BEN-1918

THE JOURNAL
OF

NEGRO

HISTORY
1918-No. 2

VOL. III-APRIL,

BENJAMIN BANNEKER, THE NEGRO MATHEMATICIAN AND ASTRONOMER the125th celebrated The cityofWashington. very recently of thecompletion annivers.ary of the survey and layingout theDistrictof Columof theF'ederalTerritory constituting underthesupervision of thefamous bia. This was executed Frenchcivil engineer, Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant, as thehead of a commission appointed by GeorgeWashington, of theUnitedStates. Servingas one of the thenpresident commissioners, sittingin conference with themand percalculations forming an important part in themathematical and involvedin the survey, was the Negro mathematician Banneker. As theredid not appear astronomer, Benjamin to be during to give! thiscelebration any disposition proper recognition to the scientific work done by Banneker,the has thought it opportune to presentin this forma writer in brief reviewofBarneker'slifeso as to revivean interest him and point out some of this useful man's important achievements. On a previousoccasionthe writerundertook to collect somedata withthe same objectin view,and at thattimehe addresseda letterto thepostmaster at EllicottCity,Maryland,askingto be put in touchwithsomeone of theEllicott family,who mightfurnishreliable data on the subject. In thisway,correspondence was established withthe family of Mrs. MarthaEllicott Tyson,of Baltimore. One of
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her descendants, Mrs. TysonManly,kindly cameoverfrom Baltimore, and, callingon the writer at the United States himwitha copyof thelife of BanPatentOffice, presented in 1884,and compiled in Philadelphia neker, published from the papersof MarthaEllicottTyson,whowas the daughter of GeorgeEllicott, a member ofthenotedMaryland family, who establishedthe business that developedthe town of EllicottCity. BetweenGeorgeEllicot.t and BenjaminBanneker, Mrs. Tyson says, thereexisted"a special sympathy,"and she further refers to herfather as " thewarmest of that friend extraordinary man. '2 Her father had manyof Banneker's a biography manuscripts, from which he intended to compile of his friend, but his unusuallybusy commercial life afhimno leisurein which forded to carryout thismuchcherishedplan. Mrs. Tyson's account, therefore, can be relied upon as coming directly from thosewho,personally knowingBanneker, and living in thesamecommunity in frequent contact withhim,had preserved accuratedata.fromwhich to publishthe truerecordof his life. On a farmlocatednear thePatapscoRiver, within about ten miles of the cityof Baltimore, in the State of Maryland,on the9thday of November, 1731, BenjaminBanneker was born. Various accountsare given of his ancestry. One of his biographers statesthat" therewas not a drop of white bloodin his veins,"' another assertswithpositiveness thathis parents and grandparents wereall nativeAfricans.3 In still anothersketchof Banneker'slife,read beforetheMarylandHistoricalSociety,on May 1, 1845,it is statedthat " Banneker'smether was the child of natives of Africaso thatto no admixture of the blood of thewhite man was he indebtedfor his peculiar and extraordinary "4 abilities. ThomasJefferson said tha-t Banneker was the
p. 54. Tyson, Banneker, The Afric-American Astronomer, p. 10. 3 The Atlantic Monthly, XI, p. 80.
2

1 The LeisureHour, 1853,II,

4 In another particular this same sketch differs from several others,namely, in locating young Banneker at "an obecure and distant country school" with no mention of the oft-repeated assertion that the school was one attended

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" son ofa blackmanbornin Africaand a blackwoman born in theUnitedStates."5 According to Mrs. Tyson's accountBanneker'smother and fatherwere Negroes,but his maternalgrandmother whohad been legally was a whitewomanof Englishbirth, circumstances married to a nativeAfrican. The antecedent of thismarriage wereso unusualas to justifyspecial mention. Mollie Welsh was an Englishwomanof the servant on a cattlefarmin England wherea part class, employed ofthecows. She was one ofherdailyduty was themilking day chargedwithhavingstolena pail of milkthathad, in overby a cow. The chargeseemsto have fact,beenkicked been takenas proved,and in lieu of a severerpunishment to be shippedto America. Being unable she was sentenced to pay forherpassage shewas sold,on herarrivalin America, to a tobaccoplanteron the Patapsco River to servea termof seven years to pay the cost of her passage from this Mollie England. At the end of her period of service, fair as " a personof exceedingly Welsh,who is described piowers," was able to buy mental complexion and modera.te a portion of thefarmon whichshe had worked.6 In 1692,
by both white andl colored children. The author of the last-mentionedsketch was evidently not sure of these two statements,and thereforedid not include them. In fact, he appears not to have been quite sure of the propriety of submittingany sketch at all of this "free man of color" to the distinguished body constitutingthe Maryland Historical Society, for there was a clear note of apology in his opening declaration that "A few words may be necessary to explain why a memoir of a free man of color, formerlya resident of Maryinterestto be presented to the Historical Society. " land, is deemed of sufficient But he justified his efforton the ground that "no questions relating to our country (are) of more interest than those connected with her colored population"; that that interest had "acquired an absorbing character"; that the presence of the colored population in States where slavery existed "modified their institutionsin important particulars," and effected"in a greater or less degree the character of the dominant race"; and "for this reason alone," he said, " the memoir of a colored man, who had distinguished himself in an abstruse science, by birth a Marylander, claims consideration from those who have associated to collect and preserve facts and records relating to the men and deeds of the past.' '-J. H. B. Latrobe in Maryland Historical Society

