Benjamin Pitman
Benjamin Pitman;Benn Pitman
Place: Trowbridge
Born: 1822
Death: 1910
Biography:
Benjamin Pitman, also known as Benn Pitman, was an English-born author and popularizer in the United States of Pitman shorthand, a form of what was then called phonography (shorthand). He was also active in the arts and crafts movement in the United States. Born in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England in 1822, Pitman received a good elementary education at home and at a parish school supervised by George Crabbe, a poet.
Early Life and Career
Pitman assisted his brother, Isaac Pitman, in perfecting the latter's system of shorthand. From 1843 until 1852, he lectured on the system throughout Great Britain, and had a large role in the compilation of his brother's textbooks. In 1853, Pitman moved to the United States with his family and founded the Phonographic Institute, where he taught his brother's shorthand system.
Shorthand and Reporting
Pitman was a skilled reporter and served in the Union Army during the Civil War. He acted as the official stenographer during the trials of the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, the “Sons of Liberty,” and other similar government prosecutions. Pitman also edited and compiled the printed reports of these trials.
Wood Engraving and Art
In 1873, Pitman abandoned reporting and began teaching woodcarving courses at the McMicken School of Drawing and Design School of Design, later the Art Academy of Cincinnati, of the University of Cincinnati. His goal was to secure the development of American decorative art and to open up a new profession for women. Pitman's influence as an artist came to be considerable, particularly throughout the midwest of the United States. Pitman's notable works include:
- The Reporter's Companion (1854)
- The Manual of Phonography (1855)
- History of Shorthand (1858)
- Trials for Treason at Indianapolis
- The Assassination of President Lincoln, and the Trial of the Conspirators (1865)
For more information on Pitman's life and work, visit Benjamin Pitman or Wikipedia. You can also explore the Gainsborough's House Museum at Gainsborough's House Museum, Sudbury, Canada.
