 1871. His father was slave, and oy all
accounts a n.tive African, and his mother
was a free mulatto. She was woman OF
great energy and industry, and true heart
ed wife and neither. Very soon after her
marriage she purchased her husbands free
dom, no doubt from the proceeds OF her
own toll.
Young benjamin was sent in early boy
hood to u white school in the neighborhood
which was thrown open to few coiOred
children for it was not till Years after
wards that it became a penal offence to
teach black boy his letters. An old SER
want of one of Mar, lands leading families,
II
hood, used to relate that W hilst all the other
bows loved play and sought amusements,
Banneker's only delight was to ''hve unto
his books.' The region in which Ben ja-
min was born was then almost a wilder
ness; for in 1,32 Eikridge Landing was of
more Importance than Baltimore, which
was only laid out in 1927. tits well to keep
this before our minds, In order that the
difficulties against which Banneker had to
struggle may be fairly understood. When
old enough to work he was taken from
3 L.. n.
in their labor; and during his early youth
his destiny seemed nothing better than that
of a child of poor and ignorant free negroes
possessing a few acres OF land In a remote
and thinly-settled country district. The
I outlook for y clever colored boy at the pres
/ ent day even is not very bright, and hum
dred and twenty years ago 1t must have
been gloomy enough.
/ After passing his minority Banneker con-
( tinued to reside on the little farm Of his
/ parents, and remained in possession OF 1t
after they died and during the remainder
{ of his life. Whilst in the vigor of his man
/ hood he was an industrious and thriving
/ farmer; kept his grounds in good order,
( had horses, cows, and many hives of bees,
and cultivated good garden. living quite
comfortably. During the winter months
and at other leisure times his active mind
was employed in Increasing the knowledge
he had gained at school His favorite study
was arithmetic He had learned the mere
rudiments OF ciphering 1T school, and now
resistlcss attraction drew hIm, all alone
and without any teacher. to master that
whole division of mathematical science.
! lie slowly became a perfect master of the
most difficult ari;hmetical prJb ms.
knowledge of all kinds, Indeed, was his
craving. lie deyOIred every book he could
buy or borrow, and by de grces % ampl:fied
and improved his knowledge and cultivated
his mind that before reaching the years of
middle age he was man of good English
education. Of correct grammatical spec ch,
able to write stroug English. and Of much
general information. But he loved the
natural sciences b, st, was quick observer
of all nItui al phenomena, studying with
eagerncs- aud ..eiisht all that he beheld
about him of the operations OF natures
laws.
At first his knowledge was known to his
I iliterate neig hbors only. but by GegreGS it
became the wonder Of wider circle; and
Btnneker, still = you'g man. came to be
thought of rs one who coi:id not only per-
form all the operations of mental arithme-
tic and ciphering with extraordinary ia
riiity, but exercise matters and thing
in general a sound and discrim mating judg
ment. l. was about this time that he dis
played IN extraordinary mU rhanicai genius;
for, all unaided. he coutrivcd and m ade u
clock, the hr>t III the :hen quiet and Sc
cluded valley of the PatapscO, a watch serv-
ing fer his model. IL took him long " hi,e
, TO accomplish this feat. his greatest diff
Guilty, As he often afterwards said, being TO
max" the hour, minute. and second hands
correspond in their motions. The clock
WAS 1t last hnished, aua raised still higher
BanhekeI's credit III The neighborE oo,; and
marked an epoch in the llfe OF the gifted
negro: Tor 1t was rroDabiy owing to the
fame of it hat he EillcOtt FANNY heard OF
him and sought him out.
1t WAS, indeed, about this time that the
Eiicotts built in the vicinity of our heru's
farm those nour-mllis of which they art
still the owners, and which gave name to
the presc MT village and post office of Eli
colts Mills. The family is still a respect
able and honOred one, leading Mary land
family. and worthy TO be held in benedic-
IA AL hoir ri dc
for the unseught kindness and aIfectOnate
help they spent on Benjamin Banneker.
He was delighted and studious spectat ,r
of the new mill buildings as they were
being erected. When the mills were run
niEg he was still an eager watcher; and
long after the novelty of them died out
among his neighbors he continued his fire.
quent visits, watching and studying the
machinery. Thus rot only his acquaint-
ance with the Ellicotts developed, but he
also came to know the settlers, both whites
and blacks, of the surrounding country,
who resorted to the mills to dispose of their
corn or have 1t ground, to purchase goods
and satisfy their various wants, and also to
get their letters and newspapers. fhe
mills, in short, became the gossipirg CEN
tire of the country round. Here in cOnver-
sation with those who valued attainments
so unusual in q rneu of color, accompanied
always by great mOdesty and general good
conduct, Banneker wss at times induced
to overcome his habitual reserve and take
his share 10 the conversation and take sides
the proprietOrs, certainly men of noble
character, formed an acquaintance with
him which ripelcd into true friendship;
and q few years after the mills were in
operation Mr.. George Ellicott, one of the
owners, lent Bannekcr Mayors Tables,
Ferguson's Astronomy, and Leadbeater's
Lunar Tables, with few astronomical in
struments. 1t happened, however, that
EllicOtt was prevented at the time from
giving Banneker the Instructions usually
necessary for understanding the tables and
the use of the instruments. few days
later. therefore. he went for that purpose
to Banncker's little hOme-a mere hut
when to his surprise he found that he had
mastered the meaning of the books and use
of the instruments by himself, and was in
no need of an instructor. l do not know
what attention. if any, he had hitherto
given to the subject OF astronomy, though
we can hardly suppose that the stately
march of the starry heavens could have
failed to attract his perpleXed and earnest
guesses. 1t must also be borne in mino
that when he thus fairly began the science
he was q man of nearly threescore years
At any rate, from this time the study o.
astronomy became the great passion o.
Banneker's life.
lTO BE CONTINUED