Part 17

ELLICOTT, ANDREW (1754-1820); Baltimore, Md. Instrument Box for astronomical instruments. Made of rosewood, with a hinged top, green felt underlining, brass lock, size 3 in. by 3 in. by 11 in. Owned and used by Andrew Ellicott for storage and transportation of small astronomical equipment.

Gift of John E. Reynolds, Ellicott's great-grandson, of Meadville, Pa., in 1932. USNM 310418.

Journal and Astronomical Notebook, manuscript written by Andrew Ellicott while locating the U.S. boundary line between the United States and the Spanish territory of Florida, 1797-1801. Contains day-by-day entries of experiences, field notes, and calculations made by Ellicott. The major part of the manuscript was published in The Journal of Andrew Ellicott. Bound volume with brown leather covers, end opening, marked "And. Ellicott," 6-1/2 in. by 8 in. by 2 in. First page has signature "Andrew Ellicott 1788."

Formerly the property of Ellicott's eldest daughter, Jane Judith Ellicott, from whom it passed to her youngest son, William Reynolds. It was inherited by the latter's son, John Reynolds of Meadville, Pa., who presented it as a gift to the U.S. National Museum in 1932. USNM 310417. FIGURES 70, 71.

Pocket Slate 7-1/4 in. long and 4 in. wide, with wooden frame 7-1/4 in. long and 4 in. wide. Slate 5-3/4 in. long and 2-1/2 in. wide. Part of field equipment used by Ellicott.

Gift of Charles Ellicott of Dansville, N.Y., in 1960. USNM 318292.

Quadrant of brass made and used by Ellicott. Quadrant has a radius of 12 in., is on a stand 17 in. high, and has the original lenses. Simple construction with easy adjustment, accomplished by means of two plumb lines. A tangent screw for slow motions was designed and added in 1885 by Andrew Ellicott Douglass, Ellicott's grandson. Instrument was made by Ellicott about 1790 and was used in running the southern boundary of the United States in 1796 and 1800, and on other surveys.

Deposit of Andrew Ellicott Douglass of Tucson, Ariz., in 1931. USNM 152081. FIGURE 72.

Surveying Instrument, with brass disk 10-1/2 in. in diameter laid off in degrees, minutes, and seconds with vernier points. Two telescopes, one fixed and the other revolving. The instrument is mounted on a tripod or Jacob's staff by means of a socket on the underside. Complete with original painted pine case. The name of the maker, "G. Adams London," is engraved on the dial.

George Adams (1704-1773) was mathematical instrument maker to King George III. After serving an apprenticeship from 1718, he made instruments for the East India Company in 1735 and 1736, and established a shop at "Tycho Brahe's Head" at the corner of Raquet Court, Fleet Street. He specialized in terrestrial and celestial globes and microscopes. Following his death he was succeeded in business by his son George Adams the Younger (1750-1795), who also served as mathematical-instrument maker to the king.

This instrument is believed by the donor to have been used by either Andrew Ellicott or by his son-in-law David Bates Douglass.

Gift of Charles B. Curtis of Litchfield, Conn., in 1945. USNM 312932.

Telescope, consisting of a brass tube 3-1/2 in. long with an aperture of 2-3/4 in.; on its original brass tripod, with a serviceable altazimuth mounting. Late 18th century. Made by "W. & S. Jones/135 Holborn/London."

The firm of "W. & S. Jones" was a partnership of two brothers, Samuel and William Jones, opticians, who worked at 30 Lower Holborn and at 135 Holborn in London, from 1793. They bought the copyright to the books of George Adams, and subsequently largely carried on the original business of the Adams instrument makers.

In The Journal of Andrew Ellicott its author describes this instrument as the first of "Two Acromatic Telescopes for Taking signals, with sliding tubes, one of them drew out to upwards of 4 feet, and the other to about 15 inches, the latter for its length is remarkably good, it shows the satellites of Jupiter very distinctly."

Deposit of Andrew Ellicott Douglass of Tucson, Ariz., in 1899. USNM 152082. FIGURE 73.

Telescope, draw type, made of brass with acromatic lens, length 11 in. Incomplete, and maker not known. The second of the instruments described in The Journal of Andrew Ellicott as an acromatic telescope. Used for taking signals, with sliding tubes, which draw out to about 15 in. It was considered to be remarkably good for its length, and showed the satellites of Jupiter very distinctly.

Gift of Andrew Ellicott Douglass of Flagstaff, Ariz., in 1931. USNM 152085.

Transit and Equal Altitude Instrument, made entirely of brass, with original lens now broken. The instrument is described by Ellicott in the following extract from The Journal of Andrew Ellicott:

Preparatory to beginning the ten mile square [of Washington] a Meridian was traced at Jones' Point on the West of the Potomac. From this Meridian an angle of 45 degrees was laid off North Westerly and a straight line continued in that direction ten miles.... From the termination of this second line a third making a right angle with it was carried South-Easterly ten miles: and from the beginning on Jones' Point a fourth was carried ten miles to the termination of the third. These lines were measured with a chain which was examined and corrected daily, and plumbed whenever the ground was uneven, and traced with a transit and equal altitude instrument which I constructed and executed in 1789 and used in running the Western boundary of the State of New York. This instrument was similar to that described by Le Monnier in his preface to the French "Histoire Celeste." ... All the lines in this city in which I have been concerned were traced with the same instrument which I used on the lines of the ten mile square but as the Northern part was not finished when I left that place, I cannot pretend to say what method has since been pursued.

Deposit of Andrew Ellicott Douglass of Flagstaff, Ariz., in 1931. USNM 152080. FIGURE 10.

ELLIS, ORANGE WARNER (18th century). Theodolite, about 1780, brass; horizontal circle 5 in., vertical circle 5 in., telescope 7-1/2 in., compass 3 in.; spirit level set into compass card; spirit level attached to telescope; fixed vertical circle; unsigned. Used by Orange Warner Ellis about 1780 in the surveying of the boundary between the United States and Canada, the area which is now Vermont.

Acquired from Miss Mary N. Ellis of Chicago, Ill., in 1929. USNM 309596. FIGURE 74.

FRYE, JOSEPH (fl. 1762-1783), Fryeburg, Maine. Manuscript Booklet of "Tables Useful in Surveying Land, made and presented by Joseph Frye to his son, Joseph Frye, Jr., November 18, A. D. 1783." Size 6-1/4 in. by 3-7/8 in., 16 pages, paper covers, marked "Fryeburg Joseph Frye AD MDCCLXXXIII."

Loan from Laurits C. Eichner of Clifton, New Jersey, in 1957. USNM 315062. FIGURE 45.

(See Greenough, Thomas, for surveying compass used by Joseph Frye.)

GREENOUGH, THOMAS (1710-1785), Boston, Mass. Surveying Compass, made of hickory with engraved paper compass card. Over-all length 11 ft.; dial 5-1/2 in. in diameter. Central medallion on card depicts man along shoreline using a Davis quadrant with a schooner offshore, with touches of red. Inscribed in gilt in band around central medallion: "Made and Sold by THOMAS GREENOUGH, Boston, New Eng." Used by Joseph Frye in 1762 for surveying his land grant in what is now Fryeburg, Maine. Loan from Laurits C. Eichner, Clifton, N.J., in 1957. USNM 315001. FIGURE 44.

(See also, Frye, Joseph, manuscript booklet of "Tables Useful for Surveying Land ...")