Samuel Williams (319)

Election date: 1772

Samuel Williams (23 April 1743–2 January 1817) was a minister, educator, and a member of the American Philosophical Society, elected in 1772. Born in Waltham, Massachusetts, Williams entered Harvard and later graduated in 1761. While at Harvard, he gained the attention of notable scientist and professor John Winthrop, whom Williams accompanied shortly before his graduation to observe the 1761 transit of Venus. Returning to Waltham, Williams found little opportunity for further work in astronomy and began studying as a Presbyterian minister. Working as a reverend in Bradford, Massachusetts, he continued his astronomic and scientific inquiries and regularly featured in the Salem newspaper. In 1780, he dedicated himself full time to scientific pursuits, trading his pastorate in Bradford for a post as Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at Harvard. His teaching was commemorated by the likes of John Quincy Adams, a pupil of his, and his papers were published by the APS and American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Like many of his contemporaries, his writing and lectures spanned various fields and topics, ranging from astronomy, heat, electricity, air, magnetism, earthquakes, eclipses, and weather phenomenon. He earned honorary LL.D. degrees from Yale and Edinburgh, and election to the Meteorological Society of Manheim. Despite such high honors, Williams’s career came crashing down when he was accused of mishandling funds, spending too much money on his wife, and worst of all, forgery. This forced him to leave Harvard in 1788, and, now an outcast, he resigned to the village of Rutland in Vermont. He took up priestly duties once again, only returning to academia to give lectures at the University of Vermont. Meanwhile, he also founded and edited the Rutland Herald, continued his activity with the APS, published his sermons, and documented the landscape and history of Vermont. He died of a brief illness in his home in Rutland.




Member(s): Samuel Williams
319.001
A discourse delivered before his excellency Thomas Chittenden, Esq. governor, the Honourable Council, and House of Representatives, of the state of Vermont : at Rutland, October, 9th, 1794 : being the day of general election.
Creator(s):
Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817 (Author)
Publication:
Rutland [VT]: Printed by James Lyon, by order of legislature, [1794]
Record Source:
References:
Sabin 104346 | Evans 28093 | Evans 13845 | Evans 14627
Editions:
1x 1794 (Rutland [VT]), 1795 (Salem)
Editions Note:

Two editions: one in 1794 in Rutland, VT and one in 1795 in Salem. Evans entry 13845 mistakenly gives Samuel Bradford as author.

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Member(s): Samuel Williams
319.002
A discourse on the love of our country : delivered on a day of thanksgiving, December 15, 1774 : by Samuel Williams, A.M. Pastor of the First Church in Bradford : [Two lines in Latin from Cicero]
Creator(s):
Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817 (Author)
Publication:
Salem [MA], New-England: Printed by Samuel and Ebenezer Hall, 1775.
Record Source:
References:
Sabin 104346 | Evans 13845 | Evans 14627
Editions:
1x 1775 (Salem [MA])
Editions Note:

One edition. Per ESTC: "Evans entry 13845 mistakenly gives Samuel Bradford as author."

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Member(s): Samuel Williams
319.003
The evidence of personal Christianity, represented in a discourse delivered June 17th, 1792.
Creator(s):
Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817 (Author)
Publication:
Printed in Rutland (Vermont): by Anthony Haswell, [1792]
Record Source:
References:
Evans 25043
Editions:
1x 1792 (Rutland (VT))
Editions Note:

One edition.

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Member(s): Samuel Williams
319.004
A history of the American Revolution : intended as a reading-book for schools.
Creator(s):
Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817 (Author)
Publication:
New-Haven: Printed and published by W. Storer, Jun, 1824.
Subjects:
United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783.
Record Source:
References:
Sabin 104347 | Shoemaker, Checklist of American Imprints 19291 | Shoemaker, Checklist of American Imprints 27665
Editions:
1x 1824 (New-Haven), 1x 1826 (Stonington [CT]), 1x 1831 (New Haven)
Editions Note:

Three editions: two in New Haven (1824, 1831), one in Stonington, CT (1826). Sabin notes many reprints were issued from stereotype plates.