I, p. 8. Pulblications,
6

5 Ford edition of Jefferson'sWritings, V, p. 379. In the memoir of Banneker, above mentioned,read before the Maryland

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she purchased twoAfricanslaves from a shipin the ChesapeakeBay nearAnnapolis. One oftheseslavesnamed Bannaky,subsequently Anglicized as Banneker, was the son of an Africanking,and was stolenby slave dealers on the coast of Africa.7 Withthesetwo slaves as her assistants, MollieWelshindustriously cultivated herfarm fora number of yearswithsuchgratifying successthatshe feltimpelled afterwards to release her two slaves frombondage. The slave Bannekerha.dgained such favor in the eyes of his ownerthat she marriedhim directly afterreleasinghim from bondage, notwithstanding the factthathis recordfor susta.ined industry had notequalledthatof his fellowslave, whileserving theirowner on herfarm-a factthatwas,perhaps due to Banneker'snaturalinclination to indulgehis royalprerogatives.This Banneker is described as "a man of muchintelligence and finetemper, witha,veryagreeable presence, dignified manner and contemplative habits."8 Therewerebornof thismarriage fourchildren of whom the eldestdaughter, Mary,marrieda native Africanwho from in had beenpurchased a slave shipby another planter her neighborhood.This slave was of a devoutnature, and of England,receiving of theChurch earlybecamea member Robat his baptismthe name of Robert. Afterbaptism, man as a free, ert's masterset himfree. It was, therefore, whose surthathe becamethehusbandof Mary Banneker, werebornto namehe adoptedforhis own. Four children Robertand Mary Banneker,one boy and threegirls, the the subjectof this sketch. eldestbeingBenjamin, Robert Bannekerhad evidentlyformedsome of the habitsof thrift evinced by his mother-in-law, MollieWelsh, forit is on recordthatin 1737within a fewyears afterrehis freedom he purchased a farmof 120 acres from ceiving
read before memoir of Banneker, HistoricalSocietyin 1845, and in another by the same Societyby Mr. J. Saurin Norris,in 1854, the estate purehased to as "a small farmnear the presentsite of BaltiMollie Welshis referred nominalprice." See Norris's Memoir, more," and "purchased at a merely p. 3. 7 Norris'Is p. 4; Williams's Historyof the Negro Race, p. 386. Memoir, 8 Tyson, p. 10. Bmnneker,

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As a boyat schoolyoung Banneker is said to have spent verylittle, if any,of his timein thegamesand frolicsthat constitute so large a part of the schoollife of the average youth He was unusually fondof study, devoting by far the largerpart of his. timeto reading, so thatit was said of him that" all his delight " His readwas to diveintohis books. ing, however, did not take a wide range. His limitedresources. did notpermit himto purchasethemanyworkshe desired. WhatBanneker lost through thelack of a variety of books,however, he triedto makeup forin beinga close observer of everything aroundhim. He turned everything thathe couldintoa channelof information and drewupon all possible sourcesto keep himself postedon the general activities of his community and beyond. In thisway,"he
9 It is elsewhere given as 7,000,but the earlierrecordseemsto be the correct one. 10Atlantic Monthly,XI, p. 81.

learn.'0

RichardGist,payingforit 17,0009 of tobacco, p.ounds which in thosedays servedas a legal medium of exchange. This farm, locatedon thePatapsco River,within abouttenmiles of thetownof Baltimore, thusbecametheBanneker homestead. Here it was that youngBenjamin spenthis early years and grew to manhood, assistinghis fatherwiththe generalworkof the farm. Bannekervery early showeid signs of precocity, which made himthespecial favorite of his maternal grandmother who tookdelightin tea.ching himto the extentof her own limitedmentalendowment.She taughthim to studythe Bible, and had him read it to her at regularintervalsfor thepurposeof training himalongreligious lines ofthought. He attended a smallschoolin his neighborhood where a few whiteand coloredchildren were taughtby the same white schoolmaster.Until the cottongin and othermechanical appliancesmade Negroestoo valuable as tools of exploitationto be allowedanything siodangerous as education, there wereto be foundhere and therein the South pioneereducators at the feet of whom eve-n Negroes mightsit and

