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James Hall (paleontologist)
Encyclopedia
James Hall was an American
geologist
and paleontologist. He was a noted authority on stratigraphy
and had an influential role in the development of American paleontology.
, the oldest of four children. His parents, James Hall Sr. and Sousanna Dourdain Hall, had emigrated from England two years earlier. Hall developed an early interest in science and enrolled in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
, a recently established college that emphasized student participation and focused on science. He was a student of Amos Eaton
and Ebenezer Emmons
, both notable geologists. Hall graduated with honors in 1832, received his masters degree in 1833, and remained at Rensselaer to teach chemistry and later geology.
In 1836 a multi-year survey was established to collect information on the geology and natural history of New York. For purposes of the survey, the state was divided into four districts and Hall became assistant geologist for Ebenezer Emmons
, chief of the Second District. Hall’s initial assignment was to study iron deposits in the Adirondack Mountains
. The following year the survey was reorganized and Hall put in charge of the Fourth District in western New York. Other notable geologists working on the survey included Lardner Vanuxem
and Timothy Conrad
. Working together, the survey staff developed a stratigraphy
for New York and set a precedent for naming stratigraphic divisions based on local geography.
At the end of the survey in 1841, Hall was named the first state paleontologist. In 1843 he made his final report on the survey of the fourth geological district, which was published as "Geology of New York," Part IV. (1843). It was received with much acclaim and became a classic in the field. Hall had built a solid reputation and was to devote the rest of his life to stratigraphic geology and invertebrate paleontology
.
Hall built a laboratory in Albany, New York
which became an important center of study and training for aspiring geologists and paleontologists. Many notable scientists began their career serving an apprenticeship with Hall, including Fielding Meek
, Charles Walcott, Charles Beecher
and Josiah Whitney
. Now known as the James Hall Office
, the laboratory was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1976.
Among his many works, James Hall identified that stromatolite
fossils discovered at Petrified Sea Gardens
, a site near Saratoga Springs, New York
that is now another National Historic Landmark, were originally organic.
(1855–1858) and Wisconsin
(1857–1860). In addition, several other state survey programs sought out Hall for his expertise and advice. In 1866 he was made director of New York’s Museum of Natural History in Albany. In 1893 he was appointed the State Geologist of New York.
Between 1847 and 1894 Hall published 13 volumes of The Paleontology of New York, his principal contribution in the field. This massive work consisted of over 4500 pages and 1000 full-page illustrations. In addition, Hall wrote more than 30 other books, published over 200 papers, and contributed sections to several federal and state publications on geology.
He was a founding member of the National Academy of Sciences
and the first president of the Geological Society of America
. He was one of the founders of the International Geologic Congress and served as a vice-president at their sessions in Paris, Bologna, and Berlin. He was elected one of the fifty foreign members of the Geological Society of London
in 1848, and in 1858 was awarded its Wollaston Medal
. In 1884 he was elected correspondent of the French Academy of Sciences
.
At the age of 85 he traveled to St. Petersburg to attend the International Geological Congress and also participate in an expedition to the Ural Mountains
. Hall died two years later in Bethlehem, New Hampshire
. He is buried at the Albany Rural Cemetery
, Albany, New York.
There is a residence hall at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
named after James Hall. It is officially known as Hall Hall.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and paleontologist. He was a noted authority on stratigraphy
Stratigraphy
Stratigraphy, a branch of geology, studies rock layers and layering . It is primarily used in the study of sedimentary and layered volcanic rocks....
and had an influential role in the development of American paleontology.
Early life
Hall was born in Hingham, MassachusettsHingham, Massachusetts
Hingham is a town in northern Plymouth County on the South Shore of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and suburb in Greater Boston. The United States Census Bureau 2008 estimated population was 22,561...
