Editing John Couch Adams (section)

==Early life==
[[File:John Couch Adams 2.jpeg|thumb|John Couch Adams]]
Adams was born at Lidcot, a farm at [[Laneast]],<ref name="eb">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Adams, John Couch |volume=1 |pages=177–178}}</ref> near [[Launceston, Cornwall]], the eldest of seven children. His parents were Thomas Adams (1788–1859), a poor [[tenant farmer]], and his wife, Tabitha Knill Grylls (1796–1866). The family were devout [[Methodist Church of Great Britain|Wesleyan]]s who enjoyed music and among John's brothers, Thomas became a missionary, George a farmer, and [[William Grylls Adams]], professor of [[natural philosophy]] and [[astronomy]] at [[King's College London]]. Tabitha was a farmer's daughter but had received a rudimentary education from John Couch, her uncle, whose small library she had inherited. John was intrigued by the astronomy books from an early age.<ref name="ODNB">{{cite ODNB|id=123|title=Adams, John Couch (1819–1892)|year=2004|last=Hutchins|first=Roger}}</ref>

John attended the Laneast village school where he acquired some [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] and [[algebra]]. From there, he went, at the age of twelve, to [[Devonport, Devon|Devonport]], where his mother's cousin, the Rev. John Couch Grylls, kept a private school.<ref name="eb"/> There he learned [[classics]] but was largely self-taught in [[mathematics]], studying in the Library of [[Devonport Mechanics' Institute]] and reading ''[[Rees's Cyclopædia]]'' and [[Samuel Vince]]'s ''Fluxions''. He observed [[Halley's comet]] in 1835 from [[Landulph]] and the following year started to make his own astronomical calculations, predictions and observations, engaging in private tutoring to finance his activities.<ref name="ODNB"/>

In 1836, his mother inherited a small estate at [[Badharlick]] and his promise as a mathematician induced his parents to send him to the [[University of Cambridge]].<ref name="ODNB"/> In October 1839 he entered as a [[sizar]] at [[St John's College, Cambridge|St John's College]], graduating [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in 1843 as [[senior wrangler]] and first [[Smith's prize]]winner of his year.<ref name="eb"/><ref>{{acad|id=ADMS839JC|name=Adams, John Couch}}</ref>