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becamegradually possessedof a fundof generalknowledge which it was difficult to find evenamongthosewhowerefar morefavored by opportunity thanhe was."" Although had by thistimebegunto ingratiate Banneker himself intothefavorof the verybest element in his community solely through his demonstration of mentalsuperiority, he did notpermit hisunusual and his love popularity of studyto render himany less helpful to his father in the cultivation of the farm. He provedhimself to be,just as industriousin farmingas he was diligentin studying. Whenhis father died in 1759,leavingto Benjaminand his as joint heirs,the dwelling mother, in whichtheylived,together with72 acres of land,12 Benjaminwas fully prepared to assumecontrol of affairs on theestate, and makeit yield a comfortable livingfor him and his mother. His father had dividedthe remaining 28 acres,of the originalfarm amongthe three daughters who also survivedhim. His farmwas said to be one ofthebestkeptfarms in his neighborhood. It was,well stocked, containing a select assortmentof fruit trees,a finelot of cattle,and a speciallysuccessfulapiary. Young Banneker'sdiligent readingof the books at his command servedto develophis mental powersrapidly, giving hima retentive memory, correct forms; of speechand a keen power of analysis. This faculty grewlargelyout of his specialfondness forthestudyof mathematics, by which he acquiredunusual facility in solvingdifficult problems. He earlywon the reputation of beingthe smartest mathematiciannot only in his immediate neighborhood but for milesaround. He was often seenin themidstofa groupof whomhe constantly astoundedby the rapidity neighbors and accuracywithwhichhe would solve the mathematical puzzlesput to him. This caused suchwidespread comment thathe frequently received from scholarsin different parts of the country, desiringto test his capacity, mathematical
11
12

Latrobe, Memoir, Maryland Historical Society Publications, I, p. 7. Ibid., I, p. 7.

BENJAMIN BANNEKER

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questions, to all of which, it is said, he responded promptly and correctly.13 His close attention to the studyof mathematics led him easilyintothequestof somepractical form bywhich to give tangibleexpressionto his thought. It is highlyprobable thatthisfactcan explainthefacility withwhichhe planned and completed at the age of thirty a clockwhichstandsa.s one of the wondersof his day.14 " It is probable," says " thatthiswas the first o;ne, clockof whicheveryportion was'madein America;it is certain thatit was as purely his own invention as if none had ever been before. He had
13Banneker would frequently, in answering questionssubmitted to him, accompany the answers withquestions of his ownin rhyme. The following is an exampleof such a questionsubmitted by himto another notedmathematician,his friend and neighbor, Mr. GeorgeEllicott: A cooperand Vintner sat downfor a talk, Both beingso groggy, that neither couldwalk, Says Cooperto Vintner, "I'm the first of mytrade, 's no kindof vessel,but whatI have made, There And of any shape,Sir,-just whatyou will,And of any size, Sir,-froma ton to a gill! I "Then,"I says the Vintner, "you 're the man for me,Make me a vessel,if we can agree. The top and the bottom diameter define, To bear thatproportion as fifteen to nine, inchesare just whatI crave, Thirty-five No moreand no less, in the depth, will I have; Just thirty-nine gallons this vessel must hold,Then I will rewardyou withsilveror gold,Give me yourpromise, myhonestold friend?" " I 'll makeit tomorrow, that you may depend II So the next day the Cooperhis workto discharge, Soon made the newvessel,but made it too large; He took out somestaves,whichmade it too small, And thencursedthe vessel,the Vintner and all. He beat on his breast,"By the Powers!" he swore, He neverwouldworkat his trade any more. Now myworthy friend, findout,if you can, The vessel's dimensions and comfort the man!
BENJAMIN BANNEKER.

We are indebtedto Benjamin Hallowell,of Alexandria, for the solutionof thisproblem. The greater of Banneker'stub mustbe 24.745inches; diameter theless diameter 14.8476inches. See Maryland Historical SocietyPublications, I, p. 20. 14 The Atlantic Monthly, XI, p. 81.

