A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Accession Number 18769
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia 800 East Broad Street Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000 USA Phone: (804) 692-3888 (Archives Reference) Fax: (804) 692-3556 (Archives Reference) Email: archdesk@lva.virginia.gov(Archives) URL: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/
Matthew Fontaine Maury was born near Fredericksburg,
Virginia, 14 January 1806 to Richard Maury (1766-1843) and
Diana Minor Maury (1768-1843). At five he moved with his
family to Tennessee. In 1825, he received a midshipman's
warrant and joined the United States navy. After nine years on
active duty at sea, Maury returned to Virginia in 1834 and
married Ann Hull Herndon (1811-1901) 15 July 1834. He settled
in Fredericksburg and began writing articles on the navy. In
1842, he was appointed superintendent of the Depot of Charts
and Instruments of the Navy Department and began researching
ocean winds and currents. His work resulted in time being cut
off from sea voyages. In 1858, he was restored to active
command with the rank of Commander. When the Civil War began,
he resigned his commission 20 April 1861. He was appointed
special agent to England by the Confederate government. While
in England, he helped procure ships for the Confederacy and
worked on electric mines. When the war ended, Maury offered
his services to the Emperor Maximilian (1832-1867) to colonize
former Confederates in Mexico. Colonization proved to be a
failure and Maury returned to England in 1866, where he
received an honorary degree from Cambridge University. Friends
convinced him to return to the United States and in in 1868,
he was appointed professor of meteorology at the Virginia
Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. Maury died in
Lexington 1 February 1873 and was buried at Hollywood Cemetery
in Richmond, Virginia. Maury and his wife had eight
children.
Letters, 1848-1861, of Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806-1873)
of Washington D.C. and Albemarle County, Virginia, discussing
ocean and wind currents; charts and maps of the ocean
currents; sailing directions; his efforts to improve
recordation of meteorological observations, both on land and
at sea; navigation and its improvements as aid to commerce;
weather patterns in eastern Tennessee and western Virginia,
specifically the Shenandoah Valley; agricultural education;
the Transatlantic Cable; possible lecture appearances in
Chicago, Illinois; and nitric acid. Maury's correspondents
included Andrew Hull Foote (1806-1863), H. J. Raymond
(1820-1869), Charles James Faulkner (1806-1884), Chicago mayor
John Wentworth (1815-1888), and John Anthony Winston
(1812-1871).
Letter,
22 April 1848, Matthew Fontaine
Maury, [Naval] Observatory, Washington, to an
unidentified correspondent thanking him for letter.
Maury discusses currents around Cuba and would like to
have the
"Saratoga " test them
and report. Maury comments on poor wind direction
records. Provides instructions for proper notes. Maury
discusses the currents off of Yucatan, tracks of vessels
sailning to Europe, and a bill for the retired list in
Congress, and its features.
3 p.,
ALS.
Letter,
30 May 1848, Matthew Fontaine Maury,
National Observatory, Washington, to the Editor of
Hunt's Merchant
Magazine and the
National
Intelligencer correcting an error in sailing
directions to the Equator.
2 p.,
ALS.
Letter,
1852, Matthew Fontaine Maury,
Observatory, Washington, to Henry J. Raymond, the
New York Times ,
soliciting support for an international meteorlogical
observation system of reporting and enclosing an
explanatory pamphlet (not present).
1 leaf, printed form letter,
signed.
Letter,
31 May 1854, Matthew Fontaine Maury,
National Observatory, Washington, to Commander Andrew
Hull Foote, United States Navy, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, thanking Foote for a copy of his book
Africa and the American
Flag .
1 leaf,
ALS.
Letter,
6 August [ante-1855], Matthew
Fontaine Maury, Observatory, to Editor of the
Globe requesting that his
newspaper be sent care of Franklin Minor, Ridgway,
Albemarle County, [Virginia].
1 leaf,
ALS.
Letter,
25 August 1855, Matthew Fontaine
Maury, University of Virginia, to Reverend J. Proudfit,
New York, New York, requesting assistance in promoting a
meteorological observation system for land areas,
similar to that established for navigation.
3 p.,
ALS.
Letter,
13 March 1857, Matthew Fontaine
Maury, Observatory, Washington, to Captain J. W. Sherman
of the
"Art Union " thanking
him for the fragmentary abstract log of the ship, and
offering new information for his next
voyage.
1 leaf,
ALS.
Letter,
23 July 1857, Matthew Fontaine
Maury, Observatory, Washington, to Charles James
Faulkner, Congressman, Boydsville, near Martinsburg,
[(West) Virginia], declining invitation. Maury does not
have copies of pamphlets for the
"Knoxville
Convention. " He sends copy of a report to be given
at Old Point Comfort, [Virginia]. Comments on the
promotion of European investments in the United
States.
3 p.,
ALS.
Letter,
15 December 1857, Matthew Fontaine
Maury, Observatory, Washington, to P. D. Richards,
Boston, Massachusetts, hoping Richards will soon have a
ship. Maury authorizes F. W. Lincoln, Jr., to supply
Richards charts.
1 leaf,
ALS.
Letter,
30 August 1858, Matthew Fontaine
Maury, Observatory, Washington, to Congressman Charles
James Faulkner, Martinsburg, commenting on his lack of
knowledge of the climatology of the Shenandoah Valley,
but suggesting some factors which might affect it. Maury
discusses the need for land-based weather reporting,
agricultural education, and the Trans-Atlantic
Cable.
17 p.,
ALS.
Letter,
18 September 1858, Matthew Fontaine
Maury, Observatory, Washington, to John Wentworth, Mayor
of Chicago, Illinois, asking about the possibility of
speaking engagements in Chicago either 26-27 November or
3-4 December.
2 p.,
ALS.
Letter,
18 February 1859, Matthew Fontaine
Maury, Observatory, to Charles James Faulkner, House of
Representatives, concerning a letter sent to him and
asking Faulkner to see the President.
2 p.,
ALS.
Letter,
5 July 1859, Matthew Fontaine Maury,
Observatory, to Charles James Faulkner stating that he
had hoped to visit Faulkner while on a rail trip. Maury
did not return until Saturday which is the reason for
his delay in responding to Faulkner. Comments on other
social matters.
2 p.,
ALS.
Letter,
21 June 1860, Matthew Fontaine
Maury, Observatory, Washington, to Dr. J. J. Hayes of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, stating that he cannot
supply his needs without orders. Adds that wind and
current charts are available from F. W. Lincoln, Mayor
of Boston.
2 p.,
ALS.
Letter,
1 October 1860, Matthew Fontaine
Maury, Observatory, to Lieutenant William B. Whiting,
Philadelphia, stating that he had received Whiting's of
the 28 September. Advises Whiting on preparing a map for
a Mr. Smith and on pay.
3 p.,
ALS.
Letter,
20 June 1861, Matthew Fontaine
Maury, Richmond, [Virginia], to John Anthony Winston,
former governor of Alabama, stating that he has sent the
bill for nitric acid to Mr. Tuttle at the University of
Virginia. Maury is off the Governor's Advisory Board.
Adds that letters may be delayed.
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