Hayden, Ferdinand

VANDEVEER, explorer and geologist, born in West field, Ma ., Sept. 10, 1829; graduated at Oberlin, O., in 1850; studied medicine but did not practice the profe ion till the period of the Civil War, when he was appointed surgeon of volunteers and was brevetted lieutenant-colonel. Except during his service in the war, he was engaged from 1853 to 1879 in exploring and surveying the great plains and Rocky Mountains. At first his work was at private expense, but afterward under the auspices of the general government. The commi ion given him by the government to make a geological survey of the Territory of Nebraska was the beginning of the U. S. Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories, and was succeeded (1879) by the present U. S. Geological Survey. He was a member of the National Academy of Science and of many other scientific societies of America, and an honorary member of a number in foreign countries. The official reports of his survey, which are his chief writings, are important contributions to geographic, geologic, botanic and ethnographic knowledge. Died Sept. 22, 1887.