Fernando Sanford

Notes:

From the Sanford-Shulsen Tree

He was graduated from Carthage College in 1879. He worked as a civil engineer in railroad construction; Professor of Sciences at Mt. Morris College; County Superintendent of Schools in Ogle County, Illinois. He studied physics at the University of Berlin for two years, and then worked as Instructor in Physicis and Chemistry in Englewood High School, Chicago, Illinois for two years, and Professor of Physical Science in Lake Forest University for one year. He was then Professor of Physics in Leland Stamford Jr. University at Palo Alto, California since it opened in 1891. He was the author of Sanford's Elements of Physics.

From Wikipedia

Fernando Sanford (1854 ? 1948) was an American physicist and university professor. He was one of the 22 "pioneer professors" (founding faculty) for Stanford University.

Sanford was born on a farm near Franklin Grove in Lee County, Illinois on February 12, 1854. He was the son of Faxton and Maria Mariah (Bly) Sanford. He attended Carthage College, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1879. He taught school until the mid-1880s, then studied physics in Germany under Hermann von Helmholtz for two years.
Returning to the United States, he became a Professor of Physical Science at Lake Forest College. David Starr Jordan, president of Stanford University, chose him as one of the founding professors for Stanford, where he remained until his retirement in 1919.

At Stanford he was the founder and first president of the Science Association. He was an early promoter of the use of laboratory instruction for undergraduates. He also helped to formulate the entrance requirements for Stanford.

His book Elements of Physics (published in 1902, digitized in 2007) was an important textbook in the field. Other books and monographs included The Scientific Method And Its Limitations (1899), The Electrical Charges of Atoms and Ions (1919), A Physical Theory of Electrification, and How To Study; Illustrated Through Physics.

His interest in electricity led to his construction of a "terrestrial electric observatory," whose results were published over many years in his Bulletin of the Terrestrial Electric Observatory of Fernando Sanford. His research included an early type of electric photography.

His former residence is now one of the most important structures in the historic district of Professorville in Palo Alto, California.

He died May 21, 1948 in Santa Clara, California.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1900 Census
California, Santa Clara County, Palo Alto Twp
Enumerated 2 Jun 1900
SD 2 ED 80 Sheet 2A Stamped 325
450-28-30
Sanford, Fernando Head W M Feb 1854 46 m 20 Ill Vermont NY Teacher?
Sanford, Alice Wf W F Feb 1859 41 M 20 2/2 Ill Ky Oh
Sanford, Burnett Son W M Nov 1889 10 S Ill Ill Ill
Sanford, Alice Dtr W F May 1892 8 S Ill Ill Ill

Fernando married Alice Evaline Crawford on 12 Aug 1880 in hancock county, Illinois. Alice was born in Feb 1859 in Illinois; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]