Samuel L Boothroyd

Obituary for Samuel L. Boothroyd, in The Ithaca Journal, Apr 05 1965

"Samuel L. Boothroyd of 311 Roat St., professor emeritus of astronomy at Cornell University, died at his home Sunday morning, April 4, 1965. He was 90 years old. He had been in good health all his life, and attended a meeting of Senior Citizens Saturday afternoon.

A member of the Cornell faculty since 1921, he retired and received the emeritus title in 1942. In his long and varied career, he had taught mathematics, civil engineering, astronomy and navigation, and he led several scientific expeditions.

Professor Boothroyd was active in many community groups and was a leader in the early years of the Cooperative Consumers Society which operates the Co-op Food Store. He also was active in Senior Citizens, First Congregational Church and the Reconstruction Home.

He was born in Larimer County, Colo., the son of the late Edith and Philip H. Boothroyd. He was graduated from Colorado Agricultural College in 1893, with a degree in irrigation engineering.

He met Alice Bell, formerly of Dover, N.H., while she was a schoolteacher in Loveland, Colo., and they were married on Jan. 12, 1898. They celebrated their 65th anniversary in 1963.

For short periods Professor Boothroyd was a professor of mathematics, assistant at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz., and worked on his father's ranch. After graduate work at the University of Colorado and Chicago and at Colorado Agricultural, he received a master's degree from the latter institution in 1904. He then became a professor of physics at Colorado A&M College, Fort Collins.

He came to Cornell in 1904 as an instructor in civil engineering and later was named assistant professor.

The Boothroyds left Ithaca for Seattle in 1912, when he was named professor of mathematics and astronomy at the University of Washington. He became head of the Astronomy Department in 1912. They returned to Ithaca when Cornell named him professor of astronomy in 1921.

During summers and sabbatic leaves, Professor Boothroyd surveyed and mapped a portion of Southeast Alaska, directed field work for the Harvard-Cornell Meteor Expedition to Flagstaff in 1931-32, directed the 1933 Cornell expedition to secure ultraviolet spectra of typical stars, and made early observations on the velocities of telescopic meteors.

He also has worked on aurora research with Carl W. Gartlein of the Cornell physics faculty, and taught navigation in naval training schools at Washington and Cornell during World Wars I and II.
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He is survived by his wife, Alice B. Boothroyd; a brother, Arnold Boothroyd of Loveland, Col.; two sons, Robert S. Boothroyd of Ithaca and Philip D. Boothroyd of Sparta, N.J.; two daughters, Mrs. Lucy B. Abbe of St. Paul, Minn., and Mrs. Mary Alice Hemstreet of Baton Rouge, La.; 12 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Forest Home Chapel at a date to be announced later."

Memorial to Samuel L. Boothroyd (died Apr 4 1965) in The Ithaca Journal, Apr 7 1965

"The tall, spare figure of Samuel L. Boothroyd will be seen no more on campus paths or Ithaca streets—-and the community will be the loser for it.

Prof. Boothroyd, 90 years old, was busy to the end. He attended a Senior Citizens meeting Saturday, the day before he died.

He retired from Cornell University in 1942 as professor emeritus of astronomy after 21 years in that chair. Even before his retirement he was active downtown -- the Reconstruction Home, which he served with distinction for many years; the Cooperative Consumers Society, in which he did pioneering work; his church, the First Congregational, and, in later years, the Senior Citizens.

Mrs. Boothroyd was equally active in the Senior Citizens. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in 1963.

His scientific studies and achievements won wide recognition. He had other interests and hobbies, but his work as a volunteer in community activities will long be remembered. Ithaca has lost a good citizen."

Cornell Memorial Statement for Samuel Latimer Boothroyd -- August 10, 1874 — April 4, 1965

"Samuel Latimer Boothroyd, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy, died suddenly at the age of ninety on April 4, 1965, at his home in Cayuga Heights Manor. Active throughout his long life and rarely acknowledging infirmity, he had attended a meeting of the Senior Citizens group the day before his passing.

Professor Boothroyd was born on a ranch near Loveland, Colorado, on August 10, 1874, the son of Philip H. and Edith M. Boothroyd, immigrants from England. 
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In this same year [1904] he began his association with Cornell as an Instructor in Civil Engineering. From 1908 to 1912 he was Assistant Professor of Geodesy and Topographical Engineering. It was during this period that he was the official surveyor for the University. Among his numerous activities in this capacity were the surveying of the Alumni Field and of an area on Fall Creek above Varna where it was proposed to build a reservoir.
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In 1912 he became Associate Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy at the University of Washington, Seattle, remaining there until 1921 when he was recalled to Cornell as Professor of Astronomy and Geodesy in the School of Civil Engineering. In 1932 astronomy was established as a department in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Boothroyd became Professor of Astronomy, a title he held until retirement as an Emeritus Professor in 1942 at the age of sixty-eight.
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He was survived by his wife, Alice Bell, whom he married January 12, 1892, while she was a school teacher at Loveland, Colorado. (Mrs. Boothroyd died June 9, 1965, at the age of 91). He was also survived by two sons, Philip D. and Robert S., and by two alumnae daughters, Lucy (Mrs. Evert C. Abbe) ‘28 and Mary Alice (Mrs. Raymond V. Hemstreet) ‘35."