DIRECTORS
David Rittenhouse
1st Mint Director
1792 - 1795
David Rittenhouse (1732 - 1796), was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania in April of 1732, the son of farmer Matthias Rittenhouse and Elizabeth Williams. On February 20th, 1766 he married Eleanor Coulston. Their first child was born on January 23rd, 1767, a girl named Elizabeth. Eleanor died from complications of childbirth with their third child in 1770. After her death, David went through a lengthy depression, and only when he married Hannah Jacobs in 1772 was this depression fully lifted.
Self-taught, he early on showed mathematical and mechanical ability, and mastered Newton's Principia in an English translation. As a young boy, Rittenhouse constructed a model of a watermill and by the age of seventeen he had built a wooden clock, but having little opportunity to attend school, he largely educated himself from books and a box of tools inherited from his uncle, David Williams, a furniture maker. At the age of nineteen he began making clocks and other mechanical and scientific devices. He became an astronomer, mathematician, instrument maker and one of the leading American scientists of the eighteenth century, second only to Benjamin Franklin.
Over the next thirty or forty years he made many highly-prized and innovative mathematical and astronomical instruments, the most famous of which were two orreries he constructed for the Colleges of New Jersey (now Princeton University) and Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania). These orreries show the solar and lunar eclipses and other phenomena for a period of 5,000 years either forward or backward. After moving to Philadelphia in 1770, Rittenhouse used both astronomical and terrestrial observations to survey canals and rivers and to establish the boundaries between many of the Mid-Atlantic States. He held the post of city surveyor of Philadelphia in 1774.
His scientific thinking and experimentation earned Rittenhouse considerable intellectual prestige in America and in Europe. He built his own observatory at his father's farm in Norriton, just outside of Philadelphia and at his residence in Philadelphia. Rittenhouse maintained detailed records of his observations and published a number of important works on astronomy, including a .paper putting forth his solution for locating the place of a planet in its orbit. He also sought to solve mathematical problems, publishing his first mathematical paper in 1792, in an effort to determine the period of a pendulum. He also experimented with magnetism and electricity.
Rittenhouse was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society in 1768, serving over the years as curator, librarian, secretary, vice president and from 1791 to 1796, its president after the death of Benjamin Franklin. He was elected to its committee to observe the transits of Venus and Mercury in 1769 based on calculations he had made 1768. He was a leader in the scientific community's observance of the transit of Venus in 1769, which won him broad acclaim. Over the years he received a number of honorary degrees including those from the Colleges of New Jersey and Philadelphia. In addition, he was elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a fellow of the Royal Society of London. Rittenhouse was University of the State of Pennsylvania Professor of Astronomy at Philadelphia from 1779 to 1782 and Vice-Provost in 1780 and 1782. He also served as a trustee of the University of the State of Pennsylvania (1779-1780 and 1782-1791) and then, after its union with the College of Philadelphia, as a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania (1791-1796).
Rittenhouse used his scientific skills for practical purposes during the American Revolution. In 1775 he began his service on the Committee of Safety as an engineer supervising local casting of cannon, improvement of rifles, supply of ammunition and selection of sites for gunpowder mills and magazine stores. In the late 1770s Rittenhouse was a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly, the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention of 1776, and the Board of War. From 1779 to 1787 Rittenhouse was the state treasurer of Pennsylvania.
Due to his prominence in academia and universal popularity, President George Washington chose him to be the first Director of the U.S. Mint in 1792. He served as Director until 1795, overseeing the initial gathering of personnel and purchase of the land and construction of the first Mint buildings. Both copper and silver coinage was struck during his tenure, however he had to contend with a hostile Congress and the frequent afflictions of “Yellow Fever” that immobilized the city of Philadelphia, including the Mint. He resigned the Director’s position in June of 1795 and passed away a year later in 1796.
Self-taught, he early on showed mathematical and mechanical ability, and mastered Newton's Principia in an English translation. As a young boy, Rittenhouse constructed a model of a watermill and by the age of seventeen he had built a wooden clock, but having little opportunity to attend school, he largely educated himself from books and a box of tools inherited from his uncle, David Williams, a furniture maker. At the age of nineteen he began making clocks and other mechanical and scientific devices. He became an astronomer, mathematician, instrument maker and one of the leading American scientists of the eighteenth century, second only to Benjamin Franklin.
