Template:Did you know nominations/Benjamin Hanks

Benjamin Hanks

 * ... that Benjamin Hanks is considered to be the first to make bronze cannons and church bells in America?
 * Reviewed: Template:Did you know nominations/Ludwig von Salm-Hoogstraeten

Created by Doug Coldwell (talk), Djembayz (talk). Nominated by Doug Coldwell (talk) at 12:09, 12 July 2013 (UTC).


 * Symbol question.svg Article is long enough and new enough.  The hook is short enough and interesting.  QPQ complete.  However, I'm having trouble verifying the hook fact.  The Delaney site says "Benjamin is believed to be the first to cast large bells and bronze cannons in the country."  (Note also the claim is only as to large bells.  Also, is the Delaney site reliable?)  The Henry Ford site says "It is believed that he cast the first bells and bronze cannons made in America." The only source asserting that he was first as a factual matter (as opposed to a belief) is a local history pamphlet on Litchfield ("Benjamin cast the first Church Bells and Bronze Cannons made in America.").  There appears to some uncertainty as to whether he was the first and inconsistency as to what exactly he did first (large bells, bells, or church bells).  Perhaps the hook could be modified as follows: ALT1: ... that Benjamin Hanks is believed to be the first to make bronze cannons in the United States?  Cbl62 (talk) 14:46, 12 July 2013 (UTC)


 * I'll attempt to answer your concerns. The term "bells" for that time period (eighteenth century) meant "large bells" and "church bells". The article and associated references is about his foundries making church bells as well as cannons.
 * The Delaney site is reliable, since they obtained the information from the source  Connecticut Clockmakers of the Eighteenth Century  and other similar references.
 * Ref #4 - The Meneely Bell Online Museum reference says ...Col. Benjamin Hanks, who had established the first bell and cannon foundry in America... - where bell means large church bells. Meneely Bell Foundry made church bells.


 * In the references I obtained the books from the library and have given the wording of the references:
 * Ref #5 - The book "Litchfield: portrait of a beautiful town" by Henry L. Shepherd on page 143 talks of church bells: Benjamin cast the first Church Bells and Bronze Cannons made in America.
 * Ref #6 - I gave the wording of The New England Historical and Genealogical Register on page 20  In the early part of the Revolutionary War Benjamin Hanks was a Tory. ... left Litchfield and returned to Mansfield, where he established a bell and bronze-cannon foundry and cast the first church bells and bronze cannons made in this country.
 * Ref #8 - I gave the wording of the "The National Cyclopaedia of American biography" by James Terry White on page 397 Col. Benjamin Hanks, his older brother, cast the first brass cannons and the first church bells made in America.
 * Does that work for you?--Doug Coldwell (talk) 20:38, 12 July 2013 (UTC)
 * Symbol confirmed.svg Thanks for clarifying. This now looks OK. Cbl62 (talk) 15:49, 13 July 2013 (UTC)