Richard Ely Hamlin
1814 - 1880
Richard Ely Hamlin was born on June 17, 1814 in Providence, Rhode Island, a son of William Hamlin (1772-1869) and Eliza Bowen. He married in New York City in 1850 Charlotte Vial Bachelder.
His father William was an engraver who later sold and repaired optical and navigational instruments, particularly telescopes, sextants, and octants at a shop near the Providence harbor. In 1824, Hamlin was listed in the Providence City Directory as "Hamlin William, engraver and mathematical instrument maker, 135 South Main, 170 Benefit." A trade card listing the 135 South Main Street address lists him ""At the Sign of the Quadrant." He had many addresses before his death. The last--from 1847 until 1869--was at 131 South Water Street. His trade card for 1847-1867 makes it clear that he was not a maker of instruments but only a reseller and repairer who rectified compasses and fixed other instruments.
Richard Ely Hamlin started as a clerk with Seth Padelford & Co., wholesale grocers in Providence at 2 Weybosset street, and was still working there in 1837. On September 12, 1874, the Providence Evening Press, listed R. E. Hamlin & Co. selling flour and molasses, and the shipping news in many earlier years listed his firm receiving merchandise on various ships coming into Providence.
Some literature suggests that Richard Ely Hamlin was the successor to his father William's instrument business in Providence, Rhode Island, and the he made reflecting telescopes. No such telescopes survive and the sole evidence seems to be the trade card or lottery ticket (CHSI 2000-1-0012) that shows a reflecting telescope with Hamlin inscribed on the tube.
R. E. Hamlin was also the director of several banks. He died in Providence on Feb 6, 1880.
His father William was an engraver who later sold and repaired optical and navigational instruments, particularly telescopes, sextants, and octants at a shop near the Providence harbor. In 1824, Hamlin was listed in the Providence City Directory as "Hamlin William, engraver and mathematical instrument maker, 135 South Main, 170 Benefit." A trade card listing the 135 South Main Street address lists him ""At the Sign of the Quadrant." He had many addresses before his death. The last--from 1847 until 1869--was at 131 South Water Street. His trade card for 1847-1867 makes it clear that he was not a maker of instruments but only a reseller and repairer who rectified compasses and fixed other instruments.
Richard Ely Hamlin started as a clerk with Seth Padelford & Co., wholesale grocers in Providence at 2 Weybosset street, and was still working there in 1837. On September 12, 1874, the Providence Evening Press, listed R. E. Hamlin & Co. selling flour and molasses, and the shipping news in many earlier years listed his firm receiving merchandise on various ships coming into Providence.
Some literature suggests that Richard Ely Hamlin was the successor to his father William's instrument business in Providence, Rhode Island, and the he made reflecting telescopes. No such telescopes survive and the sole evidence seems to be the trade card or lottery ticket (CHSI 2000-1-0012) that shows a reflecting telescope with Hamlin inscribed on the tube.
R. E. Hamlin was also the director of several banks. He died in Providence on Feb 6, 1880.
See trade card (CHSI 2000-1-0012) associated with this maker, but note that this may be a lottery ticket..
Webster Signature Database, available online at the Adler Planetarium <a href="http://historydb.adlerplanetarium.org/signatures/h.pl" target="_blank">here</a>. See the entries for both Richard E. and William Hamlin.
Andrews, Henry Franklin. <i>The Hamlin family: A Genealogy of Capt. Giles Hamlin of Middletown, Connecticut, 1654–1900</i> (Exira, Iowa, published by the author, 1900), see persons 446 and 925. Available as a Google <a href=http://books.google.com/books?id=jZBPAAAAMAAJ&lpg=PA144&ots=ATS5IREMub&dq=Engraver%2C%20and%20manufacturer%20of%20optical%20instruments%2C%20telescopes%2C%20sextants%2C%20quadrants%2C%20etc.%3A%20a%20man%20of%20considerable%20scientific%20attainments.%20He%20was%20made%20a%20Mason%20by%20Mt.%20Vernon%20Lodge%204&pg=PA213#v=snippet&q=%22Richard%20Ely%20Hamlin%22&f=false target="_blank">eBook</a>.
Lane, Gladys R. [Librarian of the Shepley Library, Providence, Rhode Island], "Rhode Island's Earliest Engraver," <i>Antiques Magazine</i>, 7 (1925): 133. [not vetted]
Preuss, Anne MacDougall. "William Hamlin: An Elusive Providence Instrument Maker," <i>Rittenhouse</i>, 3, no. 4 (1989): 135-140.