Annis Family Scientists

Burleigh Smart Annis
1859-1930

Burleigh Annis was born January 27, 1859 at Wells, Maine, the son of John Augustus and Lucy Bradford (Foss) Annis. He was married August 18, 1892 to Kittie E. Gill at Wilbraham, Massachusetts.
Dr. Annis was a graduate of Colby University, Maine in 1884, where he remained and took graduate work, receiving his Master's Degree in 1886. Well known for his reputation as a sportsman in his collegiate days, he excelled at Football. He then became a Professor of Mathematics at Wesleyan Academy until 1890, at which time he assumed a position at John Hopkins University where he pursued mathematics, physics, and astronomy. He was engaged in his Doctorate thesis in 1895. Burleigh was a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Methodist Church. He was residing at Lookout Mountain, Tennessee in the late 1920's when he corresponded with Levi Edward Annis of Canada.
The following letter was published in ANNIS ANNALS. "I was born in Wells, Maine 72 years ago, on that farm one Stephen Annis was living 113 years ago. Six generations of Annises have lived on the same place. But how my branch of the family is related to the other Annises of the U. S. and Canada I do not know. There is a tradition among us that we are Scotch by descent, others say Irish. Some 30 years ago one Lorenza Annis of Wisconsin was writing a genealogy of the family, and this included our branch. Recently I have seen a genealogy of David Annis, who came to America from Enniskillen, Ireland in 1638. He had eight children, and I think our family descended from one of these children."
Burleigh was referring to the manuscripts of Alonzo Lawson Annes, and Dr. John McNab Currier's, "David Annis of Hopkinton and Bath, N.H.", and erred only in stating that David came over from Enniskillen, when in fact it was David's great-grandfather Cormac Annis.
The following is from an unknown source that was forwarded to me.

THE PRIME MOVERS

"The motivation of modern amateur astronomy has evolved from all quarters. Although it has roots in greatly varied circumstance it has always the commonality of some profound childhood experience. So it was with Professor Burleigh S. Annis. Prof. Annis was born in the state of Maine in 1859.

In so far as can be deduced from the minutes of the Barnard Astronomical Society it was an experience in Norfolk, Virginia some twenty eight years prior to his coming to Chattanooga that cultivated his life as a teacher and astronomer. He related meeting professional astronomers observing a total solar eclipse. Among those present were Professors Pickering and Goodwin from Harvard University. Also present were Judge Oliver Wendell Holmes (son of the poet) and Mary Proctor the distinguished and gifted daughter of Professor Richard Proctor the astronomer.
Professor Annis resided in the community of Lookout Mountain. He chaired the first fifty eight meetings of the society until his sudden death of a heart attack on January 23, 1930 as he and his family were returning home from a music concert at the Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga. He was succeeded protempore on February 18, 1930 by the distinguished educator Dr. J. Park MaCallie."

Burleigh's obitiuary was published in the Chattanooga Times newspaper January 24, 1930.

Former Realtor Stricken After Attending Concert At Auditorium

"Burleigh S. Annis, 71, former real estate man, dropped dead last night in Longley's Pharmacy, 1245 Market Street. Mr. Annis and his son Donald, had attended the concert given by the St. Olaf Choir at the auditorium and were going south on Market Street when the father complained of feeling ill. The son took him into the drugstore for treatment, but he died in a few moments. His body was taken to Wann's mortuary where it will be prepared for burial.
Mr. Annis was born in Maine and received his elementary and secondary education in the public schools of that state. He graduated from Colby College, receiving a B.S. degree, and became a teacher. For several years he taught mathematics in the Maine secondary schools, and for two years served as assistant professor of mathematics at Northwestern University. He came to Chattanooga twenty-five years ago from Hartford, Conn., where he was teaching. When Mr. Annis first came here he organized the Chattanooga Roofing and Foundry company. His brother, J. E. Annis, was his partner. He later sold his interest in the company and entered the real estate business and continued in this activity until two years ago, when he was forced into retirement as a result of ill health. Since Mr. Annis' graduation from college he had been interested in astronomy, and organized the Barnard Astronomical society in this city. He was a member of Pilgrim Congregational church. Mr.Annis is survived by his widow, four sons, Donald G., of this city; Russell K., of Three Rivers, Michigan.; Burton B., of Bluff City, N.Y. and Eugene W., of White Plains, N.Y.; one daughter, Mrs.Malcolm C. Hooke, of Greensboro, N.C. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Wann's".
Children:

1. Eugene Whitman Annis, born June 12, 1893
2. Burton Benjamin Annis, born February 7, 1895
3. Russell Kaye Annis, b. October 11, 1896.
4. Lucy Eleanor Annis, b. April 2, 1898; m. Malcolm C. Hooke.
5. Donald Gill Annis, b. March 16, 1904.

