William Embry Wrather
Encyclopedia
William Embry Wrather was an American
geologist
. He was born on a farm near Brandenburg in Meade County, Kentucky
on January 20, 1883. He died in his home in Washington, DC on Thursday, November 28, 1963. He was the only son of Richard Anselm and Glovy Washington (Munford) Wrather. Wrather moved to Chicago at the age of 14 to live with relatives and to attend South Chicago High School. Wrather entered the University of Chicago
in 1902 and received his ph.B. in Geology in 1907. During the summer of 1907, Wrather was a field assistant on a US Geological Survey party in the mountains of western Montana. Wrather worked temporarily in clerical positions before going to work for Guffey Petroleum from 1908-1916. On December 30, 1910, he married his high school sweetheart, Alice Mildred Dolling in Chicago
, Illinois. In 1916, Wrather resigned to search for new oil fields. In 1918 his efforts contributed to the identification of the Desdemona field in Comanche County, Texas
. Wrather's interest in the Desdemona field amounted to three quarters of a million dollars.
Wrather then moved to Dallas an opened an office as a consulting geologist. On the recommendation of the National Research Council, Wrather was appointed United States delegate to successive International Geological Congresses in Spain, South Africa, Russia, the Netherlands, and Algeria. Wrather was a founding member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. He served as Secretary-Treasurer in 1918 and as Chairman of the Research Committee from 1923 to 1933. He was a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Chicago World's Fair in 1933. He also served as President of the Texas State Historical Association for seven years.
In 1940, Wrather was selected General Chairman for the Dallas annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
, of which he became a member in 1917 and a Fellow in 1925. In 1943, he was appointed Treasurer of the Association and he served in that capacity of 11 years. Wrather was also a First Vice President of the Geological Society of America
and a President (1934) of the Society of Economic Geologists
. He served as president of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers
in 1948. In 1951, he was chosen to be a Life Trustee of the National Geographic Society
.
In 1942, Wrather came to Washington, DC is be Assistant Chief of the Foreign Economic Administration for Metals and Minerals. In 1943, upon the retirement of Walter Curran Mendenhall
, the National Academy of Sciences
recommended Wrather as a potential candidate for appointment and he was selected to be the Director of the US Geological Survey.
, who had served 2 years beyond then mandatory retirement age by Presidential exemption, was succeeded by William Embry Wrather. For most of his life, Wrather, a graduate of the University of Chicago
who had been a Survey field assistant in 1907, had been an eminently successful consulting petroleum geologist, but when he was named Director he was Associate Chief of the Metals and Minerals Division of the Board of Economic Warfare. In the fall of 1943, Wrather was a member of the small mission sent by the Petroleum Administrator for War, Harold M. Ickes
, to appraise the petroleum resources of the Middle East, and Thomas Brennan Nolan
, a geologist in the Metals Section who had played a leading role in the strategic-minerals program, became Acting Director. In January 1956, after Director Wrather retired because of illness and age, Assistant Director Thomas Brennan Nolan
became the US Geological Survey's seventh Director.
(USGS History)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
geologist
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...
. He was born on a farm near Brandenburg in Meade County, Kentucky
Meade County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,349 people, 9,470 households, and 7,396 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 10,293 housing units at an average density of...
on January 20, 1883. He died in his home in Washington, DC on Thursday, November 28, 1963. He was the only son of Richard Anselm and Glovy Washington (Munford) Wrather. Wrather moved to Chicago at the age of 14 to live with relatives and to attend South Chicago High School. Wrather entered the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1902 and received his ph.B. in Geology in 1907. During the summer of 1907, Wrather was a field assistant on a US Geological Survey party in the mountains of western Montana. Wrather worked temporarily in clerical positions before going to work for Guffey Petroleum from 1908-1916. On December 30, 1910, he married his high school sweetheart, Alice Mildred Dolling in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois. In 1916, Wrather resigned to search for new oil fields. In 1918 his efforts contributed to the identification of the Desdemona field in Comanche County, Texas
Comanche County, Texas
Comanche County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. In 2000, its population was 14,026. Comanche was founded in 1856. Comanche is named for the Comanche Native American tribe...
. Wrather's interest in the Desdemona field amounted to three quarters of a million dollars.
Wrather then moved to Dallas an opened an office as a consulting geologist. On the recommendation of the National Research Council, Wrather was appointed United States delegate to successive International Geological Congresses in Spain, South Africa, Russia, the Netherlands, and Algeria. Wrather was a founding member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. He served as Secretary-Treasurer in 1918 and as Chairman of the Research Committee from 1923 to 1933. He was a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Chicago World's Fair in 1933. He also served as President of the Texas State Historical Association for seven years.
In 1940, Wrather was selected General Chairman for the Dallas annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
, of which he became a member in 1917 and a Fellow in 1925. In 1943, he was appointed Treasurer of the Association and he served in that capacity of 11 years. Wrather was also a First Vice President of the Geological Society of America
Geological Society of America
The Geological Society of America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences. The society was founded in New York in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hitchcock, John R. Proctor and Edward Orton and has been headquartered at 3300 Penrose...
and a President (1934) of the Society of Economic Geologists
Society of Economic Geologists
The Society of Economic Geologists originated from a 1919 gathering of a group of Geological Society of America members who were especially interested in economic geology. The Society was established on December 28, 1920, during a constituting meeting of 60 distinguished professionals...
. He served as president of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers
American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers
The American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers is a professional body for mining and metallurgy, with 90,000 members. It was founded in 1871 by 22 mining engineers in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States, being one of the first national engineering societies in the...
in 1948. In 1951, he was chosen to be a Life Trustee of the National Geographic Society
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
.
