Louis Beaufort Stewart
Encyclopedia
Louis Beaufort Stewart was a Canadian
astronomer
, civil engineer
and academic. He served as the president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
from 1912 to 1913, and played a key role in preserving the Toronto Magnetic and Meteorological Observatory
building at the University of Toronto
.
Born in Port Hope, Ontario
in 1861, Stewart served in the 92nd Regiment during the North-West Rebellion
of 1885. The following year, he began conducting topographical surveys near Sulphur Mountain in Alberta
for his father, who had been appointed by the Canadian government as superintendent of Rocky Mountains Park (now Banff National Park
). In 1887, Stewart headed to Ottawa
and passed the examination to become a Dominion Topographical Surveyor.
At the suggestion of Professor John Galbraith, Stewart applied for a lecturer position in the department of land surveying at the University of Toronto
. He began lecturing in 1888 and was promoted to full professorship by 1901. As a professor, Stewart continued his surveying research, among them were the Klondike
region of Yukon
in 1899, Lake Timagami in 1904, the Labrador
Eclipse Expedition of 1905, and the mouth of the Nelson River
at Hudson Bay
in 1912. During summers between 1918 to 1921, he surveyed parts of Eastern Canada between Truro
and Halifax
in Nova Scotia
and in the lower St. Lawrence River. Through his investigations into geodesy
, Stewart also became interested in astronomy
. He joined the Royal Astronomical Society in 1905 and became the society's president in 1912. In 1908, Stewart successfully lobbied the university to preserve and upgrade the aging Toronto Magnetic and Meteorological Observatory
for his department's use.
Stewart stepped down from his academic post after reaching the mandatory retirement age in 1932. He remained active in scientific research until his death in 1937.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
, civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
and academic. He served as the president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada is a national, non-profit, charitable organization devoted to the advancement of astronomy and related sciences. At present, there are 29 local branches of the Society, called centres, located in towns and cities across the country from St. John's,...
from 1912 to 1913, and played a key role in preserving the Toronto Magnetic and Meteorological Observatory
Toronto Magnetic and Meteorological Observatory
The Toronto Magnetic and Meteorological Observatory is a historical observatory located on the grounds of the University of Toronto, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The original building was constructed in 1840 as part of a worldwide research project run by Edward Sabine to determine the cause of...
building at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
.
Born in Port Hope, Ontario
Port Hope, Ontario
Port Hope is a municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, about east of Toronto and about west of Kingston. It is located at the mouth of the Ganaraska River on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in the west end of Northumberland County...
in 1861, Stewart served in the 92nd Regiment during the North-West Rebellion
North-West Rebellion
The North-West Rebellion of 1885 was a brief and unsuccessful uprising by the Métis people of the District of Saskatchewan under Louis Riel against the Dominion of Canada...
of 1885. The following year, he began conducting topographical surveys near Sulphur Mountain in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
for his father, who had been appointed by the Canadian government as superintendent of Rocky Mountains Park (now Banff National Park
Banff National Park
Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains. The park, located 110–180 kilometres west of Calgary in the province of Alberta, encompasses of mountainous terrain, with numerous glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine...
). In 1887, Stewart headed to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and passed the examination to become a Dominion Topographical Surveyor.
At the suggestion of Professor John Galbraith, Stewart applied for a lecturer position in the department of land surveying at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. He began lecturing in 1888 and was promoted to full professorship by 1901. As a professor, Stewart continued his surveying research, among them were the Klondike
Klondike, Yukon
The Klondike is a region of the Yukon in northwest Canada, east of the Alaska border. It lies around the Klondike River, a small river that enters the Yukon from the east at Dawson....
region of Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
in 1899, Lake Timagami in 1904, the Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
Eclipse Expedition of 1905, and the mouth of the Nelson River
Nelson River
The Nelson River is a river of north-central North America, in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Its full length is , it has mean discharge of , and has a drainage basin of , of which is in the United States...
at Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
in 1912. During summers between 1918 to 1921, he surveyed parts of Eastern Canada between Truro
Truro, Nova Scotia
-Education:Truro has one high school, Cobequid Educational Centre. Post-secondary options include a campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, as well as the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in the neighboring town of Bible Hill.- Sports :...
and Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
and in the lower St. Lawrence River. Through his investigations into geodesy
Geodesy
Geodesy , also named geodetics, a branch of earth sciences, is the scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a three-dimensional time-varying space. Geodesists also study geodynamical phenomena such as crustal...
, Stewart also became interested in astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
. He joined the Royal Astronomical Society in 1905 and became the society's president in 1912. In 1908, Stewart successfully lobbied the university to preserve and upgrade the aging Toronto Magnetic and Meteorological Observatory
Toronto Magnetic and Meteorological Observatory
The Toronto Magnetic and Meteorological Observatory is a historical observatory located on the grounds of the University of Toronto, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The original building was constructed in 1840 as part of a worldwide research project run by Edward Sabine to determine the cause of...
for his department's use.
Stewart stepped down from his academic post after reaching the mandatory retirement age in 1932. He remained active in scientific research until his death in 1937.