Births on March 12

Simon Newcomb

Born on March 12, 1835

Simon Newcomb, Canadian-American astronomer and mathematician (d. 1909)

Simon Newcomb (March 12, 1835 – July 11, 1909) was a Canadian–American astronomer, applied mathematician, and autodidactic polymath. He served as Professor of Mathematics in the United States Navy and at Johns Hopkins University. Born in Nova Scotia, at the age of 19 Newcomb left an apprenticeship to join his father in Massachusetts, where the latter was teaching.

Though Newcomb had little conventional schooling, he completed a BSc at Harvard in 1858. He later made important contributions to timekeeping, as well as to other fields in applied mathematics, such as economics and statistics. Fluent in several languages, he also wrote and published several popular science books and a science fiction novel.

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Simon Newcomb

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Events on 1835

14 Feb

Latter Day Saint movement
The original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in the Latter Day Saint movement, is formed in Kirtland, Ohio.
15 Sep

Charles Darwin
HMS Beagle, with Charles Darwin aboard, reaches the Galápagos Islands. The ship lands at Chatham or San Cristobal, the easternmost of the archipelago.
20 Sep

Ragamuffin War
Ragamuffin rebels capture Porto Alegre, then capital of the Brazilian imperial province of Rio Grande do Sul, triggering the start of ten-year-long Ragamuffin War.
2 Oct

Battle of Gonzales
The Texas Revolution begins with the Battle of Gonzales: Mexican soldiers attempt to disarm the people of Gonzales, Texas, but encounter stiff resistance from a hastily assembled militia.
28 Oct

Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand
The United Tribes of New Zealand is established with the signature of the Declaration of Independence.

Births on March 12

Simon Newcomb

Born on March 12, 1835

References

Choose Another Date

Events on 1835

Latter Day Saint movement

Charles Darwin

Ragamuffin War

Battle of Gonzales

Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand