Background

Christopher Colles was born in 1738 in Ireland.

Education

Colles attended the Quaker school at Ballitore, Co. Kildare, Ireland. His education was directed by Richard Pococke, Anglican bishop and distinguished oriental traveler. After the bishop’s death in 1765 Colles, who early manifested an interest in science, came to America.

Career

In 1772 Colles lectured in Philadelphia on pneumatics and the following year in New York on inland navigation. Always planning new devices and new ways of doing things, he suggested in 1774 that New York City replace its wells and springs with a water system. To this end he proposed the erection of reservoirs and the piping of the city’s streets. All his proposals in this connection were seriously considered but the state of the city’s finances and the disturbances occasioned by the Revolution resulted in their indefinite postponement.

From 1775 to 1777, when Baron von Steuben arrived, Colles was an instructor in the artillery department of the Continental Army and taught the principles of projectiles. From early manhood Colles was deeply interested in internal improvements, particularly canals. He seems to have been the first to propose linking the Great Lakes with the Fludson River by means of natural and artificial waterways and to point out the great social, economic, and political advantages that would accrue from such an improvement. The scheme received wide publicity. In 1785 its author memorialized the legislature in its behalf, and shortly afterward the project was enthusiastically indorsed by the New York Chamber of Commerce. This indorsement, together with the support which the proposal received in other quarters, resulted in the introduction in both Houses of the state legislature of a bill “for improving the navigation of the Mohawk River, Wood Creek and Onondaga River, with a view to opening an inland navigation to Oswego and for extending the same if practicable to Lake Erie. ” Many were in favor of passing the bill and putting Colles in charge of the work. Incidentally, he had already traversed much of the territory through which the proposed waterways would extend and had surveyed a portion of the Mohawk River.

Many years later (1808) he proposed construction of a canal between New York and Philadelphia which would be built entirely of timber and would be above ground. He was also deeply interested in roads and road-building and during the late eighties made an extensive personal survey of the roads of New York and Pennsylvania. In 1796 he went into business in New York City where he manufactured such articles as rat and mouse-traps, paper hangings, fireworks, bandboxes, and colors. He also dealt in furs and Indian goods. But he was too much interested in invention and science to make a success of either merchandising or manufacturing. During these years he supplied Blanchard & Brown, publishers of the Mathematical Correspondent, with astronomical calculations, made proof glasses, and invented a number of useful devices.

During the War of 1812 he constructed and operated a semaphoric telegraph on Castle Clinton. A man of lovable character, pleasing personality, and absolute honesty, Colles stood in high esteem. Unfortunately, he was usually in pecuniary difficulties, and was, therefore, compelled to rely on the assistance of friends. An appointment in the customs service, where he was assigned the duty of testing the specific gravity of imported liquors, helped to relieve the financial strain; and eventually, through John Pintard, one of his closest and most influential friends, he was made superintendent of the American Academy of Fine Arts.

As a publisher of scientific and semi-scientific essays and pamphlets Colies was fairly prolific. His chief works were: Syllabus of Lectures on Natural Philosophy (1773); Proposals for the Settlement of Western New York and for the Improvement of Inland Navigation between Albany and Oswego (1785) and others.

Achievements

• Christopher Colles was one of the first persons in America to design a steam engine and was also one of the first to attempt to build one; although the undertaking failed for want of adequate funds, the design was heartily approved by David Rittenhouse and the American Philosophical Society. He also made great contributions to the development of infrastructure of early New York and canals improvement projects, among them a water distribution system in New York City, canals between New York and Philadelphia, and a road atlas of the northeastern United States. He also proposed an early telegraph system.

Works

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  • Proposals for the speedy settlement of the waste and unappropriated lands on the western frontiers of the state of New-York, and for the improvement of the inland navigation between Albany and Oswego.

    (The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration a...)

  • A survey of the roads of the United States of America.

    ( Title: A survey of the roads of the United States of Am...)

  • Proposals for the speedy settlement of the waste and unappropriated lands of the western frontiers of the state of New-York, and for the improvement of the inland navigation between Albany and Oswego

Connections

In 1764 Colles married Anne Keough of Dublin.

Spouse:

Anne Keough

References

• Water for Gotham: A History by Gerard T. Koeppel (2001-08-26)
• Memoir of De Witt Clinton: With an Appendix, Containing Numerous Documents, Illustrative of the Principal Events of His Life