Nathan Daboll
Encyclopedia
Nathan Daboll was an American
teacher
who wrote the mathematics
textbook
most commonly used in American schools in the first half of the 19th century. During the course of his career, he also operated a popular navigation
school for merchant mariners
, and published a variety of almanac
s during the American Revolution
period.
, Daboll was the son of Nathan Daboll (born c. 1725 in East Hampton, New York
; died c. 1780) and Anna Lynn (born 1724 in Groton). He had two brothers, John (born 1755) and Benjamin (1757–1848), and two sisters Susannah (born 1748) and Amy (born 1764). Daboll's father was born with the surname Dibble, but changed it to Daboll. Daboll's grandfather was born with the surname Dibble (sometimes spelled Deble).
Daboll had little formal education but mastered mathematics quickly while earning a living as a cooper
.
.
Because of Daboll's ability with mathematics, Samuel M. Green, an early almanac publisher in the colonies
, asked Daboll to calculate almanac entries. Daboll did so, beginning in 1771, under the alias "Edmund Freebetter", before switching to publishing almanacs and registers under his own name. Almanacs were useful instruments in propaganda wars during the American Revolution. Some of Daboll's almanacs contained satirical or factual political commentary, while others didn't. For the most part, they contained common almanac material:
The textbook Daboll's schoolmaster's assistant: being a plain, practical system of arithmetic
, adapted to the United States was published in 1799, and updated with Daboll's Schoolmaster's assistant, improved and enlarged being a plain practical system of arithmetic: adapted to the United States in 1814. Its popularity was based, in part, on its practicality:
Daboll was also quite notable for his maritime navigation school in New London, Connecticut
where he taught navigation and nautical astronomy to as many as 1,500 seamen. In 1811, at the invitation of Commodore John Rodgers
, Daboll instructed midshipmen on the frigate President
. Daboll's Practical Navigator was published posthumously in 1820 by his long-time colleague Green.
Even after his death, Daboll was remembered for his mathematics. Herman Melville
referred to Daboll in his 1851 novel Moby-Dick
:
In his 1890 book The teaching and history of mathematics in the United States, mathematics historian Florian Cajori
described Daboll as one of the "three great arithmeticians in America".
, invented the Daboll trumpet
.
Daboll died in Groton in 1818.
, Internet Archives
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
who wrote the mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
textbook
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
most commonly used in American schools in the first half of the 19th century. During the course of his career, he also operated a popular navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
school for merchant mariners
Ship transport
Ship transport is watercraft carrying people or goods . Sea transport has been the largest carrier of freight throughout recorded history. Although the importance of sea travel for passengers has decreased due to aviation, it is effective for short trips and pleasure cruises...
, and published a variety of almanac
Almanac
An almanac is an annual publication that includes information such as weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, and tide tables, containing tabular information in a particular field or fields often arranged according to the calendar etc...
s during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
period.
Early years
Born in Groton, ConnecticutGroton, Connecticut
Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....
, Daboll was the son of Nathan Daboll (born c. 1725 in East Hampton, New York
East Hampton (town), New York
The Town of East Hampton is located in southeastern Suffolk County, New York, at the eastern end of the South Shore of Long Island. It is the easternmost town in the state of New York...
; died c. 1780) and Anna Lynn (born 1724 in Groton). He had two brothers, John (born 1755) and Benjamin (1757–1848), and two sisters Susannah (born 1748) and Amy (born 1764). Daboll's father was born with the surname Dibble, but changed it to Daboll. Daboll's grandfather was born with the surname Dibble (sometimes spelled Deble).
Daboll had little formal education but mastered mathematics quickly while earning a living as a cooper
Cooper (profession)
Traditionally, a cooper is someone who makes wooden staved vessels of a conical form, of greater length than breadth, bound together with hoops and possessing flat ends or heads...
.
Career
Daboll's early career was that of a teacher. He taught mathematics at the Academic School in Plainfield, ConnecticutPlainfield, Connecticut
Plainfield is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 14,619 at the 2000 census. The town comprises four villages: Plainfield , Moosup , Wauregan , and Central Village . Each village has their own respective United States Post Office and fire department...
.
