1797 – 1878

Joseph Henry

American scientist and the 1st Secretary of the Smithsonian (1797-1878)

meteorologistart historianuniversity teacherphysicistengineer

Born

1797-12-17, Albany

Died

1878-05-13

Birthplace state

New York

Biography

Joseph Henry was born in Albany, New York on December 17, 1797, and died on May 13, 1878. He worked as a physicist, engineer, meteorologist, and art historian. He served as the first secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and as secretary for the National Institute for the Promotion of Science, which preceded the Smithsonian. He also served as president of the National Academy of Sciences from 1868 until his death in 1878.

Occupation

Joseph Henry is recorded as a meteorologist, a art historian, a university teacher, a physicist and a engineer, born in New York (1797–1878).

Connections to New York

Joseph Henry was born in Albany, New York in 1797. Explore other notable figures from New York, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Conflict & War

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The Civil War

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Native Heritage

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Settlement

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The Community

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Rivers & Rail

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Notable People

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Historical Maps

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Finds & Access

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Literature

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More notable figures from New York

Other historical figures born in New York, ranked by historical prominence.

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Stanley Kubrick

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Eleanor Roosevelt

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president of the United States from 1837 to 1841

Frequently asked about Joseph Henry

Who was Joseph Henry?

Joseph Henry was American scientist and the 1st Secretary of the Smithsonian (1797-1878), born in New York (1797 – 1878).

When and where was Joseph Henry born?

Joseph Henry was born on 1797-12-17 in Albany.

When did Joseph Henry die?

Joseph died on 1878-05-13.

What was Joseph Henry known for?

Joseph Henry is recorded as a meteorologist, a art historian, a university teacher, a physicist and a engineer.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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