Nathaniel Bowditch
Nathaniel Bowditch was an early American mathematician remembered for his work on ocean navigation. He is often credited as the founder of modern maritime navigation his book The New American Practical Navigator, first published in 1802, is still carried on board every commissioned U.S. Naval vessel.
Nathaniel Bowditch, the fourth of seven children, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, to William Bowditch, a cooper, and Mary Bowditch. At the age of ten, he was made to leave school to work in his fathers cooperage, before becoming indentured at twelve for nine years as a bookkeeping apprentice to a ship chandler.
Source: Wikipedia