History of Sullivan, (Madison County) New York United States of America

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Biographies:

The Biography of William Malcom

William Malcom, inventor, was born in Sullivan, Madison county, N.Y., Oct. 13, 1823. He received an excellent education and engaged in the manufacture of fire-arms. He devoted his leisure time to the study of optics, and invented a powerful magnifying instrument with which he could see clearly the composition of knots in a board four miles from his experimenting station, and subsequently invented an instrument that did not require adjustment for varying distances. The adjustment of the different lenses used in these instruments was never revealed by Mr. Malcom and the secret died with him. He designed telescopes for the Lick observatory, California, the Royal observatory, Greenwich, and for use by the United States, English, Russian and Italian governments on their heavy ordnance. He died in Syracuse, N.Y., July 12, 1890.

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