This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/william-rowan-hamilton. It was when William was about fifteen that his attention began to be turned towards scientific subjects. Check more stories related to writing at: https://hackernoon.com/c/writing. You can also check exclusive content about #biography, #non-fiction, #hackernoon-books, #project-gutenberg, #books, #robert-s.-ball, #ebooks, #great-astronomers, and more. This story was written by: @robertsball. Learn more about this writer by checking @robertsball's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. William Rowan Hamilton was born at midnight between the 3rd and 4th of August, 1805, at Dublin, in the house which was then 29, but subsequently 36, Dominick Street. His father, Archibald Hamilton, was a solicitor, and William was the fourth of a family of nine. With reference to his descent, it may be sufficient to notice that his ancestors appear to have been chiefly of gentle Irish families, but that his maternal grandmother was of Scottish birth. When he was about a year old, his father and mother decided to hand over the education of the child to his uncle, James Hamilton, a clergyman of Trim, in County Meath. James Hamilton's sister, Sydney, resided with him, and it was in their home that the days of William's childhood were passed.