History of Wilmington, (Middlesex County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Ezra Otis Kendall, educator, was born in Wilmington, Mass., May 17, 1818. He attended an academy in Woburn, Mass., and in 1835 removed to Philadelphia, Pa., where he studied mathematics under his half-brother, Sears Cook Walker . He became professor of theoretical mathematics and astronomy in Central high school, Philadelphia, Pa., upon its organization in 1838 and with Mr. Walker established a thoroughly equipped astronomical observatory in connection with the school. He was professor of mathematics at the University of Pennsylvania, 1855-99; vice-provost of the university, 1883-94; Flower professor of astronomy there, 1892-94; sometime dean of the college faculty and honorary vice-provost; and honorary dean of the faculty, 1894-99. He made important contributions to the American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac after 1851, giving especial attention to the planets Jupiter and Neptune. He was a member of the American Philosophical society from 1842 and sometime its vice-president; a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science from 1882, and of the American Mathematical society from April, 1891. He received the degree of LL.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1888, in acknowledgment of his scientific attainments. He published a work on uranography; made observations for the U.S. coast survey, and contributed astronomical articles to scientific journals. He was married in 1844 to Emma Lavinia Dick, and their son, Otis Howard Kendall (University of Pennsylvania, A.B., 1866, LL.B., 1868, A.M. 1869), was assistant professor of mathematica there, 1877-89; received the degree Ph.D. from Wittenberg, 1885, and became headmaster of the American faculty of actuaries, 1890. Ezra Otis Kendall died in Philadelphia, Pa., Jan. 5, 1899.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Wilmington, (Middlesex County) Massachusetts

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