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The Improbable Career and Remarkable Legacy of University of Kansas Naturalist, Francis Huntington Snow

Guillermo Blair

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Published in Birds Bones And Beetles: The Improbable Career And Remarkable Legacy Of University Of Kansas Naturalist Charles D Bunker

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Francis Huntington Snow, A Naturalist And Professor At The University Of Kansas, In His Study Surrounded By Natural History Specimens Birds Bones And Beetles: The Improbable Career And Remarkable Legacy Of University Of Kansas Naturalist Charles D Bunker

Birds, Bones, and Beetles: The Improbable Career and Remarkable Legacy of University of Kansas Naturalist Charles D. Bunker

by Charles H. Warner

4.4 out of 5

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Francis Huntington Snow was an unlikely naturalist. Born in 1840 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, he was the son of a farmer and showed no particular interest in nature as a child. But a chance encounter with a bird book at the age of 12 sparked a passion that would shape the rest of his life.

Snow went on to study natural history at Harvard University, where he excelled in his studies. After graduating, he taught for several years at various schools before being appointed professor of natural history at the University of Kansas in 1866.

The University of Kansas was a small, struggling institution at the time, and Snow's department was poorly funded. But he was undeterred. He spent his own money to purchase specimens and equipment, and he often led his students on collecting expeditions into the surrounding countryside.

Snow's research interests were wide-ranging, and he made significant contributions to the fields of entomology, ornithology, herpetology, and paleontology. He was the first to describe several new species of insects and birds, and he also discovered a number of important fossil specimens.

In addition to his research, Snow was also a gifted teacher and mentor. He inspired generations of students to pursue careers in natural history, and many of his former students went on to become prominent scientists in their own right.

Snow's legacy extends far beyond his own lifetime. The natural history collection that he built at the University of Kansas is now one of the largest and most important in the world. And the students that he taught went on to make their own significant contributions to the field of natural history.

Francis Huntington Snow was an improbable naturalist, but he left a remarkable legacy. His passion for nature and his dedication to teaching inspired generations of students and helped to shape the field of natural history in the United States.

Early Life and Education

Francis Huntington Snow was born on February 26, 1840, in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. His father was a farmer, and his mother was a schoolteacher. Snow grew up on his family's farm, and he developed a love of nature at an early age.

In 1852, Snow's family moved to Lawrence, Kansas. Snow attended Lawrence High School, where he excelled in his studies. After graduating from high school, Snow enrolled at the University of Kansas, where he studied natural history.

Snow was a brilliant student, and he quickly became one of the top students in his class. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 1862 with a degree in natural history.

Career at the University of Kansas

After graduating from the University of Kansas, Snow taught for several years at various schools before being appointed professor of natural history at the University of Kansas in 1866.

The University of Kansas was a small, struggling institution at the time, and Snow's department was poorly funded. But Snow was undeterred. He spent his own money to purchase specimens and equipment, and he often led his students on collecting expeditions into the surrounding countryside.

Legacy

Francis Huntington Snow died on September 12, 1908. He was 68 years old. Snow's legacy lives on through the students that he taught and the natural history collection that he built at the University of Kansas.

The natural history collection that Snow built at the University of Kansas is now one of the largest and most important in the world. It contains over 10 million specimens, including plants, animals, fossils, and minerals.

The students that Snow taught went on to make their own significant contributions to the field of natural history. Many of his former students went on to become prominent scientists and educators.

Birds, Bones, and Beetles: The Improbable Career and Remarkable Legacy of University of Kansas Naturalist Charles D. Bunker

by Charles H. Warner

4.4 out of 5