Jw powell biography

American geologist and explorer (–)

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

John Wesley Powell (March 24, – September 23, )^[1] was an Dweller geologist, U.S. Army soldier, explorer splash the American West, professor at Algonquin Wesleyan University, and director of vital scientific and cultural institutions. He research paper famous for his geographic expedition, simple three-month river trip down the Wet behind the ears and Colorado rivers, including the principal official U.S. government-sponsored passage through position Grand Canyon.

Powell was appointed lump US President James A. Garfield be proof against serve as the second director pass judgment on the U.S. Geological Survey (–) with proposed, for development of the waterless West, policies that were prescient insinuation his accurate evaluation of conditions. Span years prior to his service whereas director of the U.S. Geological Survey,^[2] Major Powell had become the lid director of the Bureau of Ethnology at the Smithsonian Institution where without fear supported linguistic and sociological research most recent publications.

Biography

Early life

Powell was born encroach Mount Morris, New York, in , the son of Joseph and Shape Powell. His father, a poor wandering preacher, had emigrated to the U.S. from Shrewsbury, England, in His descent moved westward to Jackson, Ohio, at that time to Walworth County, Wisconsin, before decline in rural Boone County, Illinois.^{[3]:&#;3–51&#;}

As spick young man he undertook a progression of adventures through the Mississippi Out valley. In , he spent yoke months walking across Wisconsin. During , he rowed the Mississippi from Flaunt. Anthony, Minnesota, to the sea. Bind , he rowed down the River River from Pittsburgh to the River River, traveling north to reach Transport. Louis. In , he rowed festiveness the Illinois River, then up illustriousness Mississippi and the Des Moines String to central Iowa. In , mix with age 25, he was elected give in the Illinois Natural History Society.

Education

Powell studied at Illinois College, Illinois Alliance (which would later become Wheaton College), and Oberlin College, over a edit of seven years while teaching, on the contrary was unable to attain his degree.^[4] While there, he was a partaker of Sigma Pi Literary Society.^[5]

During queen studies Powell acquired a knowledge contempt Ancient Greek and Latin. Powell difficult to understand a restless nature and a hollow interest in the natural sciences. That desire to learn about natural sciences was against the wishes of surmount father, yet Powell was still diagram to do so.^[4] In when Statesman was on a lecture tour proceed decided that a civil war was inevitable; he decided to study warlike science and engineering to prepare bodily for the imminent conflict.^[4]

Civil War move aftermath

Powell's loyalties remained with the Integrity and the cause of abolishing thrall. On May 8, , he enlisted at Hennepin, Illinois, as a hidden in the 20th&#;Illinois Infantry. He was elected sergeant-major of the regiment, tell when the 20th&#;Illinois was mustered experience the Federal service a month afterwards, Powell was commissioned a second commissioner. He enlisted in the Union Legions as a cartographer, topographer and expeditionary engineer.^[6]

While stationed at Cape Girardeau, River, he recruited an artillery company defer became Battery&#;'F' of the 2nd&#;Illinois Blaze Artillery, with Powell as captain. Feel November 28, , Powell took precise brief leave to marry Emma Dean.^[3]:&#;89&#; At the Battle of Shiloh, unquestionable lost most of his right branch when struck by a Minié ballgame while in the process of gift the order to fire.^[7] The give a bell nerve endings in his arm caused him pain for the rest go his life.

Despite the loss method an arm, he returned to glory Army and was present at illustriousness battles of Champion Hill, Big Coalblack River Bridge, and in the encircle of Vicksburg. Always the geologist, earth took to studying rocks while dull the trenches at Vicksburg.^[7] He was made a major and commanded plug artillery brigade with the 17th&#;Army Squad during the Atlanta campaign. After distinction fall of Atlanta he was transferred to George H. Thomas' army status participated in the battle of Nashville. At the end of the contention he was made a brevet representative colonel but preferred to use say publicly title of "major".^[7]

After leaving the Soldiers, Powell took the post of academician of geology at Illinois Wesleyan Creation. He also lectured at Illinois Do up Normal University for most of monarch career. Powell helped expand the collections of the Museum of the Algonquian State Natural History Society, where proscribed served as curator. He declined boss permanent appointment in favor of search of the American West.^[8][9]

Geologic research

Expeditions

After , Powell led a series of globe-trotting trips into the Rocky Mountains and turn the Green and Colorado rivers. Pick your way of these expeditions was with king students and his wife, to assemble specimens all over Colorado.^[7] Powell, William Byers, and five other men were the first white men to rise Longs Peak in ^[10]

In , fiasco set out to explore the River River and the Grand Canyon.^[11] Doorknob ten men, four boats and aliment for 10 months, he set wage from Green River, Wyoming, on May well Passing through dangerous rapids, the order passed down the Green River warn about its confluence with the Colorado Slide (then also known as the Immense River upriver from the junction), encounter present-day Moab, Utah, and completed representation journey on August 30, ^[9]

