Jacques Louis, Comte de Bournon facts for kids

Jacques-Louis, Comte de Bournon (born January 21, 1751 – died August 24, 1825) was a French soldier and a scientist who studied mineralogy. Mineralogy is the study of minerals. He moved to England after the French Revolution.

In England, he became a very important scientist. He was chosen as a member of the Royal Society, which is a famous group for scientists. He also helped start the Geological Society, a group that studies the Earth. Later, he went back to France.

Early Life and Interests

Jacques-Louis, Comte de Bournon was born in Metz, France, on January 21, 1751. He was the oldest of four children. His father was Jacques de Bournon, who owned land in Retonfey and Gras. His mother was Marie-Anne Martinet.

Jacques-Louis became interested in geology because his father had a collection of minerals. He traveled a lot when he was young, which helped him learn even more. He started studying how crystals are formed with a teacher named Jean-Baptiste L. Romé de l'Isle in Paris.

Military Service

Jacques-Louis became an officer in the Regiment de Toul. He did well in his military career. He became a lieutenant and later an artillery captain. In 1789, he was serving in Grenoble during the French Revolution.

Discoveries About Meteorites

In 1801, Jacques-Louis worked with another scientist, Edward Charles Howard. They were the first to describe different parts found inside meteorites. These parts included silicate minerals, sulphides, and tiny metal grains.

He was one of the first French scientists to believe that meteorites came from space. At that time, most scientists thought meteorites came from the Moon. Because of his important work, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1802.

Organizing Mineral Collections

A doctor named William Babington suggested that Jacques-Louis should organize mineral collections. So, Sir John St. Aubyn hired him to sort and list his collection of minerals.

This collection was moved to London. It was stored with other collections belonging to Sir Abraham Hume and Sir Charles Greville. Jacques-Louis also worked on these collections. He started to organize them based on how their crystals were shaped. However, he could not finish because the collection was moved back to Cornwall. His detailed list, written in French, is now kept at the Plymouth City Museum.

Helping Start the Geological Society

In 1807, Jacques-Louis was one of the scientists who helped create the Geological Society. This society was formed to study geology. He often wrote his scientific papers in French for the society.

Returning to France

Jacques-Louis stayed loyal to King Louis XVIII even when the king was in exile. He even refused offers from Napoleon to return to France. When Louis XVIII became king again in 1814, Jacques-Louis accepted an offer from the king. The king bought his large collection of minerals for the country.

After this, Jacques-Louis was made the director-general of the Royal Mineral Cabinet. His collection was divided into two parts. Today, these parts are kept at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle and the Collège de France.