George Washington Keely papers (MS.1U.K1)

Biographical note

George Washington Keely was born in Northampton, England on December 25, 1803 to Reverend George and Mary Keely. In 1820, Keely became a student at Brown University as a member of the class of 1824. From 1825 to 1828, Keely tutored Brown students in Latin and Greek. After a year as an associate principal at a private school in Providence, Keely was made professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Waterville (now Colby) College in Waterville, Maine. Keely held this position from 1829 to 1852. Following his work at Waterville College, Keely worked with the United States Coast Survey and was a correspondent of the Royal Observatory of England. Keely resided in Waterville, Maine until his death in 1878.