Dr. Alexander Catlin Twining, scientist, inventor, educator, civil engineer and astronomer, whose life, covering eighty-three years, was devoted to those interests which in large measure have been uplifting forces in the world's work, was born in New Haven, July 5, 1801, and was descended from one of the distinguished and prominent New England families whose ancestral history can be traced back to the days of William the Conqueror. The founder of the family in New England was William Twining, who came to America before 1641 and settled on Cape Cod in the Plymouth colony of Massachusetts, where the name is well known and honored. ...
... Alexander Catlin Twining attended the Hopkins grammar school of New Haven, after which he entered Yale and was graduated as a member of the class of 1820, at which time he received his Master's degree. Among his classmates were President Woolsey and Rev. Leonard Bacon, D. D. He then entered Andover Theological Seminary to prepare for the ministry, but after a period abandoned this object and became a tutor at Yale, where he served from 1823 until 1825, and during that time gave some attention to the study of mathematics and natural sciences. He afterward went to West Point, New York, where he pursued a private course in civil engineering, adopting the profession and following it for a number of years. He surveyed the site of what is now the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad between New York and New Haven, and although the company did not adopt his survey at the time, thinking the route too costly, and took up another which enabled them to build the line for a less figure, it is understood that the route that was surveyed by Professor Twining has of late years been adopted by the railroad company and is now used. He followed his profession in New Haven until 1839, when he accepted the professorship of mathematics, civil engineering and astronomy in Middlebury College at Middlebury, Vermont, occupying that chair for a period of ten years. Returning to New Haven, he continued to follow his profession of civil engineering and was engaged in connection with the construction of several railways and canals for a number of years. He was a man of the strictest honesty, however, and had the greatest contempt for fraud and deception, and when work was demanded of him that did not mean the full measure of his high standard and ability, rather than do inferior work in that connection, he would no longer accept a position of that character and abandoned his profession. He gave the remainder of his days to the pursuits of scientific research, for which he was well qualified. He was thoroughly learned in the higher mathematics and astronomy and was the author of numerous monographs and abstruse problems, such as the doctrine of parallels and the origin of meteors. He is said to be the first to establish the cosmical theory of the latter. He gave much of his time and attention to the study of the heavenly bodies and found great pleasure and interest in this work. He was also an inventor of note and among his inventions was a machine for the manufacture of artificial ice in commercial quantities, in which connection he erected his first plant at Cleveland, Ohio. This proved a success and he received patents for his invention from England as well as from the United States, but for the want of large capital and the oncoming of the Civil war, which largely paralyzed trade, especially in connection with initial ventures, he did not find it possible to put his ice manufacturing plant in operation and later his patents were infringed upon. During one of the later years of his life he delivered lectures in the Yale Law School.
Dr. Twining was married at West Point, New York, March 2, 1829, to Harriet Amelia Kinsley, who was born at West Point, a daughter of Zebina and Anne (Duncan) Kinsley. Mrs. Twining, who was a lady of broad Christian charity, a devoted wife and mother and a sincere member of Center church, passed away in New Haven in 1871 and was laid to rest in Grove Street cemetery. The children of this marriage were seven in number. ...
... The death of Professor Alexander Catlin Twining occurred in New Haven, November 22, 1884, and he was laid to rest in Grove Street cemetery. He was long a devoted member of Center church, in which he served as deacon for many years. He lived a true Christian life, was a devoted Bible student and was most convincing in his arguments on religion. He was also opposed to slavery and was one of the signers of the petition concerning slavery sent from Connecticut to President Buchanan. He was active in the organizing and financing of the band of colonists who went from New Haven to Kansas to oppose slavery in the '50s. He took up all those vital public questions with the same thoroughness that marked his research work along scientific lines. Middlebury College of Vermont conferred upon him the degree of Master of Arts in 1839 and Yale conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Laws in 1865. His breadth of mind found an even balance in his broad humanitarian spirit and he ranked with nature's noblemen. At his passing the New York Independent commented upon his life in the following beautiful tribute:
:"The death of Professor A. C. Twining ends a long life of varied and brilliant achievements and which was even richer and more brilliant in richness and fruitfulness of Christian character. Professor Twining is known among astronomers as the author of the 'Cosmic Theory of Meteors.' As a civil engineer he was engaged as chief or controlling engineer of every line running out of New Haven and on the Northeast roads, through Vermont, on the Lake Shore, the Cleveland, Columbus, Pittsburgh, and various roads of Chicago, including the Rock Island and Old Milwaukee Line. As an inventor he pioneered to a successful result the industrial manufacture of artificial ice. For nine years he served as professor of mathematics and astronomy in Middlebury College, and while then residing in Vermont was active in the temperance reform, into which he entered with much energy as chairman of the state temperance committee. In political matters he took a deep interest as one of the promoters of the original movement which issued in the foundation of the republican party. He was one of the projectors of the famous 'Conn' letter to President Buchanan. He was deeply interested in constitutional questions and reached the highest point in his lectures on the constitution of the United States in Yale Law School. In the discussion of questions of theology and philosophy he showed vigor and subtle ingenuity. To his friends he was always at home and upon them the beauty of his face and head, the winning courtesy of his manner and the simplicity of his Christian character made a lasting impression, while few that ever met him even casually failed to notice that to him it was given to invite and receive the spiritual confidence of others and to give them solid and permanent assistance."