Over the next thirty or forty years he made many highly-prized and innovative mathematical and astronomical instruments, the most famous of which were two orreries he constructed for the Colleges of New Jersey (now Princeton University) and Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania). These orreries show the solar and lunar eclipses and other phenomena for a period of 5,000 years either forward or backward. After moving to Philadelphia in 1770, Rittenhouse used both astronomical and terrestrial observations to survey canals and rivers and to establish the boundaries between many of the Mid-Atlantic States. He held the post of city surveyor of Philadelphia in 1774.
His scientific thinking and experimentation earned Rittenhouse considerable intellectual prestige in America and in Europe. He built his own observatory at his father's farm in Norriton, just outside of Philadelphia and at his residence in Philadelphia. Rittenhouse maintained detailed records of his observations and published a number of important works on astronomy, including a .paper putting forth his solution for locating the place of a planet in its orbit. He also sought to solve mathematical problems, publishing his first mathematical paper in 1792, in an effort to determine the period of a pendulum. He also experimented with magnetism and electricity.
Rittenhouse was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society in 1768, serving over the years as curator, librarian, secretary, vice president and from 1791 to 1796, its president after the death of Benjamin Franklin. He was elected to its committee to observe the transits of Venus and Mercury in 1769 based on calculations he had made 1768. He was a leader in the scientific community's observance of the transit of Venus in 1769, which won him broad acclaim. Over the years he received a number of honorary degrees including those from the Colleges of New Jersey and Philadelphia. In addition, he was elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a fellow of the Royal Society of London. Rittenhouse was University of the State of Pennsylvania Professor of Astronomy at Philadelphia from 1779 to 1782 and Vice-Provost in 1780 and 1782. He also served as a trustee of the University of the State of Pennsylvania (1779-1780 and 1782-1791) and then, after its union with the College of Philadelphia, as a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania (1791-1796).
Rittenhouse used his scientific skills for practical purposes during the American Revolution. In 1775 he began his service on the Committee of Safety as an engineer supervising local casting of cannon, improvement of rifles, supply of ammunition and selection of sites for gunpowder mills and magazine stores. In the late 1770s Rittenhouse was a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly, the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention of 1776, and the Board of War. From 1779 to 1787 Rittenhouse was the state treasurer of Pennsylvania.
Due to his prominence in academia and universal popularity, President George Washington chose him to be the first Director of the U.S. Mint in 1792. He served as Director until 1795, overseeing the initial gathering of personnel and purchase of the land and construction of the first Mint buildings. Both copper and silver coinage was struck during his tenure, however he had to contend with a hostile Congress and the frequent afflictions of “Yellow Fever” that immobilized the city of Philadelphia, including the Mint. He resigned the Director’s position in June of 1795 and passed away a year later in 1796.
Henry W. DeSaussure
2nd Mint Director
1795
Henry William DeSaussure (1763 – 1839), was an American lawyer, state legislator and jurist from South Carolina who became a political leader as a member of the Federalist Party following the Revolutionary War. He was a co-sponsor of the legislation that established the South Carolina College, which was to become the University of South Carolina and was given the title of Chancellor as a justice of the SC Equity Court, also known as chancery court. In this capacity he wrote and codified much of the state's equity law still in use today. He served as Intendant (Mayor) of both Charleston and Columbia, SC.
He was a principal investor in founding what was originally intended to be the city's Federalist leaning newspaper, the Charleston Courier in 1803. The newspaper still exists today as it was eventually merged with others to become The Post and Courier. As a sitting appellate court judge, his opinions on a variety of issues were widely published under a pseudonym, which was the custom then for public officials who wished to express their view away from the bench. His opinions were highly critical of the summary abridgement of rights of the accused during the Denmark Vessey trials, purportedly in the name of public safety. He and others like him suspected there was less substance to the charges of a conspiracy to organize a slave revolt than the public in Charleston was being led to believe.
He openly opposed Nullification along with others leading South Carolina. After the Federalist Party faded in the early 1820s, he was a voice for Unionist moderation, before a rising tide of States Rights supporters swept the stage of all others in South Carolina a generation later. Though deep political differences would eventually separate them, two-time Vice President of the United States John C. Calhoun, studied law in the offices of DeSaussure and his partner Timothy Ford. DeSaussure College, one of the original buildings located on the Horseshoe at the center of the University of South Carolina campus in Columbia was named in his honor.