In 1942, Wrather came to Washington, DC is be Assistant Chief of the Foreign Economic Administration for Metals and Minerals. In 1943, upon the retirement of Walter Curran Mendenhall
Walter Curran Mendenhall
Walter Curran Mendenhall was born on February 20, 1871 in Marlboro, Ohio. He died on June 2, 1957 in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Mendenhall was a graduate of Ohio Normal University. He married Alice May Boutelle and had two children, Margaret Boutelle Mendenhall, born in 1916 in New York and Alice...
, the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
recommended Wrather as a potential candidate for appointment and he was selected to be the Director of the US Geological Survey.
USGS career
In 1943, as the Federal Government began planning for the postwar era, Director Walter Curran MendenhallWalter Curran Mendenhall
Walter Curran Mendenhall was born on February 20, 1871 in Marlboro, Ohio. He died on June 2, 1957 in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Mendenhall was a graduate of Ohio Normal University. He married Alice May Boutelle and had two children, Margaret Boutelle Mendenhall, born in 1916 in New York and Alice...
, who had served 2 years beyond then mandatory retirement age by Presidential exemption, was succeeded by William Embry Wrather. For most of his life, Wrather, a graduate of the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
who had been a Survey field assistant in 1907, had been an eminently successful consulting petroleum geologist, but when he was named Director he was Associate Chief of the Metals and Minerals Division of the Board of Economic Warfare. In the fall of 1943, Wrather was a member of the small mission sent by the Petroleum Administrator for War, Harold M. Ickes
Harold M. Ickes
Harold McEwen Ickes was White House Deputy Chief of Staff for President Bill Clinton. He is the son of Harold L. Ickes, who was Secretary of the Interior under Franklin D. Roosevelt. Ickes is a graduate of Stanford University and Columbia Law School. Ickes was a student civil rights activist in...
, to appraise the petroleum resources of the Middle East, and Thomas Brennan Nolan
Thomas Brennan Nolan
-USGS career:In January 1956, after Director Wrather retired because of illness and age, Assistant Director Thomas B. Nolan became the United States Geological Survey's seventh director. During his 11 years as Assistant Director, Nolan had many times and for extended periods served as Acting...
, a geologist in the Metals Section who had played a leading role in the strategic-minerals program, became Acting Director. In January 1956, after Director Wrather retired because of illness and age, Assistant Director Thomas Brennan Nolan
Thomas Brennan Nolan
-USGS career:In January 1956, after Director Wrather retired because of illness and age, Assistant Director Thomas B. Nolan became the United States Geological Survey's seventh director. During his 11 years as Assistant Director, Nolan had many times and for extended periods served as Acting...
became the US Geological Survey's seventh Director.
(USGS History)
Awards and honors
- Honorary Membership - American Association of Petroleum Geologists (1943)
- Alumni Medal - Chicago University (1943)
- Honorary Doctorate - Southern Methodist University (1945)
- Honorary Doctorate - Colorado School of Mines (1947)
- Honorary Doctorate - University of Kentucky (1950)
- Anthony F. Lucas Award - American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers (1950)
- Honorary Doctorate - Montana School of Mines (1952)
- John Fritz Medal - American Society of Civil Engineers, et al. (1954)
- Distinguished Service Award - US Department of the Interior (1954)
- Sidney Powers Memorial Award - American Association of Petroleum Geologists (1956)
Publications
- Wrather, William Embry "The Vinton, Louisiana, oil field" Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, vol.5, no.2, pp.339–340, Mar 1921
- Wrather, William Embry "Supposed igneous rock from Wichita County, Texas, wells" Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, vol.5, no.4, pp.512–515, Jul 1921
- Wrather, William Embry "Dinosaur tracks in Hamilton County, Texas" Journal of Geology, vol.30, no.5, pp.354–360, Jul 1922
- Wrather, William Embry "What of our future oil supply?" Economic Geology, vol. 23, no. 3, pp.331–333, May 1928
- Wrather, William Embry and Frederic H. Lahee. "Problems of petroleum geology; a sequel to Structure of typical American oil fields" American Association of Petroleum Geologists (1934) 1073 pp.
- Wrather, William Embry "Trends in petroleum-production practice" Economic Geology and the Bulletin of the Society of Economic Geologists, vol.30, no.7, pp.735–749, Nov 1935
- Wrather, W E "Coal in Alaska (USGS)" Miscellaneous Report - Alaska Territorial Department of Mines, Report: MR-195-26, 10 pp., 1943
- Wrather, William Embry "Wartime duties of U.S.G.S. cover multitude of services" Oil & Gas Journal, vol. 42, no. 46, pp.102, Mar 1944
- Wrather, William Embry "Mineral resources and resourcefulness" Mines Magazine, vol.36, no.5, pp.185–186, May 1946
- Wrather, William Embry "A new tool for marine geology" The Military Engineer, vol.44, no.302, pp.411–412, Nov 1952
- Wrather, William Embry "The search for minerals, petroleum, and water resources" Mines Magazine, vol.43, no.1, pp.39–42, Jan 1953
- Brantly, J.E. Memorial to William Embry Wrather, GSA Bulletin; April 1964; v. 75; no. 4; p. P71-P76
- Pratt, Wallace E. "William Embry Wrather (1883-1963)" AAPG Bulletin; October 1964; v. 48; no. 10; p. 1733-1738
External links
- Portrait of William Embry Wrather via the US Geological Survey
- Photograph of William Embry Wrather via the US Geological Survey
