W. A. B. Coolidge
Encyclopedia
William Augustus Brevoort Coolidge (August 28, 1850 – May 8, 1926) was an American historian
, theologian and mountaineer
.
Coolidge was born in New York
as the son of Frederic William Skinner Coolidge, a Boston
merchant
, and Elisabeth Neville Brevoort of the Netherlands
. He studied history and law at St. Paul's School
in Concord, New Hampshire
, at Elizabeth College, Guernsey
, and at Exeter College, Oxford
. In 1875 he became a Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford
. From 1880 to 1881 he was professor of British history at Saint David's College
in Lampeter
and in 1883 he became a priest of the Anglican church.
In 1870 at the age of twenty he was made a member of the Alpine Club
. Coolidge was one of the great figures of the so-called silver age of alpinism
, making first ascents of the few significant peaks in the Alps
that hadn't been climbed during the golden age of alpinism
. On many of these climbs he was accompanied by his aunt, Meta Brevoort
, and a pet dog, Tschingel, given to him by one of his guides, Christian Almer.
In 1885 he moved to Grindelwald, Switzerland, where he died in 1926.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, theologian and mountaineer
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
.
Coolidge was born in New York
New 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...
as the son of Frederic William Skinner Coolidge, a Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, and Elisabeth Neville Brevoort of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He studied history and law at St. Paul's School
St. Paul's School (Concord, New Hampshire)
St. Paul's School is a highly selective college-preparatory, coeducational boarding school in Concord, New Hampshire affiliated with the Episcopal Church. The school is one of only six remaining 100% residential boarding schools in the U.S. The New Hampshire campus currently serves 533 students,...
in Concord, New Hampshire
Concord, New Hampshire
The city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
, at Elizabeth College, Guernsey
Elizabeth College, Guernsey
Elizabeth College is an independent school in the town of St Peter Port, Guernsey, founded in 1563 under the orders of Queen Elizabeth I.- History :...
, and at Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
. In 1875 he became a Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
. From 1880 to 1881 he was professor of British history at Saint David's College
University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter is a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822 by royal charter, it is the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales and may be the third oldest in England and Wales after Oxford and Cambridge...
in Lampeter
Lampeter
Lampeter is a town in Ceredigion, South West Wales, lying at the confluence of the River Teifi and the Afon Dulas.-Demographics:At the 2001 National Census, the population was 2894. Lampeter is therefore the smallest university town in both Wales and the United Kingdom...
and in 1883 he became a priest of the Anglican church.
In 1870 at the age of twenty he was made a member of the Alpine Club
Alpine Club (UK)
The Alpine Club was founded in London in 1857 and was probably the world's first mountaineering club. It is UK mountaineering's acknowledged 'senior club'.-History:...
. Coolidge was one of the great figures of the so-called silver age of alpinism
Silver age of alpinism
The silver age of alpinism is the name given to the era in mountaineering that began after Edward Whymper and party's ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 and ended with W. W...
, making first ascents of the few significant peaks in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
that hadn't been climbed during the golden age of alpinism
Golden age of alpinism
The golden age of alpinism was the period between Alfred Wills's ascent of the Wetterhorn in 1854 and Edward Whymper's ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865, during which many major peaks in the Alps saw their first ascents....
. On many of these climbs he was accompanied by his aunt, Meta Brevoort
Meta Brevoort
Marguerite "Meta" Brevoort , an American mountain climber, spent her early years in a Paris convent school. She made a number of important ascents in the Alps in the 1860s and 1870s, but was thwarted in her two greatest alpine ambitions: to be the first woman to climb the Matterhorn, and the first...
, and a pet dog, Tschingel, given to him by one of his guides, Christian Almer.
In 1885 he moved to Grindelwald, Switzerland, where he died in 1926.
First ascents in the Alps
- Piz BadilePiz BadilePiz Badile is a mountain in the Bregaglia range in the Swiss canton of Graubünden and Italy, the border between the two countries running along the summit ridge. Its northeast face is considered one of the six great north faces of the Alps....
, 27 July 1867, with F. and H. Dévouassoud - AilefroideAilefroideThe Ailefroide is a mountain in the Massif des Écrins in the French Alps, and is the third highest peak in the Dauphiné Alps after the Barre des Écrins and La Meije. It lies at the south-western end of the Mont Pelvoux–Pic Sans Nom–Ailefroide ridge....
, 7 July 1870, with Christian AlmerChristian Almerthumb|220px|Christian AlmerChristian Almer was a Swiss mountain guide and the first ascentionist of many prominent mountains in the western Alps during the golden and silver ages of alpinism....
and Ulrich Almer - Central peak of La MeijeMeijeLa Meije is a mountain in the Massif des Écrins range, located at the border of the Hautes-Alpes and Isère départements. It overlooks the nearby village of La Grave, a mountaineering centre and ski resort, well-known for its off-piste and extreme skiing possibilities.La Meije is composed of three...
, 1870, with Meta Brevoort and three guides - UnterbächhornUnterbächhornThe Unterbächhorn is the highest summit overlooking Belalp in the canton of Valais. It is located in the Bernese Alps, south of the Nesthorn, on a ridge consisting of several higher but unnamed summits....
, 1872 - First winter ascent of the JungfrauJungfrauThe Jungfrau is one of the main summits in the Bernese Alps, situated between the cantons of Valais and Bern in Switzerland...
, January 1874, with Christian and Ulrich Almer - West summit of Les DroitesLes DroitesLes Droites is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps and is the lowest of the 4000-metre peaks in the Alps. The mountain has two summits:* West summit , first ascent by W. A. B...
, 16 July 1876, with Christian and Ulrich Almer - Pic Coolidge, July 1877 with Christian and Ulrich Almer
- Les BansLes BansLes Bans is a mountain in the Massif des Écrins in the Dauphiné Alps, first climbed by W. A. B. Coolidge, Christian Almer and U. Almer on July 14, 1878.There are three main summits on the mountain:* South summit 3,669 m* North-west summit 3,630 m...
, July 14, 1878, with Christian and Ulrich Almer - Monte MattoMonte MattoMonte Matto is a 3,097 m high mountain in Piedmont, in the province of Cuneo. It is part of the Maritime Alps, dividing the Maris and Gesso della Valletta valleys....
, July 14, 1879, with Christian and Ulrich Almer - ScherbadungScherbadungScherbadung is a mountain in the Lepontine Alps on the Swiss-Italian border. Its Italian name has been used to name the mineral Cervandonite which has only been found there.-External links:*...
, 1886