Frank Evans Seagrave: A Timeline of His Life & Contributions in Historical Context
April 2024 :
Preface
Over the years I have realized that while many folks may know about historical events in general, they are clueless as to where they fit in a historical timeline. When I taught astronomy labs at Bryant University for ten years, I encountered students who incorrectly “guessed” that Galileo Galilei made his observations in the 1800’s.
But even before these realizations I wanted to write Frank E. Seagrave’s biography to enlighten current and future Skyscrapers members. Frank was the original owner of our observatory and the eight-inch Alvan Clark refractor. He received this exquisite telescope for his 16th birthday in 1876. Two years later, in 1878, the telescope was delivered and an observatory was built in the backyard of the family residence at 119 Benefit Street in Providence. The telescope was relocated to North Scituate in a new facility on Peeptoad Road in 1914 due to deteriorating observing conditions in Providence. Skyscrapers acquired the observatory in 1936.
At this point in my life, I don’t expect that I will accomplish my dream of writing that biography. What I have decided to do though, is to create a timeline of Seagrave’s Life and Accomplishments and report it in historical context of what was happening in the world during his remarkable lifespan of just over 74 years. It will include both astronomical, scientific, and general history elements.
In the coming months I will present that timeline in a series of articles. Currently I do not know how many articles there will be. I have only recently begun to review all the research I had previously uncovered over the decades. The plan is to highlight as much of Seagrave’s work as possible and provide you with contemporary historical events and discoveries. Perhaps this project may help everyone to better appreciate the legacy of Frank Evans Seagrave.
First, let me enlighten you on how I became involved in the Skyscrapers organization and its rich history.
My interest in astronomy was kindled during my elementary school days when I participated in a school play about the solar system in two different grades (perhaps 4th – 1962-1963 and 5th – 1963-1964). In one of them I portrayed the Sun, and in the other I played the role of the astronomy professor. Then in the 6th grade (1964-65) I completed an assignment comparing the sizes of all nine planets (Pluto was not demoted to dwarf-planet status until August 24, 2006). I still have that paper somewhere in my archives.
Also, while in the 6th grade, I purchased my first science fiction book - HG Wells' War of the Worlds. I couldn’t put the book down. Wells sparked that interest in me about the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
At the same I purchased another book, Flying Saucers: Serious Business, by Frank Edwards. This work discussed many of the "classic" flying saucer sightings to-date and offered the author's opinion on their validity. I wanted to believe that our Earth was not the only inhabited world in the cosmos, but at the time I did know that the distances to even the closest stars would take an inordinate amount of time to traverse given the known laws of physics.
Still, I would often venture outdoors and look towards the heavens and wonder if that star, or that one over there, possessed a system of planets. And possibly one or many of them were inhabited by advanced beings. (It wasn’t until 1992 that an extrasolar planet was confirmed.) At first my sky gazing was random, but then I purchased a planisphere and began to learn the constellations.
In addition, there were many science fiction series on television during the 60s that I couldn’t get enough of. Furthermore, the US Space Program was well underway. Though I do not remember Sputnik, I do remember going out after sunset to watch Echo I (launched August 12, 1960), a high-altitude aluminized balloon, 100 feet in diameter) and Telstar I (launched July 10, 1962; a true satellite) traverse the sky. I was also very interested in following the progress of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.
However, my initial interest in astronomy waned due to the influence of a teacher.
James Corbett was my home room teacher in the 7th grade (1965-1966). His area of expertise was World History. As I recall he was a WWII tank commander who had been in the Battle of the Bulge. He later went on to serve in the Korean conflict. He retired as a Colonel and went to college on the GI Bill where he became a history teacher. Our paths crossed in the North Smithfield school system.
I often asked him questions about WWII, especially on his role in the Battle of the Bulge. He was a great teacher who fostered my deep appreciation for history. During high school I had Mr. Corbett for World History I (9th grade) and World History II (10th grade). During most of my high school years at North Smithfield High School (NSHS) my twice-yearly meetings with the guidance counselor focused on my going to college to be a history teacher. That was until our math department shared a Digital PDP8 computer via a phone dial-up with another school during my junior year (1969-1970). Remember, this was way before the internet.
The first real astronomical event I recall was probably on the night of March 23, 1969, when the television news reported a display of the northern lights in progress. I remember going outdoors and looking to the northeast sky to see these undulating waves of greenish light brighten and fade repeatedly. It was quite a beautiful sight.
A partial solar eclipse seen from my grandmother’s home in Providence, Rhode Island on Saturday, March 7, 1970 rekindled my astronomy interests. At the time I did not know about safe solar observing protocols, and irresponsibly used exposed black and white film negatives to watch parts of the event. At maximum eclipse just over 97% of the solar disk was obscured by the Moon. Fortunately, I suffered no eye damage.
During my senior high school year (1970-1971) NSHS obtained their own computer which was set up in a small storage closet. I’m relating this seemingly inconsequential story because it was the turning point in what would become my career path in the IT world.
Upon graduation I attended a business school and obtained a certificate in programming and accounting.
Furthering my interest in astronomy were some great displays of the aurora during the first week of August 1972.
Soon after starting a part-time computer operator position, I purchased a 6-inch Edmund Scientific reflector (the Super Space Conqueror) in August 1973. Armed only with a copy of the Old Farmers’ Almanac, I could easily locate Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, as well as the Moon. At the end of 1974 I finally paid a visit to Seagrave Memorial Observatory during one of the society’s public open nights. I was so impressed with the amateur astronomers that evening that I applied for membership at the December 1974 monthly meeting, and was voted into membership of Skyscrapers at the January 1975 meeting.
I soon learned of the rich history of the organization and that of the original owner of the observatory itself, Frank Evans Seagrave (1860 – 1934). At the monthly meetings, then Skyscrapers historian William “Bill” Gucfa would often provide some tidbits of information about Mr. Seagrave.
At some point Bill had little free time to fulfill the position. He knew of my interest, so he encouraged me to assume the role of historian. Bill and I became kindred spirits, and I was best man at his wedding.
With only a few faded copies of early newspaper articles about Frank Seagrave to guide me, I began to research this fascinating “amateur” astronomer. One of my proudest moments as a Skyscrapers member was back in 1986, when my article entitled “Stardust Memories: Frank Evans Seagrave and Halley’s Comet - 1910,” was published in the May 1986 issue of The Rhode Island History Journal. This article told the story of Seagrave’s Halley Comet calculations, predictions, observations, and advice to a concerned public.
And in 2007, Skyscrapers newsletter editor and website guru Jim Hendrickson and I published a book entitled 75 Years of Skyscrapers (1932 – 2007).
The plan is to publish the first installment of Frank Seagrave’s historical timeline before the northern hemisphere’s summer solstice on June 20.
• Special note: When I joined Skyscrapers in January 1975, the organization had only one image of Frank Evans Seagrave. It shows Frank at the Clark refractor looking up along the tube assembly. When I became Skyscrapers historian and began to research Seagrave, I began to locate additional images. Two of them were taken by the same photographer who had produced the original one. As of the writing of this historical timeline document we now have 14 images and one movie of Seagrave. All of them will soon be posted online for everyone to see. DAH
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