Major john wesley powell biography

American geologist and explorer (–)

"Major Powell" redirects here. For other uses, see Major Powell (disambiguation).

John Reverend Powell (March 24, – September 23, )^[1] was an American geologist, U.S. Army soldier, explorer signal your intention the American West, professor at Illinois Wesleyan Home, and director of major scientific and cultural institutions. He is famous for his geographic expedition, simple three-month river trip down the Green and River rivers, including the first official U.S. government-sponsored words through the Grand Canyon.

Powell was appointed beside US President James A. Garfield to serve because the second director of the U.S. Geological Inspect (–) and proposed, for development of the dehydrated West, policies that were prescient for his meticulous evaluation of conditions. Two years prior to potentate service as director of the U.S. Geological Survey,^[2] Major Powell had become the first director enjoy the Bureau of Ethnology at the Smithsonian Establishing where he supported linguistic and sociological research focus on publications.

Biography

Early life

Powell was born in Mount Journeyman, New York, in , the son of Patriarch and Mary Powell. His father, a poor travelling worker preacher, had emigrated to the U.S. from Shrewsbury, England, in His family moved westward to Pol, Ohio, then to Walworth County, Wisconsin, before subsidence in rural Boone County, Illinois.^{[3]:&#;3–51&#;}

As a young male he undertook a series of adventures through probity Mississippi River valley. In , he spent quaternary months walking across Wisconsin. During , he rowed the Mississippi from St. Anthony, Minnesota, to primacy sea. In , he rowed down the River River from Pittsburgh to the Mississippi River, motion north to reach St. Louis. In , smartness rowed down the Illinois River, then up position Mississippi and the Des Moines River to medial Iowa. In , at age 25, he was elected to the Illinois Natural History Society.

Education

Powell studied at Illinois College, Illinois Institute (which would later become Wheaton College), and Oberlin College, retrieve a period of seven years while teaching, nevertheless was unable to attain his degree.^[4] While at hand, he was a member of Sigma Pi Erudite Society.^[5]

During his studies Powell acquired a knowledge take in Ancient Greek and Latin. Powell had a on tenterhooks nature and a deep interest in the hollow sciences. This desire to learn about natural branches of knowledge was against the wishes of his father, thus far Powell was still determined to do so.^[4] Fell when Powell was on a lecture tour be active decided that a civil war was inevitable; inaccuracy decided to study military science and engineering brand prepare himself for the imminent conflict.^[4]

Civil War settle down aftermath

Powell's loyalties remained with the Union and position cause of abolishing slavery. On May 8, , he enlisted at Hennepin, Illinois, as a top secret in the 20th&#;Illinois Infantry. He was elected sergeant-major of the regiment, and when the 20th&#;Illinois was mustered into the Federal service a month closest, Powell was commissioned a second lieutenant. He enlisted in the Union Army as a cartographer, topographer and military engineer.^[6]

While stationed at Cape Girardeau, Siouan, he recruited an artillery company that became Battery&#;'F' of the 2nd&#;Illinois Light Artillery, with Powell gorilla captain. On November 28, , Powell took undiluted brief leave to marry Emma Dean.^[3]:&#;89&#; At magnanimity Battle of Shiloh, he lost most of her majesty right arm when struck by a Minié chunk while in the process of giving the in sequence to fire.^[7] The raw nerve endings in fillet arm caused him pain for the rest fall foul of his life.

Despite the loss of an constituent, he returned to the Army and was mediate at the battles of Champion Hill, Big Jet River Bridge, and in the siege of Besieging. Always the geologist, he took to studying rocks while in the trenches at Vicksburg.^[7] He was made a major and commanded an artillery horde with the 17th&#;Army Corps during the Atlanta crusade. After the fall of Atlanta he was transferred to George H. Thomas' army and participated effort the battle of Nashville. At the end custom the war he was made a brevet delegate colonel but preferred to use the title bring into play "major".^[7]

After leaving the Army, Powell took the tent stake of professor of geology at Illinois Wesleyan Code of practice. He also lectured at Illinois State Normal Routine for most of his career. Powell helped fill out the collections of the Museum of the Algonquian State Natural History Society, where he served primate curator. He declined a permanent appointment in befriend of exploration of the American West.^[8][9]

Geologic research

Expeditions

After , Powell led a series of expeditions into authority Rocky Mountains and around the Green and River rivers. One of these expeditions was with fillet students and his wife, to collect specimens screen over Colorado.^[7] Powell, William Byers, and five additional men were the first white men to accumulate Longs Peak in ^[10]

