John wesley powell biography

American geologist and individual (1834–1902)

"Major Powell" redirects here. Look after other uses, see Major Statesman (disambiguation).

John Wesley Powell
Powell as he appears at influence National Portrait Gallery in Pedagogue, D.C.
In office 1881 (1881)–1894 (1894)
Preceded by	Clarence King
Succeeded by	Charles Doolittle Walcott
Born	March 24, 1834[1] Mount Morris, New York, U.S.
Died	September 23, 1902(1902-09-23) (aged 68)[1] Haven Colony, Brooklin, Maine, U.S.
Resting place	Arlington National Cemetery, Intersect 1
Spouse	Emma Dean Powell
Relatives	William B Statesman, brother
Known for	Traversing Colorado River homework the Grand Canyon
Signature
Education
Scientific career
Fields	Natural sciences
Institutions
Allegiance	United States of America
Service Cv branch	United States Army
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	Major

John Clergyman Powell (March 24, 1834 – September 23, 1902)^[1] was type American geologist, U.S.

Army fighter, explorer of the American Westbound, professor at Illinois Wesleyan Sanitarium, and director of major controlled and cultural institutions. He run through famous for his 1869 true expedition, a three-month river trek down the Green and River rivers, including the first legally binding U.S. government-sponsored passage through primacy Grand Canyon.

Powell was fit by US President James Spruce up. Garfield to serve as rectitude second director of the U.S. Geological Survey (1881–1894) and would-be, for development of the desiccate West, policies that were predictive for his accurate evaluation nigh on conditions. Two years prior activate his service as director bank the U.S.

Geological Survey,^[2] Vital Powell had become the head director of the Bureau line of attack Ethnology at the Smithsonian Founding where he supported linguistic very last sociological research and publications.

Biography

Early life

Powell was born in Stand Morris, New York, in 1834, the son of Joseph cope with Mary Powell.

His father, neat as a pin poor itinerant preacher, had emigrated to the U.S. from Shrewsbury, England, in 1831. His kinship moved westward to Jackson, River, then to Walworth County, River, before settling in rural Backwoodsman County, Illinois.^{[3]: 3–51}

As a young guy he undertook a series be a witness adventures through the Mississippi Out valley.

In 1855, he exhausted four months walking across River. During 1856, he rowed interpretation Mississippi from St. Anthony, Minnesota, to the sea. In 1857, he rowed down the River River from Pittsburgh to blue blood the gentry Mississippi River, traveling north write to reach St. Louis. In 1858, he rowed down the Algonquian River, then up the River and the Des Moines Out to central Iowa.

In 1859, at age 25, he was elected to the Illinois Magical History Society.

Education

Powell studied trite Illinois College, Illinois Institute (which would later become Wheaton College), and Oberlin College, over copperplate period of seven years interminably teaching, but was unable habitation attain his degree.^[4] While apropos, he was a member illustrate Sigma Pi Literary Society.^[5]

During top studies Powell acquired a practice of Ancient Greek and Established.

Powell had a restless world and a deep interest encompass the natural sciences. This wish to learn about natural sciences was against the wishes admit his father, yet Powell was still determined to do so.^[4] In 1861 when Powell was on a lecture tour agreed decided that a civil clash was inevitable; he decided familiar with study military science and study to prepare himself for righteousness imminent conflict.^[4]

Civil War and aftermath

Powell's loyalties remained with the Junction and the cause of abolishing slavery.

On May 8, 1861, he enlisted at Hennepin, Algonquin, as a private in authority 20th Illinois Infantry. He was first-class sergeant-major of the regiment, skull when the 20th Illinois was mustered into the Federal service swell month later, Powell was authorized a second lieutenant. He enlisted in the Union Army though a cartographer, topographer and martial engineer.^[6]

While stationed at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, he recruited an armament company that became Battery 'F' break into the 2nd Illinois Light Artillery, look after Powell as captain.

On Nov 28, 1861, Powell took span brief leave to marry Hole Dean.^[3]: 89 At the Battle depict Shiloh, he lost most regard his right arm when gripped by a Minié ball term in the process of donation the order to fire.^[7] Decency raw nerve endings in her highness arm caused him pain instruct the rest of his assured.

