T. H. Clark
Encyclopedia
Thomas Henry Clark, Ph.D.
, FRSC
(December 3, 1893 – April 28, 1996) was a Canadian
geologist
who is considered to have been one of the nation's top scientists of the 20th century. He was a professor who authored over 100 scientific publications. After his death, a mineral
was named in his honour.
Clark was born in London
, England
. He emigrated to the United States
and attended Harvard University
. In 1917, he graduated with an A.B.
The start of World War I
interrupted his studies. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Medical Corps
(1917–19) and served in France. Clark returned to Harvard after the war and obtained his A.M.
(1921) and Ph.D. (1923).
to take an assistant professor position in the Geology Department at McGill University
. He began by teaching geology, paleontology
and stratigraphy
. In 1926, Clark began a major project to map the geology of the Quebec
Appalachian Mountains
along the U.S. border in the Eastern Townships
. He published a series of papers on the geology and paleontology of the Townships. These papers established him as a leading geologist in Canada.
In 1927, he married Olive Marguerite Melvenia Prichard, a former student. They had a daughter, Joan.
Clark served as Director of McGill's Redpath Museum
from 1932 to 1952. He was largely responsible for personally collecting many of the museum's fossil
s. After ten years, Clark shifted his focus away from the Eastern Townships. He discovered that early maps of Laval
were incorrect, so he proposed the production of a completely new map of the Montreal area. He began that project as well as a project to map the St. Lawrence
lowlands in 1938. By the late 1960s, Montreal's development and various projects along the St. Lawrence seaway necessitated a revision of Clark's previous geological studies of the area. He was charged with undertaking the field work. This time the work involved capturing information from the many oil and gas and engineering projects, as well as acquiring core samples from excavations for future research.
Over the years, Clark authored more than 100 scientific publications. He co-authored with Colin W. Stearn The Geological Evolution of North America (1960), which was a standard text in university-level geology.
Clark retired at the age of 100, after 69 years at McGill, in May 1993. He died in Montreal three years later.
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
, FRSC
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
(December 3, 1893 – April 28, 1996) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
geologist
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
who is considered to have been one of the nation's top scientists of the 20th century. He was a professor who authored over 100 scientific publications. After his death, a mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
was named in his honour.
Clark was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and attended 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...
. In 1917, he graduated with an A.B.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
The start of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
interrupted his studies. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Medical Corps
Army Medical Department (United States)
The Army Medical Department of the U.S. Army – known as the AMEDD – comprises the Army's six medical Special Branches of officers and medical enlisted soldiers. It was established as the "Army Hospital" in July 1775 to coordinate the medical care required by the Continental Army during the...
(1917–19) and served in France. Clark returned to Harvard after the war and obtained his A.M.
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
(1921) and Ph.D. (1923).
Career
In 1924, Clark moved to MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
to take an assistant professor position in the Geology Department at 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...
. He began by teaching geology, paleontology
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
and 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....
. In 1926, Clark began a major project to map the geology of the Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
along the U.S. border in the Eastern Townships
Eastern Townships
The Eastern Townships is a tourist region and a former administrative region in south-eastern Quebec, lying between the former seigneuries south of the Saint Lawrence River and the United States border. Its northern boundary roughly followed Logan's Line, the geologic boundary between the flat,...
. He published a series of papers on the geology and paleontology of the Townships. These papers established him as a leading geologist in Canada.
In 1927, he married Olive Marguerite Melvenia Prichard, a former student. They had a daughter, Joan.
Clark served as Director of McGill's Redpath Museum
Redpath Museum
The Redpath Museum is a museum of natural history belonging to McGill University and located on the university's campus at 859 Sherbrooke Street West in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was built in 1882 as a gift from the sugar baron Peter Redpath. It houses collections of interest to ethnology,...
from 1932 to 1952. He was largely responsible for personally collecting many of the museum's fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s. After ten years, Clark shifted his focus away from the Eastern Townships. He discovered that early maps of Laval
Laval, Quebec
Laval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
were incorrect, so he proposed the production of a completely new map of the Montreal area. He began that project as well as a project to map the St. Lawrence
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
lowlands in 1938. By the late 1960s, Montreal's development and various projects along the St. Lawrence seaway necessitated a revision of Clark's previous geological studies of the area. He was charged with undertaking the field work. This time the work involved capturing information from the many oil and gas and engineering projects, as well as acquiring core samples from excavations for future research.
Over the years, Clark authored more than 100 scientific publications. He co-authored with Colin W. Stearn The Geological Evolution of North America (1960), which was a standard text in university-level geology.
Clark retired at the age of 100, after 69 years at McGill, in May 1993. He died in Montreal three years later.
Positions held
- 1933-1962, Logan Professor of Paleontology at McGill University
- 1930-1932, Curator of Redpath Museum
- 1932-1952, Director of Redpath Museum
- 1953-1954, President of the Geological Science Section of the Royal Society of CanadaRoyal Society of CanadaThe Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
- 1958-1959, President of the Geological Association of CanadaGeological Association of CanadaThe Geological Association of Canada promotes and develops the geological sciences in Canada. The organization holds conferences, meetings and exhibitions for the discussion of geological problems and the exchange of views in matters related to geology...
- 1963 Professor Emeritus at McGill University
- 1964-1992, Advisor in Geology at the Redpath Museum
Awards and honours
- 1930, awarded the Harvard Centennial Medal
- 1933, made Fellow of the Royal Society of CanadaRoyal Society of CanadaThe Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
- 1971, awarded the Logan MedalLogan MedalThe Logan Medal is the highest award of the Geological Association of Canada. Named after Sir William Edmond Logan, noted 19th century Canadian geologist. It is presented annually to an individual for sustained distinguished achievement in Canadian earth science.-References:*...
- 1993, awarded the Prix Grand Mérite of the Association Professionnelle des Géologues et Géophysiciens du Québec
- 1993, awarded the Centenary Medal of the Royal Society of Canada
- 1997, the mineral ThomasclarkiteThomasclarkiteThomasclarkite- is a rare mineral which was known as UK-93 until 1997, when it was renamed in honour of Thomas H. Clark , McGill University professor. The mineral is one of many rare earth element minerals from Mont Saint-Hilaire. The only reported occurrence is in an alkalic pegmatite dike in an...
was named in his honour