Mégnié, Pierre Bernard
Contenu
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Nom
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Mégnié, Pierre Bernard
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Date de naissance
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post 1747
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Date de mort
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Post 1817
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Lieu de naissance
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Dijon
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Lieu de mort
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? Paris
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Couverture temporelle
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2/2 18th century / 1/4 19th century;
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Biographie
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Pierre Bernard was born in Dijon, the son of Jean-François Mégnié a locksmith, and Marie Colas (m. 14 February 1747). His uncle Edmé Mégnié was also a locksmith, and Pierre Bernard had several brothers. It was presumably to distinguish himself from one of them (? Louis or Pierre-Louis) that Pierre-Bernard referred to himself as 'Mégnié [le] jeune'. Between 4 Vendemiaire [25 September 1794] An II and 18 Messidor An IX [18 July 1801] he petitioned for a national recompense. According to his statements he was the father of a large family and in distressed circumstances. He had made a good deal of Lavoisier's equipment, ie his gasometer, his constant level barometer, and two of his precision balances. Lavoisier's satisfaction led him to recommend Mégnié to the artillary officer Meunier, for whom he realised several machines of Meunier's own invention in particular his apparatus for distilling sea-water. Following Borda's instructions Mégnié was the first craftsman in France to make lighthouse reflectors. In 1781 he made an assay balance for Bathazar George Sage (1740-1824), Directeur of the Hôtel des Monnaies.1
In 1793 Mégnié received a commission from the Comité de Salut Public as 'Inspecteur de l'atellier [sic] de perfectionnement des armes' (rue St Marc). In 1801 he offered for examination a straight-line dividing engine and another which he had developed to divide the new metres, but sufficient orders not having been given he has lost 1000 livres over it. If he may be granted an indemnity he will make instruments for the Ponts et Chausées and undertake the repair and maintenance of the machines in the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers.2 Mégnié's request was supported by Le Sage, Fourcroy, Guyton de Morveau and Monge. The following year he petitioned for a permanent position in charge of the maintenance of the machines in the Arts & Métiers, which request was forwarded to Molard.3 According to the Act de civisme of 1794 Mégnié was 5ft 1inch tall with black hair and eyebrows, a rather large oval face with a high forehead, brown eyes, a small, upturned nose and a medium sized mouth'.
Mégnié worked for Lavoisier from c. 1778/9 until about 1790. According to Daumas he made at least eight barometers of Ramsden's differential type for him besides much else.4 His straight-line dividing engine was perhaps made under the direction of Guyton-Morveau. Presented to the Duc de Chartres on 16 May 1776 it won a premium of 300 livres for its maker from the Société libre d'émulation The following month a description of it was read to the Académie des Sciences.5
5 Birembaut 155, who notes that sketches of the machine are preserved in the archives of the Société LIbre, AN T.160, 22, 23, 24.
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Notes biographiques
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1 Chesneau.
2 Archives du CNAM C.71: Dossier P. B. Mégnié. the petition is annotated that he merits an award of 1000 francs, that he had already received some machines from the Arts & Métgiers for repair and would have received more had he worked more quickly. the award was agreed.
3 AN F12 182.
4 Daumas 361; Daumas Lavoisier ch. VI, passim.
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Adresse ; enseigne ; période ; source
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Cour de Commerce, Fbg St Germain, Paris 1790.
Rue Aumaire, Paris 1802-19
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Identifiant
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1248
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ark:/18469/1ssh8