, the oldest of four children. His parents, James Hall Sr. and Sousanna Dourdain Hall, had emigrated from England two years earlier. Hall developed an early interest in science and enrolled in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
, a recently established college that emphasized student participation and focused on science. He was a student of Amos Eaton
Amos Eaton
Amos Eaton was a scientist and educator in the Troy, New York area.Eaton attended Williams College; after graduating in 1799 he studied law in New York City and was admitted to the state bar in 1802. He practiced law in Catskill, New York until 1810, when he was jailed on charges of forgery...
and Ebenezer Emmons
Ebenezer Emmons
Ebenezer Emmons , was a pioneering American geologist.Emmons was born at Middlefield, Massachusetts, on May 16, 1799, son of Ebenezer and Mary Emmons....
, both notable geologists. Hall graduated with honors in 1832, received his masters degree in 1833, and remained at Rensselaer to teach chemistry and later geology.
In 1836 a multi-year survey was established to collect information on the geology and natural history of New York. For purposes of the survey, the state was divided into four districts and Hall became assistant geologist for Ebenezer Emmons
Ebenezer Emmons
Ebenezer Emmons , was a pioneering American geologist.Emmons was born at Middlefield, Massachusetts, on May 16, 1799, son of Ebenezer and Mary Emmons....
, chief of the Second District. Hall’s initial assignment was to study iron deposits in the Adirondack Mountains
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
. The following year the survey was reorganized and Hall put in charge of the Fourth District in western New York. Other notable geologists working on the survey included Lardner Vanuxem
Lardner Vanuxem
Lardner Vanuxem , was an American geologist. He was graduated at the Ecole des mines, Paris, in 1819. After his education, he became the chair of chemistry and mineralogy in Columbia College in South Carolina. Lardner married Mary Ann Newbold in 1831, and they had seven children...
and Timothy Conrad
Timothy Abbott Conrad
Timothy Abbott Conrad was an American geologist, malacologist and carcinologist.- External links :* at Internet Archive...
. Working together, the survey staff developed a stratigraphy
Stratigraphy
Stratigraphy, a branch of geology, studies rock layers and layering . It is primarily used in the study of sedimentary and layered volcanic rocks....
for New York and set a precedent for naming stratigraphic divisions based on local geography.
At the end of the survey in 1841, Hall was named the first state paleontologist. In 1843 he made his final report on the survey of the fourth geological district, which was published as "Geology of New York," Part IV. (1843). It was received with much acclaim and became a classic in the field. Hall had built a solid reputation and was to devote the rest of his life to stratigraphic geology and invertebrate paleontology
Invertebrate paleontology
Invertebrate paleontology is sometimes described as Invertebrate paleozoology or Invertebrate paleobiology....
.
Hall built a laboratory in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
which became an important center of study and training for aspiring geologists and paleontologists. Many notable scientists began their career serving an apprenticeship with Hall, including Fielding Meek
Fielding Bradford Meek
Fielding Bradford Meek was an American geologist and paleontologist.The son of a lawyer, he was born in Madison, Indiana. In early life he was in business as a merchant, but his leisure hours were devoted to collecting fossils and studying the rocks of the neighborhood of Madison...
, Charles Walcott, Charles Beecher
Charles Emerson Beecher
Charles Emerson Beecher was an American Paleontologist most famous for the thorough excavation, preparation and study of trilobite ventral anatomy from specimens collected at Beecher's Trilobite Bed...
and Josiah Whitney
Josiah Whitney
Josiah Dwight Whitney was an American geologist, professor of geology at Harvard University , and chief of the California Geological Survey...
. Now known as the James Hall Office
James Hall Office
James Hall Office, also known as Sunshine School, is located on Lincoln Park in Albany, New York. It was the office of paleontologist James Hall, a leader in research on the geology of North America during the 19th century....
, the laboratory was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1976.
Among his many works, James Hall identified that stromatolite
Stromatolite
Stromatolites or stromatoliths are layered accretionary structures formed in shallow water by the trapping, binding and cementation of sedimentary grains by biofilms of microorganisms, especially cyanobacteria ....
fossils discovered at Petrified Sea Gardens
Petrified Sea Gardens
Petrified Sea Gardens, also known as Ritchie Park, is a National Historic Landmark. It preserves an area of ancient stromatolites in a Cambrian rock layer. Stromatolites "were first recognized, discovered, and interpreted in North America" here, on property owned by Robert F...
