William Gurley
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William E. Gurley (1821-1887) co-founded what is now known as Gurley Precision Instruments with his brother, and served as vice president and acting 8th president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Gurley was born in Troy, New York, March 16th 1821, the son of Ephraim and Clarissa (Sharp) Gurley. He received the best education afforded by the schools in this vicinity, and choosing the profession of a civil engineer, attended the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, from which he was graduated in 1839. After following the business of a surveyor for some years, he turned his attention to the manufacture of the instruments with whose use he was already familiar, learning the business in the shop of Mr. Hanks, then a well-known maker of surveying instruments and church bells, in the city of Troy.
He remained five years with Mr. Hanks, and entered into partnership with Jonas H. Phelps, in 1845, and with him prosecuted the same business much more extensively for the next seven years, at the end of which time the firm was changed by the withdrawal of Mr. Phelps, and the accession of his brother, L. E. Gurley. The new firm, under the name of, W.& L.E. Gurley, at once greatly increased their facilities. In time the firm would grow into what is now know as Gurley Precision Instruments. But few years of his mature life passed free from the cares of public office, which he was always interested in. For many years he was connected with the YMCA, and in 1851 was elected its president. As alderman of his native ward, he served with general acceptance from 1860 to 1864, and as fire commissioner he helped, to improve fire prevention systems in major cities. In 1867 he represented the city of Troy in the State Legislature, and was a member of the committee on the affairs of cities. As a recognition of the mechanical ability of Mr. Gurley, he was, in 1868, appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury to act on a commission, in connection with Prof. Joseph Henry and other scientific experts, in examining the best meter devised for determining the products of distillation, to be subsequently adopted by the department.
Gurley was a long time trustee of RPI, having been elected to that position in 1855. He was secretary of the institution from 1861 to 1872, and was vice-president 1872-1887 and acting president from 1886 to 1887. He died in 1887 in his home town of Troy, NY.
The W. & L. E. Gurley Building in Troy was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1983.
[edit] References
- Benjamin Franklin Greene, Biographical Record of the Officers and Graduates of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1824-1886. D.H. Jones & Co.: Troy, NY (1855).[1]
- Presidents of RPI: William Gurley