He was appointed by President George Washington, as the 2nd Director of the United States Mint on July 8th, 1795 after Rittenhouse resigned. However, his disdain for the job and the continued attacks by Congress on the economic expenditures of the Mint led him to resign the post after a scant 4 months time. The one event that can be tied to his administration was the striking of the first Gold coins.
He was a principal investor in founding what was originally intended to be the city's Federalist leaning newspaper, the Charleston Courier in 1803. The newspaper still exists today as it was eventually merged with others to become The Post and Courier. As a sitting appellate court judge, his opinions on a variety of issues were widely published under a pseudonym, which was the custom then for public officials who wished to express their view away from the bench. His opinions were highly critical of the summary abridgement of rights of the accused during the Denmark Vessey trials, purportedly in the name of public safety. He and others like him suspected there was less substance to the charges of a conspiracy to organize a slave revolt than the public in Charleston was being led to believe.
He openly opposed Nullification along with others leading South Carolina. After the Federalist Party faded in the early 1820s, he was a voice for Unionist moderation, before a rising tide of States Rights supporters swept the stage of all others in South Carolina a generation later. Though deep political differences would eventually separate them, two-time Vice President of the United States John C. Calhoun, studied law in the offices of DeSaussure and his partner Timothy Ford. DeSaussure College, one of the original buildings located on the Horseshoe at the center of the University of South Carolina campus in Columbia was named in his honor.
He was appointed by President George Washington, as the 2nd Director of the United States Mint on July 8th, 1795 after Rittenhouse resigned. However, his disdain for the job and the continued attacks by Congress on the economic expenditures of the Mint led him to resign the post after a scant 4 months time. The one event that can be tied to his administration was the striking of the first Gold coins.
Elias Boudinot
3rd Mint Director
1795 - 1805
Elias Boudinot (1740 – 1821), was born in Philadelphia on May 2nd, 1740. His father, Elias Boudinot III, was a silversmith and a neighbor and friend of Benjamin Franklin. His mother, Mary Catherine Williams, was from the British West Indies and Boudinot's maternal grandfather was from Wales. His paternal grandfather, Elie (sometimes called Elias) Boudinot, was the son of Jean Boudinot and Marie Suire of Marans, Aunis, France, a Huguenot (French Protestant) family who fled to New York about 1687 to avoid the religious persecutions of King Louis XIV. Mary Catherine Williams and Elias Boudinot Sr. were married on Aug 8th, 1729 and, over the next twenty years, had nine children. The first, John, was born in the British West Indies-Antigua. Of the others, only the younger Elias and his siblings Annis, Mary, and Elisha reached adulthood.
After studying and being tutored at home, Elias Boudinot went to Princeton, New Jersey to read the law with another attorney. His mentor was Richard Stockton, who later signed the Declaration of Independence, and was married to Elias's sister Annis Boudinot Stockton. In 1760, he was admitted to the bar, and began his practice in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He owned land adjacent to the road from Elizabethtown to Woodbridge Township, New Jersey.
Then, on April 21st, 1762, he married Richard's sister, Hannah Stockton (1736-1808). Elias and Hannah had two children, Maria Boudinot, who died at age two, and Susan Vergereau Boudinot. Susan married William Bradford who became Chief Justice of Pennsylvania and Attorney General under George Washington. After Bradford's death in 1795, Susan came back to make her home with her father and edit his papers, which shine a light into the events of the Revolutionary era. Elias's brother, Elisha, became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
As a member of a committee formed by Congress in early 1795 to investigate the expenses of the Mint, he eventually became a proponent for it and was one of the few who truly understood what difficulties the Mint was up against, as far as being more efficient. He was appointed as Mint Director to replace the outgoing DeSaussure on October 28th, 1795 and remained in that position for almost the next 10 years. During those years, he also had to contend with the “Yellow Fever” outbreaks and possible elimination of the Mint by Congress. When the rest of the government offices began moving to the new capitol in Washington City (D.C.), he was left wondering if the Mint would either be eliminated completely or would soon be moved as well. When he resigned at the end of June 1805, the Mint was on much more solid footing and was becoming a better institution.
After his retirement in mid 1805, Elias moved his family to a new home in Burlington, New Jersey and lived there the rest of his life. In his later years, he invested and speculated in land while pursuing his religious interests. He owned large tracts of land in Ohio, including most of Green Township, in what is now the western suburb of Cincinnati. On his death, he willed 13,000 acres to the city of Philadelphia for parks and city needs. Boudinot died at his home in Burlington on October 24th, 1821. He was buried in Saint Mary's Episcopal Churchyard in Burlington.