, a site near Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
that is now another National Historic Landmark, were originally organic.
Later years
After his work in New York, Hall extended his studies to other regions of the country. In 1850 Hall participated in a geological survey of northern Michigan and Wisconsin where he identified the first fossil reefs ever found in North America. He was appointed state geologist for IowaIowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
(1855–1858) and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
(1857–1860). In addition, several other state survey programs sought out Hall for his expertise and advice. In 1866 he was made director of New York’s Museum of Natural History in Albany. In 1893 he was appointed the State Geologist of New York.
Between 1847 and 1894 Hall published 13 volumes of The Paleontology of New York, his principal contribution in the field. This massive work consisted of over 4500 pages and 1000 full-page illustrations. In addition, Hall wrote more than 30 other books, published over 200 papers, and contributed sections to several federal and state publications on geology.
He was a founding member of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
and the first president of the Geological Society of America
Geological Society of America
The Geological Society of America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences. The society was founded in New York in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hitchcock, John R. Proctor and Edward Orton and has been headquartered at 3300 Penrose...
. He was one of the founders of the International Geologic Congress and served as a vice-president at their sessions in Paris, Bologna, and Berlin. He was elected one of the fifty foreign members of the Geological Society of London
Geological Society of London
The Geological Society of London is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with the aim of "investigating the mineral structure of the Earth"...
in 1848, and in 1858 was awarded its Wollaston Medal
Wollaston Medal
The Wollaston Medal is a scientific award for geology, the highest award granted by the Geological Society of London.The medal is named after William Hyde Wollaston, and was first awarded in 1831...
. In 1884 he was elected correspondent of the French Academy of Sciences
French Academy of Sciences
The French Academy of Sciences is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research...
.
At the age of 85 he traveled to St. Petersburg to attend the International Geological Congress and also participate in an expedition to the Ural Mountains
Ural Mountains
The Ural Mountains , or simply the Urals, are a mountain range that runs approximately from north to south through western Russia, from the coast of the Arctic Ocean to the Ural River and northwestern Kazakhstan. Their eastern side is usually considered the natural boundary between Europe and Asia...
. Hall died two years later in Bethlehem, New Hampshire
Bethlehem, New Hampshire
Bethlehem is a hillside town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,526 at the 2010 census. It is home to Cushman and Strawberry Hill state forests. The eastern half of the town is within the White Mountain National Forest...
. He is buried at the Albany Rural Cemetery
Albany Rural Cemetery
The Albany Rural Cemetery was established October 7, 1844, in Menands, New York, just outside of the city of Albany, New York. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful, pastoral cemeteries in the United States, at over . Many historical American figures are buried there.-History:On April 2,...
, Albany, New York.
There is a residence hall at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
named after James Hall. It is officially known as Hall Hall.
Selected bibliography
- Geology of New York, Part IV (1843)
- Paleontology of New York, 8 volumes (1847–1894).
- Geological Survey of Iowa, 2 volumes (1858–1859)
- Report on the Geological Survey of the State of Wisconsin (1862)
- United States and Mexican Boundary Survey (1857)
His wife Sarah Aikin
In 1838 Hall married Sarah Aikin, the daughter of a Troy lawyer. They had two daughters and two sons. Sarah died in 1898 or earlier[1]. She published as Mrs. James Hall an illustrated book Phantasia, and other poems. New York, G. P. Putnam; [etc., etc.] 1849 (Library of Congress has a copy)[2].Further reading
- Clarke, J.M. (1921). James Hall of Albany. Albany. Privately Printed
- Hovey, H.C. (1899) The Life and Work of James Hall, LL.D. Am. Geol. 23:137-168
- Stevenson, J.J. (1899) Memoir of James Hall. Bull. Geo. Soc. Am. 10:425-451