John Paterson was born near Morristown, NJ, the son of William Paterson and Elizabeth (Fields) Paterson. John moved to Albany in 1822 and there married Orilla Smith Bosworth on August 1, 1828. A self-taught man, he was considered one of the greatest mathematicians of the United States. His book, "The Calculus of Operations" (Albany: Gray and Sprague 1850) was known the world over and was re-printed in 2005 by the Michigan Historical Series.
He wrote the first actuarial tables for New York's insurance industry and became the First Actuary of the State of New York. He also was the first Commissioner of New York's Department of Weights & Measures.
John was granted the honorary degree of A.M. by Union College in 1835. A good friend of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, his collection of books was bequeathed to Union College where it is believed to remain to this day. He also was a member of the Albany Institute of History & Art.
Sources: family papers and photos; "Encyclopedia of Biography of New York" (The American Historical Society Incorporated - Boston New York Chicago - 1923, pp 145--149)
He wrote the first actuarial tables for New York's insurance industry and became the First Actuary of the State of New York. He also was the first Commissioner of New York's Department of Weights & Measures.
John was granted the honorary degree of A.M. by Union College in 1835. A good friend of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, his collection of books was bequeathed to Union College where it is believed to remain to this day. He also was a member of the Albany Institute of History & Art.
Sources: family papers and photos; "Encyclopedia of Biography of New York" (The American Historical Society Incorporated - Boston New York Chicago - 1923, pp 145--149)
John Paterson was born near Morristown, NJ, the son of William Paterson and Elizabeth (Fields) Paterson. John moved to Albany in 1822 and there married Orilla Smith Bosworth on August 1, 1828. A self-taught man, he was considered one of the greatest mathematicians of the United States. His book, "The Calculus of Operations" (Albany: Gray and Sprague 1850) was known the world over and was re-printed in 2005 by the Michigan Historical Series.
He wrote the first actuarial tables for New York's insurance industry and became the First Actuary of the State of New York. He also was the first Commissioner of New York's Department of Weights & Measures.
John was granted the honorary degree of A.M. by Union College in 1835. A good friend of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, his collection of books was bequeathed to Union College where it is believed to remain to this day. He also was a member of the Albany Institute of History & Art.
Sources: family papers and photos; "Encyclopedia of Biography of New York" (The American Historical Society Incorporated - Boston New York Chicago - 1923, pp 145--149)
He wrote the first actuarial tables for New York's insurance industry and became the First Actuary of the State of New York. He also was the first Commissioner of New York's Department of Weights & Measures.
John was granted the honorary degree of A.M. by Union College in 1835. A good friend of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, his collection of books was bequeathed to Union College where it is believed to remain to this day. He also was a member of the Albany Institute of History & Art.
Sources: family papers and photos; "Encyclopedia of Biography of New York" (The American Historical Society Incorporated - Boston New York Chicago - 1923, pp 145--149)
Family Members
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
