Mathematician, physicist, and astronomer, Benjamin Peirce (1809-1880) has been called the "father of American mathematics." He distinguished himself as superintendent of the U.S. Coast Survey. Peirce was a professor at Harvard College from 1833 until his death, and contributed to the founding of its observatory.

Peirce is remembered for calculating the exact location and path of the planet Neptune, using a series of lengthy and complex mathematical equations. He also tracked and calculated the paths of many comets and charted the phases of the moon for the United States government. Soon after the discovery of Saturn's rings in 1850, he calculated and published his assessment of the possible composition of the rings. Peirce's work and his writings on practical mathematics extended to the fields of astronomy, mechanics, and geology. His contributions to the field of theoretical mathematics included commentary on hypercomplex number theory.

A Prominent Puritan

Benjamin Peirce was...