Volume 1, The Albany Years: December 1797-October 1832 (Washington, 1972: ISBN 0-87474-123-8) deals with the formative years of Henry's career. It documents the influence of the Albany, New York, milieu on his scientific growth, and traces the origin and early development of the Albany Academy, where Henry studied and taught, and the Albany Institute, the forum for his early scientific work. A prominent theme of the volume is the proper application of science to technology. In 1831, Henry constructed an electromagnet for Benjamin Silliman of Yale to exhibit before his students. The magnet, which had a lifting power of 2,000 pounds, is now in the Smithsonian Institution.
1972, 496 pp., illustrated,
ISBN 0-87474-123-8, $30.00
All other volumes in the series are still available. For contents, prices and description information, click the links below.
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
Volume 5
Volume 6
Volume 7
Volume 8
Volume 9
Volume 10
Volume 11
Volume 12 (cumulative index)
Additional information is available from
The Joseph Henry Papers Project: http://www.siarchives.si.edu/history/jhp/jhenry.html