John Lewis Tiarks facts for kids

John Lewis Tiarks (born Johann Ludwig Tiarks, 10 May 1789 – 1 May 1837) was an important British astronomer. He helped map the border between the United States and Canada. This was for the North American Boundary Line Commission.

John Tiarks: Border Mapper

From Germany to England

Tiarks was born in Jever, a town in what is now Germany. He first went to the University of Göttingen to study theology. But he soon changed his mind and studied mathematics instead. After finishing his degree, he moved to Hamburg. In 1810, he moved to England to get away from Napoleon's armies. There, he found a job as an assistant librarian for Sir Joseph Banks.

Mapping the North American Border

In 1817, with help from Sir Joseph Banks, Tiarks got a big job. He was named the British Astronomer for the Boundary Commission. This commission was set up by the Treaty of Ghent in 1814. Its goal was to figure out the exact border between the United States and Canada. This border stretched from the Great Lakes all the way to the Rocky Mountains.

Between 1818 and 1821, Tiarks worked hard. He carried out many surveys along the planned border. These surveys helped mark where the two countries met. In 1822, he got married and then returned to England.

Exploring European Longitudes

The border project was moving slowly. So, the British Admiralty asked Tiarks to do another important task. They wanted him to find the exact longitude of different places in Europe. Longitude helps you know how far east or west a place is. He used special clocks called chronometers for this work. The ship SS Comet was specially prepared for his journey.

From June to August 1824, Humphry Davy joined him. Davy was a famous scientist. He used the trip to Norway to test his new invention. These were zinc protectors that helped stop ships' bottoms from rusting. In 1825, Tiarks was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a special group for top scientists. He was recognized for being "well versed in mathematics and nautical astronomy."

Final Border Work and Later Life

In 1825, Tiarks was sent back to North America. His mission was to find the exact location of the most north-westerly point of the Lake of the Woods. This was a very remote and wild area. He faced many challenges there. After finishing this tough job, he went back to England.

In 1828, he was sent to the Netherlands. The King of the Netherlands was helping to decide on the border issue. In 1835, Tiarks' health started to fail. He passed away in 1837 at the age of 48.