William Maclure

William Maclure believed that knowledge should belong to everyone, not just the wealthy. He spent his life studying the earth and paying for schools, books, and scientific collections that ordinary people could use. In New Harmony, his work outlasted Robert Owen's community by many years.

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From Merchant to Scientist

Maclure was born in Ayr, Scotland, in 1763. As a young man, he joined a London trading company that did business with the United States. He first visited America in 1782. He became very wealthy and retired from business in his thirties. He then made the United States his home and turned his attention to science and education.

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Mapping a Nation

Over many years of travel, Maclure crossed nearly every state east of the Mississippi River. He studied the rocks and land formations along the way. In 1809 he published the first geological map of the United States. He released an expanded version, Observations on the Geology of the United States, in 1817. That same year, he was elected president of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. He held the position until his death. In 1817–18 he also led a collecting trip to Florida with the young naturalist Thomas Say.

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A New Way to Teach

On his travels in Europe, Maclure learned about Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, a Swiss educator. Pestalozzi believed that children learn best by observing and handling real objects. Maclure became one of the method's strongest supporters. In 1806 he brought the teacher Joseph Neef to America. Later he helped Marie Duclos Fretageot open a school in Philadelphia. In the early 1820s, he bought land in Spain to start an agricultural school for working people, but the plan failed when Spain's government changed.

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The Boatload of Knowledge

In 1825 Maclure became Robert Owen's partner in New Harmony. He agreed to take charge of the town's schools. He also recruited scientists and teachers to join him. In the winter of 1825–26, many of them traveled down the Ohio River on the keelboat Philanthropist, later known as the "Boatload of Knowledge." Maclure also sent his library and his large collection of rocks and minerals to New Harmony.

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Conflict with Owen

Maclure and Owen soon disagreed. Owen wanted schools that would shape children into loyal members of the community. Maclure wanted schools that taught practical skills and encouraged children to think for themselves. The two men also argued over money. By 1827 the partnership had ended, and the town's property was divided between them.

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Leading from Mexico

Indiana's climate was hard on Maclure's health. In the late 1820s, he moved to Mexico. Marie Duclos Fretageot and Thomas Say managed his property and schools in New Harmony. His press in New Harmony printed scientific books, including Say's American Conchology. Maclure also sent seeds of the golden raintree to Say, who planted them in town. The trees still bloom in New Harmony each summer.

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Final Years and Legacy

In 1838 Maclure helped found the Working Men's Institute in New Harmony. It is now the oldest continuously operating public library in Indiana. When Maclure died in Mexico in 1840, his will set aside money for libraries for working people. His family challenged the will, but the money eventually helped create more than 140 libraries in Indiana and Illinois.

 

Maclure never married and had no children. His legacy lives on in the institutions he created. The Working Men's Institute still serves the public as a library and museum. The scientists he brought to New Harmony made the town known around the world. Maclure's belief that education should be open to all people helped shape New Harmony for generations.