William Henry Brewer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Henry Brewer
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| Born | September 14, 1829 Poughkeepsie, New York, U.S.
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| Died | November 2, 1910 (aged 81) New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Botany |
| Institutions | Washington & Jefferson College Yale University |
William Henry Brewer (born September 14, 1828 – died November 2, 1910) was an American botanist. A botanist is a scientist who studies plants. He was a key part of the first California Geological Survey. He also became the first professor of Agriculture at Yale University's Sheffield Scientific School.
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Early Life and Education
William H. Brewer was born in Poughkeepsie, New York. He grew up on a farm in Enfield, New York. In 1848, Brewer started studying at Yale University. He focused on soil chemistry. This is the study of the chemical makeup of soil. His teachers were Professors Benjamin Silliman and John Pitkin Norton.
Brewer was one of the first members of Berzelius. This is one of Yale's oldest student groups. In 1852, he earned a Bachelor of Philosophy degree. He was part of the first graduating class of the Sheffield Scientific School. After graduating, he taught at the Ovid Academy in Ovid (town), New York. There, he became friends with Presbyterian minister Laurentine Hamilton.
Studying in Europe
In 1855, Brewer traveled to Europe to continue his studies. He learned about natural science from Professor Robert Bunsen at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. Bunsen is famous for inventing the Bunsen burner.
Next, Brewer went to Munich to study organic chemistry. This is the study of carbon-based compounds. He learned from Professor Justus von Liebig. In 1857, Brewer moved to Paris, France. He studied chemistry with Professor Michel Eugène Chevreul.
Career and Family Life
Brewer returned to the United States in 1858. He married Angelina Jameson in August of that year. In October, he became a chemistry professor at Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania. Sadly, his wife passed away in June 1859.
California Geological Survey
In 1860, after a difficult time, Brewer received an important invitation. Josiah D. Whitney asked him to be the main botanist for the California Division of Mines and Geology. This group later became the California Geological Survey.
Brewer led teams exploring the geology of California. He worked on this large survey until 1864. During this time, he wrote many letters to his family and friends. These letters were later published in a book called Up and Down California in 1860-1864. The book shares his adventures and discoveries.
Professor at Yale
In 1864, Brewer became the Chair of Agriculture at Yale's Sheffield Scientific School. This was a new role, making him the first professor to teach agriculture there.
On September 1, 1868, he married his second wife, Georgiana Robinson. They had four children together. While at Yale, Brewer also took part in a survey of Greenland in 1869. In 1899, he joined Edward Henry Harriman on a famous Alaskan expedition.
Brewer retired from teaching in 1903. He passed away in his home in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1910. He was buried at Grove Street Cemetery. He was also a member of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Legacy
William Henry Brewer's work left a lasting mark.
- Mount Brewer, a peak in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, is named after him.
- A very rare type of spruce tree, Picea breweriana, is also named in his honor. This tree, known as Brewer Spruce, grows only in the Klamath Mountains of southwest Oregon and northwest California.
See also
In Spanish: William Henry Brewer para niños
