William chauvenet biography

Paul, Minnesota was a professor of mathematics, astronomy, navigation, and surveying who was instrumental in the establishment of the U. William Chauvenet was born on a farm near Milford, Pennsylvania to Guillaume Marc Chauvenet, a former soldier of Napoleon's army who reconverted in silk trade after the Emperor's fall, and Mary B. Kerr [ 1 ] and was raised in Philadelphia.

He entered Yale University at age 16, and graduated in with high honors. While at Yale, Chauvenet contributed to the school newspaper and was a pianist with the Beethoven Society. He was one of eight founding members of the Skull and Bones Society. In , he was appointed a professor of mathematics in the United States Navy , and for a while served on the USS Mississippi teaching math.

William Chauvenet was born on a farm near Milford, Pennsylvania to Guillaume Marc Chauvenet, a former soldier of Napoleon's army who reconverted in silk trade after the Emperor's fall, and Mary B. Kerr and was raised in Philadelphia.

His professorship led Chauvenet to see the necessity of a United States naval academy. While others had proposed the idea, no one had actually seen it through. At the Naval Asylum, prospective officers took an eight-month course before sailing. Chauvenet felt the course was lacking and drew up his own plan for a two-year course. After being presented to several secretaries of the navy, the course was finally accepted in He was instrumental in the founding of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland , and taught there for years.

He was president of the academic board and in was part of a board that recommended the course of study be extended to four years.

William Chauvenet was an American professor of mathematics, astronomy, navigation and surveying who was instrumental in the establishment of the U.S. Naval.

Chauvenet taught in many subjects, including mathematics, surveying, astronomy, and navigation. He helped to establish an astronomical observatory at the naval academy. Chauvenet's contributions were so important that in , Admiral S.