Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-05-31
ZERAH COLBURN WAS
A WONDERFUL PRODIGY
Had Marvellous Mathematical
Faculties


tory of the human mind that, perhaps,
ever existed. 1t was the case of a
child under eight years of age, who,
without any previous knowledge OF
the common rules of arithmetic or even
the use and power of the Arabic num-
erals, and without giving any partic-
ular attention to the subject, possess
ed, as if by intuition, the singular fac-
ulty of solving great variety OF
arithmetical questions, by the mere
operations of the mind, and without
the usual assistance of any visible SYM
Dol or conniyance.
The name of the child was Zerah
Colburn, who was born at Cabut, Vt,
on the first of September, 1904. In All
gust, 1910, although at that time. not
six years of age, he first began to
show those wonderful powers of cal
culation which so much astOntshed
every person who witnessed them. The
discovery was made by accident. His
father, who had not given him any
other instruction than such as was to
be obtained at a small school estab-
lished in that unfrequented and remote
part of the country land which did
not include either writing or arithme-
tic, was much surprised one day to
hear him repeating the products of
several numbers.
Struck with amazement at this Cir
.cumstance, the father proposed a va
riety of arithmetical questions to him,
all of which che child solved with re-
markable facility and correctness. The
news of this infant prodigy soon cir
culated throughout the neighborhood
and persons came from distant parts
to witness so singular a circumstance.
The father encouraged by the
unanimous opinion of all who came 10
see him, was induced to undertake a
tour of the United States with his
child; and afterwards took him to
England, where he exhibited his as
tonishing powers before thousands in
London. 1t was correctly true, as stat
ed of him, that he would not only
determine with the greatest facility and
despatch the exact number of min
utes or seconds in any given period
of time, but would also solve any 9TH
er question of a similar kind.
Young Colburn could tell the exact
Iproduct arising from the multiplied
ton of any number, consisting of an
equal number of figures; or, any num-
Der consisting of six or seven places
of figures being proposed. He could
determine with equal expedition ant
ease, all the factors of which it is
composed This singular faculty con-
sequently extended not only to raising
! o fpowers, but also the extraction OF
square and cube roots of the number
proposed and likewise to the means
Of determining whether it be a prime
number Ga number incapable of Iii
vision by any other numberD
On one occasion this child under,
took and completely succeeded in rails.
ing the number eight 60 progressive
" up to the sixteenth power; and, il
naming the last result, viz: PSI, 474,,
76,710,656, he was right in every fig
ure He was then tried as to othel
numbers consisting of one figure; al
of which he raised (by actual multi
plication, and not by memory az
high as the tenth power, with so much
facility and despatch that the person
appointed to take down the results was
obliged to enjoin him not to be 81
rapid. Upon one occasion he was ask
ed the square root of 106,929, and be
fore the number could be written nt
Immediately answered, 327. He was
then required to name the cube roo
of 26S,336,125, and with equal facility
and promptitude, he replied, Gas. One
of the party requested him to name the
factors which produced the number
247,4S3, which he Immediately did
by mentioning 941 and 2S6, which
are the only two numbers that vii
produce it. another gentleman pro
posed III, 1893 and he almost instantly
named the only factors that would
produce it.
The boy was then asked to give the
factors of 36,OS3; but he Immediately
replied that it had none; which IL
fact was the case, as it is prime
number One of the gentlemen ask
ed him how many minutes there were
in forty-nine years, and before the
question could be written down, he an
swered it correctly, and instantly add
ed the number of seconds contained
in the same period
No information could be gained from
the child of the method which re
used to effect such astonishing re-
suits, although it appeared evident he
operated by certain rules known only
to himself
During their visit abroad Zerah at.
tracted the Earl of Bristol, who I'M
dertook to educate him. He remain
ed in the Westminster School, in
which he had been placed for three