Matthew Fontaine Maury, American astronomer, oceanographer, and historian (d. 1873) was born on January 14, 1806.

Matthew Fontaine Maury was an American astronomer, historian, oceanographer, meteorologist, cartographer, author, geologist, educator, and naval officer for the United States and then the Confederacy. He was a devout Christian and, after reading Psalm 8:8, was determined to find "the paths of the seas".