James Curtis Booth
Encyclopedia
James Curtis Booth was a United States
chemist who was the melter and refiner at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia for many years.
Booth graduated from the University of Pennsylvania
in 1829, and later studied at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
at Troy, New York
from 1831 to 1832.
He visited Germany
between 1833 and 1835, spending the year of 1833 in Professor Friedrich Wöhler
's private laboratory in Hesse-Cassel, and then spending nine months in the laboratory of Professor Gustav Magnus in Berlin
. For the remainder of his time in Europe he attended lectures and visited manufacturing facilities on the continent and in England.
Booth assisted in the Geological Survey of Pennsylvania in 1836, making the discovery that the mountains that form the middle belt of that state consist of two separate formations.
He was head of the Geological Survey of Delaware from 1837 to 1838.
He became a member of the American Philosophical Society
in January 1839.
He opened a chemistry laboratory in Pennsylvania in 1836 for teaching purposes, which gained a strong reputation.
As the demand for teaching and chemical analysis increased, he was assisted by Dr. Martin Hans Boyè
until 1845.
From 1848, Thomas H. Garrett was his associate, and in 1881 the firm became "Booth, Garrett and Blair".
According to the Scientific American
, a course in Booth's laboratory "was considered necessary for the chemist of that time, and was regarded of more value than a college diploma".
Students who went on to have notable scientific careers included John Fries Frazer
, Richard Sears McCulloh, Campbell Morfit
and Clarence Morfit.
Booth lectured at the Franklin Institute
between 1836 and 1845.
In 1843 he published the Encyclopedia of Chemistry, writing most of the articles.
In 1845, Booth spent some time in Mine la Mott in Missouri
mining cobalt, but the venture was not successful.
In 1849 he was appointed melter and refiner in the Mint by President Zachary Taylor
, working there until he retired in 1887.
He and his former pupil Richard Sears McCulloch both invented methods of refining California gold that involved combining the ore with zinc, and the two men agreed to combine their inventions into a single patent, which they sold to an interested industrialist.
In 1850 he was appointed a professor by the University of Pennsylvania at their newly created Department of Chemistry as Applied Arts, but his work at the mint only let him undertake his work part-time. However, he continued to teach at the university until 1855.
While at the mint he designed a new form of wind furnace for melting the huge amount of gold being mined in California.
His analysis of the nickel ores of Pennsylvania led to the use of nickel as a component of the cent issued in 1857.
The University of Lewisburg conferred the degree of LL.D. on him in 1867, and the Rensselaer Institute gave him a PhD in 1884.
He was a member of the American Philosophical Society
, and was president of the American Chemical Society
from 1883 to 1884.
James Curtis Booth married in 1853 and became the father of three children.
He died at his home in West Haverford, Pennsylvania, on 21 March 1888.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chemist who was the melter and refiner at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia for many years.
Life
Booth was born in Philadelphia on 28 July 1810, and was educated at the Hartsville Seminary.Booth graduated from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
in 1829, and later studied at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
at Troy, New York
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
from 1831 to 1832.
He visited Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
between 1833 and 1835, spending the year of 1833 in Professor Friedrich Wöhler
Friedrich Wöhler
Friedrich Wöhler was a German chemist, best known for his synthesis of urea, but also the first to isolate several chemical elements.-Biography:He was born in Eschersheim, which belonged to aau...
's private laboratory in Hesse-Cassel, and then spending nine months in the laboratory of Professor Gustav Magnus in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. For the remainder of his time in Europe he attended lectures and visited manufacturing facilities on the continent and in England.
Booth assisted in the Geological Survey of Pennsylvania in 1836, making the discovery that the mountains that form the middle belt of that state consist of two separate formations.
He was head of the Geological Survey of Delaware from 1837 to 1838.
He became a member of the American Philosophical Society
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
in January 1839.
He opened a chemistry laboratory in Pennsylvania in 1836 for teaching purposes, which gained a strong reputation.
As the demand for teaching and chemical analysis increased, he was assisted by Dr. Martin Hans Boyè
Martin Hans Boyè
Martin Hans Boyè was a Danish-American chemist.Boyè was born in Copenhagen, Denmark on 6 December 1812, son of a chemist in charge of the works of the Royal Porcelain Manufactury...
until 1845.
From 1848, Thomas H. Garrett was his associate, and in 1881 the firm became "Booth, Garrett and Blair".
According to the Scientific American
Scientific American
Scientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics...
, a course in Booth's laboratory "was considered necessary for the chemist of that time, and was regarded of more value than a college diploma".
Students who went on to have notable scientific careers included John Fries Frazer
John Fries Frazer
John Fries Frazer was a University of Pennsylvania graduate and first assistant geologist to the Geological Survey of Pennsylvania...
, Richard Sears McCulloh, Campbell Morfit
Campbell Morfit
Campbell Morfit was a distinguished chemist from the United States, co-editor with James Curtis Booth of the Encyclopedia of Chemistry ....
and Clarence Morfit.
Booth lectured at the Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute is a museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States, dating to 1824. The Institute also houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial.-History:On February 5, 1824, Samuel Vaughn Merrick and...
between 1836 and 1845.
In 1843 he published the Encyclopedia of Chemistry, writing most of the articles.
In 1845, Booth spent some time in Mine la Mott in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
mining cobalt, but the venture was not successful.
In 1849 he was appointed melter and refiner in the Mint by President Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
, working there until he retired in 1887.
He and his former pupil Richard Sears McCulloch both invented methods of refining California gold that involved combining the ore with zinc, and the two men agreed to combine their inventions into a single patent, which they sold to an interested industrialist.
In 1850 he was appointed a professor by the University of Pennsylvania at their newly created Department of Chemistry as Applied Arts, but his work at the mint only let him undertake his work part-time. However, he continued to teach at the university until 1855.
While at the mint he designed a new form of wind furnace for melting the huge amount of gold being mined in California.
His analysis of the nickel ores of Pennsylvania led to the use of nickel as a component of the cent issued in 1857.
The University of Lewisburg conferred the degree of LL.D. on him in 1867, and the Rensselaer Institute gave him a PhD in 1884.
He was a member of the American Philosophical Society
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
, and was president of the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
from 1883 to 1884.
James Curtis Booth married in 1853 and became the father of three children.
He died at his home in West Haverford, Pennsylvania, on 21 March 1888.