After studying and being tutored at home, Elias Boudinot went to Princeton, New Jersey to read the law with another attorney. His mentor was Richard Stockton, who later signed the Declaration of Independence, and was married to Elias's sister Annis Boudinot Stockton. In 1760, he was admitted to the bar, and began his practice in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He owned land adjacent to the road from Elizabethtown to Woodbridge Township, New Jersey.
Then, on April 21st, 1762, he married Richard's sister, Hannah Stockton (1736-1808). Elias and Hannah had two children, Maria Boudinot, who died at age two, and Susan Vergereau Boudinot. Susan married William Bradford who became Chief Justice of Pennsylvania and Attorney General under George Washington. After Bradford's death in 1795, Susan came back to make her home with her father and edit his papers, which shine a light into the events of the Revolutionary era. Elias's brother, Elisha, became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
As a member of a committee formed by Congress in early 1795 to investigate the expenses of the Mint, he eventually became a proponent for it and was one of the few who truly understood what difficulties the Mint was up against, as far as being more efficient. He was appointed as Mint Director to replace the outgoing DeSaussure on October 28th, 1795 and remained in that position for almost the next 10 years. During those years, he also had to contend with the “Yellow Fever” outbreaks and possible elimination of the Mint by Congress. When the rest of the government offices began moving to the new capitol in Washington City (D.C.), he was left wondering if the Mint would either be eliminated completely or would soon be moved as well. When he resigned at the end of June 1805, the Mint was on much more solid footing and was becoming a better institution.
After his retirement in mid 1805, Elias moved his family to a new home in Burlington, New Jersey and lived there the rest of his life. In his later years, he invested and speculated in land while pursuing his religious interests. He owned large tracts of land in Ohio, including most of Green Township, in what is now the western suburb of Cincinnati. On his death, he willed 13,000 acres to the city of Philadelphia for parks and city needs. Boudinot died at his home in Burlington on October 24th, 1821. He was buried in Saint Mary's Episcopal Churchyard in Burlington.
Robert Patterson
4th Mint Director
1805 – 1824
Robert Patterson (1743 - 1824), the son of Robert Patterson and Jane Walkers, was born on May 30th, 1743 on a lease-held farm near Hillsborough, County Down, Ireland. His family was respectable, though not affluent. Patterson attended school at an early age and soon became distinguished for his love of learning. He excelled in mathematics, but his family could not afford to pay for a university education. In 1759, when the French invaded Ireland, Patterson enlisted in the militia, and after serving for a year, rose to the rank of sergeant. He devoted himself to his military exercises, and soon became distinguished enough for his skill and good conduct to attract the attention of the officers of a British regiment stationed near Hillsborough, who offered him a commission in the regular army. Patterson refused this commission, choosing instead to return home to work on the family farm.
In 1768, determined to try his fortune in America, Patterson embarked for Philadelphia, arriving there almost penniless in October. After spending a week in Philadelphia, Patterson set out on foot for Bucks County in order to seek employment as a schoolmaster. He was immediately hired at a school in Buckingham.
Although Patterson had a natural talent for teaching, he decided to make more use of his mathematical talents, especially his knowledge of determining longitude through the use of lunar observations, and moved back to Philadelphia to teach navigation. One of his first outstanding students was Andrew Ellicott, who later became a well-known surveyor of the original boundaries of the District of Columbia.
Starting in 1771, Patterson's parents, two of his brothers, and two of his sisters, eventually immigrated to America, attracted by Patterson's success and encouraging accounts. In 1772, with his finances vastly improved, Patterson was persuaded by a friend to invest his money in merchandise and to open a country store in New Jersey. However, since he was unsuccessful as a shopkeeper, he was happy to accept a position as Principal of the Wilmington Academy in Delaware in 1774. He did however, meet his future wife while in New Jersey, Amy Hunter Ewing, daughter of Maskell Ewing, Esq., and they were married on May 9th, 1774. He and Amy had eight children together.
At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, his duties as Principal were suspended due to the fact that many of the students at the Wilmington Academy were called home. After removing his family to a small farm near Roadstown, New Jersey, Patterson enlisted as a military instructor in the Delaware militia, then under the command of Colonel John Haslet. He later served under Colonel David Hall, first in the medical corps and then as a brigade major. He remained in the militia until the British army evacuated Philadelphia and New Jersey in 1778, when his brigade was disbanded.
