John Farrar (July 1, 1779 – May 8, 1853) was an American scholar. He first coined the concept of hurricanes as “a moving vortex and not the rushing forward of a great body of the atmosphere”, after the Great September Gale of 1815.[1][2][3] Farrar remained Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at Harvard University between 1807 and 1836. During this time, he introduced modern mathematics into the curriculum. He was also a regular contributor to the scientific journals.
After attending Phillips Academy, Andover, and graduating from Harvard in 1803. In 1805, he was appointed Greek tutor at Harvard. Farrar was chosen Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in 1807.[4] He retained the chair till 1836, when he resigned in consequence of a painful illness that finally caused his death. His second wife, Eliza Ware Farrar (née Rotch), was Flemish. She married him in 1828. She authored several children's books.
Farrar maintained weather records between 1807-1817 at Cambridge, Massachusetts. For the 23 September 1815 hurricane, he particularly noted the shape as "a moving vortex".[3] He also observed the veering of the wind, and its different times of subsequent impacts on the cities of Boston and New York City.[5]
In 1815, Farrar made efforts to build an observatory at Harvard. However, despite of continuing efforts, the project failed to take off due to lack of funds. [8] In his capacity as Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, he reformulated the mathematical curriculum and introduced modern mathematics. He prepared the Cambridge mathematical series. He was also the first to translate mathematical works from European languages to make them available for American undergraduates.[9] He published a translation of Lacroix's "Elements of Algebra" (1818), which he followed by selections from Legendre, Biot, Bezant, and others. Harvard, the U.S. military academy, and other institutions at once adopted these works as textbooks. He regularly wrote for the scientific journals North American Review and Memoirs of the American academy. After Farrar's death, Eliza Farrar donated her husband's collection of books to form the original collection of the Lincoln Public Library.[10]
Notes
^John Farrar (1819) "An account of the violent and destructive storm of the 23d of September, 1815," The Quarterly Journal of Literature, Science and the Arts, 7 : 102-106. From page 104: "In these cases, it appears to have been a moving vortex, and not the rushing forward of the great body of the atmosphere."
^Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, (1899), p. 200
References
Coolidge, J. L. (1943). "Three Hundred Years of Mathematics at Harvard". American Mathematical Monthly. Mathematical Association of America. 50 (6): 347–356. doi:10.2307/2303706. JSTOR 2303706.
Elliott, C.A. and Rossiter, M.W. (1992). Science at Harvard University: Historical Perspectives. Lehigh University Press. ISBN0-934223-12-2.
Schlesinger, Elizabeth Bancroft (1965). "Two Early Harvard Wives: Eliza Farrar and Eliza Follen". New England Quarterly. The New England Quarterly, Inc. 38 (2): 147–167. doi:10.2307/363587. JSTOR 363587.
Varney, B. M. (1908). "Early Meteorology at Harvard College". Monthly Weather Review. 36 (5): 140–142. Bibcode:1908MWRv...36..140V. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1908)36<140:EMAHC>2.0.CO;2.
External links
Official website at Harvard
Farrar, John. (1827) An elementary treatise of Astronomy. Printed by Hilliard, Metcalf and Co, Boston, 1827
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John Farrar July 1 1779 May 8 1853 was an American scholar He first coined the concept of hurricanes as a moving vortex and not the rushing forward of a great body of the atmosphere after the Great September Gale of 1815 1 2 3 Farrar remained Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at Harvard University between 1807 and 1836 During this time he introduced modern mathematics into the curriculum He was also a regular contributor to the scientific journals John FarrarBorn 1779 07 01 July 1 1779Lincoln MassachusettsDiedMay 8 1853 1853 05 08 aged 73 Cambridge MassachusettsNationalityAmericanAlma materPhillips Academy AndoverHarvard UniversityScientific careerFieldsMathematics philosophyInstitutionsHarvard College Contents 1 Life and works 2 Notes 3 References 4 External linksLife and works EditAfter attending Phillips Academy Andover and graduating from Harvard in 1803 In 1805 he was appointed Greek tutor at Harvard Farrar was chosen Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in 1807 4 He retained the chair till 1836 when he resigned in consequence of a painful illness that finally caused his death His second wife Eliza Ware Farrar nee Rotch was Flemish She married him in 1828 She authored several children s books Farrar maintained weather records between 1807 1817 at Cambridge Massachusetts For the 23 September 1815 hurricane he particularly noted the shape as a moving vortex 3 He also observed the veering of the wind and its different times of subsequent impacts on the cities of Boston and New York City 5 Farrar was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1808 6 and a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1814 7 In 1815 Farrar made efforts to build an observatory at Harvard However despite of continuing efforts the project failed to take off due to lack of funds 8 In his capacity as Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy he reformulated the mathematical curriculum and introduced modern mathematics He prepared the Cambridge mathematical series He was also the first to translate mathematical works from European languages to make them available for American undergraduates 9 He published a translation of Lacroix s Elements of Algebra 1818 which he followed by selections from Legendre Biot Bezant and others Harvard the U S military academy and other institutions at once adopted these works as textbooks He regularly wrote for the scientific journals North American Review and Memoirs of the American academy After Farrar s death Eliza Farrar donated her husband s collection of books to form the original collection of the Lincoln Public Library 10 Notes Edit John Farrar 1819 An account of the violent and destructive storm of the 23d of September 1815 The Quarterly Journal of Literature Science and the Arts 7 102 106 From page 104 In these cases it appears to have been a moving vortex and not the rushing forward of the great body of the atmosphere Norcross 2007 p 96 a b Fitzpatrick 2005 p 108 Elliott and Rossiter 1992 p 338 Ludlum 1963 Book of Members 1780 2010 Chapter F PDF American Academy of Arts and Sciences Retrieved September 8 2016 American Antiquarian Society Members Directory Elliott and Rossiter 1992 p 40 Elliott and Rossiter 1992 p 57 Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners 1899 p 200References EditCoolidge J L 1943 Three Hundred Years of Mathematics at Harvard American Mathematical Monthly Mathematical Association of America 50 6 347 356 doi 10 2307 2303706 JSTOR 2303706 Elliott C A and Rossiter M W 1992 Science at Harvard University Historical Perspectives Lehigh University Press ISBN 0 934223 12 2 Fitzpatrick P J 2005 Hurricanes A Reference Handbook ABC CLIO ISBN 1 85109 647 7 Ludlum David M 1963 Early American Hurricanes 1492 1870 The History of American Weather Boston American Meteorological Society Norcross B 2007 Hurricane Almanac The Essential Guide to Storms Past Present and Future Macmillan Publishers ISBN 0 312 37152 7 Schlesinger Elizabeth Bancroft 1965 Two Early Harvard Wives Eliza Farrar and Eliza Follen New England Quarterly The New England Quarterly Inc 38 2 147 167 doi 10 2307 363587 JSTOR 363587 Varney B M 1908 Early Meteorology at Harvard College Monthly Weather Review 36 5 140 142 Bibcode 1908MWRv 36 140V doi 10 1175 1520 0493 1908 36 lt 140 EMAHC gt 2 0 CO 2 External links EditOfficial website at Harvard Farrar John 1827 An elementary treatise of Astronomy Printed by Hilliard Metcalf and Co Boston 1827 Farrar John Appletons Cyclopaedia of American Biography 1900 Academic officesPreceded bySamuel Webber Hollis Chair of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy1807 1838 Succeeded byJoseph Lovering Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Farrar scientist amp oldid 1136186769, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
