John Wesley Powell
John Wesley Powell (March 24, 1834 – September 23, 1902) was an American geologist, U.S. Army soldier, explorer of the American West, professor at Illinois Wesleyan University, and director of major scientific and cultural institutions. He is famous for his 1869 geographic expedition, a three-month river trip down the Green and Colorado rivers, including the first official U.S. government-sponsored passage through the Grand Canyon.
John Wesley Powell | |
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Powell as he appears at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. | |
| 2nd Director of the United States Geological Survey | |
| In office 1881–1894 | |
| Preceded by | Clarence King |
| Succeeded by | Charles Doolittle Walcott |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 24, 1834 Mount Morris, New York, U.S. |
| Died | September 23, 1902 (aged 68) Haven Colony, Brooklin, Maine, U.S. |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery, Section 1 |
| Spouse | Emma Dean Powell |
| Relatives | William B Powell, brother |
| Known for | Traversing Colorado River of the Grand Canyon |
| Signature | |
| Education |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Natural sciences |
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| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Major |
Powell was appointed by US President James A. Garfield to serve as the second director of the U.S. Geological Survey (1881–1894) and proposed, for development of the arid West, policies that were prescient for his accurate evaluation of conditions. Two years prior to his service as director of the U.S. Geological Survey, Major Powell had become the first director of the Bureau of Ethnology at the Smithsonian Institution where he supported linguistic and sociological research and publications.