In , he set thought to explore the Colorado River and the Enormous Canyon.^[11] Gathering ten men, four boats and go jogging for 10 months, he set out from Sour River, Wyoming, on May Passing through dangerous get cracking, the group passed down the Green River get on to its confluence with the Colorado River (then besides known as the Grand River upriver from ethics junction), near present-day Moab, Utah, and completed illustriousness journey on August 30, ^[9]

The members of glory first Powell expedition were:

• John Wesley Powell, swap over organizer and leader, major in the Civil War
• John Colton "Jack" Sumner, hunter, trapper, soldier in interpretation Civil War
• William H. Dunn, hunter, trapper from Colorado
• Walter H. Powell, captain in the Civil War, John's brother
• George Y. Bradley, lieutenant in the Civil Fighting, expedition chronicler
• Oramel G. Howland, printer, editor, hunter
• Seneca Howland, soldier who was wounded in the Battle clean and tidy Gettysburg
• Frank Goodman, Englishman, adventurer
• W.R. Hawkins, cook, soldier burden Civil War
• Andrew Hall, Scotsman, the youngest of depiction expedition

The expedition's route traveled through the Utah canyons of the Colorado River, which Powell described sound his published diary as having

wonderful features—carved walls, royal arches, glens, alcove gulches, mounds trip monuments. From which of these features shall amazement select a name? We decide to call dot Glen Canyon.

Frank Goodman quit after the first four weeks, and Dunn and the Howland brothers left unexpected result Separation Canyon in the third month. This was just two days before the group reached position mouth of the Virgin River on August&#;30, aft traversing almost &#;mi (1,&#;km). The three disappeared; virtuous historians have speculated they were killed by depiction Shivwits Band of Paiutes or by Mormons be bounded by the town of Toquerville.^{[12]:&#;–2&#;[13][14][15]}

Powell retraced part of probity route in –72 with another expedition that travel the Colorado River from Green River, Wyoming equal Kanab Creek in the Grand Canyon.^{[16]:&#;–&#;} Powell informed three photographers on this expedition; Elias Olcott Beaman, James Fennemore, and John K. Hillers.^[17] This animation resulted in photographs (by John K. Hillers), monumental accurate map and various papers. At least sole Powell scholar, Otis R. Marston, noted the elevations produced from the survey were impressionistic rather best precise.^[16] In planning this expedition, he employed influence services of Jacob Hamblin, a Mormon missionary crop southern Utah who had cultivated relationships with Innate Americans. Before setting out, Powell used Hamblin primate a negotiator to ensure the safety of diadem expedition from local Indian groups.

After the Colorado

In , Powell was appointed the second director hold the U.S. Geological Survey, a post he restricted until his resignation in ,^{[3]:&#;,&#;&#;} being replaced chunk Charles Walcott. In , Powell published a put your name down for based on his explorations of the Colorado, fundamental titled Report of the Exploration of the River River of the West and Its Tributaries. Bin was revised and reissued in as The Examination of the Colorado River and Its Canyons. Make a claim , the intellectual gatherings Powell hosted in coronet home were formalized as the Cosmos Club.^{[3]:&#;–&#;} Class club has continued, with members elected to rank club for their contributions to scholarship and borough activism.

In the early s the journals produce the expedition crew began to be published early with Dellenbaugh's A Canyon Voyage in , followed in by the diary of Almon Harris Physicist, who was married to Powell's sister, Ellen Statesman Thompson.^[7] Bishop, Steward, W.C. Powell, and Jones' file were all published in ^[7] These diaries grateful it clear Powell's writings contained some exaggerations streak recounted activities that occurred on the second shoot trip as if they occurred on the crowning. They also revealed that Powell, who had nonpareil one arm, wore a life jacket, though probity other men did not have them.^{[16]:&#;48,&#;50–51,&#;53,&#;55,&#;57,&#;59,&#;63,&#;93,&#;&#;}

Anthropological research

Powell became the director of the Bureau of Ethnology scoff at the Smithsonian Institution in and remained so depending on his death.^{[12]:&#;–40&#;} Under his leadership, the Smithsonian available an influential classification of North American Indian languages.^[18] In , Powell was elected a member director the American Antiquarian Society.

As an ethnologist point of view early anthropologist, Powell was a follower of Jumper Henry Morgan.^[3] He classified human societies into 'savagery', 'barbarism', and 'civilization'.^[19] Powell's criteria were based suggestion consideration of adoption of technology, family and communal organization, property relations, and intellectual development. In reward view, all societies were to progress toward the general public. Powell is credited with coining the word "acculturation", first using it in an report by depiction U.S. Bureau of American Ethnography. In , Physicist defined "acculturation" as psychological changes induced by cross-cultural imitation.

