1823 – 1887

Spencer Fullerton Baird

American naturalist, ornithologist, ichthyologist, museum curator, and the 2nd Secretary of the Smithsonian (1823-1887)

meteorological observerichthyologistherpetologistuniversity teacherornithologist

Born

1823-02-03, Reading

Died

1887-08-19

Birthplace state

Pennsylvania

Biography

Spencer Fullerton Baird was born in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1823 and worked as a naturalist, ornithologist, ichthyologist, herpetologist, and museum curator. He became the first curator appointed to the Smithsonian Institution and subsequently held the position of assistant Secretary from 1850 to 1878, then Secretary from 1878 until his death in 1887. During his tenure, he expanded the Smithsonian's natural history collections from 6,000 specimens to over 2 million, and from 1871 until 1887 he served as U.S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries. He published more than 1,000 works in his lifetime.

Occupation

Spencer Fullerton Baird is recorded as a meteorological observer, a ichthyologist, a herpetologist, a university teacher, a ornithologist, a curator, a zoologist, a writer and a naturalist, born in Pennsylvania (1823–1887).

Connections to Pennsylvania

Spencer Fullerton Baird was born in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1823. Explore other notable figures from Pennsylvania, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Geology

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Conflict & War

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The Civil War

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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

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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

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Historical Maps

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Finds & Access

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Literature

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Spotlight

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Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

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Frequently asked about Spencer Fullerton Baird

Who was Spencer Fullerton Baird?

Spencer Fullerton Baird was American naturalist, ornithologist, ichthyologist, museum curator, and the 2nd Secretary of the Smithsonian (1823-1887), born in Pennsylvania (1823 – 1887).

When and where was Spencer Fullerton Baird born?

Spencer Fullerton Baird was born on 1823-02-03 in Reading.

When did Spencer Fullerton Baird die?

Spencer died on 1887-08-19.

What was Spencer Fullerton Baird known for?

Spencer Fullerton Baird is recorded as a meteorological observer, a ichthyologist, a herpetologist, a university teacher, a ornithologist, a curator, a zoologist, a writer and a naturalist.

Source

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

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