Rittenhouse, David
scientist, was born April 8, 1732, in Roxborough, Pa.
In 1763 he was employed to determine Mason and Dixon's Line, which he did with instruments of his own construction, and afterwards fixed the boundaries of several other states. He was appointed by the American Philosophical society to observe the transit of Venus in 1769.
From 1777 to 1789 he was treasurer of Pennsylvania. He was a director of the United States mint from 1792 to 1795. He died June 26, 1796, in Philadelphia, Pa.