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seen a watch,but never a clock,such an articlenot being within milesof him."'15 He completed fifty thisclockwith no othertools thantapocketknife, and usingonlywood as his material. It stoodas a perfect piece of machinery, and struck thehourswithfaultlessprecision fora periodof 20 years. The successful completion ofthisclockattracted to Bannekerthe attention of his entirecommunity, as the serving starting pointofa morebrilliant career. It was thisdisplay ofmechanical geniuswhich engagedtheattention oftheEllicotts,who had lately moved into his neighborhood from Pennsylvania. Theyhad alreadyheard of theunusualaccomplishments of thisgifted Negroand lost no timein gettingin touchwithhim,especiallysinceone of the Ellicotts was himselfa mathematician and astronomer of marked ability.16 The meeting withthe Ellicottswas of signaladvantage to Banneker, and ultimately provedtheturning pointin his career. They were of Quaker originand had gone down to Marylandin 1772 in search of a desirablelocationfor the establishment of flour mills. Theywere evidently persons of foresight. Being progressive, open-minded and comparatively free fromthe prejudices that were then mostly nativeto thesection intowhich they had moved, they cordially received Banneker and frankly proclaimed his.talents.17 Theydid not seemto permit the differences of race to erecta singlebarrierbetween Bannekerand themselves inithe ordinary run of theirfrequent businessintercourse. WhentheEllicottswereerecting their mills,thefoundation of Ellicott City,theypurchasedfromBanneker'sfarma large portionof the provisionsneeded for the workmen. His mother, Mary Banneker,attendedto the marketing, fruit bringing poultry, and honey vegetables, to theEllicott workmen.18
The Atlantic Monthly, XI, p. 81. p. 82. 17Southern Literary Messenger, XXIII, p. 65. 18 Tyson p. 24. 's Bannelker,
15

1e Atlantic Monthly, XI,

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107

The friendship betweenGeorgeEllicott and Banneker grewstronger as theyears wentby, and theircommon interestsin mathematics and naturalscienceled to a fellowshipwhichoften brought themtogether. This interest led GeorgeEllicottto lendBanneker a number of mathematical books and instrumnts.Amongthesebooks were Mayer's Tables, Ferguson's Astronomyand Leadbetter's Lunar Tables. When these books and instruments were handed to Bannekerit was Ellicott's intention to remaintherea whileto giveBanneker somepersonalinstruction in theuse of them, buthe was prevented by lackoftimefrom carrying out this intention.On callingagain on Bannekershortly afterward, to offer him this instruction, Ellicottwas surprised to findthat Bannekerhad already discoveredfor himself the key to the use of both and was " alreadyabsorbedin the contemplation of the new worldwhichwas made him thus openedto his view."20 They had literally fixhis gaze on the stars,for the studyof astronomy thus becamehis one absorbing passion.
19Tyson,Banneker, p. 26. 's Memoir, J. H. B. Latrobe MarylandHistoricalSooietyPublicatiorw, I, p. 8.
20

hearers.'9

Banneker'smechanical inclination led him to take unusual interest in the buildingof the EllicottMills, and to make frequent visits thereto watchthe operationof the machinery.In thecourseoftimea storewas builtnearthe mills, and it becamethemeeting place ofnearly all thewideawakeand worth whowould whilepeoplein thecommunity, lingertogether to talk of the news of the day. This was in,thosedays when the ordinary meansof newsexchanging there were no dailies nor bulletinsnor hourly extras. Banneker was alwaysa welcome participant in thesegatherings althoughhe was a man of modestdemeanor, never injecting himself intotheconversation in an unseemly manner. When, however, he permitted himselfto be drawn into discussions, he always expressedhis;views withsuch clearnessand intelligence that he won the respectof his

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He had now nearlycoveredhis threescore years,and to his mentalvigor thathe should it was no littletribute have determined at thatage to masterso abstrusea science as astronomy.But by degreeshe gave himself up to its studywithunusualzeal. His favorite method of studying thissciencewas to lie out on theground at night, gazingup at theheavenstilltheearlyhoursof themorning. He then triedto restore his tiredmindand bodyby sleeping nearly all thenextday. This habitnearlycaused him, to fall into disrepute amonghis nreighbors, of his plans, who,ignorant accusedhimofbecoming lazy in his old days. In 1789he had advancedso farwithhis plan as to project a solar eclipse,the calculation of whichhe submitted to his friend GeorgeEllicott. In the studyof thesebooks Bannekerdetected several errorsof calculation, and, writing to his friend Ellicott, he made mention of two of them. On one occasionhe wrote:
"It appearstomethatthewisest menmayat times be in error; forinstance, Dr. Ferguson informs us that, whenthesun is within 120 of either node at the timeof full,the moonwill be eclipsed; but I findthat,according to his method of projecting a lunar eclipse, therewill be noneby theaboveelements, and yetthe sun is within 11? 46' 11" ofthemoon's ascending node. But themoon, in herapogee, being prevents theappearance ofthiseclipse."

And again he wroteEllicott:
"Errorsthatought tobe corrected in myastronomical tablesare these:2d vol. Leadbetter, p. 204,whenanomaly is 4s 300 theequation30 30' 4" oughtto have been 30 28' 41". In 3 equation, p. 0 ought 155,the logarithm of his distance from to have been6 in thesecond place from theindex, instead of 7, thatis, from thetime
thatits anomalyis 38 240 until it is 4s 0?.