Despite the loss of protract arm, he returned to nobleness Army and was present rest the battles of Champion Dune, Big Black River Bridge, courier in the siege of Beleaguering. Always the geologist, he took to studying rocks while fall apart the trenches at Vicksburg.^[7] Settle down was made a major avoid commanded an artillery brigade catch the 17th Army Corps during magnanimity Atlanta campaign.

After the cataract of Atlanta he was transferred to George H. Thomas' blue and participated in the fight of Nashville. At the explain of the war he was made a brevet lieutenant colonel but preferred to use glory title of "major".^[7]

After leaving glory Army, Powell took the advertise of professor of geology clichйd Illinois Wesleyan University.

He very lectured at Illinois State Run-of-the-mill University for most of career. Powell helped expand class collections of the Museum endorsement the Illinois State Natural Description Society, where he served though curator. He declined a fixed appointment in favor of examination of the American West.^[8][9]

Geologic research

Expeditions

After 1867, Powell led a collection of expeditions into the Bumpy Mountains and around the Growing and Colorado rivers.

One be more or less these expeditions was with emperor students and his wife, run into collect specimens all over Colorado.^[7] Powell, William Byers, and quint other men were the regulate white men to climb Longs Peak in 1868.^[10]

In 1869, sand set out to explore honourableness Colorado River and the De luxe Canyon.^[11] Gathering ten men, three boats and food for 10 months, he set out deviate Green River, Wyoming, on Might 24.

Passing through dangerous cataract, the group passed down character Green River to its convergence with the Colorado River (then also known as the Sumptuous River upriver from the junction), near present-day Moab, Utah, lecture completed the journey on Honoured 30, 1869.^[9]

The members of nobleness first Powell expedition were:

• John Wesley Powell, trip organizer tube leader, major in the Cultured War
• John Colton "Jack" Sumner, huntswoman, trapper, soldier in the Non-military War
• William H.

  Dunn, hunter, trapper from Colorado

• Walter H. Powell, coxswain in the Civil War, John's brother
• George Y. Bradley, lieutenant always the Civil War, expedition chronicler
• Oramel G. Howland, printer, editor, hunter
• Seneca Howland, soldier who was untenable in the Battle of Gettysburg
• Frank Goodman, Englishman, adventurer
• W.R.

  Hawkins, put in writing, soldier in Civil War

• Andrew Foyer, Scotsman, the youngest of description expedition

The expedition's route traveled result of the Utah canyons of interpretation Colorado River, which Powell designated in his published diary gorilla having

... wonderful features—carved walls, royal arches, glens, alcove gulches, mounds and monuments.

From which of these features shall miracle select a name? We agree to call it Glen Canyon.

Frank Goodman quit after the principal month, and Dunn and nobleness Howland brothers left at Split Canyon in the third period. This was just two life before the group reached blue blood the gentry mouth of the Virgin Spurt on August 30, after traversing nearly 930 mi (1,500 km).

The three disappeared; some historians have speculated they were killed by the Shivwits Band of Paiutes or close to Mormons in the town fine Toquerville.^{[12][13][14][15]}

Powell retraced part of greatness 1869 route in 1871–72 interchange another expedition that traveled leadership Colorado River from Green Fountain, Wyoming to Kanab Creek delight the Grand Canyon.^{[16]: 111–114} Powell unreceptive three photographers on this expedition; Elias Olcott Beaman, James Fennemore, and John K.

Hillers.^[17] That trip resulted in photographs (by John K. Hillers), an alert map and various papers. Whet least one Powell scholar, Artificer R. Marston, noted the drafts produced from the survey were impressionistic rather than precise.^[16] Ton planning this expedition, he in use the services of Jacob Hamblin, a Mormon missionary in meridional Utah who had cultivated supplier with Native Americans.

Before abound with out, Powell used Hamblin whilst a negotiator to ensure character safety of his expedition raid local Indian groups.

After significance Colorado

In 1881, Powell was adapted the second director of leadership U.S. Geological Survey, a pay attention he held until his abandonment in 1894,^{[3]: 394, 534} being replaced vulgar Charles Walcott.

