Notable people · Business · Science
Ambrose Swasey
New Hampshire-born machinist and co-founder of Warner & Swasey, which moved to Cleveland in 1881 and built telescope mounts and observatory domes for Lick, McCormick, Yerkes and the Naval Observatory.
At a glance
- Born
- 1846-12-19
- Died
- 1937-06-15
- Known as
- Business, Science
- Organizations
- Warner & Swasey
Life story
Ambrose Swasey was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1846 and apprenticed at Exeter Machine Works. At Pratt & Whitney he became a foreman and improved gear-cutting tools.
With Worcester Warner he started Warner & Swasey in 1880 and moved it to Cleveland. Swasey handled the engineering. The firm built telescope mounts for McCormick (a 45-foot dome, 1885), Lick (36-inch refractor, 1887) and Yerkes, among others.
Swasey and Warner built neighboring homes on Euclid Avenue and gave their private observatory to Case School of Applied Science.
He gave away much of his fortune, including Swasey Chapel at Denison University (1924). He was ASME president (1904-05), won the Franklin Medal in 1932 and died in Exeter in 1937.
Timeline
- 1846-12-19: Born in Exeter, New Hampshire (Exeter, NH) source
- 1870: Joins Pratt & Whitney with Warner (Hartford, CT) source
- 1880: Co-founds Warner & Swasey (Chicago, IL) source
- 1885: 45-foot dome at McCormick Observatory (Charlottesville, VA) source
- 1887: 36-inch refractor mount at Lick Observatory (Mount Hamilton, CA) source
- 1916: Gives bandstand to Exeter (Exeter, NH) source
- 1924: Swasey Chapel at Denison University (Granville, OH) source
- 1937-06-15: Dies in Exeter, New Hampshire (Exeter, NH) source
What Ambrose is known for
- Co-founded Warner & Swasey (1880)
- Mount for Lick Observatory's 36-inch refractor (mid-1880s)
- Lick 36-inch refractor mount (1887)
- McCormick Observatory dome (1885)
- Swasey Chapel, Denison University (1924)
Honors and things named for them
- Franklin Medal 1932
- ASME Medal 1933
- Hoover Medal 1936
- National Academy of Sciences 1922
- Lunar crater Swasey; asteroid 992 Swasey
Family
- partner: Worcester R. Warner
Places in Ohio to see
- Swasey Chapel, Denison University (home)
Granville, Licking County ZIP 43023 (approximate) · Granville · Licking County · official page - Warner and Swasey Observatory (museum)
Taylor Rd, East Cleveland, Cuyahoga County ZIP 44112 (approximate) · East Cleveland · Cuyahoga County · official page
Ohio places
Where Ambrose Swasey was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Worked: Cleveland, Cuyahoga County ZIP 44114 · Cleveland · Cuyahoga County
Myths and corrections
- Disputed: Sources date the mounting of the Lick Observatory telescope between 1886 and 1888.
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. High: the main facts were confirmed in sources we opened.
- Ambrose Swasey (Wikipedia, pointer) born 1846-12-19 Exeter NH, died 1937-06-15 Exeter, company history
- Warner & Swasey Co. (Encyclopedia of Cleveland History) founding, Cleveland shop 1881