Henry Gannett
| Henry Gannett | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
August 24, 1846 Bath, Maine |
| Died | November 5, 1914 (aged 68) |
| Citizenship | American |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Relatives | Samuel Gannett (cousin) |
Henry Gannett, M.E.; LL.D. (August 24, 1846 – November 5, 1914) was an American geographer who is described as the "Father of the Quadrangle" which is the basis for topographical maps in the United States.
He was born in Bath, Maine August 24, 1846, graduated with a B.S. at Harvard University in 1869 and at the Hooper Mining School in 1870 also at Harvard.
In 1871 he was almost simultaneously offered positions with Charles Francis Hall on what would become the ill-fated Polaris Expedition or going with Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden to survey Yellowstone National Park. He chose the Hayden adventure and would map the westen portion of the Hayden's division until 1879.
On July 26, 1872, while climbing the then unnamed highest mountain in the Gallatin Mountains, he and his party experienced electric shocks following a lightning event near the summit. He was to name the mountain Electric Peak.
He married Mary E. Chase on November 24, 1874.
In 1879 he was among those lobbying for centralizing the mapping functions into one government agency. Previously individual mapmakers and agencies had to compete for money from Congress for funds for projects.
He lobbied to call the new organization "United States Geological and Geographical Survey" although the name United States Geological Survey would officially be approved.
His first job in the new organization under its first director Clarence King was geographer of the United States Census, 1880. He laid out 2,000 enumeration districts with such precision that for the first time each census enumerator knew in advance the metes and bounds of his particular district. The completion of this work on July 1, 1882 is considered the start of true topographical work in the United States and the birth of the quad. He was promoted to Chief Geographer for the Geological Society by John Wesley Powell and would hold the position until 1896.
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