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Gurley Surveyor's Compass
- Description
- W. & L. E. Gurley submitted this instrument to the U. S. Patent Office in support of their application for a patent describing an Improvement in Telescope Attachments for Surveyors’ Compasses. The patent (#205,742) was issued on July 9, 1878. The Patent Office transferred this model to the Smithsonian in 1926.
- The basic instrument is a standard small compass with a north-south level on the north arm, and an east-west level and an outkeeper on the south arm. The hand-engraved signature indicates that the compass was made before the middle of 1876. The telescope, which attaches to one of the sight vanes, was presumably made shortly before the patent application was submitted in June 1878. The signature reads "W. & L. E. Gurley" and "Troy, N.Y."
- maker
- W. & L. E. Gurley
- ID Number
- PH*308958
- catalog number
- 308958
- accession number
- 89797
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Rittenhouse and Evans Surveyor's Vernier Compass
- Description
- This compass, marked "RITTENHOUSE & EVANS," was made by Benjamin Rittenhouse working in partnership with his nephew, Benjamin Evans, in Worcester Township, Pennsylvania, around 1798-1801. A variation arc on the south arm extends 15 degrees either way; the "folded" vernier is moved by rack and pinion and reads to 5 minutes. John Johnson (1771-1841), the Surveyor-General of Vermont, used this compass in 1817-1820 while surveying the boundary between Maine and Canada. His notes refer to it as "a Circumferentor of 2.5 inches Radius made at Philadelphia by Rittenhouse and Evans and graduated to every 5 Minutes by the help of a nonius."
- Ref: "John Johnson" in Abby M. Hemenway, ed., The Vermont Historical Gazeteer (Burlington, Vt., 1868), vol. 1, pp. 596-599
- "John Johnson," in National Cyclopaedia of American History, vol. 17, pp. 290-291
- Johnson's report on the Maine-Canada boundary survey, in University of Vermont Library.
- user
- Johnson, John
- maker
- Rittenhouse and Evans
- ID Number
- PH*309543
- accession number
- 95588
- catalog number
- 309543
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patten Surveyor's Vernier Compass
- Description
- This compass belonged to John Johnson (1771-1841), the Surveyor-General of Vermont, and the American Commissioner for the survey of the boundary between Maine and Canada in 1817-1820. From correspondence in the John Johnson papers at the University of Vermont Library, we know that Johnson purchased several instruments from Richard Patten in New York. In March 1820, Johnson ordered two compasses, specifying in great detail which features he wanted on each. For himself he wanted a compass "of at least 7-inch Needle with a tangent Screw and Nonius as to turn it upon minutes." Johnson also ordered a $35 plain compass with a 6-inch needle, for a gentleman of his acquaintance.
- The face of this compass is marked "Richard Patten. N. York" and reads clockwise. The vernier appears on a slit cut into the face, while the variation arc, which extends some 20 degrees either way, is located below. This vernier is moved by a rack and pinion on the north arm, and reads to 10 minutes.
- Ref: Deborah J. Warner, "Richard Patten (1792-1865)," Rittenhouse 6 (1992): 57-63.
- "John Johnson" in Abby M. Hemenway, ed., The Vermont Historical Gazeteer (Burlington, Vt., 1868), vol. 1, pp. 596-599
- "John Johnson" in National Cyclopaedia of American History, vol. 17, pp. 290-291
- Johnson's report on and correspondence relating to the Maine-Canada boundary survey, in University of Vermont Library.
- owner
- Johnson, John
- maker
- Patten, Richard
- ID Number
- PH*309544
- accession number
- 95588
- catalog number
- 309544
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Gilbert Theodolite
- Description
- This theodolite belonged to John Johnson (1771-1841), the surveyor general of Vermont. Its basic form-with the telescope mounted on the open side of a semicircle-derives from the design that Jonathan Sisson introduced in London in 1737. The horizontal circle and vertical arc are graduated every degree and read by vernier to 10 minutes. The vertical arc has a second scale marked "LINKS of CHAINS" that correlates angle of elevation with horizontal distances, to be used when surveying sloping ground. The level vial on the compass face seems to be original with the instrument; the vial outside the compass may be a later addition.
- The "J. Gilbert Tower Hill LONDON" signature refers to either the John Gilbert who worked in London in the years 1719-1750, or his son of the same name who worked in London in the years 1751-1791.
- Ref: Gloria Clifton,Directory of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851 (London, 1995), p. 112.
- "John Johnson" in Abby M. Hemenway, ed., The Vermont Historical Gazeteer (Burlington, Vt., 1868), vol. 1, pp. 596-599.
- "John Johnson" in National Cyclopaedia of American History, vol. 17, pp. 290-291.
