Eben Norton Horsford

Eben Norton Horsford (27 July 1818 – 1 January 1893) was an American scientist who is best known for his invention of baking powder and his interest in the settlement of the Vikings in America.

Life and work

Eben Horsford was born in Livingston County, New York in 1818. [Both Stock and Van Klooster say that Horsford was born in Moscow (now called Leicester), New York, but the American Chemical Society web sites noted on this page say that the town was Livonia.] He studied at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and later in Germany with Justus von Liebig. On returning to the United States, Horsford was appointed the Rumford Professor and Lecturer on the Application of Science to the Useful Arts at Harvard in 1847. He taught chemistry and conducted research at the Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard for 16 years, and published articles in major scientific publications on such topics as phosphates, condensed milk, fermentation, and emergency rations.

Eben Horsford probably is best remembered today for his invention of baking powder (a little earlier than August Oetker). In 1854, Horsford formed the Rumford Chemical Works with partner George Wilson. It was in that enterprise that Horsford created his commercially successful baking powder. Horsford can be consider the father of American food technology due to his pioneering work.

A generous supporter of higher education for women, Horsford became president of the board of visitors of Wellesley College, and donated money for books, scientific apparatus, and a pension fund to the college. He enjoyed remarkable success through his development of processes for manufacturing baking powder and condensed milk.

Horsford also was quite interested in visits to North America by Vikings, such as Leif Ericson. [cite web | title = Did Leif Erikson once live in Cambridge, Massachusetts? | work = The Straight Dope | url = http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mleifinma.html | accessdate = 2008-08-09 ] [cite book | last = Horsford | first = Eben Norton | title = The Landfall of Leif Erikson, A.D. 1000: And the Site of His Houses in Vineland | year = 1892 |publisher = Damrell and Upham | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=5wNCAAAACAAJ&dq=The+Landfall+of+Leif+Erikson:+A.D.+1000 ] [cite book | last = Horsford | first = Eben Norton | title = The Discovery of the Ancient City of Norumbega | year = 1890 |publisher = Houghton, Mifflin | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=c2ETAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Discovery+of+the+Ancient+City+of+Norumbega ] A plaque resulting from Horsford's historical work still exists on Memorial Drive near Mount Auburn Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Selected works

* [http://books.google.com/books?id=1tEOAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=eben+horsford&as_brr=1 A Discussion of the Explosion of Burning Fluid which Took Place at Salem] (1852)

* [http://books.google.com/books?id=il1RBHv577YC&printsec=frontcover&dq=eben+horsford&as_brr=1#PPA1,M1 The Army Ration] (1864)

* [http://books.google.com/books?id=FbhPHAAACAAJ&dq=The+Theory+and+Art+of+Bread-Making The Theory and Art of Bread-making: A New Process Without the Use of Ferment] (1869)

* [http://books.google.com/books?id=6jRDAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=eben+horsford&as_brr=1#PPR1,M1 Report on Vienna Bread] (1875)

* [http://books.google.com/books?id=19E7AAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=eben+horsford&as_brr=1#PPA1,M1 The Problem of the Northmen] (1889)

References and notes

Further reading

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External links

* [http://books.google.com/books?id=Vc8AAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA139&dq=eben+horsford+obituary&as_brr=1#PRA1-PA139,M1 Obituary] - American Druggist, 1892, volume 22, no. 6, December issue, page 139

* [http://portal.acs.org/portal/acs/corg/content?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=PP_ARTICLEMAIN&node_id=929&content_id=CTP_004462&use_sec=true&sec_url_var=region1 Rumford Baking Powder] - from the American Chemical Society

* [http://acswebcontent.acs.org/landmarks/bakingpowder/horsford.html Eben Horsford] - from the American Chemical Society

* [http://www.rumfordworld.com/htdocs/rumford.htm Rumford Baking Powder history]

* [http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections/hst/scientific-identity/fullsize/SIL14-H005-11a.jpgHorsford's picture at the Dibner Library]

* [http://www.lib.rpi.edu/Archives/access/inventories/manuscripts/MC05_Horsford/MC05_index.html Papers of the Horsford Family] - at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

* [http://www.picturehistory.com/product/id/4537# Picture of Horsford]