Jonathan Pearson (February 23, 1813 - June 20, 1887) was an American botanist and historian.[1]
Jonathan Pearson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | February 23, 1813 Chichester, New Hampshire, United States |
| Died | June 20, 1887 (aged 74) Schenectady, New York, United States |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Natural philosophy, chemistry, botany, agriculture, history. |
| Institutions | Union College |
Life
editPearson was born in Chichester, New Hampshire, where his father worked as a miller.[2] From 1832 to 1835 he attended Union College in Schenectady, New York, as a student before taking a position as a tutor in 1836, eventually becoming a professor.[2] Along with professorial positions, Pearson was the college's librarian from 1839 to 1886, and treasurer.[1]
In April 1841 he married Mary Lord Hosford, and they had three children.[3]
He died in Schenectady on June 20, 1887.[4]
Published major works
edit- Pearson, Jonathan, A general catalogue of the officers, graduates and students of Union College from 1795 to 1854. (Schenectady : printed by S. S. Riggs, 1854)
- Pearson, Jonathan, Early records of the city and county of Albany, and colony of Rensselaerswyck (1656-1675) (Albany, N.Y. : J. Munsell, 1869) (Four volumes)
- Pearson, Jonathan, Contributions for the genealogies of the first settlers of the ancient county of Albany, from 1630 to 1800. (Albany, J. Munsell, 1872)
- Pearson, Jonathan, Two hundredth anniversary of the First Reformed Protestant Dutch church, of Schenectady, N. Y., June 20th and 21st ... 1880. (Schenectady : Daily and Weekly Union Steam Printing House, 1880)
- Jonathan Pearson, A. M. and others, edited by J. W. MacMurray. A History of the Schenectady Patent in the Dutch and English Times; being contributions toward a history of the lower Mohawk Valley (Albany, NY: J. Munsell's Sons, Printers, 1883)
- Jonathan Pearson, and Harold C. Martin (editor) The diary of Jonathan Pearson. (Schenectady: Union College Press, 2004)
Unpublished sources
editHis diaries are held by the Union College library.[5]
Legacy
editPearson appears to be best known as a local historian who was particularly focused upon the history of Schenectady.[6] He was also a plant collector and accomplished botanist, and was particularly interested in the local flora of his town.[7]
Botanical collections
editA small number of specimens collected by Pearson are held by the National Herbarium of Victoria Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, and the National Museum of Natural History, France.[8][9] His collecting labels are identifiable through their Latinisation; Pearson is identified as Iona. Pearson and his collections are from Schenectadiae, Nov. Ebor.
References
edit- ^ a b Schenectady County Historical Society (2020). "Pearson Street Books". New York Heritage. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ^ a b George Alexander (1883). "Sketch of the Life of Professor Jonathan Pearson, A. M., Union College, Schenectady, N. Y." Schenectady Digital History Archive. Schenectady County Public Library. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ^ Stefan Bielinski (12 November 2016). "Jonathan Pearson". The People of Colonial Albany. New York State Museum. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ^ Johnson, Rossiter, ed. (1906). "Preface". The Biographical Dictionary of America. Boston: American Biographical Society. p. 262. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ^ Jonathan Pearson. "Manuscript: Diary, Feb. 18, 1828-June 5, 1875". Union College Library. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ Codman Hislop (1938). "Jonathan Pearson and his "Thinking Books"". New York History. 19 (4): 365–373. JSTOR 23134616.
- ^ Jonathan Pearson (1844). "Jonathan Pearson and John Torrey correspondence". The Internet Archive. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ^ "The Australasian Virtual Herbarium". The Australasian Virtual Herbarium. Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (CHAH). 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
- ^ "Collection: Hb Iona Pearson". National Museum of Natural History, France. 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.