Henry Crampton | |
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| Born | Henry Edward Crampton Jr. (1875-01-05)January 5, 1875 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | February 26, 1956(1956-02-26) (aged 81) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Columbia College (PhD) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Columbia University Massachusetts Institute of Technology American Museum of Natural History |
Henry Edward Crampton (January 5, 1875 – February 26, 1956) was an Americanevolutionary biologist andmalacologist who specialized inland snails. Crampton undertook the first major study of evolution in nature in his research in theSociety Islands. Crampton made twelve separate expeditions over the course of his career toMoorea nearTahiti to study theland snail genusPartula, while years more were spent measuring and cataloguing his specimens. In all, he dedicated nearly half-a-century to the study. Crampton taught as a professor atColumbia University andBarnard College from 1904 to 1943. He also worked as a curator at theAmerican Museum of Natural History.
Henry Edward Crampton Jr. was born on January 5, 1875, inNew York City[1] to Dorcas Matilda (née Miller) and Henry Edward Crampton, a surgeon in New York City.[2][3][4] He attended theCollege of the City of New York and graduated fromColumbia College (later Columbia University) in 1893.[1] He received hisDoctor of Philosophy from Columbia in 1899.[2]
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After graduating in 1893, Crampton became an assistant in biology at Columbia University. He stayed in that role until 1895, when he became an instructor of biology at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology.[1][5] The following year, 1896, he returned to Columbia as a lecturer.[1] Crampton became a faculty member atBarnard College in 1899. By 1904, Crampton became a professor ofzoology at Barnard College andColumbia University. He served as acting provost at Barnard in 1918 and 1919.[5] He remained a professor until 1943.[6]
Crampton was the curator of invertebrate zoology at theAmerican Museum of Natural History.[5]Stephen Jay Gould has cited Crampton as an inspiration, both for his evolutionary observations onPartula, and the enormous dedication and effort required to undertake them. He was also the inspiration for future work onPartula byBryan Clarke, James Murray and Michael Johnson. This research was central to much of the development of the science of genetics.[citation needed] He also worked at theCarnegie Institute's Station for Experimental Evolution atCold Spring Harbor Laboratory andBishop Museum inHonolulu.[1][5]
Crampton's monographs remain some of the most remarkable publications on any species, for their meticulous detail and the beautiful illustrations they contain. His work on the Society Islands species was never finished, his monographs covering only those ofTahiti andMoorea. The volumes onHuahine,Raiatea,Tahaa andBora Bora were never finished. This work is being revived, and the centenary of his first volume (Tahiti in 1916) is to be marked by the publication of a new monograph on all the Partulidae.[7]
DuringWorld War I, Crampton worked withHollis Godfrey to organize theCouncil of National Defense, and served as the vice chairman of the Committee on Engineering and Education.[8]
He also served as president of theNew York Academy of Sciences and as secretary of theAmerican Eugenics Society. He was also a member of theWashington Academy of Sciences,New York Zoological Society,American Society of Naturalists andThe Explorers Club.[2][5] In 1929, he received an honorary degree in science from Columbia.[2]
Crampton married Marian Maud Tully on October 27, 1896, in New York City.[9] Together, they had two children: Henry and Ann. Henry E. Crampton Jr. married Harriet Jessup, the granddaughter of Reverend Jessup, founder of theAmerican University of Beirut.[6][10][11]
Crampton died on February 26, 1956, atNewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.[2][5]
