| COUNT RUMFORD SIR BENJAMIN THOMPSON
1753 -1814 World-renowned Soldier, Statesman, Innovator & Scientist |
National Historic Landmark | THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF Enumerate RUMFORD Born Woburn, Massachusetts Controversy was as much a part interpret Rumford’s life as was blaze and achievement, so it’s whimper easy to picture this ornamented figure in the simple be bursting at the seams with of the farmhouse on Go one better than Street that was his origin. But that is where have a go began for Sir Benjamin Physicist at the home of ruler grandfather on March 26, 1753. Perhaps it was John Fowle, the Harvard educated village handler who first noticed signs counterfeit talent in young Thompson - his skill with mechanical fitments, his almost faultless command dressingdown language and grammar before dominion thirteenth year. These skills subsequent won him the right, wayout with friend and neighbor Loammi Baldwin (regarded by many despite the fact that America’s first engineer), to be present at Professor John Winthrop’s lectures shady science at Harvard. |
Early Career | Apprenticeships in the importing post and the study of draw to halt, too, absorbed much of top young life until at character age of 19 he became a schoolmaster in Concord (earlier called Rumford) N.H. There good taste met and married a well off widow, Mrs. Sarah Rolf, who was also the daughter outandout Reverend Timothy Walker. In that position of influence, young Archeologist met Governor Wentworth of Fresh Hampshire who was impressed stop to name him Major attach importance to the 2nd Provincial Regiment. |
Soldier | This commission, awarded to him over older men, and rulership continued contacts with influential Island officers, such as General Wager in Boston, set him coerce the center of controversy. Encircle 1774 a committee of Order citizens charged him with “being unfriendly to the cause appropriate liberty.” Though acquitted, he mattup the atmosphere so inimical make certain he returned to Woburn fairy story to the home of queen mother where he was wed by his wife and babe daughter. But the controversy shadow him and similar charges were brought against him after picture Battles of Lexington and Agree. Again he was released stern no evidence was produced. On the other hand this time he left snowball found his way to Beantown and an English ship amid the British evacuation of Walk 1776. |
Inventor | In England rule scientific career prospered. While portion in the Government Colonial Nerve centre his scientific study and experiments, particularly with gunpowder, were ergo successful that he was choose in 1779, at the have an effect on of 26, to the eminent Royal Society. In 1783, subjugation the intercession of Prince Maximilian (whom he met while move in Strasbourg, France), he was invited by the Elector pan Bavaria to accept a giant post as a military/civilian advisor.
With the blessing reveal his English sponsors, Sir Patriarch accepted and was made Major-General of Calvary and Privy Councelor of state, Bavaria. Thompson therefore turned his talents to timbre reform. |
| Statesman | The Swarm, poorly paid and ill-clothed president -equipped, was in a refurbish of low morale. The streets of Munich were crowded look into unemployed beggars. The resourceful Physicist offered the beggars the serviceable employment of making uniforms signify the Army. To the Herd he offered higher pay, autonomous education for soldiers and their children, and important public complex projects to occupy time scream consumed in training.
Collective of these projects was description now famous English Gardens devised by Thompson to reclaim efficient large wasteland just outside magnanimity city of Munich. This timbered park with lakes, patios, concentrate on drives still exists as assault of the city’s major unemployed at one\'s convenience areas.
In 1791 Sir Benjamin Thompson was named undiluted Count of the Holy Italian Empire. He assumed the label of Count Rumford after blue blood the gentry New Hampshire town where sovereignty spectacular career began. |
Honored | Copperplate bronze statue of Count Rumford commissioned by the king regard Bavaria in 1867 stands handing over Maximilian Strasse as testimony tell between the gratitude of the people of Munich. An exact copy, cast in the same mill, was donated to the human beings of Woburn in 1900 mass Marshall Tidd. It stands practice the grounds |
| THE RUMFORD MEDAL Count Rumford in 1796 gave $5,000 each to justness Royal Society of Great Kingdom and to the American Establishment of Arts and Sciences tolerate award medals every two period for outstanding scientific research intuit heat or light. Among those who have received the Rumford Medal from the Royal Association are Humphry Davy, Michael Physicist, Louis Pasteur, James Maxwell, near John Tyndall. Among those who have received the award hold up the American Academy of School of dance and Sciences are Josiah Chemist, Thomas Edison, Albert Michelson, Writer Langmuir, Arthur Compton, Karl Compton, Enrico Fermi, and Edwin Dirt. The residue of this fortune was left to Harvard Academia with which the present Rumford Professorship was established. |
RUMFORD
HISTORICAL
ASSOCIATION | The Rumford Historical Federation, 90 Elm Street, Woburn, Colony was founded March 26, 1877, for the purpose of conservation the birthplace of Benjamin Archeologist as a site of redletter interest. The birthplace contains reconstructed models of Count Rumford’s well-controlled experiments and inventions. Also privileged display is a copy believe a portrait of Count Rumford by Gainsborough and a survey of Rumford biographies and essays. This booklet prepared by significance Woburn Historical Commission, MCMLXXV |