In 1779, after the College and Academy were reorganized into the University, Patterson successfully applied to Dr. Ewing, the Provost, for employment as Professor of Mathematics. He was Professor of Mathematics from 1779 to 1810, Professor of Natural Philosophy and Mathematics from 1810 to 1813 and Vice-Provost from 1810 to 1813. Because he performed his official duties with integrity, industry and ability, also rendering essential services to the University, he was granted an honorary Master of Arts in 1788 and an honorary Doctor of Laws in 1819. After presenting his resignation in 1814, Patterson was succeeded as Professor of Mathematics as well as Vice-Provost by his son, Robert M. Patterson.
He resided at nine different locations in Philadelphia, beginning at 148 South Fourth and ending at 285 Chestnut Street. It was said that he only remembered the latter address because the second digit was the cube of the first and the third was the mean of the first two. In 1783, Patterson was elected to the American Philosophical Society, and was an active member for many years. He became the society's secretary in 1784, its vice president in 1799 and its president in 1819, succeeding Benjamin Franklin, David Rittenhouse, Thomas Jefferson and Caspar Wistar in this last position. Patterson was also one of five members of the American Philosophical Society chosen by Jefferson to assist and instruct Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in preparation for their expedition into the Pacific Northwest. Patterson was also a member of the Select Council of Philadelphia and served as its president in 1799. Just before his death, he helped found the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, and served as the first chairman of its board of managers.
Patterson contributed several papers to the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, and was a frequent contributor of problems and solutions to mathematical journals. In 1806, he published a revised edition of James Ferguson's Lectures on Select Subjects in Mechanics; in 1808, a revised edition of John Webster's Elements of Natural Philosophy; and in 1809, a revised edition of Ferguson's Astronomy. In 1808, Patterson wrote a short treatise consisting of six lectures on natural phenomena for the nonscientist entitled Newton's System of Philosophy. His 1818 A Treatise of Practical Arithmetic contained extracts from his mathematical lecture notes at the University, but proved too difficult for beginners to grasp.
Patterson was friends with, and over many years corresponded often with, Thomas Jefferson. In 1805, President Jefferson appointed him to the directorship of the U.S. Mint to replace Elias Boudinot. In 1807, Patterson requested the hiring of Assistant Engraver John Reich and once this was done, immediately had Reich begin engraving new designs for our coinage. He served as Director for almost 20 years and resigned shortly before his death on July 22nd, 1824. When he resigned, he recommended his son-in-law, Dr. Samuel Moore, for the position over maybe the more obvious choice of his own son Robert M. Patterson, who had assisted him for several years. Starting with the elder Patterson, an unbroken succession of Patterson family members held the position of Director of the Mint for over 45 years.
In 1768, determined to try his fortune in America, Patterson embarked for Philadelphia, arriving there almost penniless in October. After spending a week in Philadelphia, Patterson set out on foot for Bucks County in order to seek employment as a schoolmaster. He was immediately hired at a school in Buckingham.
Although Patterson had a natural talent for teaching, he decided to make more use of his mathematical talents, especially his knowledge of determining longitude through the use of lunar observations, and moved back to Philadelphia to teach navigation. One of his first outstanding students was Andrew Ellicott, who later became a well-known surveyor of the original boundaries of the District of Columbia.
Starting in 1771, Patterson's parents, two of his brothers, and two of his sisters, eventually immigrated to America, attracted by Patterson's success and encouraging accounts. In 1772, with his finances vastly improved, Patterson was persuaded by a friend to invest his money in merchandise and to open a country store in New Jersey. However, since he was unsuccessful as a shopkeeper, he was happy to accept a position as Principal of the Wilmington Academy in Delaware in 1774. He did however, meet his future wife while in New Jersey, Amy Hunter Ewing, daughter of Maskell Ewing, Esq., and they were married on May 9th, 1774. He and Amy had eight children together.
At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, his duties as Principal were suspended due to the fact that many of the students at the Wilmington Academy were called home. After removing his family to a small farm near Roadstown, New Jersey, Patterson enlisted as a military instructor in the Delaware militia, then under the command of Colonel John Haslet. He later served under Colonel David Hall, first in the medical corps and then as a brigade major. He remained in the militia until the British army evacuated Philadelphia and New Jersey in 1778, when his brigade was disbanded.