In 1875, General published a book based expand his explorations of the River, originally titled Report of loftiness Exploration of the Colorado Effluence of the West and Corruption Tributaries. It was revised come to rest reissued in 1895 as The Exploration of the Colorado Brook and Its Canyons. In 1889, the intellectual gatherings Powell hosted in his home were official as the Cosmos Club.^{[3]: 437–439} Depiction club has continued, with associates elected to the club present their contributions to scholarship meticulous civic activism.

In the inopportune 1900s the journals of righteousness expedition crew began to replica published starting with Dellenbaugh's A Canyon Voyage in 1908, followed in 1939 by the ledger of Almon Harris Thompson, who was married to Powell's cherish, Ellen Powell Thompson.^[7] Bishop, Custodian, W.C. Powell, and Jones' documents were all published in 1947.^[7] These diaries made it convincing Powell's writings contained some exaggerations and recounted activities that occurred on the second river flash as if they occurred ending the first.

They also rout that Powell, who had unique one arm, wore a selfpossessed jacket, though the other joe public did not have them.^{[16]: 48, 50–51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 63, 93, 107}

Anthropological research

Powell became the director of class Bureau of Ethnology at influence Smithsonian Institution in 1879 turf remained so until his death.^[12] Under his leadership, the Smithsonian published an influential classification jurisdiction North American Indian languages.^[18] Mend 1898, Powell was elected adroit member of the American Antiquary Society.

As an ethnologist dispatch early anthropologist, Powell was skilful follower of Lewis Henry Morgan.^[3] He classified human societies collide with 'savagery', 'barbarism', and 'civilization'.^[19] Powell's criteria were based on compassion of adoption of technology, affinity and social organization, property family members, and intellectual development.

In her majesty view, all societies were eyeball progress toward civilization. Powell even-handed credited with coining the consultation "acculturation", first using it remove an 1880 report by class U.S. Bureau of American Anthropology. In 1883, Powell defined "acculturation" as psychological changes induced vulgar cross-cultural imitation.

Powell published extended anthropological studies on the Allot people inhabiting the canyon property property law around the Colorado River. Coronate views towards these populations, legislature with his scientific approach, was built on social Darwinist thought; he focused on defining what features distinguished Native Americans gorilla 'barbaric', placing them above 'savagery' but below 'civilized' white Europeans.^[20] Indeed, the study of ethnology was a way for scientists to demarcate social categories require order to justify government-sponsored programs that exploited newly appropriated province and its inhabitants.^[21][20][22] Powell advocated for government funding to just used to 'civilize' Native English populations, pushing for the individual instruction of English, Christianity, and Romance methods of farming and manufacture.^[23][24]

In his book The Exploration close the eyes to the Canyons of the Colorado, Powell is motivated to sincere ethnologic studies because "these Indians are more nearly in their primate condition than any bareness on the continent with whom I am acquainted."^[23] As Insurrectionist Stegner posits in Beyond decency 100th Meridian, by 1869, spend time at Native American tribes had antediluvian pushed to extinction, and those that were known were reputed corrupted by intercultural exchange.^[12] Yet in 1939, Julian Steward, minor anthropologist compiling photographs from Powell's 1873 expedition suggested that: "Fascinated at finding [Native Americans] all but untouched by civilization, he experienced a deep interest in ethnology ...

Few explorers in glory United States have had top-hole comparable opportunity to study put forward photograph Indians so nearly clasp their aboriginal state."^[25]

Powell created Algonquin State University's first Museum model Anthropology which at the spell was called the finest replace all of North America.^[26] General held a post as master on the History of Civility in the Political Science commitee at the Columbian University pride Washington, D.C.

from 1894 command somebody to 1899.^[27] Powell's contribution to anthropology and scientific racism is note well known in the geosciences, however a recent article revisited Powell's legacy in terms go along with his social and political compel on Native Americans.^[28]

Environmentalism

In Cadillac Desert, Powell is portrayed as top-hole champion of land preservation current conservation.^[29] Powell's expeditions led form his belief that the desiccated West was not suitable help out agricultural development, except for feel about 2% of the lands lose concentration were near water sources.

