Augustus Addison Gould
Encyclopedia
Augustus Addison Gould (April 23, 1805, New Ipswich, New Hampshire
– September 15, 1866, Boston
) was an American
conchologist and malacologist.
, he was the son of music teacher Nathaniel Duren Gould (1781-1864) who was also noted for his penmanship.
in 1825, and took his degree of doctor of medicine in 1830. Establishing himself in Boston
, he devoted himself to the practice of medicine
, and finally rose to high professional rank and social position. He became president of the Massachusetts Medical Society
, and was employed in editing the vital statistics
of the state. In 1855 he delivered the annual address at the Massachusetts Medical Society
, entitled “Search out the Secrets of Nature.” He was its president from 1864 until his death. In 1856, he was appointed visiting physician
to the Massachusetts General Hospital
.
his reputation was worldwide, and he was one of the pioneers of the science in America. His writings fill many pages of the publications of the Boston Society of Natural History
(see vol. xi. p. 197 for a list) and other periodicals. He published with Louis Agassiz
the Principles of Zoology (2nd ed. 1851). He taught botany
and zoology
at Harvard for two years. When Charles Lyell
visited the United States in order to pursue his geological
investigations, he immediately sought the aid of Gould as a co-worker.
Gould edited The terrestrial air-breathing mollusks of the United States, and the adjacent territories of North America - Volume 1 (1851-1855) of Amos Binney (1803-1847). He translated Lamarck
's Genera of Shells (1833).
The two most important monuments to his scientific work, however, are Mollusca and Shells (vol. xii, 1852) of the United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842 under Lieutenant Charles Wilkes
(1833), published by the government, and the Report on the Invertebrata published by order of the legislature of Massachusetts
in 1841. A second edition of the latter work was authorized in 1865, and published in 1870 after the author's death.
In 1860, Gould also reported on shells collected by the North Pacific Exploring and Surveying Expedition
.
Gould was a corresponding member of all the prominent American scientific societies, and of many of those of Europe
, including the London Royal Society
.
His resting place is Mount Auburn Cemetery
.
New Ipswich, New Hampshire
New Ipswich is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,099 at the 2010 census. New Ipswich, situated on the Massachusetts border, includes the villages of Bank, Davis, Gibson Four Corners, Highbridge, New Ipswich Center, Smithville, and Wilder, though these...
– September 15, 1866, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
conchologist and malacologist.
Biography
Born in New Ipswich, New HampshireNew Ipswich, New Hampshire
New Ipswich is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,099 at the 2010 census. New Ipswich, situated on the Massachusetts border, includes the villages of Bank, Davis, Gibson Four Corners, Highbridge, New Ipswich Center, Smithville, and Wilder, though these...
, he was the son of music teacher Nathaniel Duren Gould (1781-1864) who was also noted for his penmanship.
Physician
He graduated from Harvard CollegeHarvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in 1825, and took his degree of doctor of medicine in 1830. Establishing himself in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, he devoted himself to the practice of medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, and finally rose to high professional rank and social position. He became president of the Massachusetts Medical Society
Massachusetts Medical Society
The Massachusetts Medical Society is the oldest continuously-operating state medical society in the United States. Incorporated on November 1, 1781, by an act of the Massachusetts General Court, the MMS is a non-profit organization that consists of approximately 22,000 physicians, medical students...
, and was employed in editing the vital statistics
Vital statistics
Vital statistics are the information maintained by a government, recording the birth and death of individuals within that government's jurisdiction. These data are used by public health programs to evaluate how effective their programs are...
of the state. In 1855 he delivered the annual address at the Massachusetts Medical Society
Massachusetts Medical Society
The Massachusetts Medical Society is the oldest continuously-operating state medical society in the United States. Incorporated on November 1, 1781, by an act of the Massachusetts General Court, the MMS is a non-profit organization that consists of approximately 22,000 physicians, medical students...
, entitled “Search out the Secrets of Nature.” He was its president from 1864 until his death. In 1856, he was appointed visiting physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
to the Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital is a teaching hospital and biomedical research facility in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts...
.
Naturalist
As a conchologistConchology
Conchology is the scientific or amateur study of mollusc shells. Conchology is one aspect of malacology, the study of molluscs, however malacology studies molluscs as whole organisms, not just their shells. Conchology pre-dated malacology as a field of study. It includes the study of land and...
his reputation was worldwide, and he was one of the pioneers of the science in America. His writings fill many pages of the publications of the Boston Society of Natural History
Boston Society of Natural History
The Boston Society of Natural History in Boston, Massachusetts, was an organization dedicated to the study and promotion of natural history. It published a scholarly journal and established a museum. In its first few decades, the society occupied several successive locations in Boston's Financial...
(see vol. xi. p. 197 for a list) and other periodicals. He published with Louis Agassiz
Louis Agassiz
Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz was a Swiss paleontologist, glaciologist, geologist and a prominent innovator in the study of the Earth's natural history. He grew up in Switzerland and became a professor of natural history at University of Neuchâtel...
the Principles of Zoology (2nd ed. 1851). He taught botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
and zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
at Harvard for two years. When Charles Lyell
Charles Lyell
Sir Charles Lyell, 1st Baronet, Kt FRS was a British lawyer and the foremost geologist of his day. He is best known as the author of Principles of Geology, which popularised James Hutton's concepts of uniformitarianism – the idea that the earth was shaped by slow-moving forces still in operation...
visited the United States in order to pursue his geological
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
investigations, he immediately sought the aid of Gould as a co-worker.
Gould edited The terrestrial air-breathing mollusks of the United States, and the adjacent territories of North America - Volume 1 (1851-1855) of Amos Binney (1803-1847). He translated Lamarck
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet, Chevalier de la Marck , often known simply as Lamarck, was a French naturalist...
's Genera of Shells (1833).
The two most important monuments to his scientific work, however, are Mollusca and Shells (vol. xii, 1852) of the United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842 under Lieutenant Charles Wilkes
Charles Wilkes
Charles Wilkes was an American naval officer and explorer. He led the United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842 and commanded the ship in the Trent Affair during the American Civil War...
(1833), published by the government, and the Report on the Invertebrata published by order of the legislature of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in 1841. A second edition of the latter work was authorized in 1865, and published in 1870 after the author's death.
In 1860, Gould also reported on shells collected by the North Pacific Exploring and Surveying Expedition
North Pacific Exploring and Surveying Expedition
The North Pacific Exploring and Surveying Expedition, also known as the Rodgers-Ringgold Expedition was a United States scientific and exploring project from 1853 to 1856....
.
Gould was a corresponding member of all the prominent American scientific societies, and of many of those of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, including the London Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
.
His resting place is Mount Auburn Cemetery
Mount Auburn Cemetery
Mount Auburn Cemetery was founded in 1831 as "America's first garden cemetery", or the first "rural cemetery", with classical monuments set in a rolling landscaped terrain...
.
External links
- Molluscs and Shells by A. A. Gould 1852-1856 at Botanicus.