18 SIMON NEWCOMB— CAMPBELL. 



On August 4, 1863, Prof. Newcomb married Miss Mary Caroline Hassler, daughter of Dr. 

 C. A. Hassler, United States Navy, and granddaughter of Ferdinand R. Hassler, the founder 

 and first superintendent of the United States Coast Survey. Their life was a happy one in all 

 respects. Mrs. Newcomb was able and constant in thoughtfulness for his comfort, health, and 

 happiness, and the remarkably strong individuality of each was thoroughly respected by the 

 other. Mrs. Newcomb is cheered by three surviving daughters, the oldest of whom, Dr. Anita 

 Newcomb McGee, was Acting Assistant Surgeon, United States Army, in charge of the Army 

 Nurse Corps in the Spanish War and until 1901. 



Prof. Newcomb became aware several months before his death that his days were numbered, 

 and his remaining energies were devoted to the completion of his investigations of the motion 

 of the moon. He died in Washington on July 11, 1909. His funeral was attended by many who 

 were prominent in science and government, including the President of the United States and 

 representatives of foreign governments. He was buried with nulitary honors in the National 

 Cemetery at Arlington, on the south side of the Potomac River, directly opposite the city of 

 Washington. His chief monument consists of his contributions to astronomical science. An 

 outline of his publications, prepared I0 by Prof. R. C. Archibald, is contained in the following 

 article. 



Newcomb's more striking qualities were well described, as below, by the late William Alvord, 

 president of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, in awarding the Bruce gold medal of the 

 society to him. Alvord was a member of James Lick's first board of trustees, and his acquaint- 

 ance with Newcomb began in 1874 when the latter was first consulted by the trustees: 



The basis of Prof. Newcomb's character is intellectual and moral honesty pushed to the highest degree. He loves 

 truth and detests shams. He has, as it were, a veritable passion for justice — whether in personal relations or in civil 

 matters. The circumstances of his career have made him ruggedly independent in thought and speech. The excellent 

 quality of his mind is that of a philosopher, rather than that of a mathematician or an astronomer merely. * * * In 

 his treatment of all questions it is the philosophical habit of his mind which is the most remarkable and the most valu- 

 able. * * * With all these qualities there is a note of practicality in his methods of work which has stood him in 

 good Btead and enabled him to complete vast labors which another man scarcely less gifted might not have been able to 

 bring to a termination. * * * It is due to this faculty that the enormous task of revising the elements of the 

 orbits of the major planets and of tabulating them in convenient forms has been carried through to completion in a 

 comparatively short time. * * * This gigantic task would have been above even his power had it not been for 

 this practicality * * *. 



Newcomb's work, driven by untiring energy and guided by philosophic intelligence for 

 more than a half century, placed him at the head of his profession in America, and gave him 

 membership in a small class of the most productive astronomers of all countries and all centuries. 

 His influence upon the development of the science was exerted by speech and by letter as well 

 as by published paper and volume. It was potent with beginners and assistants as well as 

 with veterans and directors. It was applied with singleness of purpose, and solely in the interest 

 of the science. Those who discussed astronomy with Newcomb had the impression of obtaining 

 astronomy in the abstract, impersonal and disembodied, and on that account his scientific 

 associates often failed to understand his personality. A survey of Newcomb's activities leads 

 to the view that he was intellectually a giant. 



What we may call Newcomb's personal interests made of him a charming friend to many 

 people in many States and countries. He was a lover of travel. Mountain climbing in Switzer- 

 land enticed him successfully up to within a year of his death. He read history and other 

 literature extensively. He could recite page after page of poetry. His wide and varied 

 reading, combined with accurate memory and universal interest, made his conversation virile 

 and enlightening. His lamented death brought a sense of severe loss to personal friends as 

 well as to scientific colleagues. 



'° Publication of this biographic sketch has been delayed, pending the completion of the bibliography. 



