George Jarvis Brush
Encyclopedia
George Jarvis Brush was an American
mineralogist
and academic administrator who spent most of his career at Yale University
in the Sheffield Scientific School
.
. He began his studies at Yale in 1848 with courses from Benjamin Silliman, Jr. and John Pitkin Norton
on practical chemistry and agriculture. He also studied chemistry, metallurgy and mineralogy. He left in 1850 to work with Benjamin Silliman, Jr. but received his Ph.D. from Yale in 1852 by special examination. From 1852 to 1855, Brush worked and studied at the University of Virginia
and in Munich
and Freiberg
. He returned to Sheffield in 1855 to join the faculty as professor of Metallurgy
and later of Mineralogy. Brush had begun acquiring an extensive research collection of minerals. He was appointed the first curator of the Peabody Museum of Natural History's mineral collection.
In 1872, he became the first director of Sheffield. He served as the president
of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
in 1881. He published extensively in the American Journal of Science
and other journals. He also published a Manual of Determining Mineralogy (1875; fifteenth edition, 1899).
In 1898, Brush retired from teaching and administration at Sheffield. He continued serving at the school, however, as secretary, treasurer and president of the board, until 1911.
In 1904, Brush donated his collection of minerals, along with funds for their maintenance, to Sheffield. Originally housed in Hammond Hall at Yale, the Brush Collection is now administered by the Division of Mineralogy at the Yale Peabody Museum.
Brush died in 1912. The mineral brushite
was named in his honor by G. E. Moore.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mineralogist
Mineralogy
Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
and academic administrator who spent most of his career at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in the Sheffield Scientific School
Sheffield Scientific School
Sheffield Scientific School was founded in 1847 as a school of Yale College in New Haven, Connecticut for instruction in science and engineering. Originally named the Yale Scientific School, it was renamed in 1861 in honor of Joseph E. Sheffield, the railroad executive. The school was...
.
Career
Brush was born in Brooklyn, New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He began his studies at Yale in 1848 with courses from Benjamin Silliman, Jr. and John Pitkin Norton
John Pitkin Norton
John Pitkin Norton was a noted educator, agricultural chemist, and author. He was born in Albany, New York....
on practical chemistry and agriculture. He also studied chemistry, metallurgy and mineralogy. He left in 1850 to work with Benjamin Silliman, Jr. but received his Ph.D. from Yale in 1852 by special examination. From 1852 to 1855, Brush worked and studied at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
and in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and Freiberg
Freiberg, Saxony
Freiberg is a city in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, administrative center of the Mittelsachsen district.-History:The city was founded in 1186, and has been a center of the mining industry in the Ore Mountains for centuries...
. He returned to Sheffield in 1855 to join the faculty as professor of Metallurgy
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
and later of Mineralogy. Brush had begun acquiring an extensive research collection of minerals. He was appointed the first curator of the Peabody Museum of Natural History's mineral collection.
In 1872, he became the first director of Sheffield. He served as the president
President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science , founded in 1848, is the world's largest general scientific society. It serves 262 affiliated societies and academies of science and engineering, representing 10 million individuals worldwide...
of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
in 1881. He published extensively in the American Journal of Science
American Journal of Science
The American Journal of Science is the United States of America's longest-running scientific journal, having been published continuously since its conception in 1818 by Professor Benjamin Silliman, who edited and financed it himself...
and other journals. He also published a Manual of Determining Mineralogy (1875; fifteenth edition, 1899).
In 1898, Brush retired from teaching and administration at Sheffield. He continued serving at the school, however, as secretary, treasurer and president of the board, until 1911.
In 1904, Brush donated his collection of minerals, along with funds for their maintenance, to Sheffield. Originally housed in Hammond Hall at Yale, the Brush Collection is now administered by the Division of Mineralogy at the Yale Peabody Museum.
Brush died in 1912. The mineral brushite
Brushite
Brushite is a mineral with the chemical formula . It is believed to be a precursor of apatite and is found in guano-rich caves, formed by the interaction of guano with calcite and clay at a low pH. Brushite was first described in 1865 and named for the American mineralogist George Jarvis Brush...
was named in his honor by G. E. Moore.
Literature
- On the Chemical Composition of Clintonite, Second Series, Vol. XVIII, №54- Nov. 1854
- On Chalcodite. Am. Journal of Science and Arts,Vol.25, p. 1-4, march 1858
- Mineralogical notices. Am. Journal of Science and Arts, Vol.26, p. 64-70,1858
- Gieseckite?
- Compact Pyrophyllite
- Unionite
- Feldspare from the Danbureite locality
- On Boltonite. Am. Journal of Science and Arts,Vol.27, p. 395-398, May 1859
- The System of Mineralogy: Descriptive Mineralogy, Comprising the Most Recent Discoveries with James Dwight DanaJames Dwight DanaJames Dwight Dana was an American geologist, mineralogist and zoologist. He made pioneering studies of mountain-building, volcanic activity, and the origin and structure of continents and oceans around the world.-Early life and career:...
(1868) - Manual of Determinative Mineralogy: With an Introduction on Blowpipe Analysis (1898)