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Member(s): Samuel Williams
319.005
The influence of Christianity on civil society, represented in a discourse delivered November 10, 1779, at the ordination of the Reverend Mr. John Prince, to the pastoral care of the First Church in Salem.
Creator(s):
Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817 (Author)
Publication:
Boston: Printed by John Boyle in Marlborough-Street, [1780]
Subjects:
Ordination sermons -- Early works to 1800. | Ordination sermons.
Record Source:
References:
Sabin 104348
| Evans 17073
Editions:
1x 1780 (Boston)
Editions Note:

One edition.

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Member(s): Samuel Williams
319.006
The love of our country represented and urged, in a discourse, delivered October 21st. 1792 : at Rutland, in the state of Vermont.
Creator(s):
Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817 (Author)
Publication:
[Rutland, VT]: Rrom [sic] the press of A. Haswell in Rutland, [1792]
Subjects:
Patriotism -- United States.
Record Source:
References:
Sabin 104348 | Evans 25044
Editions:
1x 1792 ([Rutland, VT])
Editions Note:

One edition.

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Member(s): Samuel Williams
319.007
The moral principles and blessings of society : a discourse delivered before the Centre Lodge, at Rutland, VT June 2d, 1812 : on the festival of St. John, the Baptist.
Creator(s):
Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817 (Author)
Publication:
Windsor [VT]: Printed by Thomas M. Pomroy, 1812.
Subjects:
John the Baptist's Day -- Vermont -- Rutland. | Freemasonry. | Sociology. | Religion and sociology.
Record Source:
References:
Shaw-Shoemaker 27562
Editions:
1x 1812 (Windsor [VT])
Editions Note:

One edition.

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Member(s): Samuel Williams
319.008
The natural and civil history of Vermont : by Samuel Williams, LL.D. member of the Meteorological Society in Germany, of the Philosophical Society in Philadelphia, and of the Academy of Arts and Sciences in Massachusetts.
Creator(s):
Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817 (Author)
Publication:
Printed at Walpole, Newhampshire: by Isaiah Thomas and David Carlisle, Jun. Sold at their bookstore, in Walpole, and by said Thomas, at his bookstore, in Worcester, [1794]
Subjects:
Vermont -- History. | New England -- History.
Record Source:
References:
Sabin 104349 | Sabin 104350 | Evans 28094 | Shaw-Shoemaker 19239
Editions:
1x 1794 (Walpole, NH), 1x 1809 (Burlington, VT)
Editions Note:

Two editions: one in Walpole, NH in 1794 and one in Burlington, VT in 1809. Frontispiece map by James Whitelaw, engraved by Joseph Callender. "Names of the subscribers."--p. [412]-416.

Holding Note: APS holds two copies: a 1794 presented by Lewis L. Morris, and an 1809 with the autograph: R. Walsh, Jr.



Member(s): Samuel Williams
319.009
Questions adapted to Williams' History of the American Revolution : for the use of schools.
Creator(s):
Storer, William, 1798-1872 (Author) | Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817, History of the American revolution (Contributor)
Publication:
Stonington [Conn.]: Printed by the author, 1827.
Record Source:
Editions:
1x 1827 (Stonington [CT])
Editions Note:

One edition.

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Member(s): Samuel Williams
319.010
Regeneration the most important concern, with directions, motives, and encouragement from the Holy Scriptures, to strive to enter in at the strait gate : represented and urged in two sermons on Luke XIII. 23, 24, 25.
Creator(s):
Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817 (Author)
Publication:
Boston, New-England: Printed by Thomas and John Fleet, 1766.
Subjects:
Regeneration (Theology)
Record Source:
References:
Evans 10523
Editions:
1x 1766 (Boston)
Editions Note:

One edition.

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Member(s): Samuel Williams
319.011
The rural magazine : or, Vermont repository.
Creator(s):
Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817 (Author and Editor)
Publication:
Rutland [VT]: printed by J. Kirkaldie, for S. Williams, & Co. A few rods north of the State-House, 1795.
Subjects:
United States -- Politics and government -- 1789-1809 -- Periodicals -- Early works to 1800. | United States -- Economic history -- 18th century -- Periodicals -- Early works to 1800. | Judaism -- History -- Periodicals -- Early works to 1800. | Medicine -- 18th century -- Periodicals -- Early works to 1800. | United States -- History -- Revolutionary War, 1775-1783 -- Periodicals -- Early works to 1800.
Record Source:
References:
Evans 29450
| Evans 31141
Editions:
1x 1795 (Rutland [VT])
Editions Note:

One edition. As ESTC notes, "Evans reports that the editor of this journal was Samuel Williams, LLD, (1743-1817). MWA reports two people of this name as printers in Rutland, Vt. during the 1790s. It is not clear which Samuel Williams was the publisher."

