Arkansas weekly mansion., 1884-02-02
BENJAMIN BANNEKER.
THE NEGRO ASTRONOMER.

THE NEGRO ASTRONOMER.
lBy Rev. John r. Slattery, in the Catholic
World.]
(Continued)
When his first almanac was
published Banneker was about
sixty years OF age. He soon re-
ccived tokens OF respect from all
the scientific mon of the coun-
try
In his letter to jefferson our
astronomer alleges as a reason
why he was thinking of not
going on with his almanac for
that year that he was with the
commissioners appointed to run
the lines of the District of Co
lumbia, then known as the Fed
eral Territory. Wishing to avail
themselves of Banneker's ac>
quirements, the commissioners in
vited him to be present at the
surveys, His conduct through
out the whole engagement Sc
cured their respect. They in
vited him to a daily seat at their
own table, but this, with his
usual modesty, Banneker de-
clined They then ordered
slde-table laid for him in the
same room with themselves. On
his return he called to give an
account of his work at the house
Of friend, He arrived on horse
back, dressed in his usual Co.'S
tume-a full suit of drab cloth
surmounted by a broad-brimmed
beaver hat. He declared the
commissioners to abe very civil
set of gentlemen, who had over
looked his complexion" After
describing the work, and, with
his usual humility, counting as
trivial his own share, he added
that during his absence he did
not taste wine or spirituous
liquors, adding; 81 feared to
trust myself even with wine, lest
it should steal away the little
sense [ have" David Stuart,
Daniel Carroll, Thomas johnson,
Andrew Ellicott and Major LEN
fant were the surveyors. OF
course it was through Ellicott
that ,Banneker was secured.
This Daniel Carroll owned the
property on which the Capitol
building stands. He was a de-
vout Catholic, brother, if 1 mis-
take not, of Archbishop Carroll,
of Baltimore. His family was
not related to the CAROLS Of
Carrollton. Daniels descendants
still live on Capitol Hill, Wash
ington, Their house is known as
Duddington.
Hard drinking had been Ban
neker's weakness. But, with a
self-denial supposed to be un-
known to his race, seeing its
evils, he resolved to refrain from
intoxicating drink, and gradu
ally succeeded, becoming finally
a total abstainer. AS the reader
may well suppose, once familiar
with the books and instruments
furnished him by the Ellicotts,
Banneker was anxious to devote
more time to study, and still more
desirous to be released from the
anxieties and cares attending the
cultivation of his farm. lie un.
dertook to let it out, but his ten.
ants were continual vexatiOn tC
him, refusing to pay rent, and
when expostulated with, retail
ating by annoying him in :
dozen ways. One Of them, see
ing his impatience, said quaint !
to him, cit is better to die o
hunger than anger" Finally h
sold his farm for an annuity
Carefully calculating his chance
of life, he put the annuity a
twelve pounds, Maryland cur
rency, during a given number 0
years.
} This, with the proceeds of hi
almanacs, supported him till hi
, death in 1904. 1t is said the onl
: serious error Banneker ever mad
, was in this very calculation, 70
he lived eight years longer tha
, the time he had calculated. Blu
it was the Ellicotts who ha
. bought the place, and they. gen
!, erously paid the annuity till thei
old friend was gone.
When at deaths door during
/, previous sickness, Banneke
? charged his two sisters, Mrs
| Molly Morton and Mrs. Black, t
, give to Mr.. Ellicott his MSS, hi
letter to Jefferson, all his instru
ments, and everything else loane,
or given him by that gentleman
On the day of his death the els
ters faithfully obeyed his orders
and their arrival at the mills wa
the first news of the learne,
negro's death. During the las
, sad rites at Banneker's grave
, tive days after death, his cottag
took fire and with everything i
! it was totally destroyed. Th
clock was then lost. Among hi
, MSS. were found many astrc
/. nomical and mathematical note
, and observations, together wit
much that reflected the quain
and humorous turn of his mind
= Banneker published his alma
nae fill 1902. IT vas a arccoe