About
Hugh D. Vail (1818-1900) was a well-respected teacher and businessman originally from Plainfield, NJ. He was educated at first in small schools run out of local families' houses in Plainfield until the age 15 when he was sent to the Westtown School, a Quaker high school, to study mathematics. He later went on to independently further his studies in New York City before returning home and then being offered a teaching position at Westtown. After nine years of teaching mathematics at the small Quaker institution, Vail was able to bring about some progressive changes in their teaching methods for mathematics and gained invaluable experience. He then moved on to teach as the Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at Haverford College for another seven years. After this time, he was asked to oversee the operations of the Observatory as Director. He did this for about one year, at which point he was awarded Haverford's first honorary degree. He then joined the Board of Managers, acting on several important committees, most of which dealt with the advancement and improvement of academic pursuits. Vail would go on to serve on the Board for almost 25 years before relocating with his family to the Santa Barbara area. There he began a cattle ranch and participated in several public works projects to help improve the community. He became known throughout Santa Barbara as a sort of "volunteer weatherman" because of his extensive meteorological research on the area and his constant desire to share his wealth of knowledge with the community. Vail stayed in Santa Barbara until his death in 1900 and was buried in a family cemetery.