- maker
- Gilbert, John
- Gilbert, John
- ID Number
- PH*309545
- accession number
- 95588
- catalog number
- 309545
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Gunter Chain
- Description
- In 1620 an English mathematician and astronomer named Edmund Gunter described a surveyor's chain with 100 links, measuring 66 feet (22 yards or 4 poles) overall. By this design, one square chain equals 484 square yards, ten square chains equal an acre, and eighty chains equal a mile. Gunther's design proved extremely popular in English lands. This example belonged to John Johnson (1771-1841), the Surveyor General of Vermont. It is made of steel, with round handles at either end, brass tallies every 10 links, and swivels every 25 links. Each link is joined to the next by three rings, and each unit (link and three rings) is 7.92 inches long.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- owner
- Johnson, John
- originator
- Gunter, Edmund
- ID Number
- PH*309548
- accession number
- 95588
- catalog number
- 309548
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Theodolite
- Description
- This instrument was probably made in London in the mid-18th century. Its basic form-with the telescope mounted on the curved side of a semicircle-derives from the design that Thomas Heath introduced in 1725. The horizontal circle and vertical arc are graduated every degree and read by verniers to 10 minutes. The words "Diff: Hypo & Base" on the telescope support and the scales labeled "Feet" and "Links" on the vertical arc are used to correlate angle of elevation or depression with horizontal distances. In addition to the telescope, there is a pair of open sight vanes. A level vial is mounted above the telescope.
- This theodolite belonged to Orange Warner Ellis, a surveyor who lived in Odelltown, a village along the Richelieu River, a few miles north of New York State. Odelltown was settled by Joseph Odell, a Loyalist from Poughkeepsie who moved from the United States to Lower Canada in 1788, in order to remain under British rule. Odelltown was later seen as a Britannic outpost in a Francophone region of Quebec.
- Ref: J. A. Bennett, The Divided Circle (Oxford, 1987), pp. 86, 146-147.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- PH*309596
- accession number
- 104762
- catalog number
- 309596
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
- No Image Available
Fauth Wye Level
- Description
- This small level was made between 1874, when Fauth & Co. began in business, and 1878, when the U. S. Coast Survey became the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. Since no instrument of this type appears in the Fauth catalogs, it was probably a special-order item. The signature reads "FAUTH & CO. MATH. INST MAKERS. WASH'N D.C." and "U.S.C.S. No. 31."
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Fauth & Co.
- ID Number
- PH*309652
- catalog number
- 309652
- accession number
- 106954
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
- No Image Available
Fauth Heliotrope (Steinheil)
- Description
- Fauth advertised an instrument of this sort in 1883, describing it as "Pocket Heliotrope, Steinheils, a beautiful instrument that requires no adjustment." The reference is to the German physicist, Karl August Steinheil, who introduced the form in 1844.
- This example is marked “FAUTH & CO. WASHN D.C. 2493" and "238" and "C.&G.S. NO. 418.” It belonged to the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. New, with case, it cost $20. It was made after 1887 when G. N. Saegmuller began putting serial numbers on Fauth instruments, and before Saegmuller's move to Rochester in 1905.
- Ref: Fauth & Co., Catalogue of Astronomical and Surveying Instruments (Washington, D.C., 1883), p. 53.
- K.A. Steinheil, "Das Heliotrop," in H. C. Schumacher, ed., Jahrbuch für 1844, pp. 12 17.
- maker
- Fauth & Co.
- ID Number
- PH*309655
- accession number
- 106954
- catalog number
- 309655
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
- No Image Available
Casella Theodolite
- Description
- This instrument is marked "L. Casella, Maker to the Admiralty & Ordnance LONDON 5227" and "U.S.C.&G.S." It was made between 1878, when the U. S. Coast Survey became the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, and the death of Louis Casella in 1897. Casella termed it a "Travellers' Transit Theodolite . . . with telescope in centre, much used by the Indian Government, as well as by the United States Coast Survey." With carrying case, it weighed 5.25 pounds and cost £19.10.0. The horizontal and vertical circles are silvered, and read by verniers and magnifiers to single minutes.
- Refs: L. P. Casella, List of a Few Instruments in General Use, Selected from the General Catalogue of Standard Meteorological and Other Instruments for Observatories, Travelers and Explorers, and the Army and Navy (London, 1896), p. 25.
- maker
- Casella, Louis Paschal
- ID Number
- PH*309657
- catalog number
- 309657
- accession number
- 106954
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Fauth Theodolite
- Description
- G. N. Saegmuller described this as a "Four inch Theodolite, As furnished to the U. S. Government Surveys," and priced it at $300. This example was made after 1887 when Saegmuller began putting serial numbers on Fauth instruments, and before 1905 when Fauth & Co. went out of business. The U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey transferred it to the Smithsonian in 1929. The horizontal and vertical circles are silvered, and read, with opposite verniers and magnifiers, to 30 seconds. The signature reads "FAUTH & CO. WASHN D.C. No 966" and "U.S.C.&G.S. No. 160."
- Ref: George N. Saegmuller, Descriptive Price List of First Class Engineering & Astronomical Instruments (Washington, D.C., 1903), p. 41.
- maker
- Fauth & Co.
- ID Number
- PH*309664
- catalog number
- 309664
- accession number
- 106954
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center