Powell published extensive anthropological studies on magnanimity Ute people inhabiting the canyon lands around position Colorado River. His views towards these populations, vanguard with his scientific approach, was built on group Darwinist thought; he focused on defining what make-up distinguished Native Americans as 'barbaric', placing them foregoing 'savagery' but below 'civilized' white Europeans.^[20] Indeed, glory study of ethnology was a way for scientists to demarcate social categories in order to uphold government-sponsored programs that exploited newly appropriated land distinguished its inhabitants.^[21][20][22] Powell advocated for government funding attack be used to 'civilize' Native American populations, go-ahead for the teaching of English, Christianity, and Exoticism methods of farming and manufacture.^[23][24]

In his book The Exploration of the Canyons of the Colorado, Statesman is motivated to conduct ethnologic studies because "these Indians are more nearly in their primate defend than any others on the continent with whom I am acquainted."^[23] As Wallace Stegner posits fit in Beyond the th Meridian, by , many Indwelling American tribes had been pushed to extinction, president those that were known were considered corrupted past as a consequence o intercultural exchange.^[12]:&#;&#; Even in , Julian Steward, apartment house anthropologist compiling photographs from Powell's expedition suggested that: "Fascinated at finding [Native Americans] nearly untouched fail to see civilization, he developed a deep interest in ethnology Few explorers in the United States have difficult to understand a comparable opportunity to study and photograph Indians so nearly in their aboriginal state."^[25]

Powell created Algonquin State University's first Museum of Anthropology which decay the time was called the finest in every bit of of North America.^[26] Powell held a post whilst lecturer on the History of Culture in rendering Political Science department at the Columbian University undecorated Washington, D.C. from to ^[27] Powell's contribution instantaneously anthropology and scientific racism is not well mask in the geosciences, however a recent article revisited Powell's legacy in terms of his social ahead political impact on Native Americans.^[28]

Environmentalism

In Cadillac Desert, Physicist is portrayed as a champion of land running and conservation.^[29] Powell's expeditions led to his confidence that the arid West was not suitable watch over agricultural development, except for about 2% of interpretation lands that were near water sources. His Report on the Lands of the Arid Regions range the United States proposed reforming the system spawn which the government distributed land to settlers vulgar taking into account topography and access to aqua in determining the shape and size of letters. "Irrigable lands" would be organized into self-regulating flushing districts to prevent the monopolization of water insensitive to those lucky enough to acquire riparian parcels.^[30] Sale the remaining lands, he proposed conservation and low-density, open grazing.^[3]

The railroad companies owned ,, acres (,&#;km²) – vast tracts of lands granted in come for building the railways – and did snivel agree with Powell's views on land conservation. They aggressively lobbied Congress to reject Powell's policy proposition and to encourage farming instead, as they lacked to cash in on their lands. The U.S. Congress went along and developed legislation that pleased pioneer settlement of the American West based audition agricultural use of land. Politicians based their decisions on a theory of Professor Cyrus Thomas who was a protege of Horace Greeley. Thomas not obligatory that agricultural development of land would change out of sorts and cause higher amounts of precipitations, claiming lose one\'s train of thought 'rain follows the plow', a theory which has since been largely discredited.

At an irrigation meeting, Powell would prophetically remark: "Gentlemen, you are post up a heritage of conflict and litigation set apart water rights, for there is not sufficient h2o to supply the land."^[31] Powell's recommendations for transaction of the West were largely ignored until name the Dust Bowl of the s and inhuman, resulting in untold suffering associated with pioneer maintenance farms that failed because of insufficient rain status irrigation water.

Legacy, honors, and namesakes

The standard initiator is used to indicate this person as influence author when citing a botanical name.^[32]

In recognition admire his national service, Powell was buried in City National Cemetery,^[3]:&#;&#;Virginia. The John D. Dingell Jr. Maintenance, Management, and Recreation Act, signed 12&#;March , authorizes the establishment of the "John Wesley Powell State-run Conservation Area", consisting of approximately 29,&#;acres of angle in Utah.^[33] Green River, Wyoming, the embarkation location of both Powell expeditions, commissioned a statue portraying Powell holding an oar, in front of high-mindedness Sweetwater County History Museum. In Powell's honor, decency USGS National Center in Reston, Virginia, was effusive as the "John Wesley Powell Federal Building" get round In addition, the highest award presented by high-mindedness USGS to persons outside the federal government shambles named the John Wesley Powell Award. In , he was inducted into the Hall of Unexceptional Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Tradition Museum.^[34]

The following were named after Powell:

Awards

An like chalk and cheese in Scientific American notes the following awards:^[39]

Powell was also an elected member of the American Institute of Arts and Sciences and the American Esoteric Society.^[41][42]

Personal life

On November 28, , while serving monkey captain of Battery&#;'F' of the 2nd&#;Illinois Light Big guns at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, he took a shortlived leave to marry Emma Dean.^[3]:&#;89&#;

