Charles Wachsmuth
Encyclopedia
Charles Wachsmuth was an American paleontologist born in Hanover, Germany. Educated as a lawyer, he left his profession due to ill-health and emigrated to the United States. He settled in Burlington, Iowa
where he became fascinated with the crinoid
fossils found in the local limestone formations. Within a few years he had built an extensive collection.
In 1864 he met Louis Agassiz
and the following year traveled to Europe where he studied crinoids in the British Museum
and other famous collections. Inspired, he devoted all his energies to the continued collection and study of crinoid fossils. He supplied crinoid specimens to Agassiz in Cambridge and to the British Museum.
He befriended another attorney, Frank Springer, in Burlington and together they continued the study of crinoids and published a series of important studies on the subject.
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
where he became fascinated with the crinoid
Crinoid
Crinoids are marine animals that make up the class Crinoidea of the echinoderms . Crinoidea comes from the Greek word krinon, "a lily", and eidos, "form". They live both in shallow water and in depths as great as 6,000 meters. Sea lilies refer to the crinoids which, in their adult form, are...
fossils found in the local limestone formations. Within a few years he had built an extensive collection.
In 1864 he met 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...
and the following year traveled to Europe where he studied crinoids in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
and other famous collections. Inspired, he devoted all his energies to the continued collection and study of crinoid fossils. He supplied crinoid specimens to Agassiz in Cambridge and to the British Museum.
He befriended another attorney, Frank Springer, in Burlington and together they continued the study of crinoids and published a series of important studies on the subject.