Garrett P. Serviss
Garrett P. Serviss was an influential American astronomer and author born in 1851 in Sulphur Springs, New York. He graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in 1872 and later earned a law degree from Columbia University, although he never practiced law. Instead, Serviss pursued a journalism career, serving as the night editor for the New York Sun from 1882 to 1892, where he wrote extensively on astronomy, a passion he had developed in his youth. His work in journalism led him to connect with science-fiction writer Edward Page Mitchell, inspiring him to explore writing in this genre.
In the 1890s, he began incorporating scientific concepts into his fiction, producing notable works such as "Edison's Conquest of Mars," which served as a sequel to H.G. Wells's "The War of the Worlds." Serviss was also instrumental in promoting astronomy through public lectures funded by Andrew Carnegie, founding the American Astronomical Society, and teaching astronomy courses in New York City public schools. His contributions to literature and science helped lay the groundwork for the development of science fiction. He continued to write and travel throughout Europe until his death in 1929 at the age of seventy-eight.
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Garrett P. Serviss
- Born: March 24, 1851
- Birthplace: Sharon Springs, New York
- Died: May 25, 1929
Biography
Garrett Putnam Serviss, an astronomer and author, is considered a key figure in the development of the science-fiction genre. He was born in 1851 in Sulphur Springs, New York, the son of Garrett P. Serviss and Katherine Shelp Serviss. In 1872, Serviss received his B.S. from Cornell University, and two years later he earned a law degree from Columbia University. Although he passed the New York state bar exam, Serviss never practiced law. Instead, he chose to pursue a career in journalism. In 1875 Serviss married Eleanore Betts, but their marriage ended in divorce, and in 1907 he married Henriette Gros le Blond.
From 1882 to 1892, Serviss was the night editor for the New York Sun newspaper. During this time, he anonymously published many articles on the subject of astronomy, a hobby that he developed during childhood. His astronomy articles attracted a large readership and were published in numerous magazines as well as the New York Sun. While working at the newspaper, Serviss became acquainted with science-fiction writer Edward Page Mitchell, and Mitchell encouraged him to write in this genre.
From 1892 to 1894, Serviss became a lecturer and traveled throughout the United States, promoting the study of astronomy. He received funding from industrialist Andrew Carnegie to deliver the Urania Lectures, which previewed new technology for modern planetariums. In addition, Serviss founded the American Astronomical Society and taught evening courses in astronomy in New York City public schools. He also wrote a number of books about astronomy.
At the end of the nineteenth century, Serviss began to incorporate his knowledge of science and astronomy into his fiction. His first story, “Edison’s Conquest of Mars,” published serially in 1898, was Serviss’s vision of a sequel to H. G. Wells’s The War of the Worlds (1898). This work was eventually published in book form in 1947. Serviss also produced several well-received novels, including The Moon Metal (1900), A Columbus of Space (1909), and Second Deluge (1911).
Serviss was the head of the astronomy department at the Brooklyn Institute and wrote captions for, and edited, the 1923 film Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. His vast knowledge of science combined with his ability to write entertaining fiction helped establish the genre of science fiction in the early twentieth century. In his later years, Serviss spent his time writing and traveling throughout Europe. He died in 1929 at the age of seventy-eight.