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Member(s): Samuel Williams
319.012
A sermon, preached January 13, 1773, at the ordination of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Barnard, Jun. to the pastoral care of the North Church in Salem : By Samuel Williams, A.M. Pastor of the First Church in Bradford : printed by the desire of the North Church and congregation.
Creator(s):
Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817 (Author)
Publication:
Salem [Mass.], New-England: Printed by Samuel and Ebenezer Hall, 1773.
Record Source:
References:
Evans 13082
Editions:
1x 1773 (Salem [MA])
Editions Note:

One edition.

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Member(s): Samuel Williams
319.013
Sketches of the war, between the United States and the British Isles : intended as a faithful history of all the material events from the time of the declaration in 1812, to and including the treaty of peace in 1815, interspersed with geograhpical [sic] descriptions of places, and biographical notices of distinguished miltary and naval commanders : volumes I and II.
Creator(s):
Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817 (Author) | Davison, Gideon M. (Gideon Miner), 1791-1869 (Author)
Publication:
Rutland, VT: Fay and Davison, 1815.
Subjects:
United States -- History -- War of 1812.
Record Source:
References:
Sabin 104351 | Shaw-Shoemaker 36580
Editions:
1x 1815 (Rutland, VT)
Editions Note:

One edition. Attributed to G.M. Davison (one of the publishers) and to Rev. Samuel Williams.

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Member(s): Samuel Williams
319.014
The Vermont almanac, and register, for the year of our Lord 1795, being the third after leap-year, and the nineteenth of the independence of America : fitted to the latitude and longitude of Rutland, latitude 43⁰ 21' north. Longitude 2 [degrees] 9 [minutes] east of Philadelphia.
Creator(s):
Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817 (Author)
Publication:
[Windsor] Vermont: printed, and sold wholesale and retail, by Alden Spooner, at his printing-office in Windsor, [1794]
Subjects:
Almanacs, English -- Early works to 1800. | Vermont -- Registers.
Record Source:
References:
Evans 27079
Editions:
1x 1794 ([Windsor,] VT), 1x 1795 ([Rutland], VT), 1x 1796 (Rutland, VT), 1x 1797 (Rutland, VT), 1x 1798 (Rutland, VT), 1x 1799 (Rutland, VT)
Editions Note:

Six editions of this yearly almanac from 1794 to 1800. As ESTC notes: "Advertised in Spooner's Vermont journal, Windsor, for Nov. 3, 1794. As reprinted in the Nov. 10 issue, the advertisement was amplified to read: "Now ready for sale at this office, and by Dr. Samuel Williams, of Rutland." Also advertised in the Rutland herald, vol. 1, no. 1, Dec. 8, 1794, edited by Williams.
Attributed by Evans to Levi Hackley, but more probably by Williams, to whom the Vermont almanac and register for 1796 (Rutland) are also ascribed. The similarities between the calendar pages, eclipse notes, and wording of the title pages of that series and those of the presen almanac suggest Williams' authorship, as does Williams' residence in Rutland, for which vicinity the almanac is calculated. Hackley at this period was conducting a school in Bennington (cf. Proceedings of the Vermont Historical Society, n.s., v. 4 (1936): 139, 142)." In the entry for the 1796 edition ESTC further writes: "Evans later attribution is echoed Authorship attributed by Evans to Samuel Williams, who was an astronomer and mathematician formerly on the faculty of Harvard. According to Clifford K. Shipton, in Sibley's Harvard graduates, he "published the Vermont almanac and register in 1796-1800." - Advertised in the Rutland herald for Dec. 31, 1798. From Sept. 17, 1798, to Oct. 1799, the Herald imprint read: Printed .. by John Walker, Jun. for S. Williams."

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