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Clark (ALVAN an American)

ALVAN, an American astronomical-instrument maker; born in Ashfield, Mass., March 3, 1804. He was at one time a portrait painter in Boston; but in 1844 his attention was turned to telescope making. Two years later he definitely adopted the business of astronomical-instrument making, and in time achieved a world-wide reputation. His famous telescopes include the Chicago 182-inch, the Washington 26-inch, the Russian 30-inch, and the California 36inch. He died in Cambridge, Mass, Aug. 9, 1887. His son, ALVAN GRAHAM CLARK, born in Fall River, Mass., July 10, 10, 1832, 1832, received a grammar school education; and was associated with his father, and his brother, George, in the manufacture of telescopes. He supervised the construction of various famous lenses and made discoveries of stars with instruments of his own manufacture. He died in 1897.