Samuel Langley
1834 – 1906

Samuel Langley

American physicist, pioneer of aviation, and 3rd Secretary of the Smithsonian (1834-1906)

aerospace engineermilitary flight engineeraircraft pilotastrophysicistinventor
Born
1834-08-22, Roxbury
Died
1906-02-27
Birthplace state
Massachusetts

Biography

Samuel Pierpont Langley was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1834 and died in 1906. He worked as an astronomer, physicist, and aviation pioneer, and invented the bolometer. Langley served as the third secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and held a position as professor of astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh, where he directed the Allegheny Observatory.

Occupation

Samuel Langley is recorded as a aerospace engineer, a military flight engineer, a aircraft pilot, a astrophysicist, a inventor, a physicist and a astronomer, born in Massachusetts (1834–1906).

Connections to Massachusetts

Samuel Langley was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1834. Explore other notable figures from Massachusetts, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Samuel Langley came from Roxbury. A full Aubrey report on Roxbury pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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More notable figures from Massachusetts

Other historical figures born in Massachusetts, ranked by historical prominence.

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Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Frequently asked about Samuel Langley

Who was Samuel Langley?
Samuel Langley was American physicist, pioneer of aviation, and 3rd Secretary of the Smithsonian (1834-1906), born in Massachusetts (1834 – 1906).
When and where was Samuel Langley born?
Samuel Langley was born on 1834-08-22 in Roxbury.
When did Samuel Langley die?
Samuel died on 1906-02-27.
What was Samuel Langley known for?
Samuel Langley is recorded as a aerospace engineer, a military flight engineer, a aircraft pilot, a astrophysicist, a inventor, a physicist and a astronomer.
Source

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

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