Simon Newcomb (1835 - 1909)

Born 12 Mar 1835 in Wallace Bridge, Cumberland, Nova Scotia

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Caroline (Hassler) Newcomb — married 31 Jul 1863 in District of Columbia, United States

Descendants

Died 11 Jul 1909 at age 74 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States

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Biography

Simon Newcomb is Notable.

Simon Newcomb was renowned for his work in mathematical astronomy of the solar system. The author of a multitude of scientific papers and books, Dr. Newcomb received honorary degrees from Yale, Harvard, and Columbia, in addition to numerous scientific awards including the gold medal of the Royal Astronomical Society and the coveted gold Huygens medal from the University of Leyden.^[1]

Simon Newcombe, the son of John Newcombe and Emily Prince, was born on March 13, 1835 in Wallace, Nova Scotia,^[2] and baptized on 11 October 1840. The baptism took place at the Church of England at Richmond on Prince Edward Island, Canada.^[3]

Simon began his career as a school teacher, following in his father's footsteps. He immigrated to the United States in 1853 and taught in Maryland. In 1857, he began studies at the Lawrence Scientific School, where he ultimately attained a graduate degree. He worked as a professor of mathematics for the U.S. Navy at the U.S. Naval Observatory in D.C.^[1]

Simon Newcomb and Mary C. Hassler were married on 31 July 1863 at Washington, D.C.^[4] Mary was the daughter of Charles Augustus Hassler and his wife, Anna Josepha Nourse. She was born in 1840 at Washington, D.C.^[5]

On the 1870 census, Simon gave his birth place as Nova Scotia. He was 35 years of age; his wife, Mary, was 30. They had two children: Annetta R., aged 5, and Emily K., aged 1. Simon's occupation was "astronomer".^[6]

In 1880, the Newcombs had added another daughter to the family -- eight-year-old Josepha. Mary's mother, Annie J. Hassler, aged 65 and widowed, was living with them also, as was a servant, Mary Gallagher.^[7]

At age 65, Simon was a retired Naval Officer. On the 1900 census, he gave his year of immigration to the United States as 1852, but checked the box NA for naturalized citizen.^[8]

Professor Simon Newcomb died at the age of 74 in the District of Columbia in the United States on 11 July 1909. At the time of his death, he had been a professor of math with the United States Navy.^[2] Newcomb was awarded the honor of a military funeral and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.^[9]Upon his death, he was hailed as the Dean of Scientists in America and the greatest scientist of his time.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Biography:Simon Newcomb Appletons' Cyclopedia of American Biography; Volume: Vol. IV; viewed at https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/30675101/person/392425791310/facts
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Death: "District of Columbia Deaths, 1874-1961"
   citing reference ID cn 187121, District Records Center, Washington D.C.; FHL microfilm 2,115,388
   FamilySearch Record: F7TC-PYG (accessed 20 March 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-L9ZR-N96R-4
   Simon Newcomb death 11 Jul 1909 (age 74) in District of Columbia, United States.
3. ↑ Baptism: "Canada, Prince Edward Island Baptism Card Index, 1721-1885"
   citing Page: 143; Entry: 1; Digital film/folder number: 004594556; FHL microfilm: 1487764; Image number: 3022
   FamilySearch Record: KCXJ-2P7 (accessed 20 March 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: 939X-QV9K-HH
   Simon Newcombe baptism on 11 Oct 1840, child of John Newcombe & Emily Prince, in Richmond, Prince, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
4. ↑ Marriage: "District of Columbia Marriages, 1811-1950"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 004539707; FHL microfilm: 2079252; Image number: 537; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: V01238-3
   FamilySearch Record: XL8J-Z6Y (accessed 20 March 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: 939Z-Y5SV-D
   Simon Newcomb marriage to Mary C Hassler on 31 Jul 1863 in Washington, Washington County, District of Columbia, United States.
5. ↑ Death of wife Mary Caroline Hassler Newcomb: "District of Columbia Deaths, 1874-1961"
   citing reference ID 263612, District Records Center, Washington D.C.; FHL microfilm 2,115,940
   FamilySearch Record: F7BD-6V7 (accessed 20 March 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HY-6SF7-8S1
   Simon Newcomb in death record for wife Mary Caroline Hassler Newcomb 6 Feb 1921 in District of Columbia, United States.
6. ↑ 1870 Census: "United States Census, 1870"
   citing Page: 340; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: M593; Line: 28; Digital film/folder number: 004263347; FHL microfilm: 000545622; Image number: 773; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01458-4
   FamilySearch Record: MNW1-NS6 (accessed 20 March 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HT-DHG7-Z7W
   Simon Newcomb (35) head of household in Washington, District of Columbia, United States. Born in Nova Scotia.
7. ↑ 1880 Census: "United States Census, 1880"
   citing Volume: 1; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T9; Affiliate Line Number: 00033; Digital film/folder number: 005157355; FHL microfilm: 1254122; Image number: 165; Sheet number: 80; Sheet letter: A; Packet letter: C
   FamilySearch Record: M6C7-XD2 (accessed 20 March 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GYBW-485
   Simon Newcomb (45), married, Astronomer, head of household in Washington, District of Columbia, United States. Born in Canada.
8. ↑ 1900 Census: "United States Census, 1900"
   citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T623; Line: 82; Digital film/folder number: 004119675; FHL microfilm: 1240160; Image number: 230; Sheet number: 3; Sheet letter: B; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N00925-2
   FamilySearch Record: MMFM-GTG (accessed 20 March 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HT-DTFS-5KT
   Simon Newcomb (65), married head of household in Washington, District of Columbia, United States. Born in Nova Scotia (Eng).
9. ↑ Newspaper Article: Simon Newcomb Dewey, Edmund O.; Owosso Times Fri, Jul 23, 1909 ·Page 2' Owosso, MIchigan
10. ↑ Newspaper Article: "Prof. Simon Newcomb Astronomer Is Dead" The Brooklyn Citizen Mon, Jul 12, 1909 ·Page 7, Brooklyn, New York

• https://www.steeveshousemuseum.ca/simon-newcomb
• Richard A. Jarrell, “NEWCOMB, SIMON,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 13, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed June 18, 2018, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/newcomb_simon_13E.html.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Newcomb
• Wikidata: Item Q164401, en:Wikipedia