Rittenhouse, David Público Deposited
Born at Paper Mill Run near Germantown, Pennsylvania. Self educated. Married to Eleanor Coulston February 20, 1766. They had two daughters. Married Hannah Jacobs in 1772. They had one child.
He had many scientific accomplishments and inventions as an astronomer, mathematician and surveyor. He conducted a boundary survey in 1763-64 to settle a dispute between William Penn and Lord Baltimore. He constructed an observatory, a transit telescope, the first in the U.S., and other equipment to observe the transit of Venus in 1769. In 1770 he moved to Philadelphia. He continued his observations of the planets and a solar eclipse June 24, 1778. He discovered a comet in 1793. He was frequently involved in boundary surveys, river and canal surveys.
In 1775 he became engineer for the Committee of Safety. He supervised the casting of cannon and devised chain protection for the harbor. Served on the Council of Safety and as its president in 1777. Served in the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention in 1776. He was painted by Peak and Trumbull.
Appointed by President Washington as the first Director of the Mint. Our coinage was established by the Act of April 2, 1792. Rittenhouse was appointed April 14, 1792. He laid the foundation stone for the Philadelphia Mint July 31, 1792. He deposited silver used to strike all 1794 dollars. He resigned because of ill health in June 1795. He died in Philadelphia.
Rittenhouse appears on a mint medal (Julian MT-1, USM 301) as one of the series for Directors of the Mint. Dies were by William Barber. Rittenhouse appears on the Assay Commission Medal for 1944 (AC-89). Dies were by John Sinnock.
The Rittenhouse Society was formed in 1960. It is a private organization with membership by invitation only.
bio: ApCAB; BDAS; DAB; Drake; EAB; Failor; Hessler; NCAB 1; TCBDA; WAB; WWWA-H; CW 3/30/92; NUM 106 Aug 93 p. 1091-1097; CW/NM 2/18/76
- 1732-04-08
- Paper Mill Run near Germantown, Pennsylvania
- 1796-06-26