John Wesley Powell
1834 – 1902

John Wesley Powell

American geologist (1834-1902)

linguistscientific collectorexplorerbotanistbotanical collector
Born
1834-03-24, Mount Morris
Died
1902-09-23
Birthplace state
New York

Biography

John Wesley Powell was an American geologist, U.S. Army soldier, explorer of the American West, professor at Illinois Wesleyan University, and director of major scientific and cultural institutions. He is famous for his 1869 geographic expedition, a three-month river trip down the Green and Colorado rivers, including the first official U.S. government-sponsored passage through the Grand Canyon.

Occupation

John Wesley Powell is recorded as a linguist, a scientific collector, a explorer, a botanist, a botanical collector, a cartographer, a ethnologist, a geographer, a geologist, a military personnel and a writer, born in New York (1834–1902).

Connections to New York

John Wesley Powell was born in Mount Morris, New York in 1834. Explore other notable figures from New York, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Everything a full report reveals about Mount Morris

John Wesley Powell came from Mount Morris. A full Aubrey report on Mount Morris pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about John Wesley Powell

Who was John Wesley Powell?
John Wesley Powell was American geologist (1834-1902), born in New York (1834 – 1902).
When and where was John Wesley Powell born?
John Wesley Powell was born on 1834-03-24 in Mount Morris.
When did John Wesley Powell die?
John died on 1902-09-23.
What was John Wesley Powell known for?
John Wesley Powell is recorded as a linguist, a scientific collector, a explorer, a botanist, a botanical collector, a cartographer, a ethnologist, a geographer, a geologist, a military personnel and a writer.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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