McGee, W. J., 1853-1912

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Geologist, anthropologist, and hydrologist.

From the description of Papers of W. J. McGee, 1822-1916. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 78067600

Biographical Note

  • 1853, Apr. 17: Born near Farley, Iowa
  • 1878 - 1882 : Made surveys of the geology of Iowa
  • 1883: Joined the United States Geological Survey
  • 1883 - 1894 : Surveyed the geology of the Atlantic Coastal Plain
  • 1888: Married Anita Newcomb (died 1940)
  • 1893: Became anthropologist in charge, Bureau of American Ethnology
  • 1903 - 1904 : In charge of the anthropological and historical exhibit, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo. Appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt to the Inland Waterways Commission Appointed by the secretary of agriculture to take charge of the study of the water resources of the United States.
  • 1912, Sept. 4: Died, Washington, D.C.

From the guide to the W J McGee Papers, 1880-1916, (bulk 1885-1905), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

Born in Iowa in 1853, anthropologist, ethnologist, and geologist William J. McGee worked for the U.S. Geological Survey from 1881 until 1893 when the Bureau of American Ethnology was formed. He was in charge of the Bureau from 1893 to 1903. During that time, he conducted field expeditions to study the Tohono O’odham Indians in southern Arizona and Seri Indians in Sonora, Mexico in late 1894 and late 1895. He held various other prominent scientific positions until his death in 1912.

Photographer William Dinwiddie, born in Virginia in 1867, worked for the Bureau of American Ethnology from 1886 to 1895, then became a journalist and war correspondent.

From the guide to the W.J. McGee Photograph Collection, 1894-1895, (University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf McGee, W. J., 1853-1912. Desert thirst as a disease / by W.J. McGee. Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn Forbes, Robert Humphrey, 1867-1968. Forbes papers, 1869-1966 (bulk 1915-1950). Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn Century Company records New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Library Of Congress, Manuscript Division. W. J. Mcgee Papers.
referencedIn George G. Heye autograph collection, 1886-1928 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
creatorOf W J McGee Papers, 1880-1916, (bulk 1885-1905) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Ward, Lester Frank, 1841-1913. Correspondence, 1865-1913, "King" to "Marcon." Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
referencedIn Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary. Correspondence, 1865-1891 Smithsonian Institution Archives
referencedIn Boas, Franz, 1858-1942. Correspondence, 1862-1942. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn George G. Heye autograph collection, 1886-1928 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn Floyd Glenn Lounsbury papers, ca. 1935-1998, Circa 1935-1998 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf W.J. McGee Photograph Collection, 1894-1895 University of Arizona Libraries, Library Special Collections
creatorOf McGee, W. J., 1853-1912. Portions of Iowa and Minnesota included in the "Topographic map of the driftless region" / Iowa by W.J. McGee ; Minn. from data furnished by N.H. Winchell. University of Chicago Library
referencedIn Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary. Correspondence, 1863-1879 Smithsonian Institution Archives
referencedIn Putnam, Frederic Ward, 1839-1915. Papers, 1807-1971 (bulk: 1855-1935) Peabody Museum Archives, Harvard University
referencedIn Franz Boas Papers, 1862-1942 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Wendell family papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Anita Newcomb McGee Papers, 1688-1932, (bulk 1869-1932) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
correspondedWith Baird, Spencer F. person
associatedWith Bessels, Emil person
associatedWith Boas, Franz, 1858-1942. person
associatedWith Call, Richard Ellsworth, 1856-1917. person
correspondedWith Century Company corporateBody
associatedWith Colby, Frank Moore, 1865-1925. person
correspondedWith Dellenbaugh, Frederick Samuel, 1853-1935 person
associatedWith Dinwiddie, William person
associatedWith Fenton, William N., (William Nelson), 1908-2005 person
associatedWith Forbes, Robert Humphrey, 1867-1968. person
correspondedWith Frederic Ward Putnam, 1813-1915 person
associatedWith Geological Survey (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith George G.(George Gustav), Heye 1874-1957. person
associatedWith Haas, Mary R., (Mary Rosamond), 1910-1996 person
correspondedWith Hay, Robert person
associatedWith Hay, Robert. person
associatedWith Hayward, Florence, 1865- person
correspondedWith Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 person
associatedWith Heye, George G. (George Gustav), 1874-1957. person
associatedWith Hill, Robert Thomas, 1858-1941. person
associatedWith International Geographical Congress. corporateBody
associatedWith International Geographical Meeting. corporateBody
associatedWith Johnson, Jerome. person
correspondedWith Johnson, Lawrence C. person
associatedWith Johnson, Lawrence C. person
associatedWith Johnson, Willard D. person
correspondedWith Johnson, Willard D. person
associatedWith Langley, S. P. (Samuel Pierpont), 1834-1906. person
associatedWith Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.) corporateBody
associatedWith Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : St. Louis, Mo.) corporateBody
associatedWith Lounsbury, Floyd Glenn person
correspondedWith McCowan, Samuel M. person
associatedWith McCowan, S. W. person
associatedWith McGee, Anita Newcomb, 1864-1940. person
correspondedWith Rhees, William J. person
associatedWith Saint Louis Museum (St. Louis, Mo.) corporateBody
associatedWith Saint Louis Public Museum. corporateBody
associatedWith Skiff, F. J. V. (Frederick James Volney), 1851-1921. person
correspondedWith Smithsonian Institution corporateBody
associatedWith Smithsonian Institution. Bureau of American Ethnology. corporateBody
correspondedWith Smithsonian Institution Collaborators corporateBody
associatedWith Star, Frederick. person
correspondedWith Starr, Frederick, 1858-1933 person
associatedWith Sturtevant, William C. person
associatedWith Swadesh, Morris, 1909-1967 person
correspondedWith Taylor, William B. person
associatedWith Valencia, Pablo. person
associatedWith Voegelin, C. F. (Charles Frederick), 1906-1986 person
associatedWith Ward, Lester Frank, 1841-1913. person
correspondedWith Wendell family. family
associatedWith Williams, George Huntington, 1856-1894. person
associatedWith Williams, Henry Shaler, 1847-1918. person
associatedWith Winchell, N. H. (Newton Horace), 1839-1914. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Iowa
United States
Missouri
Minnesota
Subject
Anthropology
Anthropology
Chemistry
Coastal plains
Energy
Ethnology
Ethnology Archaeology Anthropology
Exhibitions
Exhibitions
Geography
Geography
Geological surveys
Geology
Geology
Geology
Geology
Heat
History
History
Mathematics
Matter, Structure Of
Museums
Museums
Scientific publications
Smithsonian Publications
Surveys And Explorations, General
Thirst
Occupation
Anthropologists
Ethnologists
Geologists
Hydrologists
Scientists
Activity

Person

Birth 1853-04-17

Death 1912-09-04

Americans

English

Information

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