David P. Penhallow
Encyclopedia
David Pearce Penhallow was a Canadian-American botanist, paleobotanist and educator.
Born in Kittery Point, Maine
, Penhallow graduated from Massachusetts Agricultural College in 1873 (now the University of Massachusetts Amherst
). When his former professor, William S. Clark
was asked by the Japanese government to assist in the founding of Sapporo Agricultural College
(now Hokkaido University
), Penhallow accompanied Clark and another MAC graduate, William Wheeler
, to teach botany and chemistry
. When Clark departed the Sapporo in 1877, Penhallow served as acting President from 1879 to 1880. During his stay in Japan, Penhallow travelled across the archipelago and among other accomplishments became the first westerner to stay with the Ainu people
s.
Upon returning to North America 1880, Penhallow became an assistant to noted Harvard University
botanist Asa Gray
and assisted with Grays research into the distribution of northern hemisphere plants. Penhallow left Harvard in 1882 to become a botanist and chemist at the Houghton Farm Experiment Station which was located in Houghton, New York
, however the station closed only one year later. While Penhallow was working at Houghton Farm, Gray was contacted by Sr John Dawson
of McGill University
who was looking for a suitable person to fill the vacancy left at McGill with the death of botanist James Barnston
. Penhallow accepted and became a lecturer at McGill and in 1883 became the first botanist appointed to the Macdonald Chair of Botany. During this time Penhallow delved into the newly developing science of paleobotany
with the encouragement of Dawson. He was noted for his early work on Devonian
fossils of the Gaspé peninsula
and the Tertiary
fossils of the British Columbia
coal fields
. He conducted detailed work on extinct taxa such as Prototaxites
and Azolla primaeva
.
Penhallow continued with his education and in 1888 he earned his Bsc
from Boston University
. Eight years later in 1896 he was awarded both a bsc and an MSc
from McGill 1896, and finally a DSc
in 1904. After allegedly suffering from a mental breakdown
in 1909, Penhallow died on the SS Lake Manitoba
during a voyage from Montreal to Liverpool
, England.
Born in Kittery Point, Maine
Kittery Point, Maine
Kittery Point is a census-designated place in the town of Kittery, York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,135 at the 2000 census. Located beside the Atlantic, it is home to Fort McClary State Historic Site and, on Gerrish Island, Fort Foster Park...
, Penhallow graduated from Massachusetts Agricultural College in 1873 (now the University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
). When his former professor, William S. Clark
William S. Clark
William Smith Clark was a professor of chemistry, botany and zoology, a colonel during the American Civil War, and a leader in agricultural education. Raised and schooled in Easthampton, Massachusetts, Clark spent most of his adult life in Amherst, Massachusetts...
was asked by the Japanese government to assist in the founding of Sapporo Agricultural College
Sapporo Agricultural College
was a school in Sapporo established in the purpose of education of student who would pioneer Hokkaidō by Kaitakushi, the local government of Hokkaidō in those days...
(now Hokkaido University
Hokkaido University
Hokkaido University is one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. It can be seen in the several rankings such as shown below.-General Rankings:...
), Penhallow accompanied Clark and another MAC graduate, William Wheeler
William Wheeler (engineer and educator)
William Wheeler was an American civil engineer and educator.Wheeler graduated from Massachusetts Agricultural College in 1871. When his former professor, William S. Clark was asked by the Japanese government to assist in the founding of Sapporo Agricultural College , Wheeler accompanied Clark and...
, to teach botany and chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
. When Clark departed the Sapporo in 1877, Penhallow served as acting President from 1879 to 1880. During his stay in Japan, Penhallow travelled across the archipelago and among other accomplishments became the first westerner to stay with the Ainu people
Ainu people
The , also called Aynu, Aino , and in historical texts Ezo , are indigenous people or groups in Japan and Russia. Historically they spoke the Ainu language and related varieties and lived in Hokkaidō, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin...
s.
Upon returning to North America 1880, Penhallow became an assistant to noted Harvard University
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...
botanist Asa Gray
Asa Gray
-References:*Asa Gray. Dictionary of American Biography. American Council of Learned Societies, 1928–1936.*Asa Gray. Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed. 17 Vols. Gale Research, 1998.*Asa Gray. Plant Sciences. 4 vols. Macmillan Reference USA, 2001....
and assisted with Grays research into the distribution of northern hemisphere plants. Penhallow left Harvard in 1882 to become a botanist and chemist at the Houghton Farm Experiment Station which was located in Houghton, New York
Houghton, New York
Houghton is a hamlet located in the Town of Caneadea in Allegany County, New York. The population was 1,748 at the 2000 census.Houghton College is a private, coeducational college next to the hamlet.-Geography:...
, however the station closed only one year later. While Penhallow was working at Houghton Farm, Gray was contacted by Sr John Dawson
John William Dawson
Sir John William Dawson, CMG, FRS, FRSC , was a Canadian geologist and university administrator.- Life and work :...
of McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
who was looking for a suitable person to fill the vacancy left at McGill with the death of botanist James Barnston
James Barnston
James Barnston , a son of HBC fur trader George Barnston, was born at Norway House , and trained as a physician at the University of Edinburgh....
. Penhallow accepted and became a lecturer at McGill and in 1883 became the first botanist appointed to the Macdonald Chair of Botany. During this time Penhallow delved into the newly developing science of 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...
with the encouragement of Dawson. He was noted for his early work on 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...
fossils of the Gaspé peninsula
Gaspé Peninsula
The Gaspésie , or Gaspé Peninsula or the Gaspé, is a peninsula along the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, extending into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
and the Tertiary
Tertiary
The Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
fossils of the 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...
coal fields
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
. He conducted detailed work on extinct taxa such as Prototaxites
Prototaxites
The genus Prototaxites describes terrestrial organisms known only from fossils dating from the Silu-Devonian, approximately 420 to 370 million years ago. Prototaxites formed large trunk-like structures up to wide, reaching in height, made up of interwoven tubes just in diameter...
and 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....
.
Penhallow continued with his education and in 1888 he earned his Bsc
BSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
from Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
. Eight years later in 1896 he was awarded both a bsc and an MSc
MSC
- Computers:* Mario Strikers Charged* Microsoft Common Console Document, file for the Microsoft Management Console* Microelectronics Support Centre* Microsoft Corporation* MIDI Show Control* Message Sequence Chart...
from McGill 1896, and finally a DSc
DSC
-in academia:* D.Sc., Doctor of Science* Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine* Dalton State College, Georgia* Daytona State College, Florida* Deep Springs College, California* Dixie State College of Utah...
in 1904. After allegedly suffering from a mental breakdown
Mental breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
in 1909, Penhallow died on the SS Lake Manitoba
CP Ships
CP Ships was a large Canadian container shipping company, prior to being taken over by Hapag Lloyd in late 2005. CP Ships had its head office in the City of Westminster in London and later in the City Place Gatwick development on the property of London Gatwick Airport in Crawley, West Sussex.The...
during a voyage from Montreal to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England.