22 Facts About Josiah Whitney

Josiah Dwight Whitney was an American geologist, professor of geology at Harvard University, and chief of the California Geological Survey.

Josiah Whitney was born November 23,1819, in Northampton, Massachusetts, the oldest of 12 children.

Josiah Whitney's father was Josiah Dwight Whitney of the New England Dwight family.

Josiah Whitney was the brother of grammarian and lexicographer William Dwight Whitney.

Josiah Whitney was educated at a series of schools in Northampton, Plainfield, Round Hill, New Haven and Andover.

Josiah Whitney decided to change career plans and sailed to Europe in 1842 to continue his studies in science.

When Whitney returned home in 1847, he and John Wells Foster were hired to assist Charles T Jackson in making a federal survey, of the Lake Superior land district of northern Michigan, which was about to become a major copper and iron mining region.

When Jackson was dismissed from the survey, Foster and Josiah Whitney completed it in 1850 and the final report was published under their names.

Josiah Whitney was appointed state chemist and professor in the Iowa State University in 1855, and together with James Hall, he issued reports on Iowa's geological survey.

Josiah Whitney argued that the survey should do more than simply serve as a prospecting party.

The state funded the publication and printing of the first three volumes of the survey's results, and Josiah Whitney published the remaining reports using his own money.

Josiah Whitney wrote The Yosemite Book, which was essentially a travel guide to Yosemite Valley and the surrounding area.

Josiah Whitney vehemently contested this claim, and accused Silliman of self-interested speculation aimed at prospective investors.

Josiah Whitney devoted much of his time and energy to personally attacking and discrediting Silliman, whose reputation was severely tarnished over the course of the public debate between the two.

In 1865, Josiah Whitney was appointed to the Harvard faculty in order to found a school of mines.

Josiah Whitney was allowed an indefinite leave of absence to complete his work in California.

Josiah Whitney held his position as professor of geology for the rest of his life.

Josiah Whitney married Louisa Goddard was born on in Manchester, England, December 17,1819; died in Cambridge, Massachusetts, May 13,1882 and on July 5,1854.

Josiah Whitney wrote The Burning of the Convent: a Narrative of the Destruction of the Ursuline School on Mount Benedict, Charlestown, by One of the Pupils, and Peasy's Childhood: an Autobiography.

Josiah Whitney named Lake Eleanor in Yosemite National Park for his daughter, who died in 1882.

Josiah Whitney died at Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire, on August 18,1896.

Josiah Whitney published many papers in journals of the United States and elsewhere.