Biographical Sketch of Spencer Fullerton Baird Item Type article Authors Goode, George Brown Download date 25/09/2021 06:32:47 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/26460 Biographical Sketch of Spencer Fullerton Baird 1 University. He was, in 1878, awarded the silver medal of the Acclimatization Society of Melbourne; in 1879 the gold GEORGE BROWN GOODE medal of the Societe d'Acclimatation of France, and in 1880 the Erster Ehren­ preiz of the Internationale Fischerei I. Outline of His Public Career. tered upon his life work in connection Aussteilung at Berlin, the gift of the Em­ with that foundation-"the increase and peror of Germany. In 1875 he received Spencer Fullerton Baird was born in diffusion of useful knowledge among from the King of Norway and Sweden Reading, Pennsylvania, February 3, men."* His work as an officer of the the decoration of "Knight of the Royal 1823. In 1834 he was sent to a Quaker Institution will be discussed more fully Norwegian Order of St. Olaf." He was boarding-school kept by Dr. McGraw, below. It was constant and arduous, but one of the early members of the National at Port Deposit, Maryland, and the year did not prevent the publication of many Academy of Sciences, and ever since the following to the Reading Grammar original memoirs, among the most organization has been a member of its School. In 1836 he entered Dickinson elaborate of which are the "Catalogue council. In 1850 and 1851 he served as College, and was graduated at the age of North American Serpents" (1853); the permanent secretary of the American of seventeen. After leaving college, his "Birds of North America" (1858); the Association for the Advancement of Sci­ time for several years was devoted to "Mammals of North America" (1859); ence, and since 1878 has been one of studies in general natural history, to long the "Review of North American Birds" the trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of pedestrian excursions for the purpose of (1864-' 66); the "Geographical Distribu­ Art in Washington. He has been presi­ observing animals and plants and col­ tion of North American Birds" (1865); dent of the Cosmos Club, and for many lecting specimens, and to the organiza­ the "History of North American Birds," years a trustee of Columbian University. tion of a private cabinet of natural his­ in connection with Thomas M. Brewer Among his honorary relations to numer­ tory, which a few years later became the and Robert Ridgway (1874), and the ous scientific societies of the United nucleus of the museum of the Smith­ preparation of numerous official reports. States and other countries are included sonian Institution. During this period From 1870 to 1878 he was scientific those offoreign membership in the Lin­ he published a number of original pa­ editor of the periodicals published by naean Society of London, and the Zoo­ pers on natural history. He also read Harper Brothers, of New York, and the logical Society of London, honorary medicine with Dr. Middleton Gold­ author of their yearly cyclopedia of sci­ membership in the Linnaean Society of smith, attending a winter course of lec­ ence, entitled "The Annual Record of New South Wales, and corresponding tures at the College of Physicians and Science and Industry." In 1871 he was membership in the K. K. Zoologisch­ Surgeons, in New York, in 1842. His appointed by President Grant to the po­ botanische Gesellschaft, Vienna; the medical course was never formally com­ sition of United States Commissioner of Sociedad de Geographia, Lisbon; the pleted, although in 1848 he received the Fish and Fisheries, an unsalaried office, New Zealand Institute; the Koninklijke degree of M. D., honoris causa, from to the duties of which he has for eleven Natuurkundige Vereeniging in Neder­ the Philadelphia Medical College. In years devoted a large portion of his time. landsch Indie, Batavia; the Magyar 1845 he was chosen professor of natu­ In 1876 he served as one of the Govern­ Tudomanyos Akademia, Buda-Pesth; the ral history in Dickinson College, and in ment Board of Commissioners to the In­ Societe Nationale des Sciences 1846 his duties and emoluments were ternational Exhibition at Philadelphia, Naturelles, Chergourg; the Academia increased by election to the chair of natu­ and was also a member of the interna­ Germanica Naturae Curiosorum, Jena; ral history and chemistry in the same in­ tional jury. In 1877 he was present, as the Naturforschende Gesellschaft, stitution. In 1848 he declined a call to advisory counsel, at the session of the Halle; the Naturhistorische Gesell­ the professorship of natural science in Halifax Fishery Commission. sChaft, Nuremburg; the Geographical the University of Vermont. In 1849 he In May, 1878, after the death of Pro­ Society of Quebec; the Historical Soci­ undertook his first extensive