Acting upon the suggestionof one of his educated friends, Banneker nowundertook to extend his calculations so as; to make an Almanac,then theimost comprehensive of scientific medium information. Bannekercontinued the work requiredto,completehis almanac,and finished the

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oneto covertheyear1792,when first he was sixty-one years old. This attractedtoihim a numberof prominent men, among whomwas Mr. James McHenry,of Baltimore,a member ofJohn Adams's cabinet. This gentleman, through his high regard for Banneker's achievements, had his almanac publishedby the firm of Goddard and Angell of Baltimore. In his letterto thisfirm McHenrypaid a fine tributeto the characterof the author,althoughsome of his statements as to Banneker's parentage; do not harmonizewithwhat appears to the writeras more reliable information fromanothersource. McHenrylaid special stress uponthefactthatBanneker's work, inthepreparation of his almanac," was begunand finished without the least or assistancefromany person,or fromany information " thanthosehe had obtained other books, from Mr. Ellicott, "so thatwhatever merit is attached to his present performance is exelusively " and peculiarly his own. '21 That Mr. McHenry attached a widersignificance to Banneker 's attainments than is impliedin a merelypersonal achievement is shownin his statement that he considered " thisnegroas a freshproofthatthe powersof the mind are disconnected with the color of the skin,or, in other a striking words, contradiction to Mr. Hume's doctrine, that the negroesare naturallyinferior to the whites,and unsusceptible of attainments inartsandsciences?" " In every civilizedcountry,"said he, "we shall findthousandsof whites, liberally educated and whohave enjoyedgreater opportunities forinstruction thanthisnegro,(whoare) his inferiors in thoseintellectual acquirements and capacitiesthat formthe mostcharacteristic featuresin the humanrace.22 But the system thatwouldassignto thesedegradedblacks an origindifferent fromthewhites, if it is not readyto be desertedby philosophers, mustbe relinquished as similar instances and that suchmustfrequently multiply; happen, cannot be doubted, shoudd no checkimpedetheprogressof
21 22

Atlantic Monthly,XI, p. 82. p. 51. Tyson, Bannek?er,

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which,ameliorating the conditionsof slavery, humanity, necessarily leads to its finalextinction.."23 said in their to theirattitude, Referring the publishers in the opportunity editorial noticethat " theyfeltgratified of presenting to the. public, through their press,an accurate Ephemeris fortheyear1792,calculated by a sable descendant of Africa." They flatter themselves " that a philanthropicpublic,in this enlightened era, will be inducedto give theirpatronageand support to thisi work, not onlyon account of its intrinsic merit (it havingmettheapprobation of severalof themostdistinguished astronomers of Amerthecelebrated Mr. Rittenhouse), ica, particularly but from similarmotivesto thosewhichinducedthe editorsto give thiscalculation thepreference, theardentdesireof drawing modestmerit fromobscurity and controverting the long establishedilliberalprejudiceagainst the blacks."24 Banneker had himself not lost sightof the probableeffectof his workin reshaping to someextent thepublicestimateconcerning the intellectual capacityof his race. And this was the thought that prompted him to send a manuscriptcopy of his first almanacto Thomas Jefferson, then of Statein Washington's Secretary cabinet. In his letter to Jefferson, datedAugust19,1791, Banneker made,with char" he acteristic modesty, a polite apologyfor the " liberty tookin addressing one of such" distinguished and dignified station,"and thenproceededto make a strong appeal for the exerciseof a moreliberal attitudetowardshis downtrodden race,using his own achievements as a proofthat the " train of absurd and false ideas and opinionswhich so generally prevailswithrespectto theNegroshouldnow " 26 be eradicated.
23 Mr. McHIenry was not only one of the mostprominent men of Baltimore, but was severaltimeshonored withpositions of trust. He was Senator fromMaryland in 1781; and as one of the Commissioners to framethe Constitution of the United States, he signed that instrument in 1787. He was also a member of the cabinetof President JohnAdams as Secretary of War in 1797.-Tyson,Banneker, pp. 50, 51, 52. 24 Maryland HistoricalSocietyPublications, I, 1844-48,I, p. 79. 28A copy of Banneker'sletterto ThomasJefferson and the statesman's replywerepublished in the JOURNAL OF NEGRo III, p. 69. HISTORY,

