Josiah Willard Gibbs

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Personal Life

Early Life

Josiah Willard Gibbs was born to Josiah Gibbs Sr and Mary Anna Van Cleve on February 11, 1839 in New Haven, Connecticut. As a child he lived a relatively privileged life with his four older sisters. Education was encouraged in his family as not only was his father a professor at Yale, but also had one relative who held a position as president of Harvard and another relative who was the first president of Princeton. His classmates at The Hopkins School, a small private school in New Haven, often described him as quiet and "intellectually absorbed." His fragile pulmonary health likely contributed to his introverted demeanor as it prevented him from interacting with his peers.

Later Life

Gibbs continued his pursuit of education when he matriculated to Yale when he was only 15 years old (in 1854). There, he began to pursue engineering research while also receiving numerous awards for his exceptional academic performance in Latin and Mathematics. After successfully completing his undergraduate career, Gibbs continued with graduate studies at Yale. In 1863, at the age of 19, Josiah Willard Gibbs became the first American to receive a doctorate in engineering.

-received PHD in 1863- one of the first doctorate of engineering granted in USA

his health problems kept him from the civil war draft

-both parents died early -became yale’s first professor of Mathematical physics in 1871 -worked without pay for 9 years as he had inheritance from father -never married -remained in the house he grew up in and shared with his older sisters -hermit? spent nearly all his time working or walking between the few blocks between his house and work -very quiet man-not many people in his community even knew of him -well liked (highly esteemed by friends) -esoteric writings (compact, abstract and difficult) also contributed to his unkowningness from others