John Russell Bartlett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Russell Bartlett
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | October 23, 1805 |
| Died | 28 May 1886 (aged 80) |
| Nationality | American |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | History, linguistics |
| Signature | |
 |
|
John Russell Bartlett (born October 23, 1805 – died May 28, 1886) was an American historian and expert in languages. He is remembered for his important book about American words and his work mapping the border between the United States and Mexico.
Contents
Early Life and Work
John Russell Bartlett was born in Providence, Rhode Island. This was on October 23, 1805. When he was 14, he studied at the Lowville Academy in New York for two years. He lived in Kingston, Canada for a while.
From 1824 to 1836, he lived in Providence. He worked in different jobs. First, he was a clerk in his uncle's dry goods store. This is a place that sells fabrics and small household items. Then, he worked as a bookkeeper and teller at a bank. Later, he became the first cashier of the Globe Bank.
Joining Important Societies
Bartlett helped start the Providence Athenaeum in 1831. This was a library and cultural center. He became its first treasurer. In the same year, he joined the Rhode Island Historical Society. This group studies the history of Rhode Island.
He also helped the Providence Franklin Society. This was an early "lyceum," a place where people could attend lectures and learn. Throughout his life, he joined many other important groups. These included the New England Historic Genealogical Society. He also became a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1856.
Moving to New York and Bookselling
In 1836, Bartlett moved to New York City. He became a partner in a business that sold dry goods. In 1840, he and his friend Charles Welford started a book selling and publishing company. It was called Bartlett and Welford. Their shop was inside the Astor House hotel.
Their company was famous for having many foreign books. They published five catalogs of their books. While in New York, Bartlett became friends with many smart people. One friend was Albert Gallatin, an expert on different cultures. In 1842, Bartlett helped Gallatin start the American Ethnological Society. This group studied different human cultures. Bartlett later worked as the Foreign Corresponding Secretary for this organization.
Dictionary of Americanisms
Bartlett is well-known for his book, Dictionary of Americanisms. It was published in 1848. This book was one of the first to list and explain words and phrases unique to America. Even though newer studies have been done, his dictionary is still very valuable. It helps people understand how American English developed.
Newer versions of the dictionary were published in 1859, 1860, and 1877. The first edition was even translated into Dutch. The 1860 edition was translated into German. The famous Oxford English Dictionary often refers to Bartlett's work.
Mapping the US-Mexico Border
Bartlett returned to Providence in 1850. From 1850 to 1853, he had a very important job. He was the United States Boundary Commissioner. This meant he was in charge of surveying and mapping the border between the United States and Mexico.
During this time, he traveled through the Southwest. He worked with artist Henry Cheever Pratt. Bartlett was the first to write down the name "Comcaac" for the Seri people of northwestern Mexico. He wrote it as "komkak." He included this word in a list of about 180 words. This list is now kept at the Smithsonian.
After his work as commissioner ended, he wrote a book. It was called A Personal Narrative of Explorations and Incidents in Texas, New Mexico, California, Sonora and Chihuahua (1854). This book has a lot of valuable scientific and historical information about the area.
Later Career and Legacy
From 1855 to 1872, Bartlett served as the Secretary of State of Rhode Island. In this role, he organized and classified many state records. He also created lists of books and writings, mostly about Rhode Island's history.
Later in his life, he became the librarian for the John Carter Brown Library. He put together a very detailed catalog of their collection. This catalog was published in four large books. John Russell Bartlett passed away in Providence on May 28, 1886.
Family Life
John Russell Bartlett was the son of Smith Bartlett and Nancy (Russell) Bartlett. He married Eliza Allen Rhodes on May 15, 1831. They had seven children together. Their four daughters were Elizabeth, Anna, Leila, and Fanny. Fanny was named after the poet Frances Sargent Osgood, who was a family friend.
They also had three sons: Henry, George, and John R. Bartlett. Their son John R. Bartlett became a captain and later a rear admiral in the U.S. Navy. He served in the Civil War and the Spanish-American War. He was also a noted oceanographer, studying the oceans. Eliza died in 1853. On November 12, 1863, Bartlett married his second wife, Ellen Eddy.
Note
It's important not to confuse John Russell Bartlett with John Bartlett. That John Bartlett was known for compiling Bartlett's Familiar Quotations.
Selected Works
- Bartlett, John Russell (1854). Personal Narrative of Explorations and Incidents in Texas, New Mexico, California, Sonora, and Chihuahua: Connected with the United States and Mexican Boundary Commission, During the Years 1850, '51, '52, and '53 (Vol. I) and (Vol. II) New York: D. Appleton & Company.
Gallery
See also
In Spanish: John Russell Bartlett para niños
