# Eben Norton Horsford

## Early Life

- Was born in Moscow, NY, July 27, 1818 [@AdamsMemBiog08, 103]
- Died in Cambridge, MA, January 1, 1893 [@AdamsMemBiog08, 103]
- Grandfather on his mother's side fought in the Revolutionary War
  [@AdamsMemBiog08, p.103]
- His father had moved to Moscow NY as a missionary to the Seneca Indians
  [@AdamsMemBiog08, p.103]
  - A large part of his Norumbega thesis was how Norse words could be found in
    American Indian place names; perhaps this experience with natives gave him
    inspiration or confidence.
- "[Horsford] grew up with strong scholarly tastes, and was known to his
  playmates as a marvel of general information. It is interesting to note that
  a favorite amusement was collecting the fossils which abounded on his
  father's farm, as this recreation of his boyhood undoubtedly turned his
  thoughts toward the natural sciences, to which so large a part of his manhood
  was devoted, while at the same time his early association with the Seneca
  Indians, who flocked ot his father's house in large numbers, familiarized him
  with Indian words and pronunciation, and this paved the way for the
  philological and archaeological studies of his older years."[@JackHors92,
  p.340]
  - As above, a shadow of his later interests can be seen already in the
    hobbies of his early years.
- "He was sent to the best schools, and at the age of nineteen graduated as a
  civil engineer from the Renseelaer Institute of Trow, New
  York"[@AdamsMemBiog08, p.104]
  - Had good education, somewhat wealthy parents.

## Employment

- "He was then employed on the Geological Survey of the State of New
  York"[@AdamsMemBiog08, p.104]
  - Had some experience with geographic survey, possibly what gave him
    confidence in his archaeological pursuits.
- "In 1844 he went to Germany to study chemistry, and spent two years at
  Giessen under Baron Liebig"[@AdamsMemBiog08, p.104]
- "He usually spent his summers at Shelter Island, New York, in the old manor
  house, which had belonged to his wife's family. He interested himself in
  studying the antiquity of the island, and erected a monument to the Quakers,
  who found shelter there from Puritan persecution."[@AdamsMemBiog08, p.104]
    - Another instance of Horsford being interested in history, erecting
      monuments. Seems like a hobby of his.
    - Also has religious elements, just as the Norumbega myth & Protestantism
      vs. Catholicism.

## Baking Powder

- 

## Later Life and Interest in Norumbega

- "In the comparative leisure of his later years he became deeply interested in
  endeavoring to trace the routes of the Northmen, who early visited this
  continent."[@AdamsMemBiog08, p.104]
  - Had a lot of free time, was used to doing research as his job and as his
    hobby.
  - Seems he was genuinely interested, wasn't being paid or anything.
- "He studied the sagas, pored over the ancient charts, explored the coast of
  New England, and at length became assured that he found, in Cambridge, the
  location of the house built by Leif Ericson, and that at Watertown, on the
  Charles River, he had discovered the long-lost Norumbega, the settlement of
  the Icelandic voyagers. Here he erected a substantial stone tower to mark the
  spot."[@AdamsMemBiog08, p.104-5]
    - Seems he did extensive research, and thought he was being objective,
      though probably biased as he lived in Cambridge.
    - The biographer takes a pretty neutral tone as to the veracity of Eben's
      claim here; seems nobody believed/nobody cared about his ideas after he
      died.
    - Again, just as in the Quaker thing above, he likes erecting monuments.
- "In 1891 the Scandinavian societies of North America, in testimony of their
  appreciation of his efforts to demonstrate the discovery and colonization of
  America by the Northmen, presented him, in their annual assembly, an
  engrossed address, framed in wood from Norway, and elaborately carved by a
  Norwegian lady. In 1892 the king of Denmark created him a Knight Commander of
  the third grade of the Order of Danneborg."[@AdamsMemBiog08, p.105]
  - Seems his ideas were well-received by former Vikings.

## Other Doings

- "Wellesley College was the object of his largest benefactions (...) He
  enlarged and endowed the college library, and provided a fund for scientific
  apparatus."[@AdamsMemBiog08, p.105]
  - Seems he made good of his wealth from baking soda.

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# References