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ThomasJefferson took note of the moral courage and the loyaltyto race evidentthroughout the whole of Banneker'sremarkable letterand he honored it withthe most courteousreply,under date of August 30, 1791. After Bannekerfor the letterand the almanac accomthanking panying it,Jefferson him expressed thepleasureit afforded to see such proofs " that naturehas given to our black talentsequal to thoseof the othercolors of men, brethren and thattheappearanceof a wantof them is owingonlyto the degradedcondition of theirexistenceboth in Africa and America.." He also added thathe desired",ardently to see a good system commenced for raisingthe condition bothof theirbod-y and mindto whatit oughtto be." The was formally copy sentto Jefferson transmitted to M. de Condorcet, secretary of theAcademyof Sciencesa,tParis, and member of the Philanthropic Society because, as, he it a document said,he " considered to which yourwholerace had a rightfor its justification against the doubtswhich have been entertained of them." IThis recognition of Banneker's meritvery naturally added greatlyto his rapidly growing reputation at home,and brought to himhundreds of letters of congratulation fromscholarly menthroughout the civilizedworld. The mostdistinguished honorthatcameto himfrom his own countrymen was theinvitation to servewiththe commissionappointedby PresidentWashington to define the line and lay out the streetsof the F'ederalTerboundary ritory, latercalled theDistrictof Columbia. This commission,was appointed by Washington, in 1789,and was composedofDavid Stuart, DanielCarroll, ThomasJohnson, AndrewEllicottand Major PierreCharlesL'Enfant,a famous French engineer. This personnel was givenin the article on BenjaminBanneker by JohnR. Slattery in the Catholic Worldin 1883,27 but in the Washington Eveniig Star of October an addressby Fred Woodward, 15,1916,reporting the commission was said to consistof " Major L'Enfant, AndrewEllicott, Isaac Roberdeau, Countde Graff, William
27

Catholic World, XXXVIII, December, 1883.

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King, Nicholas King, and Benjamin Banneker,a free "28 It is on recordthatit was at the suggestion Negro. of his friend, Andrew who so Major Ellicott, thoroughly appreciated the value of his scientific that attainments, ThomasJefferson Banneker and Washington nominated appointedhima member of the commission.In the GeorgetownWeekly Ledger,of March12, 1791,reference is made to the arrival at that port of Ellicottand L'Enfant, who were accompanied an Ethiopian by "Benjamin Banneker, whoseabilitiesas surveyor and astronomer already prove thatMr. Jefferson's thatthatrace of menwere concluding 29 void of mentalendowment was without foundation. Speakingafterwards of his workwiththiscommission, Bannekerreferred to the unfailing kindness and courtesy of the distinguished in whichhe foundhimself. company One of his biographerssays that the deportment of the mathematician thisengagement during was suchas to secure for him the respectand admiration of the commissioners. His striking superiority over all othermen of his race whomtheyhad metled themto disregard all prejudicesof caste.30 Duringthestay of thecommissioners at theirofficial quarters, Banneker was invited, of course, to eat at the same table withthemjust as he sat withthemduringthe conferences. This invitation, however,he declined,and provisionwas then,at his request,made for servinghis mealsat a separatetablebutin thesamedining roomand at thesame houras theothers wereserved. The reasonsi forBanneker'srefusalto acceptthisinvitation,however, are not so clear. Various of his biographershave attributed his action on this occasionto what theyseemedpleased to term " Judghis " nativemodesty. ing it at thisdistance from the timeof its occurrence, it is perhapsdifficult to understand fully his motive. But if we view it in the light of the consistent wisdomand highmindedness thatseemedto guidehis wholelifewe can hope
28 29 30

Tyson, Baonneker, p. 37.

Washington Star, October15, 1916. Georgetown Weekly Ledger,March 12, 1791.

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thathis reasonsfortheself-imposed on thatoccacoventry sion were sufficient unto himself, and that theyfullyexcludedeveryelement of servility. Banneker'sworkwiththis commission was undertaken hewas, while stillengagedin astronomical investigation, and after his services in Washington wereconcluded he returned to his homeand resumed his workon his almanacs,which regularly appeareduntil1802. He was;nowlivingalone in thehome lefthimby hisparents, and performed forhimself nearlyall the domestic servicesrequiredforhis healthand comfort. Still obligedto relymainly uponhis farmforhis livelihood, he triedvariousexpedients withdifferent tenants to rid himselfof the necessity for givingso muchof his timeto thefarm. In theseefforts he was wholly unsuccessful. He finally decided, therefore, to enter intosuchan arrangement in thedisposition of his effects as wouldprovide him an annuity, relievinghimselfof all anxietyfor his maintenance and at the sametimeaffording himtheleisure he wantedforstudy. This he was enabledto do through a contract withone of the Ellicotts, by theterms of which his friend was to takethetitleto Banneker'sproperty, making the latteran annual allowanceof 12 pounds for a given period of time calculatedby Bannekerto be the span of years he could reasonably be expectedto live. Banneker was to continue to occupyand use the property during his life, after which the possession was to go to Ellicott.31 Banneker lived,however, eight yearslongerthanhe thought he would,but Ellicottfaithfully lived up to this contract. This miscalculation i'n is said to have beentheonlymistake mathematics Bannekerever made. With his domestic affairssettled to his satisfaction, and havingnow the desired leisureto continue his studies, he gave himself up wholly to thatobject. His activemindnow foundtimealso foroccasionaldiversionto otherlinesthanmathematics.It was aboutthis timethathe made the calculations thatthe locust showing in cyclesof 17 years each. He also plague was recurrent
31 Tyson, Banneker, pp.