Because of Daboll's ability with mathematics, Samuel M. Green, an early almanac publisher in the colonies
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
, asked Daboll to calculate almanac entries. Daboll did so, beginning in 1771, under the alias "Edmund Freebetter", before switching to publishing almanacs and registers under his own name. Almanacs were useful instruments in propaganda wars during the American Revolution. Some of Daboll's almanacs contained satirical or factual political commentary, while others didn't. For the most part, they contained common almanac material:
"lunations; eclipses of the luminaries; aspects; judgment of the weather; rising, sitting and southing of the seven stars; sun and moon's rising and sitting; festivals, and other remarkable days; courts; roads"
The textbook Daboll's schoolmaster's assistant: being a plain, practical system of arithmetic
Arithmetic
Arithmetic or arithmetics is the oldest and most elementary branch of mathematics, used by almost everyone, for tasks ranging from simple day-to-day counting to advanced science and business calculations. It involves the study of quantity, especially as the result of combining numbers...
, adapted to the United States was published in 1799, and updated with Daboll's Schoolmaster's assistant, improved and enlarged being a plain practical system of arithmetic: adapted to the United States in 1814. Its popularity was based, in part, on its practicality:
"We were taught arithmetic in Daboll, then a new book, and which, being adapted to our measures of length, weight, and currency was a prodigious leap over the head of poor old DilworthThomas DilworthThe Reverend Mr. Thomas Dilworth was an English cleric and author of a widely-used schoolbook, both in Great Britain and America, A New Guide to the English Tongue. Noah Webster as a boy studied Dilworth's book, and was inspired partly by it to create his own spelling book on completely different...
, whose rules and examples were modelled upon English customs."
Daboll was also quite notable for his maritime navigation school in New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
where he taught navigation and nautical astronomy to as many as 1,500 seamen. In 1811, at the invitation of Commodore John Rodgers
John Rodgers (naval officer, War of 1812)
John Rodgers was a senior naval officer in the United States Navy who served under six Presidents for nearly four decades during its formative years in the 1790s through the late 1830s, committing the greater bulk of his adult life to his country...
, Daboll instructed midshipmen on the frigate President
USS President (1800)
USS President was a nominally rated 44-gun wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She was named by George Washington to reflect a principle of the United States Constitution. Forman Cheeseman was in charge of her construction, and she was launched in April 1800 from a...
. Daboll's Practical Navigator was published posthumously in 1820 by his long-time colleague Green.
Even after his death, Daboll was remembered for his mathematics. Herman Melville
Herman Melville
Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and poet. He is best known for his novel Moby-Dick and the posthumous novella Billy Budd....
referred to Daboll in his 1851 novel Moby-Dick
Moby-Dick
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, was written by American author Herman Melville and first published in 1851. It is considered by some to be a Great American Novel and a treasure of world literature. The story tells the adventures of wandering sailor Ishmael, and his voyage on the whaleship Pequod,...
:
"I'll get the almanac and as I have heard devils can be raised with Daboll's arithmetic, I'll try my hand at raising a meaning out of these queer curvicues here with the Massachusetts calendar."
In his 1890 book The teaching and history of mathematics in the United States, mathematics historian Florian Cajori
Florian Cajori
Florian Cajori was one of the most celebrated historians of mathematics in his day.- Biography :...
described Daboll as one of the "three great arithmeticians in America".
Personal life
Daboll married his first cousin, Elizabeth Daboll (1742–1813), around 1778. They had a daughter, Lydia (born c. 1782), and a son, also named Nathan (1780–1863). A grandson, Celadon Leeds DabollCeladon Leeds Daboll
Celadon Leeds Daboll, , was a merchant in New London, Connecticut, and from 1854-1861 was employed in the U.S...
, invented the Daboll trumpet
Daboll trumpet
A Daboll trumpet is an air trumpet foghorn which had been developed by an American, Celadon Leeds Daboll, of New London, Connecticut. It was basically a small coal-fired hot air engine, which compressed air in a cylinder on top of which was a reed horn....
.
Daboll died in Groton in 1818.
Books
Cajori, F. (1890). The teaching and history of mathematics in the United States. Washington: Govt. Print. Off., Internet Archives