WI BIO - Dane Co - COMSTOCK, George C.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893. Vol I, pp 251-252

Professor George C. COMSTOCK, widely and favorably known in educational and 
scientific circles, who has been for several years the efficient director of 
Washburn Observatory, Madison, WI, was born in Madison, Dane County, WI, 12 
Feb 1855. His parents, Charles H. and Mercy (BRONSON) COMSTOCK, were born on 
the Western Reserve, in OH, where his father was reared. The Professor's 
mother removed with her parents to MI when she was a child, where she 
attained her growth and was educated. Charles H. COMSTOCK, a merchant by 
occupation, was married in Racine [Racine County], WI, whence he afterward 
removed to Adrian [Lenawee County, MI].

George C. COMSTOCK was the oldest of four children, and was 11 years of age 
with his parents removed to Adrian, MI, and in the public schools of that 
city he received his preliminary education. In 1873 he entered the MI 
University at Ann Arbor, taking what was then denominated the Latin 
scientific course. He graduated at that notable institution in 1877 with the 
degree of Bachelor of Philosophy, and was then made private assistant of the 
director of the observatory.

After this George C. COMSTOCK was employed with a corps of civil engineers on 
the coast of the great lakes for the next four years. In the fall of 1879 he 
came to Madison, WI, where he became assistant director of the Washburn 
Observatory, under Messrs. WATSON and HOLDEN. He later attended lectures in 
the law class of the university two years, and was admitted to the bar of 
Madison in 1883. He passed the following year in Washington, D. C., where he 
was engaged on the Nautical Almanac. In 1885 he was called to the chair of 
Mathematics and Astronomy in the OH State University at Columbus, where he 
spent two years. He then accepted a call to the WI University as assistant 
director of Washburn Observatory and Professor of Astronomy. In 1889 he was 
made full director of the Washburn Observatory, which position he has since 
filled.

Besides his educational and scientific labors, Professor George C. COMSTOCK 
has contributed many valuable articles to the scientific and astronomical 
journals. He has also written a work on the "Method of Least Squares," 
published in 1890. As a conscientious and able worker, no one stands higher 
in educational and scientific [p 252] circles than the subject of this 
sketch, who brings to his position the ripe knowledge of years of experience 
and study.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly