Survey work Andrew Ellicott

thackara & vallance s march 1792 print of ellicott s plan of city of washington .



thackara & vallance s 1792 print of ellicott s plan of city of washington in territory of columbia ... , showing street names, lot numbers , legends.



a contemporary reprint of samuel hill s 1792 print of ellicott s plan of city of washington in territory of columbia ... , showing lot numbers , legends.



ellicott s house @ 123 north prince street, lancaster, pennsylvania listed on national register of historic places

during 1791–1792, ellicott surveyed future city of washington, located within relatively small area @ center of territory of columbia along northern bank of potomac river @ confluence eastern branch (known today anacostia river). ellicott served under commissioners supervision in effort. first worked pierre (peter) charles l enfant, had prepared initial plans future capital city during months of 1791 , had presented 1 of these plans president washington in august of year (see l enfant plan).

during contentious period in february 1792, ellicott informed commissioners l enfant had not been able have city plan engraved , printed map on paper , had refused provide him original plan l enfant holding. ellicott, aid of brother, benjamin ellicott, revised plan, despite l enfant s protests.

ellicott stated in letters that, although refused original plan, familiar l enfant s system , had many notes of surveys had made himself. therefore possible ellicott recreated plan. ellicott s revisions realigned , straightened diagonal massachusetts avenue, eliminated 5 short other radial avenues , added 2 others, removed several plazas , straightened borders of future judiciary square.

as conflicts grew between contending parties shortly thereafter, president washington dismissed l enfant. ellicott gave first version of own plan james thakara , john valance of philadelphia, engraved, printed , published it. version, printed in march 1792, first washington city plan received wide circulation.

after l enfant departed, ellicott continued city survey in accordance revised plan, several larger , more detailed versions of engraved, published, printed , distributed. result, ellicott s revisions became basis capital city s future development. when later quit city of washington project, ellicott relieved escape political pressures surrounding venture.

in 1794, ellicott accepted commission commonwealth of pennsylvania plan city of erie on southeastern shore of lake erie, giving keystone state future port on great lakes , increasing trade. spent next 2 years task, plotting road reading, pennsylvania presqu isle, port city built, , supervising construction of fort erie.

in 1796, george washington commissioned ellicott u.s. representative on commission survey of southern border between spanish territories along gulf of mexico coast in florida , united states negotiated in treaty of san lorenzo (also known treaty of madrid) of 1795. ellicott travelled military escort pittsburgh via ohio , mississippi rivers , worked spanish commissioners, despite many difficulties, next 4 years. ellicott s line survey, running along latitude parallel 31° north, still defines border today between future states of alabama , florida. 1 of many stone markers boundary line survives day , bears name, ellicott s stone. in 1798, complained government 4 american generals receiving pensions spain, including general in chief james wilkinson, raising specter of treason, later involved vice president (during jefferson s first term), aaron burr. ellicott showed considerable diplomatic talent during joint project bring successful completion, , presented final report maps government in 1800. (the mapping episode of philip morrison s miniseries ring of truth illustrates elllicot s surveying methods ellicott hill in natchez, mississippi, national historic landmark.)

the following adams administration, however, refused pay ellicott work done in survey, , refused him access maps had submitted report. forced sell of possessions, including books library, in order support family. maps released in 1803 under subsequent jefferson administration, , ellicott published journal of andrew ellicott detailing florida survey, including maps. when third president thomas jefferson offered him post of surveyor general of northwest territory, ellicott turned him down. prior negative experiences government political administrations may have had this, @ age of 49, wanted spend more time family , feared new position might require him travel much. instead, accepted offer pennsylvania governor thomas mckean , took position secretary of pennsylvania land office. family moved lancaster, pennsylvania, , ellicott seemed content clerk s job left him enough time own scientific , private interests , provided steady income family. andrew ellicott house, in lancaster resided 1801 1813, listed on national register of historic places in 1972, u.s. department of interior.

also in 1803, president jefferson engaged ellicott mentor , teacher meriwether lewis, 1 of leaders of lewis , clark expedition start following year. april may 1803, lewis stayed @ ellicott s home , studied survey techniques, , ellicott made many recommendations on expedition s equipment , survey procedures later followed. 2 men apparently got along well.

when simon snyder followed mckean governor of pennsylvania, fired ellicott in 1809 due political differences. prominent supporter of snyder former general in chief james wilkinson, 1 of 4 generals ellicott had denounced eleven years earlier , had come under cloud of treason, along vice president aaron burr. ellicott returned private practice , hired in february 1811 david b. mitchell, governor of georgia, re-survey border between georgia , north carolina settle border dispute between these 2 states. although started out in july, expedition delayed , had work throughout hard winter. ellicott confirmed earlier findings border, supposed follow latitude 35°n, several miles further south georgians claimed. report not received georgian administration, furthermore refused pay fees. ellicott returned in july 1812 pennsylvania.

in 1813, ellicott accepted position professor mathematics @ military academy @ west point, , family left lancaster , moved west point, new york. in 1817, ellicott again called upon participate astronomer in field survey, namely re-survey – agreed upon in treaty of ghent – of collins–valentine line. last significant survey performed. ellicott died 3 years later stroke in home @ west point.