literary fessor Henry, he was, by the unanimous ety of New York; the Deutsche Fischerei work, translating and editing the text for vote of the Regents, elected Secretary Verein, Berlin. the "Iconographic Encyclopedia," an of the Smithsonian Institution. The nomenclature of zoology con­ English version of Heck's Bilder Atlas, tains many memorials of his connection published in connection with Brock­ II. Honors and Dignities. with its history. A partial enumeration haus's Conversations Lexikon. shows that over twenty-five species and July 5, 1850, he accepted the posi­ Professor Baird, in 1856, received the one genus of fishes bear his name. tion of Assistant Secretary of the degree of Doctor of Physical Science A post-office in Shasta County, Cali­ Smithsonian Institution, and October 3, from Dickinson College, and in 1875 fornia, located near the McCloud River at the age of twenty-seven years, he en­ that ofDoctor of Laws from Columbian Salmon Hatching Station of the United States Fish Commission, was named *The motto of the Smithsonian Institution and of "Baird" by the Postmaster-General in 'From Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. 30:v-xiii (1883). its founder, James Smithson. 1877. 40 Marine Fisheries Review III. Ancestry and tant element was the encouragement of a ration of a synonymy of North American Development of Character. judicious mother by whom he was per­ birds, and visiting Boston to consult the mitted to devote the five years immedi­ libraries ofAmos Binney and the Boston His ancestry upon the one side was ately following his graduation to his own Society of Natural History for works not English, upon the other Scotch and Ger­ devices and plans instead ofbeing pushed possessed by the Philadelphia Academy man. His paternal grandfather was at once into a profession. In 1841, at the of Natural Sciences. This material was Samuel Baird, of Pottstown, Pa., a sur­ age of eighteen, we find him making an utilized twelve years later in the "Birds veyor by profession, whose wife was ornithological excursion through the of North America." Rebecca Potts. The Bairds were from mountains of Pennsylvania, walking 400 As professor of natural history in Scotland, while the Potts family removed miles in twenty-one days, the last day 60 Dickinson College he taught the seniors from Germany to Pennsylvania at the miles between daylight and rest. The fol­ in physiology, the sophomores in geom­ close of the seventeenth century. His lowing year he walked more than 2,200 etry, and the freshmen in zoology. He great grandfather on the mother's side miles. His fine physique and consequent found time, however, to carry on the works was the Rev. Elihu Spencer, of Trenton, capacity for work are doubtless due in begun in previous years, and to make in one of the war preachers of the Revolu­ part to his outdoor life during these years. summer extended collecting expeditions: tion, whose patriotic eloquence was so To the Adirondacks in 1847; to Ohio in influential that a price was set on his head IV. Early Friendships 1848, to collect, in company with Dr. by the British Government; his daughter and Their Influence. Kirtland, from the original localities of the married William M. Biddle, a banker, of types, the fishes described by him in his an English family for many generations An important stimulus to the efforts work on the fishes of Ohio; to the moun­ established in Pennsylvania, and identi­ of this young naturalist was the friend­ tains of Virginia in 1849; and to Lake fied with the banking interests of Phila­ ship which he formed as early as 1838 Champlain and Lake Ontario in 1850. delphia. Samuel Baird, the father of the with [John James] Audubon, with whom When in 1850, upon the urgent rec­ subject of this sketch, established him­ he was for many years in correspondence, ommendation of the late George P. self as a lawyer at Reading, Pennsylva­ and who, in 1842, gave to him the greater Marsh, he was elected an officer of the nia, and died when his son was ten years part of his collection of birds, including Smithsonian Institution, he brought with old. He was a man of fine culture, a most of his types of new species. Young him to Washington methods of work, strong thinker, a close observer, and a Baird contributed many facts and speci­ developed in his personal experience, lover of nature and of out-of-door pur­ mens for the "History of North Ameri­ which became at once the methods of the suits. His traits were inherited by his can Quadrupeds" at that time in prepara­ establishment, and are still employed in children, but especially by his sons Spen­ tion [by Audubon], as well as to many of its departments. cer and William. The latter, who was the [Audubon's] "Ornithological Biogra­ elder, was the first to begin collecting phy," and was only prevented by ill health V.