Maury, Matthew Fontaine, 1806-1873

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1806-01-14
Death 1873-02-01
Americans,
English,

Biographical notes:

American naval officer and oceanographer.

From the description of Letter to Capt. Charles Wilkes [manuscript], 1848 March 15. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647808228

From the description of Letter to Andrew Hull Foote [manuscript], 1856 April 4. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647817495

Epithet: Astronomer

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000135.0x000219

Geographer and Confederate naval commander.

From the description of Letter to Lt. O. Carr, 1849 July 15. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 32959670

From the description of Letter to Lt. O. Carr [manuscript], 1849 July 15. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647808379

Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806-1861), naval officer, oceanographer, and author, served as the Superintendent of the Depot of Charts and Instruments from 1842-1861 when he resigned from the U.S. Navy to accept a commission as commander in the Confederate states navy after Virginia seceded. He published books and charts on winds and currents including the first text book of modern oceanography. See Francis Leigh Williams, MATTHEW FONTAINE MAURY, SCIENTIST OF THE SEA (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1963).

From the description of Letters, 1848-1861. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 145406829

Hydrographer, of Lexington, Va.

From the description of Papers, 1829-1871. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 20019203

Naval officer and oceanographer.

From the description of Matthew Fontaine Maury papers, 1825-1960 (bulk 1830-1880). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70981179

Epithet: American scientist

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000135.0x000218

Charles Babbage was a mathematician and inventor.

From the guide to the Charles Babbage selected correspondence, 1827-1871, 1827-1871, (American Philosophical Society)

Biographical Note

1806, Jan. 14 Fredericksburg, Va. Fredericksburg Tennessee Tennessee Born near Fredericksburg, Va.; raised in Tennessee 1818 Entered Harpeth Academy, near Franklin, Tenn. 1825 1834 Obtained midshipman's warrant, U.S. Navy and made three extended voyages 1834 Married Ann Hull Herndon; resided in Fredericksburg, Va. 1836 Promoted to lieutenant Published A New Theoretical and Practical Treatise on Navigation (Philadelphia: Key and Biddle. 174 pp.) 1839 Permanently lamed in stagecoach accident and thenceforth not assigned to sea duty 1842 1844 Superintendent of the Navy Department's Depot of Charts and Instruments 1844 1861 Superintendent of the Naval Observatory and Hydrographical Office 1847 Issued first Wind and Current Charts (U.S. Hydrographic Office) howing best "tracks" for sailing ships in the North Atlantic 1853 U.S. representative at international maritime congress, Brussels, Belgium 1855 Published The Physical Geography of the Sea (New York: Harper & Bros. 274 pp.), the first modern oceanographic textbook Placed on inactive duty by the U.S. Navy 1858 Restored to active duty by presidential order; promoted to commander retroactive to 1855 1861, Apr. 20 Resigned from U.S. Navy and accepted commission as commander in Confederate Navy 1862 Special agent of the Confederate government to England 1865 1866 Imperial commissioner of immigration to the Emperor of Mexico 1866 1868 Resided in England 1868 Published First Lessons in Geography (New York: Richardson & Co. 62 pp.) Published The World We Live in (New York: Richardson & Co. 104 pp.) 1868 1872 Professor of meteorology, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Va. 1870 Published Manual of Geography (New York: University Publishing Co. 162 pp.) 1873, Feb. 1 Died, Lexington, Va.

From the guide to the Matthew Fontaine Maury Papers, 1825-1960, (bulk 1830-1880), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

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Subjects:

  • American Confederate voluntary exiles
  • American Confederate voluntary exiles
  • Ships
  • Cables, Submarine
  • Calculators
  • Crops and climate
  • Deep-sea sounding
  • Diplomatic and consular service, Confederate
  • Diplomatic and consular service, Confederate
  • Inventions
  • Letters (correspondence)
  • Marine meteorology
  • Meteorological stations
  • Meteorology
  • Meteorology
  • Meteorology, Agricultural
  • Mines and mineral resources
  • Ocean currents
  • Oceanography
  • Physical geography
  • Physical geography
  • Public lands
  • Science
  • Science
  • Scientists
  • Torpedoes
  • Transatlantic cables
  • Winds

Occupations:

  • Naval officers
  • Naval officers, Confederate
  • Oceanographers

Places:

  • Mexico (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • Atlantic Ocean (as recorded)
  • Great Britain (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • Mexico (as recorded)
  • York River (Va.) (as recorded)
  • Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) (as recorded)
  • Mexico (as recorded)
  • Virginia (as recorded)
  • Confederate States of America (as recorded)
  • Confederate States of America (as recorded)
  • Confederate States of America (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • Great Britain (as recorded)

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