William Edward Davies
Encyclopedia
William Edward Davies was a notable American geologist
, speleologist and official of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). He produced pioneering surveys of West Virginia
and Maryland caves
.
. He was a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and received a master's degree
in geology at Michigan State University
. He came to Washington, DC during World War II
, at which time he was an officer with the Army Map Service
. He stayed on as a civilian until 1949, when he joined the USGS. His assignments included surveying caves in Pennsylvania
and West Virginia and research on permafrost
. Until the publication of his work on caves in Maryland, the topic was virtually unknown to the public. In the mid-1950s he took part in a USGS expedition to Antarctica. The Davies Escarpment
in Antarctica was named for him. He retired in the mid-1980s.
Davies died of a heart attack at age 72 in Falls Church, Virginia
and was survived by his wife, Geraldine, a son and a daughter.
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...
, speleologist and official of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). He produced pioneering surveys of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
and Maryland caves
Caves of Maryland
The subject of this article and a reference book of the same name, Caves of Maryland was first released by the Maryland Geological Survey in 1950. Information about Maryland caves was first gathered into a series of reports by Martin Muma in the mid 1940s, working under the MGS...
.
Biography
Davies was born in Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. He was a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
and received a master's degree
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...
in geology at Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
. He came to Washington, DC during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, at which time he was an officer with the Army Map Service
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ...
. He stayed on as a civilian until 1949, when he joined the USGS. His assignments included surveying caves in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and West Virginia and research on permafrost
Permafrost
In geology, permafrost, cryotic soil or permafrost soil is soil at or below the freezing point of water for two or more years. Ice is not always present, as may be in the case of nonporous bedrock, but it frequently occurs and it may be in amounts exceeding the potential hydraulic saturation of...
. Until the publication of his work on caves in Maryland, the topic was virtually unknown to the public. In the mid-1950s he took part in a USGS expedition to Antarctica. The Davies Escarpment
Davies Escarpment
Davies Escarpment is an east-facing ice escarpment over 10 nautical miles long, located southward of Bermel Escarpment in the southern part of the Thiel Mountains of Antarctica. The feature appears to be devoid of rock outcroppings...
in Antarctica was named for him. He retired in the mid-1980s.
Davies died of a heart attack at age 72 in Falls Church, Virginia
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
and was survived by his wife, Geraldine, a son and a daughter.
Works
- Davies, W.E., (1949), Caverns of West Virginia; State of West Virginia: West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (Series: Geological and Economic Survey, Volume XIX. A.); 1958 revision (330 pgs) and a 1965 supplement (72 pages).
- Davies, W.E., (1950), The Caves of Maryland; State of Maryland: Department of Geology (Series: Mines and Water Resources, Bulletin 7; 70 pages)
- Davies, W.E. (1971), Historical Engineering Geology of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal: Guidebook for the Geological Society of Washington, 10 pgs.
- Davies, W.E. (1989), Highlights of the Geology and Engineering of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal: 28th International Geological Congress Guidebook T206, American Geophysical UnionAmerican Geophysical UnionThe American Geophysical Union is a nonprofit organization of geophysicists, consisting of over 50,000 members from over 135 countries. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international field of geophysics...
, Washington, D.C., 25 pgs. - Davies, W.E. (1999), The Geology and Engineering Structures of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal; C&O Canal Association, Glen Echo, MarylandGlen Echo, MarylandGlen Echo is a town in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, that was chartered in 1904. The population was 242 at the 2000 census.Glen Echo derives its name from Edward and Edwin Baltzley, who came up with name circa 1888...
, 617pgs.
External links
- “William E. Davies, 72, Of Geological Survey” (Obit), New York Times, 30 June 1990.