In 1779, after the College and Academy were reorganized into the University, Patterson successfully applied to Dr. Ewing, the Provost, for employment as Professor of Mathematics. He was Professor of Mathematics from 1779 to 1810, Professor of Natural Philosophy and Mathematics from 1810 to 1813 and Vice-Provost from 1810 to 1813. Because he performed his official duties with integrity, industry and ability, also rendering essential services to the University, he was granted an honorary Master of Arts in 1788 and an honorary Doctor of Laws in 1819. After presenting his resignation in 1814, Patterson was succeeded as Professor of Mathematics as well as Vice-Provost by his son, Robert M. Patterson.
He resided at nine different locations in Philadelphia, beginning at 148 South Fourth and ending at 285 Chestnut Street. It was said that he only remembered the latter address because the second digit was the cube of the first and the third was the mean of the first two. In 1783, Patterson was elected to the American Philosophical Society, and was an active member for many years. He became the society's secretary in 1784, its vice president in 1799 and its president in 1819, succeeding Benjamin Franklin, David Rittenhouse, Thomas Jefferson and Caspar Wistar in this last position. Patterson was also one of five members of the American Philosophical Society chosen by Jefferson to assist and instruct Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in preparation for their expedition into the Pacific Northwest. Patterson was also a member of the Select Council of Philadelphia and served as its president in 1799. Just before his death, he helped found the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, and served as the first chairman of its board of managers.
Patterson contributed several papers to the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, and was a frequent contributor of problems and solutions to mathematical journals. In 1806, he published a revised edition of James Ferguson's Lectures on Select Subjects in Mechanics; in 1808, a revised edition of John Webster's Elements of Natural Philosophy; and in 1809, a revised edition of Ferguson's Astronomy. In 1808, Patterson wrote a short treatise consisting of six lectures on natural phenomena for the nonscientist entitled Newton's System of Philosophy. His 1818 A Treatise of Practical Arithmetic contained extracts from his mathematical lecture notes at the University, but proved too difficult for beginners to grasp.
Patterson was friends with, and over many years corresponded often with, Thomas Jefferson. In 1805, President Jefferson appointed him to the directorship of the U.S. Mint to replace Elias Boudinot. In 1807, Patterson requested the hiring of Assistant Engraver John Reich and once this was done, immediately had Reich begin engraving new designs for our coinage. He served as Director for almost 20 years and resigned shortly before his death on July 22nd, 1824. When he resigned, he recommended his son-in-law, Dr. Samuel Moore, for the position over maybe the more obvious choice of his own son Robert M. Patterson, who had assisted him for several years. Starting with the elder Patterson, an unbroken succession of Patterson family members held the position of Director of the Mint for over 45 years.
Dr. Samuel Moore
5th Mint Director
1824 - 1835
Samuel Moore (1774 - 1861), was born in Deerfield, New Jersey (now Deerfield Street) on February 8th, 1774, the son of David and Lydia Moore. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia in 1791, and then worked as a tutor at the university from 1792 to 1794. He studied medicine and was licensed as a physician in 1796. He practiced in Dublin, Pennsylvania, and later in Greenwich, New Jersey. Moore was married to Mary Patterson, daughter of Robert Patterson, on March 14th, 1798. Together they had six children. Moore spent several years in trading to the East Indies. He returned to Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and in 1808 purchased and operated grist and oil mills at Bridge Point, Pennsylvania, (now Edison) near Doylestown. He later erected and operated a sawmill and woolen factory.
Moore was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania and in 1818 was elected as a Republican to the Fifteenth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Samuel D. Ingham. He was re-elected to the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Congresses, serving until his resignation on May 20th, 1822. He also served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Indian Affairs during the Seventeenth Congress.
He was appointed by President James Monroe as Director of the United States Mint on July 15th, 1824, holding this office until July, 1835. Moore replaced his Father-in-law Robert L. Patterson as Mint Director, much to the consternation of his Brother-in-law Robert M. Patterson, who would eventually succeed him in 1835. During his tenure as Director, a new Mint building was built, starting in 1829 and was completed and moved into in early 1833. Moore also sent Franklin Peale to Europe for two years to observe other Mint facilities and gather information for technological coining improvements for the U.S. Mint. Once Peale returned from Europe, many new pieces of equipment were installed, culminating in the introduction of steam presses in late 1835 and early 1836.
