William Edwin Safford
Encyclopedia
William Edwin Safford was an American
botanist
, ethnologist
, and educator
employed by the U.S. Navy and federal government
.
Safford graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1880 and pursued advanced studies at Yale
and Harvard. He served in the Spanish-American War
. In 1899 he was appointed deputy to the naval governor of Guam, Richard P. Leary
. In practice, however, Leary delegated day-to-day administrative and judicial duties to Safford, indicating his preference to directly govern only in emergency situations.
While stationed on Guam
, Safford compiled a thorough survey of the plants of economic importance to be found on the island. The resulting volume, published as The Useful Plants of the Island of Guam (Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. IX), remains of interest not only as a pioneering work of ethnobotany
but also for its insights into the natural history and folkways of the island. He also wrote a monograph on the Chamorro language
of Guam.
After Leary's term ended in 1900, Safford left the Navy and joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture as assistant botanist. In 1920 he achieved a Ph.D.
from George Washington University
. He suffered a stroke in 1924 but remained active until his death.
Sixteen plant species are named for Safford in honor of his contributions to botany.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
botanist
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
, ethnologist
Ethnology
Ethnology is the branch of anthropology that compares and analyzes the origins, distribution, technology, religion, language, and social structure of the ethnic, racial, and/or national divisions of humanity.-Scientific discipline:Compared to ethnography, the study of single groups through direct...
, and educator
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
employed by the U.S. Navy and federal government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
.
Safford graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1880 and pursued advanced studies at Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
and Harvard. He served in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. In 1899 he was appointed deputy to the naval governor of Guam, Richard P. Leary
Richard P. Leary
Richard Phillips Leary was an admiral in the United States Navy who served from the American Civil War through the Spanish-American War.-Biography:...
. In practice, however, Leary delegated day-to-day administrative and judicial duties to Safford, indicating his preference to directly govern only in emergency situations.
While stationed on Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, Safford compiled a thorough survey of the plants of economic importance to be found on the island. The resulting volume, published as The Useful Plants of the Island of Guam (Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. IX), remains of interest not only as a pioneering work of ethnobotany
Ethnobotany
Ethnobotany is the scientific study of the relationships that exist between people and plants....
but also for its insights into the natural history and folkways of the island. He also wrote a monograph on the Chamorro language
Chamorro language
Chamorro is a Malayo-Polynesian language, spoken on the Mariana Islands by about 47,000 people Chamorro (Chamorro: Fino' Chamoru or simply Chamoru) is a Malayo-Polynesian (Austronesian) language, spoken on the Mariana Islands (Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan) by about 47,000 people Chamorro...
of Guam.
After Leary's term ended in 1900, Safford left the Navy and joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture as assistant botanist. In 1920 he achieved a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
. He suffered a stroke in 1924 but remained active until his death.
Sixteen plant species are named for Safford in honor of his contributions to botany.