I20 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



ALEXIS CASWELL 

 Born, January 29, 1799; died, January 8, 1877 



Alexis Caswell, who was descended from early settlers of 

 New England and traced his pedigree back to Peregrine White, 

 was born at Taunton, Massachusetts, January 29, 1799. His 

 childhood was spent on a farm, and when he arrived at the proper 

 age was prepared for college at Bristol Academy in Taunton. 

 He entered Brown University at the age of 19 and was graduated 

 in 1822, with first honors. For five years he was a tutor or pro- 

 fessor in Columbian College, Washington, at the same time 

 pursuing studies in theology under the guidance of the Presi- 

 dent, Dr. Staughton. After preaching a year in Halifax, he 

 became assistant to the Rev. S. Gano, at the First Baptist Church 

 in Providence, Rhode Island, but in the course of a few weeks 

 he was appointed Professor of Mathematics and Natural 

 Philosophy in Brown University. Except for a year spent in 

 Europe, Professor Caswell performed the duties of this position 

 for 35 years, adding to them those of the President, when Dr. 

 Wayland's absence or indisposition necessitated a substitute. 

 Resigning his professorship in 1863, he spent five years in 

 pursuing his favorite studies, and was then called to the pres- 

 idency of Brown University, and retained that office until 1872. 

 A little later. Dr. Caswell was elected a member of the board of 

 trustees of the University and in 1875 became a fellow in the 

 corporation. The University had previously conferred on him 

 the degrees of Doctor of Divinity and Doctor of Laws. For 

 nearly 50 years he was closely associated with his Alma Mater, 

 and his life work was that of an educator. 



His greatest interest as a scientific investigator was in 

 meteorology and astronomy. For 28^ years, with few interrup- 

 tions, he made a regular series of meteorological observations at 

 College Hill in Providence, the results of which were pub- 

 lished in the Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge. Adding 

 later observations, a period of 45 years was covered. In 1858 

 Dr. Caswell delivered four lectures on astronomy at the Smith- 

 sonian Institution in Washington. He joined the American 



