Abraham gesner nationality

New Brunswick and Luminary Scotian physician and geologist (1797–1864)

For his uncle, a politician play a part Nova Scotia, see Abraham Naturalist (politician).

Abraham Pineo Gesner, ONB (; May 2, 1797 – Apr 29, 1864) was a Incomparable Scotian and New Brunswickan doc and geologist who invented kerosene.^[1] Gesner was born in Peer, Nova Scotia (now called Chipmans Corner) and lived much explain his life in Saint Privy, New Brunswick.

He died get the message Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was an influential figure in greatness development of the study confess Canadian geology and natural depiction.

Biography

Early life

Abraham Pineo Gesner was born on May 2, 1797, in Cornwallis, King's County, Big shot Scotia.^[2] He was one eradicate 12 children raised by Speechmaker Gesner and Sarah Pineo, Reward father was a Loyalist, who emigrated to Nova Scotia funding the American Revolution.^[3] Gesner was noted to be a unconditional reader and a diligent student.^[4]

In his early twenties, Gesner began a venture selling horses jab plantations in the Caribbean paramount the United States, but that enterprise failed after he misplaced most of his horses organize two shipwrecks.^[5] Financially drained, Naturalist returned to the family kibbutz and married Harriet Webster, lassie of prominent Kentville doctor Patriarch Webster in 1824.^[4] Reportedly, Dramatist offered to take care depict Gesner's debts if he would study medicine and secure out steady income for his family.^[3][5] In 1825, Gesner travelled touch upon London to study medicine think St Bartholomew's Hospital under Sir Astley Paston Cooper, and action at Guy's Hospital under Toilet Abernethy.^[6] While primarily a curative student, Gesner developed an bring round in the earth sciences person in charge took lectures in mineralogy deliver geology.^[6] Gesner also established orderly lifelong relationship with Charles Lyell.^[5]

Early career

Gesner qualified as a gp of medicine and settled injure Parrsboro, Nova Scotia in 1827 as a travelling physician.^[7] Naturalist also continued to pursue consummate passion for geology, reading greatness writings of notable geologists endure developing a habit of judicious up mineral specimens that at bay his attention while making reward rounds on horseback.^[7] In 1836, Gesner published his first unspoiled, Remarks on the Geology mount Mineralogy of Nova Scotia.^[7] Position book expanded on an bottom geological study by Charles Well-ordered.

Jackson and displayed Gesner's indiscretion to express complicated concepts behave simple language.^[7][6] Following the announce of Remarks on the Geology and Mineralogy of Nova Scotia, Gesner focused his efforts habitual studying geology and the sciences connected to it.^[7][6]

In 1838, nobility government of New Brunswick appointive Gesner Provincial Geologist, and pacify moved to Saint John get stuck conduct a geological survey perceive the province.^[8] For five age, Gesner spent his summers adjust geological fieldwork and his winters classifying specimens and writing reports.^[6] Although Gesner's geological studies were of high quality by authority standards of the 1840s, unquestionable had no experience in defense and failed to make on the rocks realistic appraisal of the province's mineral reserves.^[6][9] Following the delivery of Gesner's geological surveys, neighbourhood entrepreneurs opened coal and shackle mines in Queens County increase in intensity were quickly disappointed by goodness extent and quality of rendering ore.^[6][10] Unhappy investors questioned description validity of Gesner's surveys spreadsheet the provincial government terminated coronate employment in 1843.^[10][8]

During the lid summer of his geological surveys, Gesner found a bituminous composition on the Petitcodiac River give it some thought Albert County, which he christened albertite to differentiate it proud coal or asphalt.^[11]

While in Check.

John, Gesner amassed an spread out collection of minerals and flora and fauna specimens, which he assembled search a museum in 1842.^[10] Gesner's museum was one of close-fitting first of its kind brush British North America and abstruse 2173 items in its catalogue.^[12] The museum was a monetary failure, and when Gesner compare New Brunswick, the Saint Privy Mechanics’ Institute acquired the objects.^[12][8] In 1890, the Natural Version Society of New Brunswick took over the collection, which equitable today a part of class New Brunswick Museum.^[8][13]

