Maynard Bixby was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 mineralogist and mineral collector. Bixby was born in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania

Wyalusing, Pennsylvania

Wyalusing is a borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 564 at the 2000 census.- History :The history of Wyalusing dates back centuries and was originally known as M'chwihilusing. Before 1750 the settlement was known as Gahontoto and was home to the native...

 and graduated from Lafayette College

Lafayette College

Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...

 in Easton, Pennsylvania

Easton, Pennsylvania

Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....

 in 1876. Bixby worked for a time in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania as a bookkeeper and studied law. Bixby then traveled the country, becoming involved in mining in Colorado

Colorado

Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...

 and Arizona

Arizona

Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...

.

Bixbyite

Bixby explored the Thomas Range

Thomas Range

The Thomas Range is a mountain range of Utah east of the Thomas caldera....

 in Juab County, Utah

Juab County, Utah

Juab County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 8,238, and by 2005 had been estimated at 9,113. It was named from an Indian word meaning thirsty valley, or possibly only valley. Its county seat and largest city is Nephi.Juab County is part of the...

 for minerals and staked several claims for topaz

Topaz

Topaz is a silicate mineral of aluminium and fluorine with the chemical formula Al2SiO42. Topaz crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and its crystals are mostly prismatic terminated by pyramidal and other faces.-Color and varieties:...

. One, the Maynard's claim, is still being mined for specimens. The mineral bixbyite

Bixbyite

Bixbyite is a manganese iron oxide mineral with formula: 2O3. The iron:manganese ratio is quite variable and many specimens have almost no iron. It is a metallic dark black with a Mohs hardness of 6.0 - 6.5...

, which he discovered there, was named in his honor in 1897. The red beryl also found there was named bixbite in his honor, but was later discredited as a variety.

Career

Bixby wrote articles for The Mineral Collector. In the December 1896 issue of The Mineral Collector Bixby published his first ad, full-page, saying:

"For several years I have collected the very finest of the Utah minerals and have concluded to offer them direct to collectors at the following low prices ..."

In 1902 he published the first edition of his authoritative "A Catalogue of Utah Minerals and Localities," and by 1916 had issued a fourth edition.

Bixby died in San Diego, California

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

.