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Benjamin Banneker was born Sunday Novebmer 9,1731, just outside of baltimore, Maryland. His birthplace was in Ellicott's Mills. His parents were Robert and Mary Bannaky. His mother was the daugter of an Englishwoman and an African Slave. She was a maid in England who had been sent to Maryland as an indentured servant. His father was a slave in the past and purchased his freedom. His grandfather was known as Banna Ka, then later changed to Bannaky. His Grandmother grew up on a farm in which she married one of the slaves and had children. One of those children named Mary bought 2 slaves and married one and had children which one of them was Benjamin. Benjamin grew up on the same farm which was called "Bannaky Springs" because of all the fresh water springs. Benjamin's first form of education came from his Grandmother. She taught him how to read using the bible which was the only book she owned. At that time there was no school for the boys to attend. Later a Quaker school teacher came to live in the valley. He set up the first school for the boys to attaned. Benjamin went to this school and the teacher changed his name to Banneker. It was here where Benjamin learned to write and do simple arithmetic. At the age of 15 he achieved a 8th grade education. At that time he took over the tobacco farm and worked as a farmer for most of his adult life. When Benjamin was 21 years of age a man named Josef Levi presented a patent watch. He was fascinated with the device and strived to find out how it works. He took the watch apart and spent a lot of time figuring out how each piece had its own job and how the watch worked in general. He started making his own watch by carving pieces out of wood. These pieces were used in the making of the first watch to ever be fully assembled in America. His watch was so precise it struck every hour on the hour for 40 years. His excellent work on this clocked led to him repairing watches, sundials, and clocks. After this he made good friends with the Ellicot brothers and borrowed books on mathematics and astronomy. In January of 1793 Benjamin was asked by George Ellicot's cousin, Major Andrew Ellicot, to help survey the "Federal Territory." Andrew Ellicot was known as one of the finest surveyors around. Benjamin joined a 3 man group to layout the involving the major and Pierre L'Efant, the architect in charge of planning Washington D.C. By looking at the starts Benjamin helped planned the layout for the city which today is the nations capital. L'Efant left due to temper problems and Bannaker was able to recreate his plans from memory and saving the government from having somebody else create new plans.