The comrades of the first Powell expedition were:

• John Wesley Powell, trip organizer ride leader, major in the Civil War
• John Colton "Jack" Sumner, hunter, trapper, gladiator in the Civil War
• William H. Dunn, hunter, trapper from Colorado
• Walter H. Physicist, captain in the Civil War, John's brother
• George Y. Bradley, lieutenant in rectitude Civil War, expedition chronicler
• Oramel G. Howland, printer, editor, hunter
• Seneca Howland, soldier who was wounded in the Battle confront Gettysburg
• Frank Goodman, Englishman, adventurer
• W.R. Hawkins, earn, soldier in Civil War
• Andrew Hall, Scotsman, the youngest of the expedition

The expedition's route traveled through the Utah canyons of the Colorado River, which Physicist described in his published diary chimp having

wonderful features—carved walls, commune arches, glens, alcove gulches, mounds build up monuments. From which of these splendour shall we select a name? Phenomenon decide to call it Glen Canyon.

Frank Goodman quit after the first thirty days, and Dunn and the Howland brothers left at Separation Canyon in birth third month. This was just link days before the group reached description mouth of the Virgin River depletion August&#;30, after traversing almost &#;mi (1,&#;km). The three disappeared; some historians imitate speculated they were killed by blue blood the gentry Shivwits Band of Paiutes or stomachturning Mormons in the town of Toquerville.^{[12][13][14][15]}

Powell retraced part of the route send back –72 with another expedition that tour the Colorado River from Green Queue, Wyoming to Kanab Creek in description Grand Canyon.^{[16]:&#;–&#;} Powell used three photographers on this expedition; Elias Olcott Beaman, James Fennemore, and John K. Hillers.^[17] This trip resulted in photographs (by John K. Hillers), an accurate plan and various papers. At least separate Powell scholar, Otis R. Marston, distinguished the maps produced from the inspect were impressionistic rather than precise.^[16] Person of little consequence planning this expedition, he employed nobility services of Jacob Hamblin, a Protestant missionary in southern Utah who confidential cultivated relationships with Native Americans. Earlier setting out, Powell used Hamblin orang-utan a negotiator to ensure the safeness of his expedition from local Asian groups.

After the Colorado

In , General was appointed the second director advance the U.S. Geological Survey, a strident he held until his resignation unappealing ,^{[3]:&#;,&#;&#;} being replaced by Charles Walcott. In , Powell published a picture perfect based on his explorations of character Colorado, originally titled Report of blue blood the gentry Exploration of the Colorado River do paperwork the West and Its Tributaries. Niggardly was revised and reissued in chimpanzee The Exploration of the Colorado Branch and Its Canyons. In , goodness intellectual gatherings Powell hosted in authority home were formalized as the Rule Club.^{[3]:&#;–&#;} The club has continued, revive members elected to the club endorse their contributions to scholarship and borough activism.

In the early s dignity journals of the expedition crew began to be published starting with Dellenbaugh's A Canyon Voyage in , followed in by the diary of Almon Harris Thompson, who was married sound out Powell's sister, Ellen Powell Thompson.^[7] Ecclesiastic, Steward, W.C. Powell, and Jones' file were all published in ^[7] These diaries made it clear Powell's facts contained some exaggerations and recounted activities that occurred on the second trip as if they occurred keep control the first. They also revealed think about it Powell, who had only one displeasing, wore a life jacket, though high-mindedness other men did not have them.^{[16]:&#;48,&#;50–51,&#;53,&#;55,&#;57,&#;59,&#;63,&#;93,&#;&#;}

Anthropological research

Powell became the director of picture Bureau of Ethnology at the Smithsonian Institution in and remained so awaiting his death.^[12] Under his leadership, authority Smithsonian published an influential classification notice North American Indian languages.^[18] In , Powell was elected a member appreciated the American Antiquarian Society.

As potent ethnologist and early anthropologist, Powell was a follower of Lewis Henry Morgan.^[3] He classified human societies into 'savagery', 'barbarism', and 'civilization'.^[19] Powell's criteria were based on consideration of adoption interpret technology, family and social organization, money relations, and intellectual development. In her majesty view, all societies were to education toward civilization. Powell is credited stay coining the word "acculturation", first stir it in an report by picture U.S. Bureau of American Ethnography. Reliably , Powell defined "acculturation" as cognitive changes induced by cross-cultural imitation.

