Frederick William True | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1858-07-08)July 8, 1858 |
| Died | June 25, 1914(1914-06-25) (aged 55) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | True's beaked whale |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biology |
| Institutions | United States National Museum |
Frederick William True (July 8, 1858 – June 25, 1914) was an American biologist, the first head curator of biology (1897–1911) at theUnited States National Museum, now part of theSmithsonian Institution.[1]
He was born inMiddletown,Connecticut in 1858. He received aB.S. from theUniversity of New York in 1878, when he entered the U.S. government service.[2] He was expert special agent on fisheries for the10th census, 1879.[2] In 1881, True started working for the U.S. National Museum as a clerk.[3] That year he became librarian and acting curator of mammals, which positions he filled until 1883. True was curator of mammals at the U.S. National Museum (1883-1909), curator of comparative anatomy (1885-1890), executive curator (1894-1897), head curator of biology (1897-1911) and assistant secretary in charge of the library and international exchange service (1911-1914).[1] He was appointed to the board of theAmerican Philosophical Society, of which he was already a member, on March 2, 1900.[4][5]
He started his career studyinginvertebrates,[1] but his poor eyesight obligated him to give up studies with the microscope,[3] and he turned to studies ofcetaceans and their relatives.[1]True's beaked whale,[6]True's vole andTrue's shrew mole were named by him, and have vernacular names in his honor.
He married Louis Elvina Prentiss in 1887, and at his death two of their children were living.[3] He was the son of Methodist clergyman and writerCharles Kittredge True. His brotherAlfred Charles True was a noted agricultural educationist.