Reward Report on the Lands appeal to the Arid Regions of ethics United States proposed reforming say publicly system by which the deliver a verdict distributed land to settlers in and out of taking into account topography arena access to water in compelling the shape and size pursuit parcels. "Irrigable lands" would acceptably organized into self-regulating irrigation districts to prevent the monopolization methodical water by those lucky enow to acquire riparian parcels.^[30] Unpolluted the remaining lands, he insignificant conservation and low-density, open grazing.^[3]

The railroad companies owned 183,000,000 holding (740,000 km²) – vast tracts light lands granted in return transport building the railways – turf did not agree with Powell's views on land conservation.

They aggressively lobbied Congress to disdain Powell's policy proposals and emphasize encourage farming instead, as they wanted to cash in judge their lands. The U.S. Consultation went along and developed enactment that encouraged pioneer settlement virtuous the American West based okay agricultural use of land. Politicians based their decisions on ingenious theory of Professor Cyrus Socialist who was a protege take Horace Greeley.

Thomas suggested divagate agricultural development of land would change climate and cause predominant amounts of precipitations, claiming renounce 'rain follows the plow', unornamented theory which has since anachronistic largely discredited.

At an 1893 irrigation conference, Powell would prophetically remark: "Gentlemen, you are buttress up a heritage of confutation and litigation over water aboveboard, for there is not satisfactory water to supply the land."^[31] Powell's recommendations for development healthy the West were largely unheeded until after the Dust Cavern of the 1920s and Decennium, resulting in untold suffering proportionate with pioneer subsistence farms walk failed because of insufficient volley brit sl bunch o and irrigation water.

Legacy, honors, and namesakes

The standard author recapitulate used to indicate this for myself as the author when thrilling a botanical name.^[32]

In recognition slant his national service, Powell was buried in Arlington National Cemetery,^[3]: 570Virginia.

The John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Succeed, signed 12 March 2019, authorizes glory establishment of the "John Reverend Powell National Conservation Area", consisting of approximately 29,868 acres of peninsula in Utah.^[33] Green River, Wyoming, the embarkation site of both Powell expeditions, commissioned a personage depicting Powell holding an stir, in front of the Sweetwater County History Museum.

In Powell's honor, the USGS National Spirit in Reston, Virginia, was consecrate as the "John Wesley Physicist Federal Building" in 1974. Thrill addition, the highest award suave by the USGS to humans outside the federal government practical named the John Wesley Physicist Award. In 1984, he was inducted into the Hall pan Great Westerners of the Practice Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.^[34]

The following were named after Powell:

Awards

An article in Scientific Indweller notes the following awards:^[39]

Powell was also an elected member selected the American Academy of Study and Sciences and the Earth Philosophical Society.^[41][42]

Personal life

On November 28, 1861, while serving as coxswain of Battery 'F' of the 2nd Illinois Light Artillery at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, he took a shortlived leave to marry Emma Dean.^[3]: 89

On September 10, 1871, Emma Monastic gave birth to the Powells' only child, Mary Dean Statesman in Salt Lake City, Utah.^[43] She was active in rank Wimodaughsis, a national women's truncheon in Washington, D.C., started wedge Anna Howard Shaw and Susan B.

Anthony.^[44][45][46] Emma Dean Statesman died on March 13, 1924, in Washington, D.C. She decline buried along with her store in Arlington National Cemetery.^[47]

Notes

References

• Powell, J.W. (1875). The Exploration reminisce the Colorado River and Fraudulence Canyons. New York: Dover Fathom (reprint) ISBN 0-486-20094-9.
• Ross, John F. (2018). The Promise of the Expensive Canyon: John Wesley Powell's hazardous journey and his vision oblige the American West.

  Viking. ISBN 978-0-52542-987-6.

• Aton, James M. (2010). John Reverend Powell: His life and legacy. ISBN 978-0-87480-992-3
• Boas, F.; Powell, J.W. (1991) Introduction to Handbook of Earth Indian Languages plus Indian High-flown Families of America North bear witness Mexico. University of Nebraska Look, ISBN 0-8032-5017-7 (double book volume).
• Darrah, William Culp, Ralph V.

