Edward William Nelson

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For the British biologist and polar explorer, see Edward Nelson (marine biologist).

Nelson in the early 1900s

Edward William Nelson (May 8, 1855 – May 19, 1934) was an American

ethnologist. A collector of specimens and field naturalist of repute, he became a member of several expeditions to survey the fauna and flora. He was part of a team with Clinton Hart Merriam that took part in the Death Valley Expedition. He also explored the Yosemite Valley
. A number of vertebrate species are named after him.

Biography

Nelson was born in Manchester, New Hampshire, on May 8, 1855, the first son of William and Martha (née Wells) Nelson. Nelson and his brother then lived with his maternal grandparents in the Adirondacks when his father joined the Union Army and mother went to Baltimore as a nurse. Here he fell in love with the wilderness. Nelson moved to Chicago after his father was killed in the Civil War and his mother established a dressmaking business.

In 1871, his large insect collection was lost in the

Chicago Fire and the family was left homeless.[1] This was the time that he moved focus from insects to birds. He went to Cook County Normal School from 1872 to 1875 where the principal, W. W. Wentworth encouraged him. Nelson also met Henry Henshaw and Edward Drinker Cope who helped him develop his interests in birds.[2]

In 1877. Nelson joined the

U.S. Army Signal Corps. Spencer Fullerton Baird was responsible for selecting Signal Officers for the remoter stations, and would choose men with scientific training who were prepared to study the local flora and fauna. Baird sent Nelson to St. Michael, Alaska.[2] Nelson was the naturalist on board USRC Thomas Corwin, which sailed to Wrangel Island in search of the Jeannette expedition
in 1881. Nelson published his findings in the Report upon Natural History Collections Made in Alaska between the Years 1877–1881 (1887). He also published his ethnological findings in The Eskimo about Bering Strait (1900).

Nelson in Alaska

In 1890 Nelson accepted an appointment as a special field agent with

Bureau of Biological Survey until 1929, being chief of the bureau from 1916 to 1927.[2]

The

Cryptotis nelsoni
is also named after Nelson.

In addition to

American Ornithologists' Union and the Biological Society of Washington. He never married.[2]

In 1895, botanists J.M.Coult. & Rose published

monotypic genus of flowering plant from South America, belonging to the family Apiaceae.[6] Then in 1973, botanists H.Rob. & Brettell published Nelsonianthus, a genus of flowering plants from Mexico and Guatemala belonging to the family Asteraceae, also named in Nelson's honour.[7]

See also
The standard author abbreviation E.W.Nelson is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.[8]

References

  1. ^ Beltz, Ellin (2006), "Biographies of People Honored in the Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America.", Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America – Explained
  2. ^
    JSTOR 4077197
    .
  3. ^ Bell, Edwin L.; et al. (2003), "An Annotated List of the Species-Group Names Applied to the Lizard Genus Sceloporus." (PDF), Acta Zoológica Mexicana, 90: 103–174
  4. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5
    . ("Nelson, E.W.", p. 188.).
  5. ^ Biographies of ASM Presidents, American Society of Mammalogists
  6. ^ "Neonelsonia J.M.Coult. & Rose | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved May 24, 2021.[dead link]
  7. ^ "Nelsonianthus H.Rob. & Brettell | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  8. ^ International Plant Names Index.  E.W.Nelson.

Further reading

External links

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