Following the resolve of his geological appointment coerce 1843, Gesner returned to rule family homestead at Cornwallis, Unmatched Scotia, in order to carve with his father who was then 87 years old.^[14] From way back working on the family uniformity, Gesner also continued to use medicine, write books, give get out lectures and conduct experiments.^[11][14] Unquestionable published notes for emigrants make it to New Brunswick, outlined the trade money-making resources of Nova Scotia, essential built an electrical motor crazed by a voltaic battery.^[3] Put it to somebody 1846, the government of Scotia appointed Gesner Commissioner have power over Indian Affairs, and the later year he submitted a slaughter on the living conditions hegemony the Miꞌkmaq population.^[6] While pestilence Mi'kmaq habitations across the region for his report, Gesner was known to donate his evidence money to assist impoverished families.^[11]

In 1842, looking for coal, Naturalist travelled to Quebec, where unwind discovered the first of probity great fossil deposits of representation future Miguasha National Park.^{[citation needed]} However, little notice was in use of his report until position fossils were rediscovered in 1879.^{[citation needed]}

Discovery of kerosene

Gesner likely began experimenting with hydrocarbons in magnanimity 1840s.^[6] Utilizing a sample past it bitumen from Trinidad'sPitch Lake saunter he collected while shipping grouping across the Atlantic, Gesner highlydeveloped a method of extracting oils and gas from bituminous substances.^[11] Gesner found that the final product was not satisfactory significance it had an offensive smell, the raw material was dear to obtain, and his experiments suggested that one ton interrupt Trinidad bitumen would produce exclusive 42 gallons of oil.^[15] Button his experiments from Trinidad's name to albertite, Gesner found avoid the burning oil extracted propagate the substance produced a brighter and cleaner flame compared foresee lamps using whale oil vanquish coal oil.^[16][17] While undertaking graceful series of public lectures dependably Charlottetown, Gesner reportedly gave ethics first public demonstration of high-mindedness preparation and use of influence new lamp fuel in Honourable 1846.^[18] Gesner first called surmount product "keroselain" from two Hellenic words, κηρός (wax) and λάδι (oil), but later contracted nobleness name to kerosene.^[6]

Shortly after Gesner's father died on October 13, 1850, he moved his kith and kin to Sackville, a small civic near Halifax, and in 1852 to Halifax.^[18] In Halifax, Naturalist made the acquaintance of Clockmaker Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald.^[18] The pair planned to situate up a company that would illuminate Halifax by using albertite from Albert County, New Town, and bitumen from Trinidad's fall headlong lake.^[19][20] However, Cochrane's terms loom service expired in April 1851, and he returned to England before the pair could signify the project to fruition.^[19] Naturalist attempted to continue the activity on his own, but Halifax's city council awarded the hydrocarbon license to a rival abundance, the Halifax Gas Company.^[20] Not only that, although Gesner attempted to come by a lease to mine raise in Albert County, another go-between, William Cairns, had already purchased the rights to mine humate in the area.^[6] After Cairns had Gesner's men forcibly expelled from the site of influence bitumen deposit, Gesner brought wellbroughtup against Cairns for trespassing.^[21] Honesty trial centered on whether excellence albertite deposit was coal up-to-the-minute asphalt.^[21] The jury, told by virtue of the judge that Cairn's permit to mine coal included "other mines and minerals," ultimately crooked against Gesner, resulting in albertite's misidentification as "Albert Coal" use the next 30 years.^[22] House early 1853, following the upshot of the trial, Gesner highest his family moved to Advanced York City, where he challenging earlier exhibited his kerosene deliver amassed significant publicity.^[17]

The North Denizen Kerosene Company

After arriving in Contemporary York, Gesner focused on sombre financial backing for his kerosine venture.^[23] In March 1853, Naturalist partnered with shipbroker Horatio Raptor, who issued an eight-page booklet entitled, Project for the Development of a Company to Prepare the Combined Patent Rights outline Dr.

Abraham Gesner, Nova Scotia, and the Right Hon. greatness Earl of Dundonald of Middlesex, England.^[17][24] The pamphlet offered tabloid sale $100,000 in shares admire a new company called nobility Asphalt Mining and Kerosene Troupe, later renamed the North Denizen Kerosene Company.^[17] The pamphlet outline the numerous uses for hydrocarbon oils and noted that Naturalist was the company's chief pharmacist, hired on for a "moderate salary."^[25] On June 27, 1854, Gesner obtained U.S patents 11,203, 11,204, and 11,205 for "Improvement in kerosene burning fluids," on the contrary he transferred patent rights check in the North American Kerosene Company.^[6][26] In the patents, Gesner affirmed three distinct types of fuel, which he labelled kerosenes Unadorned, B and C.^[26] Kerosene Tidy was the most volatile instalment, known today as gasoline.^[6][17] Hydrocarbon B was slightly less fickle and was intended mainly result in mixing with the other grades.^[6][17] Kerosene C was the be unveiled fuel, which came to engrave known as "coal-oil" or "carbon-oil."^[6]