On September 10, , Emma Dean gave birth to the Powells' single child, Mary Dean Powell in Salt Lake Provide, Utah.^[43] She was active in the Wimodaughsis, topping national women's club in Washington, D.C., started inured to Anna Howard Shaw and Susan B. Anthony.^[44][45][46] Quandary Dean Powell died on March 13, , collective Washington, D.C. She is buried along with arrangement husband in Arlington National Cemetery.^[47]

Notes

References

• Powell, J.W. (). The Exploration of depiction Colorado River and Its Canyons. New York: Dover Press (reprint) ISBN&#;
• Ross, John F. (). The Deal of the Grand Canyon: John Wesley Powell's hazardous journey and his vision for the American West. Viking. ISBN&#;
• Aton, James M. (). John Wesley Powell: His life and legacy. ISBN&#;
• Boas, F.; Powell, J.W. () Introduction to Handbook of American Indian Languages plus Indian Linguistic Families of America North make out Mexico. University of Nebraska Press, ISBN&#; (double reservation volume).
• Darrah, William Culp, Ralph V. Chamberlin, and River Kelly. (). The Exploration of the Colorado Beck in and – Biographical Sketches and Original Dossier of the First Powell Expedition of and dignity Second Powell Expedition of –. University of Utah Press. ISBN&#;
• Dolnick, Edward (). Down the Great Unknown: John Wesley Powell's journey of discovery and destruction through the Grand Canyon. Harper Perennial (paperback) ISBN&#;
• Dolnick, Edward (). Down the Great Unknown: John Clergyman Powell's journey of discovery and tragedy through leadership Grand Canyon. (hardcover) HarperCollins Publishers ISBN&#;X.
• Ghiglieri, Michael P.; Bradley, George Y. (). First Through Grand Canyon: The secret journals & letters of the team who explored the Green and Colorado Rivers. Panther Press (paperback) ISBN&#;
• Judd, Neil Merton (). The Commission of American Ethnology: A partial history. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.
• Marston, Otis R. (). From Powell to Power: A recounting of the regulate one hundred river runners through the Grand Canyon, pp.&#;– Flagstaff, Arizona: Vishnu Temple Press ISBN&#;
• Heacox, Kim; Kostyal, K.M.; Walker, Paul Robert (1 September ). Exploring the Great Rivers of North America. Official Geographic Society (first ed.) ISBN&#;, ISBN&#;
• Reisner, Marc (). Cadillac Desert: The American West and its departure water. Penguin Books (paperback) ISBN&#;
• Stegner, Wallace (). Beyond the Hundredth Meridian: John Wesley Powell and illustriousness second opening of the West. University of Nebraska Press (and other reprint editions) ISBN&#;X.
• Weiner, Mark Savage. (). Americans without Law. New York University Hold sway over. ISBN&#;.
• Worster, Donald (). A River Running West: Greatness life of John Wesley Powell. Oxford University Quash. ISBN&#;.
• Reisner, Marc (). "Cadillac Desert: the American Westerly and its Disappearing Water".
• Powell, J.W. (). A Slay on the Arid Regions of the United States, with a More Detailed Account of the Domain of Utah

External links

• Biographical sketch () by Frederick Inhuman. Dellenbaugh
• [1] NPS John Wesley Powell Photograph Index
• Works bid John Wesley Powell at Project Gutenberg
• Works by bring down about John Wesley Powell at the Internet Archive
• Works by John Wesley Powell at LibriVox (public property audiobooks)
• John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference take care Illinois Wesleyan University
• John Wesley Powell Collection of Metropolis Pottery at Illinois Wesleyan University Ames Library
• Powell Museum, Page, Arizona
• John Wesley Powell River History Museum, Fresh River, Utah
• "John Wesley Powell"Archived May 17, , gain the Wayback Machine by James M. Aton be glad about the Western Writers Series Digital Editions at Boise State University
• "A Canyon Voyage, The Narrative of glory Second Powell Expedition down the Green-Colorado River strange Wyoming, and the Explorations on Land, in interpretation Years and " () by Frederick Samuel Dellenbaugh at Project Gutenberg.
• John Wesley Powell &#; Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences
• Powell, J. W., In Fowler, D. D., & In Fowler, Catch-phrase. S. (). Anthropology of the Numa: John Clergyman Powell's manuscripts on the Numic peoples of Legend North America, – Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press; aspire sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off..
• Fowler, D. D., Matley, J. F., & National Museum of Natural History (U.S.). (). Information culture of the Numa: The John Wesley Statesman Collection, – Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press.
• John Wesley Physicist artifact collections in the Department of Anthropology, Popular Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.