BURGESS, Ebenezer. Grafton, Vermont 26.6.1805 — Newton Centre, Mass. 1.1.1870. Rev. U.S. Missionary in India, a Scholar of Marathi, Sanskrit and Indian Astronomy. Son of the elder Ebenezer Burgess (1768–1834) and Mercy Hall (1771–1815). Educated at Amherst College and Andover Theological Seminary, ordained priest in 1839. Missionary in Western India…
BRENNAND, William. Clitheroe, Lancastershire 1818? — Wellington, Somerset ?.2.1897. British Teacher in India, Principal of Dacca College (1856). In 1896 had already been 23 years in retirement, living in Somerset. Married 1846 Iris Twisden (1827–1893), two daughters and one son. Apparently he claims a common Central Asian origin for the…
BIOT, Jean Baptiste. Paris 21.4.1774 — Paris 3.2.1862. French Historian of Science, especially Astronomy. Son of a treasury official, Joseph Biot, joined the army in 1792, but sent to home because of failing health in 1794. Graduated as an engineer and taught Mathematics from 1797 in Beauvais, from 1799 at…
BERTHELOT, Pierre-Eugène-Marcellin. Paris 25.10.1827 — Paris 18.3.1907. French Chemist, famous for his work on Organic Chemistry. Also a Scholar of the History of Chemistry and Alchemy. Son of a physician, Jacques-Martin Berthelot (1799–1864), educated at Lycée Henri IV (classsmate of Renan). Studies in Paris, dr. ès sciences 1854. From 1859…
BENTLEY, John. 1756? — Calcutta 4.3.1823 (when 67). British Mathematician and Astronomer. Spent long time in India. While severely criticizing the supposed high antiquity of Indian astronomy, he took himself the other extreme, dating e.g. Varāhamihira around 1000 A.D. His reasons were partly religious as high dates were not in…
BAILLY, Jean-Sylvain. Paris 15.9.1736 — Paris 10.11.1793. French Mathematician, Astronomist and Historian of Astronomy. Son of Jacques Bailly, an artist, and Cécile Guichon. Attracted early attention with his scientific skill. From 1763 member of French Academy. Also a politician, participated in early revolution, but was then executed. In 1789-91 Mayor…