Authorization of Branch Mints in Georgia, North Carolina and Louisiana became a reality in 1835, although coins would not be struck at these mints until 1838. Due to the additional die work needed for these mints, Moore wholeheartedly recommended the hiring of another engraver in the person of Christian Gobrecht. However, Gobrecht’s hiring would only occur after Moore had turned over the reins to his Brother-in-law, later in 1835.
Moore settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he became interested in the mining and marketing of coal, serving as president of the Hazleton Coal Company until his death in Philadelphia in 1861. Moore is interred in Woodland Cemetery.
Moore was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania and in 1818 was elected as a Republican to the Fifteenth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Samuel D. Ingham. He was re-elected to the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Congresses, serving until his resignation on May 20th, 1822. He also served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Indian Affairs during the Seventeenth Congress.
He was appointed by President James Monroe as Director of the United States Mint on July 15th, 1824, holding this office until July, 1835. Moore replaced his Father-in-law Robert L. Patterson as Mint Director, much to the consternation of his Brother-in-law Robert M. Patterson, who would eventually succeed him in 1835. During his tenure as Director, a new Mint building was built, starting in 1829 and was completed and moved into in early 1833. Moore also sent Franklin Peale to Europe for two years to observe other Mint facilities and gather information for technological coining improvements for the U.S. Mint. Once Peale returned from Europe, many new pieces of equipment were installed, culminating in the introduction of steam presses in late 1835 and early 1836.
Authorization of Branch Mints in Georgia, North Carolina and Louisiana became a reality in 1835, although coins would not be struck at these mints until 1838. Due to the additional die work needed for these mints, Moore wholeheartedly recommended the hiring of another engraver in the person of Christian Gobrecht. However, Gobrecht’s hiring would only occur after Moore had turned over the reins to his Brother-in-law, later in 1835.
Moore settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he became interested in the mining and marketing of coal, serving as president of the Hazleton Coal Company until his death in Philadelphia in 1861. Moore is interred in Woodland Cemetery.
Robert M. Patterson
6th Mint Director
1835 – 1851
Robert Maskell Patterson (1787 - 1854), was born in Philadelphia on March 23rd, 1787. He chose medicine as a profession and studied under Dr. Benjamin S. Barton and became an M.D. in 1808. Starting in 1809, he spent two years of study in Europe, then a year in London, and returned to America in early 1812. In 1813 he was appointed professor of mathematics, chemistry and natural philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania (1812-1828) and then professor of natural philosophy at the University of Virginia (1828-1835) before serving as director of the U.S. Mint from 1835-1851. In his academic and professional life, he followed in the footsteps of his father, Robert Patterson, who was also a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and who served as director of the U.S. Mint from 1805-1824.
The younger Patterson was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society (APS) in 1809 (his father was elected in 1783) and (again, like his father) was interested mainly in astronomy and geophysics. During the War of 1812, he was married to Helen Hamilton Leiper on April 20th, 1814. He was asked by a committee of the APS in 1836 to write a brief report on recommendations for astronomical and physics observations to be carried out by the United States Exploring Expedition, which sailed in 1838.
Patterson was appointed Mint Director on May 26th, 1835. While in the position for less than 3 months, he hired Christian Gobrecht as a Second Engraver, after Chief Engraver William Kneass had a stroke in August of 1835. Patterson had firm ideas of how our coinage should look and hired artists Thomas Sully and Titan Peale to draw sketches based on his ideas. He instructed Gobrecht to engrave new dies incorporating these sketches and ideas and with this effort, the Capped Bust Type ended and the Liberty Seated Type was born.
The younger Patterson was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society (APS) in 1809 (his father was elected in 1783) and (again, like his father) was interested mainly in astronomy and geophysics. During the War of 1812, he was married to Helen Hamilton Leiper on April 20th, 1814. He was asked by a committee of the APS in 1836 to write a brief report on recommendations for astronomical and physics observations to be carried out by the United States Exploring Expedition, which sailed in 1838.
Patterson was appointed Mint Director on May 26th, 1835. While in the position for less than 3 months, he hired Christian Gobrecht as a Second Engraver, after Chief Engraver William Kneass had a stroke in August of 1835. Patterson had firm ideas of how our coinage should look and hired artists Thomas Sully and Titan Peale to draw sketches based on his ideas. He instructed Gobrecht to engrave new dies incorporating these sketches and ideas and with this effort, the Capped Bust Type ended and the Liberty Seated Type was born.