THOMAS JEFFERSON JACKSON SEE
SEE, THOMAS JEFFERSON JACKSON, astronomer, in charge of the twenty-six-inch equatorial telescope at United States naval observatory, Washington, District of Columbia, and of United States observatory, Mare Island, California, and professor of mathematics in the United States naval academy, Annapolis, Maryland, was born on a large farm near Montgomery City, Missouri, February 19, 1866. His father, Noah See, was a politician, strong in the Democratic faith, a successful civil engineer, county surveyor, and by his strict attention to business, just dealing and active interest in public affairs, he became a man of note in his community. His mother, Mary Anne (Sailor) See, daughter of James and Sabina (Cobb) Sailor, was a woman of strong intellectual and religious nature and was a powerful factor in shaping the life of her son. His grandfather, Michael See, married Katherine Baker. His great grandfather, Michael See, was a soldier in the American Revolution; and his great uncle, Adam See, was a state senator of Virginia during the war of 1812. The Sees settled in New York about 1730, coming from the Rheinish Palatinate, Germany; and others of the family migrated to Virginia.
Thomas J. J. See was a robust youth, devoted to books, numbers, trees, stars and all objects of nature. He was brought up in the country on a farm until eighteen years old and became inured to all sorts of farm work. His interest in intellectual things was so eager that he made rapid progress in learning despite a limited attendance at a country school. He read Humboldt's "Cosmos" when eighteen years old, and this fixed his purpose to become an astronomer. He practically prepared himself for college and was graduated at the Missouri State university, A.B., L.B., Sc.B., 1889; A.M., L.M., M.Sc, 1892. At the University of Berlin he studied three years, and he was a volunteer observer at the Royal observatory, receiving from Berlin the degrees of A.M. and Ph.D. in 1892. He aided in the organization of the Yerkes observatory, 1893-96, and was docent at the University of Chicago, 1893; assistant instructor, 1893-95;
