Edinburgh University Library Special Collections Division

Correspondence of Sir Archibald Geikie: American geologists

Subseries Summary

Reference Code

GB 0237 Sir Archibald Geikie Gen. 526/1

Date(s)

1878-1907

Extent and medium of the unit of description

letters and postcards

Name of creator

Geikie | Sir | Archibald | 1835-1924 | professor of geology, University of Edinburgh

Biographical History

Sir Archibald Geikie corresponded with a number of North American geologists. This sub-series includes the following correspondents:

Mary L Ames (fl1904) was the daughter of J Peter Lesley (1819-1903) and the cousin of Benjamin Smith Lyman (1835-1920). Geikie paid tribute to her father after his death. Henry Marc Ami (1858-1931) suggested Geikie might apply for the directorship of the Geological Survey of Canada. He investigated geology and paleontology in Canada and had work published by MacMillan. Florence Bascom (1862-1945) desired to visit Fife and to meet Geikie during her visit to Britain in 1901.

George Ferdinand Becker (1847-1919) wrote papers on fossils from the Phillipines. He shared an opinion with Geikie that the International Geological Congress should urge seismological investigation but qualified this with the need for improved instruments and mathematical theory. He was also interested in work done by the International Geodetic Association into gravity and to the need to consider magnetics while engaged in any type of surveying. Robert Bell (1841-1917) had taken up directorship of the Geological Survey of Canada in 1901. He described various aspects of the work he was doing there, including how it related to government and possible vacancies for people Geikie had suggested to him. He toured parts of Europe, including Bosnia, Italy and Germany. See also GB 0237 Sir Archibald Geikie Gen. 526/4.

William Bullock Clark (1860-1917) investigated the geology of Mexico, while there with the American Institute of Mining Engineers. He was involved in the anniversary celebrations of the John Hopkins University, and the Maryland Geological Survey. Geikie sent him a copy of Founders of Geology, (1897) . Clark became foreign correspondent for the Geological Society of London. John Mason Clarke (1857-1925) sent Geikie a parcel with publications on Devonic for Geikie's opinion. William Morris Davis (1850-1934) assisted the work of Thorvaldur Thoroddsen (1855-1921).

Grove Karl Gilbert (1843-1918) investigated faults in Utah, sierra granite and fir trees. Arnold Hague (1840-1917) wrote an article on Yellowstone National Park. Ferdinand Vandiveer Hayden (1829-1887) failed to be appointed to a certain post due to certain reasons. (See also the Correspondence from Ferdinand Vandiveer Hayden sub-series: GB 0237 Sir Archibald Geikie Gen. 525/1)

William Herbert Hobbs (1864-1952) visited Italy in 1906, studying the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which he described in some detail. He also studied the area of Calabria. Joseph Le Conte (1823-1901) was involved in the Conference of Contemporary Thought to which Geikie was invited to submit a paper. Benjamin Smith Lyman (1835-1920) received a copy of Geikie's 1904 Presidential address to the Geological Society. Nathaniel Southgate Shaler (1841-1906) was interested in articles contributed by Geikie to the journals International Monthly and International Quarterly.

John James Stevenson (1841-1924) was the author of The Carboniferous of the Appalachian Basin, (1903-1907). Charles Doolittle Walcott (1850-1927) worked in the areas of Cape Breton Island and in Montana amongst other activities. Henry Stephens Washington (1867-1934) was elected as Foreign Correspondent of the Geological Society of London. He wrote a number of papers following a a geological trip round various parts of southern Europe in 1905. He also invited Geikie to visit him while he was in the United States. Bailey Willis (1857-1949) made geological observations in China.

Scope and Content

The Correspondence of Sir Archibald Geikie: American geologists sub-series consists of:

67 letters and postcards, alphabetically arranged (1878-1907).

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