Henry Augustus Rowland (1848 - 1901)

Born 27 Nov 1848 in Honesdale, Wayne, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Died 16 Apr 1901 at age 52 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States

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Biography

This profile is part of the Rowland Name Study.

Henry Augustus Rowland was born on 27 Nov 1848 at Wayne County Pennsylvania. He is a son of Henry Augustus Rowland Jr and Harriet Heyer. He passed away in 1901 at Baltimore, Maryland. He is a member of Rowland Y-DNA Group

He was an American physicist known for diffraction grating. Considered one of the most brilliant scientists of his day, he became the the first president of the American Physical Society (1899-1901).

• The Rowland Institute for Science of Harvard University is named for him. ^[1]
• Rowland Crater, a large carter on the far side of the moon is named for him. ^[2]

Biographies

1. His biographical memoir by Thomas C Mendenhall was read before the National Academy of Science April 23, 1903 (complete memoir available in 26-page pdf). ^[3]
2. Selected Papers of Great American Physicists, in The Bicentennial Commemorative Volume of The American Physical Society 1976, published his biography ^[4] along with his papers on the Screw and The Highest Aim of the Physicist.
3. From the Astrophysical Journal, Volume XIII, Number 4, May , 1901 Henry Augustus Rowland by Joseph S Ames.
4. Popular Science Monthly, Volume 49, May 1896 (while he was still alive) published its biographical Sketch of Henry Augustus Rowland.
5. John Hopkins University published The Physical Papers of Henry Augustus Rowland in 1902.

Accomplishments

• The first president of the American Physical Society (1899-1901)
• Published fundamental paper on magnetism, which proved to be the starting point for all calculations for the design of dynamos and transformers.
• Redetermined the value of ohm
• Redetermined the value of heat (Joule)
• Winner of the Rumford Prize (1883)
• Awarded the Henry Draper medal (1890) for contributions to astrophysics
• Winner of the Matteucci Medal (1895)
• Graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• First occupant of the chair of physics at Johns Hopkins University
• His Baltimore home at 915 Cathedral Street is a National Historic Landmark ^[5]

Family

Son of Henry Augustus Rowland Jr and Harriet Heyer. Although Henry was the 3rd "Henry Augustus" out of 4, no record has been located identifying him as 3rd or III.

Married Henrietta Harrison about 1890. Children:

1. Henrietta Rowland 1891
2. Henry Augustus Rowland IV
3. Davidge Harrison Rowland

He is buried in Loudon Park Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland. ^[6]

Census Data

1850 census, Honesdale, Wayne, Pennsylvania, United States ^[7]

Henry A Rowland M 45 Connecticut, N.S.P. Clergyman

Harriet Rowland F 37 New York

Francis B Rowland F 15 New York

Anna F Rowland F 12 New York

Mary W Rowland F 10 New York

Jane H Rowland F 7 New York

Caroline W Rowland F 5 Pennsylvania

Henry A Rowland M 1 Pennsylvania

Jane Carroll F 16 Ireland

1900 census, Precinct 2 Baltimore city Ward 13, Baltimore, Maryland, United States ^[8]

Henry D Rowland Head M 52 Pennsylvania, Physicist

Henrietta Rowland Wife F 35 Maryland. md 10 yrs, mother of 3 (3 living)

Henrietta Rowland Daughter F 9 Maryland

Henry A Rowland Jr. Son M 8 Maryland

David H Rowland Son M 3 Maryland

Paula Adler Servant F 21 Germany, Governess

Francis Haukins Servant F 22 Maryland

Annie Lucas Servant F 26 Virginia

Mary A Burber Servant F 25 Virginia

Sources

1. ↑ Rowland Institute for Science wikipedia entry
2. ↑ Rowland Crater wikipedia entry
3. ↑ Biographical Memoir of Henry August Rowland 1848-1901, by Thomas C Mendenhall, read before the National Academy of Science April 23, 1903.
4. ↑ American Physical Society Biography of Henry Augustus Rowland 1848-1901
5. ↑ Henry August Rowland House wikipedia entry
6. ↑ "Maryland, Baltimore, Loudon Park Cemetery, Cemetery Records, 1853-1986," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QRPK-4C3Z : 17 January 2019), Henry A Rowland, 17 May 1901; citing Burial, possibly other reference information, Name of Archive, Location of Archive; FHL microfilm 007579080.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2HJ8-8J3 : 12 April 2016), Henry A Rowland in household of Henry A Rowland, Honesdale, Wayne, Pennsylvania, United States; citing family 2, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3KF-MK2 : accessed 23 May 2019), Henry D Rowland, Precinct 2 Baltimore city Ward 13, Baltimore, Maryland, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 162, sheet 17B, family 308, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,613.

See also:

• https://www.newspapers.com/clip/116022789/obituary-for-henry-a-rowland/
• Henry Augustus Rowland, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.