George Davidson (geographer)
| George Davidson | |
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George Davidson
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| Born | May 9, 1825 Nottingham, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
| Died | December 2, 1911 (aged 86) |
| Fields | Geography |
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George Davidson (May 9, 1825 – December 2, 1911) was a geodesist, astronomer, geographer, surveyor and engineer in the United States.
Born on May 9, 1825, in England, he went to the U.S. in 1832 with his parents, who settled in Pennsylvania. He graduated at the Central High School in Philadelphia in 1845, standing first in his class. While a student, he had shown interest in scientific work, and had assisted Alexander D. Bache in his observations of the magnetic elements at Girard College. Upon his graduation in 1845, he began his career as clerk to Bache who was superindentent of the United States Coast Survey.
From 1846 to 1850, Davidson was occupied in geodetic field work, and in astronomy, serving in the different states on the east coast of the United States. In 1850, he went to California under the auspices of the Coast Survey, and was for several years engaged in the determination of the latitude and longitude of prominent capes, bays, etc., and of the magnetic elements of the Pacific Coast, reporting also upon the proper locations for lighthouses. His work included a survey of Washington and Puget sounds, and he had charge of the main triangulation of the coast in the region of San Francisco. In 1853, he named a number of mountains in the Olympic Mountains: he named Mount Ellinor for Ellinor Fauntleroy, who later became his wife, Mount Constance for Ellinor's older sister and The Brothers for her two brothers.
From 1861 until 1867, he was again on the Atlantic seaboard, principally engaged in engineering work on coast and river defences. At one time, he was in command of the Coast Survey steamer “Vixen,” and later performed astronomical work along the eastern coast.
In 1866, he became chief engineer of an expedition for the survey of a ship canal across the Isthmus of Darien. In 1867, he was appointed to make a special examination and report upon the geography and resources of Alaska, pending its purchase; his published report and conferences with congressional committees influenced the passage of the bill. He was placed in charge, during 1867, of the work of the Coast Survey on the Pacific, planned work for the land parties from 1868 until 1875, and inspected all the fields of work. He traveled extensively in Egypt, China, India and Europe, for purposes of scientific study.
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