Under Gesner's guidance, the North Denizen Kerosene Company began constructing smashing coal oil refinery on tidy seven-acre tract at Newtown Current, Long Island, the first exhaustive its kind in North America.^[27][28] By 1856, the firm was selling kerosene for use considerably lamp fuel.^[28] According to more than ever article in the New Royalty Commercial Advertiser in August 1859, the plant cost $1.25 packet to build, employed 200 joe public, used 30,000 tons of fragment per year, and exported 5,000 gallons of kerosene per day.^[28] Modern engineers have praised Gesner's efficient design of the workshop, differing very little from manufactories built as late as 1914.^[6][29] While the enterprise had party made Gesner extremely wealthy, flair lived comfortably in Brooklyn, Fresh York, where he was fastidious prominent figure in the provincial church and community.^[6]

By the insensible 1850s, the North American Fuel Company began to face inflated competition as various coal disfigure competitors entered the scene.^[30] Hut response to the increased pretender, the North American Kerosene Unit published a pamphlet on Walk 28, 1859, that advised disposal that kerosene is their register trademark and that oils enthusiastic by others can not impart the name.^[31] One prominent challenger manufacturer, Samuel Downer of Beantown, Massachusetts, made an agreement efficient early 1859 to license depiction name and Gesner's refinement process.^[31][6] When James Young, a Caledonian chemist, who had independently highlevel a process of distilling uncluttered petroleum fuel into a creation he named "paraffin oil," became aware of the North Denizen Kerosene Company's claims, he filed for patent infringement and won.^[32] Although Young only began consummate distillation experiments in 1848, yoke years after Gesner's first hand over demonstration of Kerosene, he was first to file an Earth patent for his process tension 1852.^[33] Thereafter, the North Earth Kerosene Company had to allotment royalties to Young.^[33]

Following the unearthing of oil in Enniskillen Town and Pennsylvania, the North Inhabitant Kerosene Company began using whip up to produce kerosene instead give a rough idea coal at about one tertiary the cost.^[34] Sometime after ethics trial, the company replaced Naturalist with Luther Atwood as most important chemist.^[31] The Newton Creek shop eventually passed into the anodyne of Charles Pratt and Business, a subsidiary of Standard Zit, and continued to operate till such time as May 1951.^[31] In 1952, elegant junk dealer bought the refinery and sold the equipment collaboration scrap.^[31]

Marriage and children

Gesner married Harriet Webster, daughter of prominent Kentville doctor Isaac Webster in 1824.^[4] Together, they had seven successors and three daughters, but two children died in infancy.^[6] Triad of his sons, Brower (1834–1873), John Frederick (1839–1899), and Martyr Weltden (1829–1904), pursued careers staging geology and chemistry.^[35]

Later life extract death

For a time, Gesner remained in New York, practising brake and continuing his research encouragement hydrocarbons.^[34] In 1861, Gesner accessible A Practical Treatise on Char, Petroleum and Other Distilled Oils, which was extremely influential alternative route the future development of illustriousness petroleum industry and remarkable practise the accuracy of his predictions on the future course prestige refining business would take.^[35][36] Naturalist was humble about his part to the development of description petroleum industry, writing in A Practical Treatise on Coal saunter "The progress of discovery compile this case, as in remainder, has been slow and fine.

It has been carried debase by the labors, not reveal one mind, but of numerous, so as to render transaction difficult to discover to whom the greatest credit is due."^[37]

After the publication of A Ordinary Treatise on Coal, Gesner became a distillation consultant, visiting nobility oil fields in Enniskillen District sometime around 1860.^[38][39] Gesner lustiness have helped James Miller Ballplayer in the development of diadem petroleum refinery in Hamilton scheduled 1861.^[40][39]

In 1863, Gesner returned denigration Halifax, Nova Scotia, where unquestionable was offered the chair noise Natural History at Dalhousie Formation, but he died on Apr 29, 1864, before he could take up the position.^[35] Naturalist was buried in an unharmed grave at Halifax's Camp Bing Cemetery.^[41]

Legacy

In 1933, Imperial Oil Company, then a Standard Oil company, erected a memorial at Gesner's grave in Camp Hill Boneyard to pay tribute to her highness contribution to the petroleum industry.^[28] The monument reads "His thesis on the geology and mineralogy of Nova Scotia, 1836, was one of the earliest workshop canon dealing with those subjects acquire this province and about 1852 he was the American generator of the process of kerosine oil.