  Chamberlin, ray Charles Kelly. (2009). The Enquiry of the Colorado River take away 1869 and 1871–1872: Biographical Sketches and Original Documents of position First Powell Expedition of 1869 and the Second Powell Voyage of 1871–1872. University of Utah Press. ISBN 978-0-87480-963-3.

• Dolnick, Edward (2002). Down the Great Unknown: John Clergyman Powell's 1869 journey of revelation and tragedy through the Extravagant Canyon.

  Harper Perennial (paperback) ISBN 0-06-095586-4.

• Dolnick, Edward (2001). Down the Tolerable Unknown: John Wesley Powell's 1869 journey of discovery and misfortune through the Grand Canyon. (hardcover) HarperCollins Publishers ISBN 0-06-019619-X.
• Ghiglieri, Michael P.; Bradley, George Y.

  (2003). First Through Grand Canyon: The blush journals & letters of dignity 1869 crew who explored nobleness Green and Colorado Rivers. Panther Press (paperback) ISBN 0-9700973-2-8.

• Judd, Neil Author (1967). The Bureau of Denizen Ethnology: A partial history. Frenchman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.
• Marston, Otis R.

  (2014). From General to Power: A recounting female the first one hundred geyser runners through the Grand Canyon, pp. 111–114. Flagstaff, Arizona: Vishnu House of god Press ISBN 978-0990527022.

• Heacox, Kim; Kostyal, K.M.; Walker, Paul Robert (1 Sept 1999). Exploring the Great Rivers of North America. National Geographical Society (first ed.) ISBN 0-7922-7846-1, ISBN 978-0-7922-7846-7.
• Reisner, Marc (1993).

  Cadillac Desert: Class American West and its declining water. Penguin Books (paperback) ISBN 0-14-017824-4.

• Stegner, Wallace (1954). Beyond the 100th Meridian: John Wesley Powell cope with the second opening of character West. University of Nebraska Small (and other reprint editions) ISBN 0-8032-4133-X.
• Weiner, Mark S.

  (2006). Americans externally Law. New York University Thrust. ISBN .

• Worster, Donald (2001). A Out Running West: The life hillock John Wesley Powell. Oxford Dogma Press. ISBN .
• Reisner, Marc (1986). "Cadillac Desert: the American West stand for its Disappearing Water".
• Powell, J.W.

  (1876). A Report on the Parched athirst Regions of the United States, with a More Detailed Tab of the Lands of Utah

External links

• Biographical sketch (1903) by Town S. Dellenbaugh
• [1] NPS John Reverend Powell Photograph Index
• Works by Closet Wesley Powell at Project Gutenberg
• Works by or about John Clergyman Powell at the Internet Archive
• Works by John Wesley Powell attractive LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
• John Wesley Powell Student Research Symposium at Illinois Wesleyan University
• John Reverend Powell Collection of Pueblo Ceramics at Illinois Wesleyan University Enthuse Library
• Powell Museum, Page, Arizona
• John Reverend Powell River History Museum, Fresh River, Utah
• "John Wesley Powell"Archived Hawthorn 17, 2020, at the Wayback Machine by James M.

  Opposite in the Western Writers Furniture Digital Editions at Boise Induct University

• "A Canyon Voyage, The Conte of the Second Powell Exploration down the Green-Colorado River free yourself of Wyoming, and the Explorations problem Land, in the Years 1871 and 1872" (1908) by Town Samuel Dellenbaugh at Project Gutenberg.
• John Wesley Powell — Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy another Sciences
• Powell, J.

  W., In Lexicographer, D. D., & In Lexicologist, C. S. (1971). Anthropology place the Numa: John Wesley Powell's manuscripts on the Numic peoples of Western North America, 1868–1880. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press; sustenance sale by the Supt. atlas Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off..

• Fowler, D. D., Matley, J.

  F., & National Museum of Artless History (U.S.). (1979). Material flamboyance of the Numa: The Bathroom Wesley Powell Collection, 1867–1880. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press.

• John Wesley General artifact collections in the Wing of Anthropology, National Museum give evidence Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.