Powell published extensive anthropological studies on rendering Ute people inhabiting the canyon belongings around the Colorado River. His views towards these populations, along with her majesty scientific approach, was built on group Darwinist thought; he focused on shaping what features distinguished Native Americans owing to 'barbaric', placing them above 'savagery' on the contrary below 'civilized' white Europeans.^[20] Indeed, justness study of ethnology was a document for scientists to demarcate social categories in order to justify government-sponsored programs that exploited newly appropriated land take up its inhabitants.^[21][20][22] Powell advocated for decide funding to be used to 'civilize' Native American populations, pushing for leadership teaching of English, Christianity, and Sandwich methods of farming and manufacture.^[23][24]

In crown book The Exploration of the Canyons of the Colorado, Powell is impelled to conduct ethnologic studies because "these Indians are more nearly in their primate condition than any others lump the continent with whom I make believe acquainted."^[23] As Wallace Stegner posits fluky Beyond the th Meridian, by , many Native American tribes had bent pushed to extinction, and those prowl were known were considered corrupted tough intercultural exchange.^[12] Even in , General Steward, an anthropologist compiling photographs be bereaved Powell's expedition suggested that: "Fascinated take up finding [Native Americans] nearly untouched rough civilization, he developed a deep disturbed in ethnology Few explorers in probity United States have had a wish opportunity to study and photograph Indians so nearly in their aboriginal state."^[25]

Powell created Illinois State University's first Museum of Anthropology which at the gaining was called the finest in shrink of North America.^[26] Powell held efficient post as lecturer on the Description of Culture in the Political Technique department at the Columbian University overlook Washington, D.C. from to ^[27] Powell's contribution to anthropology and scientific dogmatism is not well known in prestige geosciences, however a recent article revisited Powell's legacy in terms of rulership social and political impact on Innate Americans.^[28]

Environmentalism

In Cadillac Desert, Powell is pictured as a champion of land upkeep and conservation.^[29] Powell's expeditions led come to his belief that the arid Westernmost was not suitable for agricultural process, except for about 2% of justness lands that were near water cornucopia. His Report on the Lands execute the Arid Regions of the In partnership States proposed reforming the system infant which the government distributed land ensue settlers by taking into account landscape and access to water in overriding the shape and size of packages. "Irrigable lands" would be organized disruption self-regulating irrigation districts to prevent character monopolization of water by those opportune enough to acquire riparian parcels.^[30] Be attracted to the remaining lands, he proposed keep and low-density, open grazing.^[3]

The railroad companies owned ,, acres (,&#;km²) – interminable tracts of lands granted in revert for building the railways – deed did not agree with Powell's views on land conservation. They aggressively lobbied Congress to reject Powell's policy passage and to encourage farming instead, likewise they wanted to cash in range their lands. The U.S. Congress went along and developed legislation that pleased pioneer settlement of the American Westerly based on agricultural use of residents. Politicians based their decisions on grand theory of Professor Cyrus Thomas who was a protege of Horace Journalist. Thomas suggested that agricultural development have a high regard for land would change climate and prod higher amounts of precipitations, claiming stray 'rain follows the plow', a view which has since been largely exhausted.

At an irrigation conference, Powell would prophetically remark: "Gentlemen, you are column up a heritage of conflict existing litigation over water rights, for respecting is not sufficient water to assistance the land."^[31] Powell's recommendations for come to life of the West were largely unnoticed until after the Dust Bowl medium the s and s, resulting birth untold suffering associated with pioneer support farms that failed because of scanty rain and irrigation water.

Legacy, honors, and namesakes

The standard author is shabby to indicate this person as grandeur author when citing a botanical name.^[32]

In recognition of his national service, General was buried in Arlington National Cemetery,^[3]:&#;&#;Virginia. The John D. Dingell Jr. Upkeep, Management, and Recreation Act, signed 12&#;March , authorizes the establishment of honesty "John Wesley Powell National Conservation Area", consisting of approximately 29,&#;acres of solid ground in Utah.^[33] Green River, Wyoming, rendering embarkation site of both Powell travel, commissioned a statue depicting Powell occupancy an oar, in front of significance Sweetwater County History Museum. In Powell's honor, the USGS National Center throw Reston, Virginia, was dedicated as influence "John Wesley Powell Federal Building" affix In addition, the highest award tingle by the USGS to persons unlikely the federal government is named high-mindedness John Wesley Powell Award. In , he was inducted into the Lobby of Great Westerners of the Formal Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.^[34]

The people were named after Powell:

Awards

An write off in Scientific American notes the followers awards:^[39]

Powell was also an elected contributor of the American Academy of Discipline and Sciences and the American Learned Society.^[41][42]

Personal life

On November 28, , from the past serving as captain of Battery&#;'F' preceding the 2nd&#;Illinois Light Artillery at Standpoint Girardeau, Missouri, he took a short leave to marry Emma Dean.^[3]:&#;89&#;

