The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1952-01-25
MATTHEW FONTAINE MAURY
WAS A GREAT SOUTHERNER
(carteret County News-Times)

y
observance of the birthdays of
three great leaders of the Southern
Confederacy, General Robert E.
Lee, the cavalier; General Thomas
]. (StonewalD Jackson, the Puri-
tan; and Commodore Matthew
Fontaine Maury, the scientist.
OF these great men, the life
and works of Commodore Maury
have unjustly received the least
recognition Fortunately, this
fact was partially rectifed in the
presentation of Maury's biography
Monday afternoon at a meeting of
the local Emmeline Pigott chapter,
United Daughters of the Confeder-
acy. The biography, compiled by
F C. Salisbury of Morehead City,
is printed here as a tribute to one
of the foremost oceanographers
this country has ever produced:
Commodore Maury was born
January "a, 1906 near Fredricks-
burg, Va, that section of the
state that sired men such aS Wash
ington and Jefferson. At the age
of five, with his parents, brothers
and sisters, young Matthew travel
ed by wagon train across the
mountains into middle Tennessee
to the county of Franklin where
he grew to manhood.
Two serious accidents influenced
the course of his life. AS a boy he
was assisting in clearing some
land and climbed into a tree from
which he fell, sustaining a back
injury. His family feared that he
would never be well and strong
enough to participate in the ar
duous labor that life on a frontier
farm involved. His parents decided
that he should go to school and
prepare himself for less stren-
uous career. He was sent to the
country school and later to an
academy.
He proved to be an avid student,
borrowing books, associating with
those from whom he might learn
and absorbing information from
every possible source. Coming in
contact with a student in algebra,
he became greatly interested in
this subject. He learned much of
that science antl.was fired with a
consuming desire to be a mathema-
tician. While at the academy, he
demonstrated such ability as a
student that he was soon conduct
ing classes, often giving time he
could i'll spare.
Maury was most DESTROYS of Sc
curing an appointment to West
Point, but his father highly dis
approved of the idea and absolute
ly refused to assist him in getting
an appointment. Then without his
fathers knowledge and through
the assistance of Sam Houston,
see, he obtained an appointment
then a Congressman from Tennes
in the Navy as a midshipman. AT
that time there was no training
for the Navy except by practical
sea service.
When his appointment came his
father was furious that he had
sought and gained the assignment
without his aid. Maury left home
to report for duty without his
fathers blessing and had to make
his own arrangements for travel.
He found a friend who was willing
to give him a horse with the IN
Outstanding that the horse was to
be sold in Washington and the
money returned to the owner. With
the courage of youth he set forth
to report for duty in Norfolk.
On his way east he rode through
Fredericksburg where he visited
relatives and met his future wife,
Ann Herndon, with whom he i'm
mediately fell in love, although it
was nine years before he returned
to claim her as his bride.
He was most fortunate in his
first assignment to sea duty. His
first trip was made to France, re-