Newcomb, Simon (1835-1909)
Newcomb, Simon (1835-1909)
Astronomer, mathematician, and first president (1885-86) of the American Society for Psychical Research. He was born on March 12, 1835, at Wallace, Nova Scotia. He studied at Lawrence Scientific School (B.S., 1858), and Harvard University. He joined the U.S. Navy during the Civil War as a professor of mathematics (1861), and was later assigned to the U.S. Naval Observatory (1867). He subsequently became the director of the American Nautical Almanac (1877-97) and a professor of mathematics and astronomy at Johns Hopkins University (1884-94). A world-famous astronomer and mathematician, Newcomb's research made possible the construction of accurate lunar tables. In spite of his interest in psychical research, he remained an outspoken skeptic, a position he explained in his autobiography. He died July 11, 1909.
Sources:
Berger, Arthur S., and Joyce Berger. The Encyclopedia of Parapsychology and Psychical Research. New York: Paragon House, 1991.
Hyslop, James H. "Professor Newcomb and Occultism." Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research 5 (1909).
Newcomb, Simon. Reminiscences of an Astronomer. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, 1903.
Pleasants, Helene, ed. Biographical Dictionary of Parapsychology. New York: Helix Press, 1964.