70-71.

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wrotea dissertation on bees which comhas been favorably paredwitha similarcontribution byPlinyon the same subject written nearly1800 years earlier. Banneker'snature seemedtunedalso to the softer notes in the song of life. He lovedmusic,and often, as a relaxation, he wouldsit beneatha huge chestnut treenear his house and beguilethe hoursby playingon his flute or violin.32 The disastrous war wagedin 1793so disturbed Banneker thathe devoted muchtimeto the studyof thebestmethods to promote thattheUnited peace. To thisendhe suggested inthePresident's States Government establish a department cabinetto be in chargeof a Secretaryof Peace. He then made a strong appeal to the authorities of his government to takea broad standbased on humanity and justice and in a comprehensive that spiritto formulate plan by whichA LastingPeace33might forthewars thatwere be substituted thendisturbing theworld. Duringtheseyears his homewas frequently visitedby peoplewho sought himbecauseof his intellectual gifts, and whowereinnowiseabashedbythefactof his racialconnection. To them hewas merely an honored inthefield citizen of " Duringthe wholeof his long life," .says achievement.34 Benjamin Ellicott, "he livedrespectably and much esteemed by all whobecameacquainted withhim, butmoreespecially by thosewho could fullyappreciate his geniusand the extentof his acquirements.Although his mode of life was regularand extremely retired,-living alone,havingnever married,cookinghis own victuals and washinghis own clothes,and scarcelyever being absent fromhome,-yet there was nothingmisanthropic in his character; for a who knewhimthus speaks of him: 'I recollect gentleman himwell. He was a brave-looking pleasantman, withsomethingvery noble in his appearance.' His mindwas evimuchengrossed in his calculations!; dently but he was glad to receivethevisitswhich we often paid him. "
32 84

83 Records of the Columbia Historical Society, XX, pp. 117-119.

Tyson, Banneker, pp. 35-60.

The Atlantic Monthly,XI, p. 84.

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Another writes:" WhenI was a boyI becamevery much in him,as his manners were those of a perfect interested gentleman: kind,generous, hospitable,humane,dignified, and pleasing,abounding in information on all the various subjectsand incidents of the day, verymodestand unassuming, and delighting in society at his ownhouse. I have seen him frequently.His head was coveredwitha thick suitof white and venhair,which gave hima verydignified of superfine erable appearance.. His dress was uniformly broadcloth, madein theold style ofa plaincoat, with straight collar and long waistcoat,and a broad-brimmed hat. His color was not jet-black, but decidedly negro. In size and personalappearance, the statueof Franklinat theLibrary ofPhiladelphia, as seenfrom thestreet, is a perfect likeness of him. Go to his housewhenyou would,either by day or night,therewas constantly standingin the middleof the floora large table coveredwithbooksand papers. As he was an eminent he was constantly in corremathematician, in thiscountry, spondence withothermathematicians with whom there was an interchange ofquestions of difficult solu"35 tion. Mrs.Tysondescribes thecourtliness ofhis manner when receiving friendly visitsfromtheladies of his community, who delighted to call on him in his:neat cottage,to have the pleasure of his rare conversation.On these occasions he would sometimes allude to his love of the studyof asas quiteunsuited tronomy to a manofhis class.36 In theearlieryears of his life Banneker is said to have formed the" socialdrink " habit, which we can imagine was all the easier for a man!of his agreeablemanners, in an environment wherehospitality was general,and in a day whencordiality usually expresseditselfin thatway. But to thecreditof his strength of mindand will,it is also said thathe actually overcame thathabitby themeredeterminationthathe woulddo it,and thatonhis return from his stay at Washington withthe commission he is said to have de85 36

Tyson, Banneker, p. 31. Ibid., p. 31.