Burleigh's lineage is: John Augustus Annis 1818-1891, John Annis 1783-1825, Stephen Annis 1756-1840, Stephen Annis 1726-1792, Charles Annis 1693-1741, Abraham Annis 1668-1738, Cormac Annis 1638-1717

Elmer Edward Annis
1908-1972

Elmer Edward Annis was born June 29, 1908 at Linden, Michigan, the son of William H. and Hattie Seresa (Bowen) Annis. He married May 25, 1929, Katherine Agnes Devine {1907-1976} at Toledo, Ohio.
Elmer was an early pioneer in the science of Radiology, and was instrumental in developing the School of Radiology at Sarasota (Florida) Memorial Hopital. Elmer's obituary states the following:
"Born in Linden, Mich., he resided in Sarasota since 1953, coming from Dearborn, Mich. He was technical director since 1970 of the Department of Radiology at Sarasota Memorial Hospital until his retirement. He was past Noble Grand of both Dearborn and Sarasota IOOF, past president of Sarasota Coin Club, past president of Florida Society of Radiological Technologists, president many times of the Florida West Coast Society of Registered Radiological Technicians, and was awarded a lifetime membership in the Society of Radiology."
Elmer was a member of the Roman Catholic Church, and he is buried at Skyway Memorial Gardens in Palmetto, Florida.
Children:

1. Karel Grayce Annis, born December 1, 1932; died March 11, 1992.
2. Ruth Frances Annis, born January 3, 1935

Elmer's lineage is: William H. Annis 1888-1931; Simeon Benton Annis 1845-1921, John Matteson Annis 1813-1876; Truman Annas 1786-1865; James Annis 1743-1829; John Annis 1700-c.1771; Abraham Annis 1668-1738; Cormac Annis 1638-1717

James Thomas Annis
1961-

James T. Annis was born November 30, 1961 at Billings, Montana, the son of Alan (Bob) Robert Annis and Esther (Frey) Annis of Spokane, Washington.
James has made an extraordinary name for himself in a relatively short time. At 38 years of age he holds a Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Astronomy from the University of Hawaii,(1993); M.S. (Astronomy), University of Hawaii, (1988); B.Sc. (Astronomy), University of Washington 1986; and a B.Sc. (Physics), University of Washington 1986.
He has held positions at: University of Hawaii at Manoa, (1986-1993); and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, (1993--) as a Research associate.
Awards:
1990--93 NASA Graduate Student Researcher Program Fellowship. Publications:
S.T. Dye and J. Annis, et al., 1989, ``Experimental upper limits to the galactic stellar-collapse rate," PhysRevLett 62, 2069.
J. Annis, 1992, ``The unusual K -band characteristics of the gravitational lens system MG1131+0456,'' ApJLett 391, 17.
J. Annis and G. Luppino, 1993, ``Infrared imaging of MG0414+0534: the red gravitational lenses as lensed radio galaxies,'' ApJLett 407, 69.
J. Annis and D. Jewitt, 1993, ``A search for cold dust in clusters of galaxies with cooling flows,'' MNRAS 264, 593.
J. Annis, J.P. Henry, and I. Gioia, 1993, ``Galaxy evolution in X-ray selected clusters,'' in Observational Cosmology, eds. G. Chincarini, A. Iovino, T. Maccacaro, and D. Maccagni, ASP Conference Series, 51, 378.
J. Annis, I. Gioia, and G. Luppino, 1993, ``The Hawaii arc survey: a survey for gravitational lensing in X-ray selected clusters of galaxies,'' ASP Conference Series, 51, 432, eds. G. Chincarini, A. Iovino, T. Maccacaro, and D. Maccagni.

Jim is married to Shu-i Hua and has two beautiful children, twins, Marissa Ya-Hua Annis and Christopher Yao-Hua Annis.

His lineage is: Alan Robert Annis (1912- ); Charles Foster Annis (1872-1945); Jerome Thomas Latimer Annis (1842-1911); Jerome Bonaparte Annis (1807-1870); Thomas Annis (1750-c.1816); Daniel Annis (1711-1790); Abraham Annis (1668-1738); Cormac Annis (1638-1717)

There are many links on the Internet related to his work, and he has gained great respect among his associates and peers.

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