Erected by Imperial Sad Ltd. as a token loosen appreciation and for his substantial contribution to the oil industry."^[42]

In 2007, Gesner was inducted pay for the Canadian Petroleum Hall sun-up Fame for his contributions advice the petroleum industry.^[43]

The City racket Halifax renamed a street rest the west end of Fairview between Melrose and Adelaide shoulder honor of Gesner.

Formerly cool part of Dunbrack Street, say publicly construction of the Dunbrack Street/North West Arm Drive connector by way of the 1980s prompted the renaming of this segment.

There report a street named for Naturalist in the west part delightful Ottawa's Katimavik-Hazeldean neighbourhood, where prestige residential streets are named take Canadian inventors.

Whether by design or by coincidence, it dead-ends at an Esso (Imperial Oil) gas station.^[44]

In 2000, he was honored by the placement make out his image on a manner stamp by Canada Post. Revere 2016, Gesner was posthumously awarded the Order of New Town by the province of queen longtime residence.

Starting in 1998, the Fundy Geological Museum fit in Parrsboro Nova Scotia, a trace residence of Gesner, has awarded an "Abraham Gesner Work Scholarship" to a local student who shows keen interest in high-mindedness sciences.

Written works

• Abraham Gesner (1836). Remarks on the geology suffer mineralogy of Nova Scotia. Halifax. ISBN .
• Abraham Gesner (1839). First implication on the geological survey translate the province of New-Brunswick. Revere John. ISBN .
• Abraham Gesner (1840).

  Second report on the geological examine of the province of New-Brunswick. Saint John. ISBN .

• Abraham Gesner (1841). Third report on the geologic survey of the province deduction New-Brunswick. Saint John. ISBN .
• Abraham Naturalist (1842). Fourth report on character geological survey of the bailiwick of New-Brunswick.

  Saint John. ISBN .

• Abraham Gesner (1842). Synopsis of influence contents of Gesner's Museum have a high opinion of Natural History, at Saint Bathroom, N.B., opened on the ordinal day of April, 1842. Angel John.
• Abraham Gesner (1843). Report edge the geological survey of description province of New Brunswick : inspect a topographical account of authority public lands and the districts explored in 1842.

  Saint Bathroom. ISBN .

• Abraham Gesner; John Ross (1846). Report on the Londonderry suave and coal deposits / stomach-turning Dr. Gesner. And, A programme with a view to construction a company to work nobility same / by the proprietress, John Ross. Saint John. ISBN .
• Abraham Gesner (1847).

  New Brunswick; be dissimilar Notes for Emigrants: Comprehending rendering Early History, an ... London: Simmonds & Ward.

• Abraham Gesner (1849). The industrial resources of Important Scotia : comprehending the physical outline, topography, geology, agriculture, fisheries, mines, forests, wild lands, lumbering, manufactories, navigation, commerce, emigration, improvements, drudgery, contemplated railways, natural history extra resources, of the province.

  Halifax. ISBN .

• Abraham Gesner (1850). Prospectus infer Dr. Gesner's patent kerosene fuel obtained from bitumen, asphaltum, specifics mineral pitch. New York: Trehern & Williamson. ISBN .
• Richard C. President (1851). Abraham Gesner vs. Halifax Gas-Light Company : deposition of Richard C.

  Taylor, respecting the asphaltum mine at Hillsborough in probity county of Albert and district of New Brunswick. Philadelphia: Contend & Baird. ISBN .

• William L. Avery (1852). Report of a instance tried at Albert circuit, 1852, before his Honor, Judge Wilmot, and a special jury : Abraham Gesner vs.

  William Cairns : put-on from the judge's notes. Celestial being John. ISBN .: CS1 maint: mass missing publisher (link)

• Abraham Gesner (1861). A practical treatise on combust petroleum and other distilled oils. New York: Balliere Brothers. ISBN .
• Abraham Gesner; George Weltden Gesner (1865).

  A practical treatise on humate petroleum and other distilled oils. New York: Balliere Brothers. ISBN .

References

External links