Charles Christopher Adams
Encyclopedia
Charles Christopher Adams (1873 – 1955) was an American
zoologist, born at Clinton
, Illinois
on July 23, 1873, and educated at Illinois Wesleyan University
, Harvard
, and the University of Chicago
.
Adams' parents were William Henry Harrison Adams and Hannah Westfall (Conklin) Adams. He married Alice Luthera Norton in October 1908 and together they had one daughter, Harriet Dyer Adams. His wife died September 1, 1931.
Charles Adams died on May 22, 1955 in Albany, New York and was buried in Burlington, Wisconsin.
of the University of Cincinnati
(1906— 1907).
In 1908, Adams moved to the academic arena with an appointment as an associate professor at the University of Illinois. He became an assistant professor of forest zoology at the New York State College of Forestry
at Syracuse University in 1914 and was subsequently appointed to a full professorship in 1916.
In 1919, Adams became the first director of the Roosevelt Wild Life Forest Experiment Station in the Adirondacks, managed by the New York State College of Forestry. During his time there, he was an instrumental force in the development of the Allegheny State Park in Western New York.
In 1926, Adams left the Roosevelt Station to become the director of the New York State Museum
, a position he held until his retirement in 1943.
and a founding member of the American Ecological Society.
He was also a member of the American Society of Naturalists
, the Association of American Geographers
, the History Science Society and Sigma Xi
(the Scientific Research Society).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
zoologist, born at Clinton
Clinton, Illinois
Clinton is the largest city in DeWitt County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,225 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of DeWitt County.The city and the county are named for DeWitt Clinton, governor of New York, 1817-1823...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
on July 23, 1873, and educated at Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University is an independent undergraduate university located in Bloomington, Illinois. Founded in 1850, the central portion of the present campus was acquired in 1854 with the first building erected in 1856...
, Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, and the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
.
Adams' parents were William Henry Harrison Adams and Hannah Westfall (Conklin) Adams. He married Alice Luthera Norton in October 1908 and together they had one daughter, Harriet Dyer Adams. His wife died September 1, 1931.
Charles Adams died on May 22, 1955 in Albany, New York and was buried in Burlington, Wisconsin.
Career
Dr. Adams worked in the fields of general animal ecology and the ecology of prairies, forests and lakes. He began his career as an assistant entomologist at Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History, where he worked from 1896 to 1898. From 1903 to 1906, he served as the curator of the University of Michigan Museum. He was then employed at the Cincinnati Society of Natural History and the MuseumMuseum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
of the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
(1906— 1907).
In 1908, Adams moved to the academic arena with an appointment as an associate professor at the University of Illinois. He became an assistant professor of forest zoology at the New York State College of Forestry
History of the New York State College of Forestry
The New York State College of Forestry, the first professional school of forestry in North America, opened its doors at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, in the autumn of 1898. After just a few years of operation, it was defunded in 1903, by Governor Benjamin B. Odell, in response to public...
at Syracuse University in 1914 and was subsequently appointed to a full professorship in 1916.
In 1919, Adams became the first director of the Roosevelt Wild Life Forest Experiment Station in the Adirondacks, managed by the New York State College of Forestry. During his time there, he was an instrumental force in the development of the Allegheny State Park in Western New York.
In 1926, Adams left the Roosevelt Station to become the director of the New York State Museum
New York State Museum
The New York State Museum is a research-backed institution in Albany, New York, United States. It is located on Madison Avenue, attached to the south side of the Empire State Plaza, facing onto the plaza and towards the New York State Capitol...
, a position he held until his retirement in 1943.
Publications
Besides numerous papers on animal ecology, he published:- An Ecological Survey of Isle Royal, Lake Superior, in collaboration (1909)
- Guide to the Study of Animal Ecology (1915)
- An Ecological Study of Forest and Prairie Invertebrates (1915)
- Variations and Ecological Distribution of the Snails of the Genus IO (1915)
Professional Affiliations
Dr. Adams was a charter member of the American Association of MuseumsAmerican Association of Museums
The American Association of Museums is a non-profit association that has brought museums together since its founding in 1906, helping develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and advocating on issues of concern to the museum community...
and a founding member of the American Ecological Society.
He was also a member of the American Society of Naturalists
American Society of Naturalists
The American Society of Naturalists was founded in 1883 and is one of the oldest professional societies dedicated to the biological sciences in North America...
, the Association of American Geographers
Association of American Geographers
The Association of American Geographers is a non-profit scientific and educational society founded in 1904 and aimed at advancing the understanding, study, and importance of geography and related fields...
, the History Science Society and Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society is a non-profit honor society which was founded in 1886 at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a handful of graduate students. Members elect others on the basis of their research achievements or potential...
(the Scientific Research Society).
Sources
- Charles C. Adams Papers, 1915-1968 (bulk 1915-1941). This finding aid contains biographical information about Charles C. Adams and a description of the collection of his papers, mainly related to Roosevelt Wildlife Forest Experimental Station and the Allegany State Park, that are held by the New York State LibraryNew York State LibraryThe New York State Library is part of the New York State Education Department. The Library and its sister institutions, the New York State Museum and New York State Archives, are housed in the Cultural Education Center...
.
External links
- Charles C. Adams papers, 1931-1948 in the collection of the Smithsonian Archives of American ArtArchives of American ArtThe Archives of American Art is the largest collection of primary resources documenting the history of the visual arts in the United States. More than 16 million items of original material are housed in the Archives' research centers in Washington, D.C...