Rumford, Count
Rumford, Count, (1753-1814), a scientist, administrator, and social reformer. He was born Benjamin Thompson in Woburn, Massachusetts. A Loyalist, he fled to England during the American Revolution and spent the rest of his life in Europe. For various political and administrative services, he was knighted by the British king and was made a count of the Holy Roman Empire by the Elector of Bavaria. He is chiefly noted, however, for his researches in heat. He was the first to suggest that heat was a form of energy. He also developed a calorimeter and a photometer and introduced improved cooking appliances and lighting and heating systems for the home.
As a youth, Thompson worked as a merchant's apprentice and studied physics and medicine. In 1772 he married a wealthy widow in Rumford (now Concord), New Hampshire. After fleeing to London in 1775, he became a valuable adviser to the British government because of his wide knowledge of American affairs. He also pursued his scientific interests and was elected to the Royal Society of London. In 1784 he was knighted by King George III. The same year Thompson entered the service of the Elector of Bavaria. He became head of the Bavarian war department and a councillor of state, and held high military rank. He also instituted social reforms, including aid for the poor. In 1793 when made a count, he chose the name of the town he had fled.
Count Rumford returned to England in 1795. Largely at his suggestion and with his funds, the Royal Institution of Great Britain was founded in 1799. In 1804 he moved to France, where he worked on practical applications for his theories.