Chester A. Arnold
Encyclopedia
Chester Arthur Arnold was an American
paleobotanist, born June 25, 1901 in Leeton, Missouri
and died on 19 November 1977.
He was the son of farmers Elmer and Edith Arnold. Arnolds family moved to Ludlowville, New York
and he attended Cornell University
with the intent to study agriculture
. Interaction with Loren Petry, a Cornell professor studying Devonian
plants of the region, lead to Arnold shifting his focus to paleobotany
. He received his Bachelor of Science at in 1924, his Ph.D. in 1929 with his thesis
on Devonian megafloral paleobotany. He started working at the Faculty of Botany, University of Michigan
from 1928 and became curator of the collection of fossil plants in 1929. Arnold became a professor in 1947. He maintained close relations with researchers in India, being a friend of Birbal Sahni
, of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany and served his year in residence from 1958-1959 at the institute. Arnold was a member of many learned societies and was the author of the Introduction to Paleobotany published in 1947.
Arnold did extensive research on the flora Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Tertiary of North America studying fossils from British Columbia
to Oklahoma
to Greenland
. During his lifetime Arnold wrote approximately 121 publications, on subjects including the fossil conifers of Princeton, British Columbia
to the extinct water-fern, Azolla primaeva
. He was honored with the Silver Medal from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany in 1972, and the Distinguished Service Award from the Paleobotanical Section of the Botanical Society of America
. A number of fossil plants have been named in Arnold's honor including Koelruteria arnoldi and Pseudolarix arnoldi
.
Arnold interacted with a number of eminent profession and amateur paleobotanists across the western US. While collecting fossils with Alonzo W. Hancock in the Clarno Formation of Oregon in 1941, Arnold and Hancock recovered the most complete Miomastodon
skull known to date. In 1952 Arnold was the supervisor for Herman F. Becker who extensively studied the Ruby Basin Flora of Montana. Among the may correspondents of Arnold was Wesley C. Wehr
, who became Affiliate curator of Paleobotany at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
in Seattle.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
paleobotanist, born June 25, 1901 in Leeton, Missouri
Leeton, Missouri
Leeton is a city in Johnson County, Missouri, United States. The population was 619 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Leeton is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of .-Demographics:...
and died on 19 November 1977.
He was the son of farmers Elmer and Edith Arnold. Arnolds family moved to Ludlowville, New York
Lansing (town), New York
Lansing is a town in Tompkins County, New York, United States. The population was 10,521 at the 2000 census. The town is named after John Lansing. Settlers from Lansing were early residents of the then-township of Lansing, Michigan and named it after their hometown; it would later become a city...
and he attended Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
with the intent to study agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. Interaction with Loren Petry, a Cornell professor studying Devonian
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
plants of the region, lead to Arnold shifting his focus to paleobotany
Paleobotany
Paleobotany, also spelled as palaeobotany , is the branch of paleontology or paleobiology dealing with the recovery and identification of plant remains from geological contexts, and their use for the biological reconstruction of past environments , and both the evolutionary history of plants, with a...
. He received his Bachelor of Science at in 1924, his Ph.D. in 1929 with his thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
on Devonian megafloral paleobotany. He started working at the Faculty of Botany, University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1928 and became curator of the collection of fossil plants in 1929. Arnold became a professor in 1947. He maintained close relations with researchers in India, being a friend of Birbal Sahni
Birbal Sahni
Birbal Sahni FRS was an Indian paleobotanist who studied the fossils of the Indian subcontinent, was also a geologist who took an interest in archaeology...
, of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany and served his year in residence from 1958-1959 at the institute. Arnold was a member of many learned societies and was the author of the Introduction to Paleobotany published in 1947.
Arnold did extensive research on the flora Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Tertiary of North America studying fossils from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
to Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
. During his lifetime Arnold wrote approximately 121 publications, on subjects including the fossil conifers of Princeton, British Columbia
Princeton, British Columbia
Princeton is a small town in the Similkameen region of southern British Columbia, Canada. It lies just east of the Cascade Mountains, which continue south into Washington, Oregon and California. The Tulameen and Similkameen Rivers converge here...
to the extinct water-fern, Azolla primaeva
Azolla primaeva
Azolla primaeva is an extinct species of "water fern" in the Azollaceae family known from Eocene fossils from the Ypresian stage , found in southern British Columbia....
. He was honored with the Silver Medal from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany in 1972, and the Distinguished Service Award from the Paleobotanical Section of the Botanical Society of America
Botanical Society of America
The Botanical Society of America represents professional and amateur botanists, researchers, educators and students in over 80 countries of the world...
. A number of fossil plants have been named in Arnold's honor including Koelruteria arnoldi and Pseudolarix arnoldi
Pseudolarix
Pseudolarix is a monotypic genus in the family Pinaceae. The sole species, Pseudolarix amabilis is commonly known as Golden Larch, though it is not a true larch , being more closely related to Keteleeria, Abies and Cedrus...
.
Arnold interacted with a number of eminent profession and amateur paleobotanists across the western US. While collecting fossils with Alonzo W. Hancock in the Clarno Formation of Oregon in 1941, Arnold and Hancock recovered the most complete Miomastodon
Zygolophodon
Zygolophodon is an extinct genus of African, Asian, North American, and European mastodon that lived during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs. It may have evolved from Tetralophodon. While collecting fossils in the Clarno Formation of Oregon during 1941, noted paleobotanists Alonzo W. Hancock and...
skull known to date. In 1952 Arnold was the supervisor for Herman F. Becker who extensively studied the Ruby Basin Flora of Montana. Among the may correspondents of Arnold was Wesley C. Wehr
Wesley C. Wehr
Wesley Conrad Wehr was an American paleontologist and artist best known for his studies of Tertiary fossil floras in western North America, the Stonerose Interpretive Center, and as a part of the Northwest School of art.-Early life:...
, who became Affiliate curator of Paleobotany at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture has been a Washington state museum since 1899. It is located at the University of Washington campus at the intersection of N.E. 45th Street and 17th Avenue N.E. in Seattle, Washington, USA, in the University District. It is the only major natural...
in Seattle.