Figure 29. — Brass surveying compass made by Isaac Chandlee (1760-1813) of 

 Nottingham, Maryland. Photo courtesy Ohio State Museum. 



Godfrey is often confused with his son, also named Thomas 

 Godfrey (1736-1763), who worked as a watchmaker in Philadelphia, 

 and subsequently became active in literary arts. 



Benjamin Condy (fl. 1756-1792, d. 1798) was an instrument 

 maker with a shop on South Front Street in Philadelphia. As early 

 as 1756 he worked for most of the merchant shippers of the port, 

 supplying them with a considerable number of sand glasses that 

 ranged from the quarter-minute to the two-hour varieties. Al- 

 though he made his own mathematical instruments, it is likely 

 that he imported the sand glasses. According to Customs House 

 clearances of 1789, he had imported from London on the ship 

 PigoH "three cases of merchandise" valued at £160/17/6 with a 

 duty of $32.19, which may have included sand glasses.^-' 



When Condy retired in 1792 he was succeeded in business by 

 Thomas Biggs at the same address. Biggs had originally served 

 an apprenticeship with Condy, and then fought for the American 

 cause in the Revolution for five years. Following the termination 

 of his military service he had engaged in instrument making in 

 New York for eight years before returning to Philadelphia, his 

 native city. Biggs prospered and his advertisements continued 

 until early in 1795. 



Thomas Pryor made instruments in a shop on Chestnut Street 

 in 1778, but he evidently retired from business in the 1790's be- 

 cause the city directory of 1795 listed him merely as "gentleman." 

 He is reported to have been one of those who, from the State 

 House Yard, witnessed the transit of Venus. ''^ 



GiLLiNGHAM, 6p. cit. (footnote 19), pp. 293-294. 



Ibid., p. 303; Royal Pennsylvania Gazette, April 19, 1778. 



59 



