Isaac Weld

Isaac Weld (1774 - 1856) (J.P., F.G.S.D., M.R.I.A) was a topographical writer, explorer, and artist.

He was born on March 15, 1774 on Fleet Street, Dublin and died in Ravenswell, Bray on August 4, 1856.He was educated at Whyte's school, Grafton Street, and in Norwich, Norfolk. He married Alexandra Hope in Edinburgh in 1802. He had no children. His half-brother was Charles Richard Weld [http://www.airmynyorks.co.uk/ebsy.htm] , traveller and author of "A Vacation Tour in the United States and Canada" (London, 1855) which was dedicated to his brother, Isaac. His father, also Isaac, was a personal friend of Charles James Fox. The name Isaac stems from his great grandfather's close friendship with Sir Isaac Newton. His brother-in-law was George Ensor. He spent some time in Rome where he befriended Antonio Canova.

Travels in America and Canada

In 1795 he sailed to Philadelphia from Dublin and spent two years traveling in America and Canada. He visited Monticello and Mount Vernon and met George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. He journeyed to America and Canada partly as an adventure and partly as research into suitable countries for the Irish to emigrate to - "..any part of those territories might be looked forward to as an eligible and agreeable place of abode". He travelled on horseback, by coach and by canoe in Canada with local Indian guides. He returned in 1797 "..without entertaining the slightest wish to revisit it." He found the Americans to be obsessed with material things and preferred Canada. His published Travels (1799) quickly went into three editions and was translated into French, German, and Dutch.

Quotes from Travels Through the States of North America...

He wrote on slavery "“..there will be and end to slavery in the United States… [as] negroes will not remain deaf to the inviting call of liberty forever.”" and Americans in general "civility cannot be purchased from them on any terms; they seem to think that it is incompatible with freedom...". On Washington DC he wrote "If the affairs of the United States go on as rapidly as they have done, it will become the grand emporium of the West, and rival in magnitude and splendour the cities of the whole world."

Ireland

He visited Killarney, navigated the lakes in a boat he made from compressed brown paper, and published "Scenery of Killarney" (1807), illustrated with his own drawings. He is also well known for his drawings of American life and, in particular, the Niagara Falls.

In May 1815 he sailed from Dún Laoghaire to London in the 14-horsepower steamboat Thomas, the first such vessel to make the passage. He compiled the "Statistical Survey of the County of Roscommon (1838)" for the Royal Dublin Society, of which he was Honourary Secretary and Vice President. He died at his home, Ravenswell, near Bray, County Wicklow, 4 August 1856

The Welds of New England

Isaac Weld is part of the the Weld family of New England. His ancestor, Thomas Weld, was a Puritan minister from Suffolk, England who was one of three brothers who emigrated to Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1632.

Isaac Weld's great, great grandfather Thomas Weld helped to publish the Bay Psalm Book, the first book published in America. Eventually he returned to England and Gateshead. Isaac's great grandfather (Nathaniel), was graduated at Harvard College. He left Massachusetts for Kinsale and then Blarney Castle, County Cork, Ireland (1655) to be a Puritan Chaplain with Oliver Cromwell. He later moved to Dublin.

The family that stayed in America grew in wealth and influence and includes such notables as Governor of Massachusetts William Weld, Isabel Weld Perkins, and Theodore Dwight Weld.

Books written and published

* "Weld's Travels"
* "Travels Through the States of North America and the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada During the Years 1795, 1796 and 1797"
* "Statistical Survey of the County of Roscommon', drawn up under the direction of the Dublin Society"
* "Scenery of Killarney" 1807
* "Ravenswell Bray Co. Dublin, The Seat of Isaac Weld Esq. Sketches by Isaac Weld A.D. 1817"

References

* Oxford Biography Index entry - Weld, Isaac (1774–1856), topographical writer

* Memoir of the late Isaac Weld, J.P., M.R.I.A: One of the vice-presidents of the Royal Dublin Society

External links

* [http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=4243 Biography at the "Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online"]

* [http://clarke.cmich.edu/detroit/weld1796.htm Clarke Historical Library]
* [http://www.library.yale.edu/beinecke/customs1.htm Yale University]
* [http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101028984 Oxford Biography Index Number 101028984]
* [http://www.davidrumsey.com/amica/amico1072547-8252.html The Amica Library]
* [http://www.brown.edu/Facilities/University_Library/exhibits/ames/early.html Brown University]
* [http://www.anesi.com/weld.htm Anesi]
* [http://english.cla.umn.edu/travelconf/abstracts/Birkwood.html University of Ontario]
* [http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=wxUIAAAAQAAJ&dq=%22isaac+weld%22&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=uOzpv14mVD&sig=WKpdDrZPdz0wL0NXN_734lCtXsM Google Travels through the states of North America, and the provinces of Upper and ...]
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=SMU8jh4Tj5AC&pg=PA25&lpg=PA25&dq=%22isaac+weld%22&source=web&ots=tu7QA3DX2z&sig=YLTZLpZlu-B4bz15EI3Z2frEiZg#PPA25,M1 Google Statistical Survey of the County of Roscommon]
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=8bT6Tq8qj1oC&pg=PA160&lpg=PA160&dq=harvard+%22isaac+weld%22&source=web&ots=XNOm6ovS99&sig=HeUZNdyt-Iyn_xb1q94UG0dM4VE#PPA160,M1 Google Books]
* [http://www.bibliovault.org/BV.book.epl?BookId=8548 Visitors to Monticello Bibliovault]