William Small

William Small (1734-1775) was a Scottish professor of natural philosophy and mathematics who became a pivotal figure in 18th-century scientific and educational circles, serving as a mentor to Thomas Jefferson and a founding member of the influential Lunar Society of Birmingham.[1][12]

Early Life and Education

William Small was born in 1734 in Carmyllie, Forfarshire (now Angus), Scotland, the son of a Presbyterian minister.[8][12] He attended Dundee Grammar School[8] before pursuing higher education at Marischal College in Aberdeen, where he studied between 1751 and 1755.[1][12] Small received his Master of Arts degree in 1755 and later earned his medical degree (M.D.) in 1765.[12][2]

Academic Career at William and Mary

At the age of 23 in 1758, Small was appointed Professor of Natural Philosophy at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.[1][12] Small's most significant contribution to the college was introducing the lecture system, which is still in use today.[6] During his tenure, Small taught mathematics along with his duties as professor of philosophy, and for all practical purposes, Small was the college for Jefferson and was his only teacher during most of his time as student.[2]

At one point, the college faced severe staffing shortages, being reduced to only two professors, one of whom was William Small.[2] Despite these challenges, he restructured the curriculum and modernised teaching methods.[12]

Key Influences and Mentors

Small's intellectual development was shaped by the Scottish Enlightenment tradition at Marischal College, Aberdeen. Armed with a letter of introduction from the premier American scientist Benjamin Franklin, he was later elected a member of the prestigious Lunar Society.[1] Franklin provided Small with a crucial letter of introduction to Matthew Boulton when he returned to Britain in 1764.[12]

Mentorship of Thomas Jefferson

From 1760 through 1762, Small was Thomas Jefferson's only professor at the College of William and Mary.[4][5] Jefferson later wrote extensively about Small's profound influence on his intellectual development. Jefferson described Small as "a man profound in most of the useful branches of science, with a happy talent of communication, correct and gentlemanly manners, & an enlarged & liberal mind. He, most happily for me, became soon attached to me & made me his daily companion when not engaged in the school; and from his conversation I got my first views of the expansion of science & of the system of things in which we are placed."[5]

In Virginia, Small became Jefferson's mentor, often taking him to meet the colony's elite, and from Small Jefferson received friendship, an abiding love of science, and an introduction to the social circle of Governor Francis Fauquier.[2][1] As a William & Mary professor, he had inaugurated a society similar to the Birmingham group to foster the growth of science in the colony, one that was sponsored by Francis Fauquier, the acting royal governor of Virginia (1758-68) and that influenced the young Jefferson.[1]

Return to England and Medical Career

In 1764 - after competing unsuccessfully for the presidency of the College - Small returned to England to buy scientific equipment for the struggling College.[1][5] He never again braved the Atlantic, disliking the American climate and suffering from poor health, with symptoms suggesting he may have contracted malaria in Virginia.[12][1]

In 1765 he received his MD and established a medical practice in Birmingham, sharing a house with Dr John Ash who founded the General Hospital.[12][19] Small also sent scientific apparatus to the College in 1767, three years after he returned to England, which remained one of the most impressive scientific collections for decades.[6]

The Lunar Society of Birmingham

Small returned to Britain with a letter of introduction to Matthew Boulton from Benjamin Franklin, and through this connection Small was elected to the Lunar Society.[19] By 1768 the core group of nine individuals who would form the nucleus of the Lunar Society had come together with Small at their heart.[27][21]

Small was Boulton's physician and he became a close friend of Erasmus Darwin, Thomas Day, James Keir and James Watt.[12][19] His knowledge of mathematics, mechanics and chemistry provided him with an important intellectual role, advising on the development of the steam engine, engaging in chemical experiments alongside Boulton and Keir and designing clocks.[12] Small was praised by the Lunar circle as the kindly force that bound together its members, with diverse expertise creating diverse knowledge that helped them explore problems together.[26]

Cultural and Civic Contributions

Beyond his scientific work, Small helped to bring the Theatre Royal to Birmingham in 1774 and was involved in planning and building Birmingham General Hospital.[19][12] As well as his intellectual expertise, he was a highly significant networker, creating contacts and easing potential conflicts between the personalities who composed the Lunar Society.[12]

Death and Legacy

Small's promising career was cut short by his early death at age 41 from complications of malaria contracted during his days at William & Mary, dying in 1775 after recurring illness.[1][12] William Small passed away in Birmingham on February 25, 1775, dying from malaria, and was buried in St. Philip's churchyard in Birmingham.[8]

It wasn't until the untimely death of Dr Small in 1775 that the group of friends decided to meet monthly on the Sunday nearest to the full moon, and following his death, Matthew Boulton took steps to make the group more formal.[20][25][21] The esteem in which he was held by his colleagues was immense, shown by the tributes they paid to him after his death, and though Small's early death at the age of 41 has meant that he is not normally placed in the front rank of Lunar men, he was pivotal to their success.[12]

Jefferson's affection for his former mentor remained strong throughout his life, writing that "Dr. Small was his [George Wythe's] bosom friend, and to me as a father.[5]" The William Small Physical Laboratory is named after him at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, housing the Physics Department and honoring his contributions to science and education.[8]