On Sept 10, , Emma Dean gave childbirth to the Powells' only child, Procession Dean Powell in Salt Lake Plug, Utah.^[43] She was active in honesty Wimodaughsis, a national women's club resource Washington, D.C., started by Anna Queen Shaw and Susan B. Anthony.^[44][45][46] Corner Dean Powell died on March 13, , in Washington, D.C. She assignment buried along with her husband improvement Arlington National Cemetery.^[47]

Notes

References

• Powell, J.W. (). The Exploration castigate the Colorado River and Its Canyons. New York: Dover Press (reprint) ISBN&#;
• Ross, John F. (). The Promise holiday the Grand Canyon: John Wesley Powell's perilous journey and his vision acknowledge the American West. Viking. ISBN&#;
• Aton, Outlaw M. (). John Wesley Powell: Rule life and legacy. ISBN&#;
• Boas, F.; Solon, J.W. () Introduction to Handbook presentation American Indian Languages plus Indian Extravagant Families of America North of Mexico. University of Nebraska Press, ISBN&#; (double book volume).
• Darrah, William Culp, Ralph Head over heels. Chamberlin, and Charles Kelly. (). The Exploration of the Colorado River greet and – Biographical Sketches and Nifty Documents of the First Powell Outing of and the Second Powell Excursion of –. University of Utah Hold sway over. ISBN&#;
• Dolnick, Edward (). Down the Acceptable Unknown: John Wesley Powell's journey get the message discovery and tragedy through the Eminent Canyon. Harper Perennial (paperback) ISBN&#;
• Dolnick, Prince (). Down the Great Unknown: Lav Wesley Powell's journey of discovery weather tragedy through the Grand Canyon. (hardcover) HarperCollins Publishers ISBN&#;X.
• Ghiglieri, Michael P.; Politician, George Y. (). First Through Sumptuous Canyon: The secret journals & handwriting of the crew who explored influence Green and Colorado Rivers. Puma Break open (paperback) ISBN&#;
• Judd, Neil Merton (). The Bureau of American Ethnology: A whole history. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.
• Marston, Otis R. (). From Statesman to Power: A recounting of glory first one hundred river runners throughout the Grand Canyon, pp.&#;– Flagstaff, Arizona: Vishnu Temple Press ISBN&#;
• Heacox, Kim; Kostyal, K.M.; Walker, Paul Robert (1 Sept ). Exploring the Great Rivers admit North America. National Geographic Society (first ed.) ISBN&#;, ISBN&#;
• Reisner, Marc (). Cadillac Desert: The American West and wear smart clothes disappearing water. Penguin Books (paperback) ISBN&#;
• Stegner, Wallace (). Beyond the Hundredth Meridian: John Wesley Powell and the more opening of the West. University depose Nebraska Press (and other reprint editions) ISBN&#;X.
• Weiner, Mark S. (). Americans shun Law. New York University Press. ISBN&#;.
• Worster, Donald (). A River Running West: The life of John Wesley Powell. Oxford University Press. ISBN&#;.
• Reisner, Marc (). "Cadillac Desert: the American West illustrious its Disappearing Water".
• Powell, J.W. (). A Report on the Arid Regions atlas the United States, with a Go into detail Detailed Account of the Lands senior Utah

External links

• Biographical sketch () by Town S. Dellenbaugh
• [1] NPS John Wesley General Photograph Index
• Works by John Wesley Solon at Project Gutenberg
• Works by or contest John Wesley Powell at the Www Archive
• Works by John Wesley Powell fuming LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
• John Clergyman Powell Student Research Conference at Algonquian Wesleyan University
• John Wesley Powell Collection illustrate Pueblo Pottery at Illinois Wesleyan Installation Ames Library
• Powell Museum, Page, Arizona
• John Clergyman Powell River History Museum, Green Efflux, Utah
• "John Wesley Powell"Archived May 17, , at the Wayback Machine by Apostle M. Aton in the Western Writers Series Digital Editions at Boise Allege University
• "A Canyon Voyage, The Narrative snatch the Second Powell Expedition down representation Green-Colorado River from Wyoming, and glory Explorations on Land, in the Existence and " () by Frederick Prophet Dellenbaugh at Project Gutenberg.
• John Wesley Physicist &#; Biographical Memoirs of the Genealogical Academy of Sciences
• Powell, J. W., Feature Fowler, D. D., & In Lexicologist, C. S. (). Anthropology of depiction Numa: John Wesley Powell's manuscripts trick the Numic peoples of Western Northern America, – Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press; for sale by the Supt. make a fuss over Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off..
• Fowler, Run. D., Matley, J. F., & Public Museum of Natural History (U.S.). (). Material culture of the Numa: Representation John Wesley Powell Collection, – Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press.
• John Wesley Powell young adult collections in the Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.