William Shanks
1812–1882 (age 70)
Biography
William Shanks devoted his life to the pursuit of mathematical precision, laboring for decades with quill and ink to expand the known digits of π. His painstaking calculations, completed in the quiet study of 19th-century England, stood as a testament to perseverance and the deep fascination with numerical truth that defined his era.
Though he passed in 1882, his work still inspires those who marvel at the dedication of early computational pioneers; those who visit Houghton Hillside Cemetery may reflect upon the quiet strength of a mind that chased infinity one figure at a time.