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clared ratherproudlythat he never partookonce of the winesthatwereso freely offered him.37 Bannekerwas not a professing Christianand not an adherentof any church, but "he loved the doctrines and mode of worshipof the Societyof Friends,and was frequentlyat theirmeetings." A contemporary says: "We have seen Bannekerin Elkridgemeeting house,wherehe always sat on the formnearestthe door,his head uncovered. His ampleforehead, whitehair and reverent deportmentgave him a veryvenerableappearance,as he leaned on the long staff(whichhe always carriedwithhim) in " 38 quiet contemplation. in the entire Therewas no blemish recordof his singularly active and usefullife. His whole span of years appears to have been spentwitha conscience void of offense, and he approached the end witha sereneness of mindwell thehighideals set before befitting him. Although his body neverwanderedfar fromthe place of his birth, his mind was permitted to soar through all space and to dwellin the regionsof the stars and the planets. We can neverknow howsorely his finer spiritgrievedoverthe tribulations that besethis bloodkinsmen in thedays of their bondagein this land oftheirbirth, butwe can well believethatin theloftiness of his soul he dreamedthe dream of theirultimate release. As theshadowsgathered abouthimtowards theevening of his life he abandonedthose pursuitsthat had brought himmerited and had gainedforhimtheadmiradistinction, tionof a hostoffriends chiefly amongpeoplethattheworld called superior. One beautifulSabbath afternoon, in the of October, month 1806,39 whilequietly in the shade resting of a treebesidehis cottageon thebrowof a hill thatoverlooked the Patapsco Valley he seemedto hear the voices that beckoned him to the otherworld. And as if stirred by somesuddenimpulse he rose and made an effort to walk
p. 75. 39Federal Gazetteand Baltimore Daily Advertiser, October 28, 18O06.
87 CatholicWorld, XVIII, p. 354. 38 Norris'sMemoir, HistoricalSocietyPublications, II, Maryland

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once morealong the paths thathad so oftenbeen his quiet in themoments reflection.s. He had not retreiat of his deepi gone far,whenhis strength gave way,and he sankhelpless to the ground. He was assisted back to his home by a friendly neighbor, but the noon of his day having fully merged intotheevening, thedarkshadowsofEternalNight settled overhim. DirectlyafterBa.nneker's death,in fact,on that very day,his sisters, MintaBlack and MollieMorton, undertook to carry out his wishes withrespectto the disposition to be madeofhis personaleffects. Banneker had, a fewyears directed before, that " all the articleswhichhad been presentedto him by GeorgeEllicott,consisting of his books and mathematical instruments, and the table on whichhe made his calculationsshould be returned as soon as he shoulddie."40 He also requested that" as an acknowledgmentof a debt of gratitudefor Ellicott's long-continued kindness he shouldbe given a volumeof the manuscripts all his almanacs, containing his observations on varioussubjects,his letterto ThomasJefferson, and the replyof that " All therestthathe possessedwas leftto the statesman. two sisters. It was due to the faithful execution of his wisheson theveryday of his deaththathis valuablemianuscriptswere preservedat all. They were all carried to GeorgeEllicott,and thiscircumstance was the first notice that Ellicott receivedof the passing away of his friend. " Banneker'sfuneraltook place two days afterward, and while the ceremonies were in progressat his grave, his hometookfireand burnedso rapidlythatnothing couldbe "'41 saved. Some timebefore his deathBanneker gave to one of his sistersthe feather bed on whichhe usuallyslept,and this she preservedas her onlykeepsakeof him. Years after wards she had occasionto ope:n thebed and, feelingsomehard the she discovered thing among feathers, thatit was a purse of money. This circumstance showsthat Banneker
40 Norris's Memoir, Maryland HistoricalSocietyPublications, II,
41

Ibid., II, p. 73.

p. 64.

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was not "in the eveningof his life overshadowed by extremepoverty."42 In an excellent paper read on April 18, 1916,beforethe ColumbiaHistoricalSocietyof Washington, by Mr. P. Lee Phillips,of the Libraryof Congress, Banneker'sAlmanac, was comparedwith Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac. Mr. Phillipsalso referred in behalf to his efforts of peace and to the friendship that existedbetweenBannekerand suchdistinguished menof his timeas Washington and Jefferson.He closedhis articleon Bannekerwith the broad-minlded declarationthat " Maryland should in somemanner honorthe memory of this distinguished citizen, who,notwithstanding the race prejudiceof the time, rose to eminence in scientific attainments, the study of which at that early date was almost unknown."43 The recognition of Douglass in Rochester and Boston,Pushkin in Petrograd and Moscow and Dumas in Paris, affords splendidsuggestions of what we hope to see of Banneker in Baltimore. It is a sad reflection on the people of this country thatpractically nothing has beendoneto honorthis distinguished man.
HENRY E. BAKER
ASSISTANT EXAMINER, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
42 Tyson, p. 72. Banneker, 43Recordsof the ColumbiaHistoricalSociety,XX, pp. 119-120.