James Renwick

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James Renwick (born May 30, 1792 in Liverpool , England , † January 12, 1863 in New York City , New York ) was a British - American physicist and engineer .

Renwick's year and place of birth are given differently in individual sources: 1790, 1793, New York City. In at least one source, 1790 is explicitly stated as incorrect.

Life

Renwick's parents were from Scotland . His mother was considered a beauty in her homeland, Robert Burns dedicated several poems to her. James Renwick was born in Liverpool on the way back from a family visit to Scotland. He earned a first degree from Columbia College in 1807 and a master’s degree in 1810 . After a trip to Europe with Washington Irving , Renwick was instructor (lecturer) for natural and experimental philosophy (physics) and chemistry at Columbia College from 1813 . From 1814 he was a surveyor in the United States Army with the rank of major and worked here in the summer months. From 1817 to 1820 he was a trustee (member of the board of directors) of Columbia College. From 1820 to 1853 he held a professorship here. In 1838 Renwick was a member of the commission that should define the border between the United States and New Brunswick ( Canada ).

Renwick published numerous writings on the history of science (in particular biographies of scientists, including David Rittenhouse , Robert Fulton and Benjamin Thompson ) and on natural philosophy , on technical issues such as the construction of canals , cannons or steam engines as well as textbooks on chemistry, physics and geology . He also made translations from French and worked as an editor. He patented a special boat lift for the Morris Canal in New Jersey . The Franklin Institute awarded him a silver medal for the invention.

In 1828 Renwick was elected to the American Philosophical Society , in 1831 to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences . In 1829, Columbia College awarded him an honorary doctorate ( LL. D. ).

James Renwick was married to Margret Anne Brevoort since 1816. The couple had four children, including James Renwick, Jr. (1818–1895), a noted architect.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Book of Members 1780 – present, Chapter R. (PDF; 508 kB) In: American Academy of Arts and Sciences (amacad.org). Retrieved April 18, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Renwick, James . In: OF Adams (Ed.): A dictionary of American authors . 1897.
  3. ↑ a b c James Renwick. In: amphilsoc.org. American Philosophical Society , accessed April 18, 2019 .
  4. ↑ DNB 117522589
  5. ↑ a b Renwick, James . In: The Century cyclopedia of names . 1904.
  6. ↑ Renwick (James) . In: Duyckinck & Duyckinck (Eds.): Cyclopedia of American literature . 1875.
  7. ↑ Renwick, James . In: Frederic Boase (Ed.): Modern English Biography . Netherton & Worth, 1921.
  8. ↑ Renwick, James . In: Appletons' cyclopaedia of American biography . 1888.
  9. ↑ Renwick, James . In: The National cyclopaedia of American biography . 1898.
  10. ↑ Renwick, James . In: JS Chamberlain (Ed.): Universities and their sons. 1899.
  11. ↑ Renwick, James . In: TW Herringshaw (Ed.): Herringshaw's national library of American biography . 1909.
  12. ↑ Renwick, James . In: Chambers's biog. dictionary . 1938.
  13. ↑ Renwick, James . In: FS Drake (Ed.): Dictionary of American Biography . 1870.
personal data
SURNAME Renwick, James
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British-American physicist
DATE OF BIRTH May 30, 1792
PLACE OF BIRTH Liverpool , England
DATE OF DEATH January 12, 1863
Place of death New York City , New York