Transcript Document
Joseph Priestley
His Life and Times
by
Howard M. Peters
&
Sally B. Peters
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
Division of the History of Chemistry
Philadelphia Annual Meeting
August 25, 2004
Priestley’s Life and
Accomplishments
PART 1
Period 1: 1733 – 1776
Early marriage to Mary Wilkinson
Period 2: 1776 – 1793
The good and bad years
Period 3: 1793 – 1804
Exile in America
Genealogy Studies
PART 2
SAR History and Records
DAR History and Records
Peters family connection
Fictional Accounts From
Nicholas Paul’s Journal
PART 3
1796 – Paul family / Newberry
family / Arner family connections
1799 – Paul family moves to
Northumberland County, first
contact with Priestley
1800 – 1804: Paul and Priestley
connections
Priestley
LIFE, FAMILY, and RELIGION
Priestley: Scientific
Contributions
DISCOVERY OF 8 GASES
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon Monoxide
Sulfur Dioxide
Nitrous Oxide
Nitric Oxide
Hydrogen Chloride
Priestley: Additional
Scientific Contributions
Discovered the interconnection
between photosynthesis and
respiration
Discovered carbonated water
Discovered that India rubber
removed graphite pencil marks the first rubber eraser
Priestley
HIS POLITICS (1776 – 1793)
Priestley
THE FAMILY IN EXILE
ESCAPE TO AMERICA
(1793 – 1804)
Priestley’s US Landmark
Priestley’s GB Landmark
Priestley House (U.S.)
Priestley House (Landmark)
Priestley’s Lab (GB Landmark)
Nicholas Paul
Searching for the Ancestors and
Descendants of Nicholas Paul
(1748-1820) and Barbara Vass
(1757-1823), Northampton County
and Northumberland County, PA
James Newbury
Searching for the Ancestors and
Descendants of James Newbury
(1750-1830) and Sarah Guest
(1764-1850), Northumberland
County, PA
Nicholas Paul SAR Genealogy
Peters SAR Genealogy
Available During Presentation
Pennsylvania
Centre County
Blanchard
Elmer and Marie Peters
Elmer Peters
1875 – 1922
Emma Scantlin Peters
1879 – 1930
Edward and Ellen Scantlin
George and Emeline Miller
John Bitner
1802 – 1861
Susan Orner Bitner
1801 – 1880
John and Elizabeth Orner
John Orner
Elizabeth Orner
Pennsylvania
Northumberland
Riverview Cemetery
Nicholas and Barbara Paul
Nicholas and Barbara Paul
Nicholas Paul
Barbara Paul
Joseph Priestley
Part 3: Fictional
Accounts From Nicholas
Paul’s Journal
1796
Jacob Arner finally got deed from
Penn family
Problem: 21 year old son John
interested in 17 year old Elizabeth
Paul
Nicholas Paul’s Journal
July 30th, 1799
Summer move to Northumberland
County
Warned James Newberry about Priestley
and his inflammatory speech
Paul’s first meeting with Priestley
April 5th, 1800
Priestley seeking chickens, eggs and
firewood
Nicholas Paul’s Journal
July 18th, 1801
Priestley goes to Philadelphia ill.
Was he poisoned?
October 13th, 1802
Priestley weak
December 1st, 1803
Priestley bedridden
Nicholas Paul’s Journal
February 6th, 1804
Word from village that Priestley
had died
February 9th, 1804
Bitter cold day, funeral attendance
low
Acknowledgements
Sons of the American Revolution
Daughters of the American Revolution
Chemical Heritage Foundation
Andrea Bashore: President, Priestley
House Museum
Northumberland County Historical
Society
Justin Kirk Houser: Centre County, PA
Genealogist
Daeron Katz: Silent Planet Productions,
Graphics