William Austin Burt

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William Austin Burt
sketch, before 1873
Born
William Austin Burt

June 13, 1792
DiedAugust 18, 1858(1858-08-18) (aged 66)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Resting placeElmwood Cemetery,
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
OccupationSurveyor
EmployerUnited States government
Known for
  • Inventor
  • government surveyor
TitleHon. Wm. A. Burt
Political partyJeffersonian Republican
SpousePhoebe Cole
Children5 sons
Signature
The "wedding cake house" in Washington Township, Michigan
Historic plaque
Surveying crew at Marquette
Burt at Elmwood Cemetery, Detroit
Letter selector and the printing hammer
Solar compass
Equatorial sextant

William Austin Burt (June 13, 1792 – August 18, 1858) was an American

.

Burt was born in

Detroit, where he died a year later.[2]

Among Burt's numerous inventions were the

minerals that would interfere with accurate readings when using ordinary instruments. While out surveying on September 19, 1844, in what is today Marquette County, Michigan, Burt discovered one of the largest iron ore deposits in the United States.[4] His solar compass and adaptations of it became standard instruments for the government land survey in much of the western US, and were used until GPS was available in the late 20th century. A historical plaque commemorates Burt at Stony Creek
, near his home in Mt. Vernon, Michigan.

He was awarded the

The Franklin Institute
in 1834.

See also

References

  1. ^ Tuttle, Charles Richard (1873). General History of the State of Michigan, pp. 515–518. Detroit: R.D.S. Tyler & Co.
  2. ^ Tuttle (1873), p. 523.
  3. ^ Martin, John Bartlow (1986). Call It North Country: The Story of Upper Michigan, p. 47. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 081431869X.
  4. ^ Tuttle (1873), p. 520.

Sources

External links