PELL, MORRIS BIRKBECK (1827-1879), professor of mathematics, was born on 31 March 1827 at Albion, Illinois, United States of America, son of Gilbert Titus Pell and his wife Elizabeth, née Birkbeck. His maternal grandfather Morris Birkbeck (1764-1825), English social reformer, had founded the prairie settlement of Albion. Gilbert Titus joined it, prospered and in 1822-24 and 1828-39 was a member of the 'Convention Legislature' of Illinois. In 1835 the family separated and Mrs Pell took her children first to Poughkeepsie, New York, then to Plymouth, England, in 1841, where Morris attended the New Grammar School. On 11 March 1845 as a sizar he entered St John's College, Cambridge (B.A., 1849). A senior wrangler in mathematics and second Smith's prizeman, he was elected a fellow of St John's on 18 March 1850. On 17 February 1852 he married Jane Juliana, daughter of James Rusden, naval officer of ...

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Australian Dictionary of Biography