Andrew Planta

Planta tower and Reformed church in Susch

Planta was born on 4 August 1717 (O.S.) in Susch.[1] His father was the Landammann Joseph Planta (1692–1729) and his mother was Elisabeth Conrad from Fideris.[2][3] The Planta family was at this time one of the most important families of the Engadin area.[4] While there are unverified claims that the family is related to a Roman family of the same name that had dealings with Emperor Claudius,[5][6][7] the family is more reliably documented since 1139[2] or 1244.[4] Planta had four younger siblings; the youngest was Martin Planta[8] (1727–1772), a theologian, educator and scientist.[9]

Title page of Andrew Planta's psalm translation into Italian

In 1734, Planta studied theology at the Schola Tigurina in Zürich; he passed an examination by the synod and was ordained in Ilanz in Grisons in 1735.[1][3][10] In 1736 or 1737, he became pastor of the parish of Castasegna,[11][3] one of very few parishes with an Italian-speaking Protestant population.[2] In 1739, he translated the metrical psalter of Ambrosius Lobwasser into Italian as Li CL sacri Salmi di Davide, ed alcuni cantici ecclesiastici,[12] which appeared together with an accompanying book of prayers (Preghiere sacre e divote) in 1740.[13] He also translated Johann Hübner's children's bible into Italian, which appeared in 1743 as Due volte cinquant' e due Lezioni sacre without acknowledgment of the translator, but the second Italian edition of 1785 and the Ladin edition of 1770 both credit Planta.[14]

In 1745, Planta went to the recently founded University of Erlangen, where he obtained an MA degree with a dissertation entitled Exercitatio Docimastica, Exhibens Delineationem Philosophiae Generalis (A docimastical exercise showing an outline of general philosophy).[15][16] Reports that he obtained a doctorate[17] or that he was professor of mathematics in Erlangen[4][2][18] are not correct.[16] From 1745, Planta worked as educator of prince Alexander at the Ansbach court of Charles William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and his wife Princess Friederike Luise of Prussia.[19][17] He likely also taught mathematics at the Gymnasium Carolinum.[3][20]

British Museum at Montagu House

After travelling to London, where his brother Martin had lived 1749–1750, with the permission of the Ansbach court, Planta became pastor of the German Reformed congregation at the Savoy Chapel in London in 1752, serving until 1772.[21][3][22] His inaugural sermon on 22 October 1752, Die Ordnung GOttes in der Gemeine. Das ist der Lehrer Pflicht und des Volcks Schuldigkeit was printed in London.[23] The family lived in Bloomsbury.[24] In 1757, Planta became French tutor to Mary Eleanor Bowes.[25] From 1758, he worked as an assistant librarian at the British Museum.[2][3] He was Assistant Keeper of Natural History 1758–1765 and Assistant Keeper of Printed Books 1765–1773.[26] After 1761, he served as reader and taught Italian to Queen Charlotte.[2][25] In 1765, during Leopold Mozart's journey to London with his family, Planta entertained the Mozart family at Montagu House and showed them around the museum, probably on the occasion of a gift of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's music to the museum.[27] In his Natural History role at the museum, Planta was succeeded by Daniel Solander and in Printed Books by his son Joseph Planta.[28] In 1768, Carl Gottfried Woide was appointed as assistant pastor; he later succeeded Planta as pastor of the German congregation.[20]

Signature of Andrew Planta, from the Royal Society election certificate of Johann Reinhold Forster

Planta was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on 15 March 1770.[22] The citation on his election certificate was "Andrew Joseph Planta of the British Museum MA, & Minister of the German Reformed Church at the Savoy, a Gentleman of good learning, and well versed in natural knowledge, being desirous of becoming a member of the Royal Society; we recommend him, of our Personal acquaintance, as likely to be a valuable & useful member". His proposers were Gregory Sharpe, Gowin Knight, Henry Baker, Jerome de Salis, Joseph Ayloffe, Matthew Duane, Charles Morton, Samuel Harper, Matthew Maty, Richard Penneck, Henry Putman, Joshua Kirby and John Bevis.[22] Planta himself was one of the proposers when Johann Reinhold Forster was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in February 1772.[29]

Planta died on 25 February 1773.[30] His burial was on 3 March 1773 in St George's, Bloomsbury.[18]

Planta married Margarete Scartazzini de Bolgiani from Bondo in 1738.[13][3] They had six daughters and one son.[31][32] Several of the daughters worked as governesses and educators for noble families;[33] Wendy Moore later wrote "the Planta family had a seemingly endless supply of talented daughters."[34] The family spoke Romansh at home also during their time in London.[35][24]

The oldest daughter Anna Planta was born in Castasegna.[36] In 1762, she married Christian Minnick or Minnicks,[33][36] and they emigrated to Pennsylvania.[37][lower-alpha 1] The second child was Elizabeth Planta, born in 1740 or 1741.[38] In 1757, she became governess to Mary Eleanor Bowes.[39][25] From 1777, she was married to John Parish, who was Superintendent of Ordnance at the Tower of London.[40] The next child was the only son, Joseph Planta, born 10 February 1744 in Castasegna,[31][32] who succeeded his father at the British Museum and became its principal librarian. He died in 1827.[36] His younger sister Frederica Planta was born in 1750.[32] She later served as governess and English teacher of the daughters of George III and Queen Charlotte[41] but died in February 1778.[42] She was succeeded by her sister Margaret Planta ("Peggy")[41] who died in 1834.[43] The second youngest sister, Anna Elizabeth (Eliza) Planta, was born in London in 1757. She succeeded her sister Elizabeth as governess to Mary Eleanor Bowes' children from 1776,[33] but soon after married Reverend Henry Stephens.[44] She moved to Russia after 1789 to work for Catherine Shuvalova. Her daughter Elizabeth later married Mikhail Speransky but died soon after giving birth to a daughter, Elisabeth Bagréeff-Speransky in 1799.[45][35] The youngest daughter Ursula Barbara Planta,[46] who was left money in Mary Eleanor Bowes' will,[33] died in 1834.[47]