William Sansom Vaux

William Samsom Vaux
Born(1811-05-19)May 19, 1811
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedMay 5, 1882(1882-05-05) (aged 70)
Resting placeLaurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Known forMineralogy
Archaeology

William Sansom Vaux (May 19, 1811 – May 5, 1882) was an American mineralogist. He served as vice-president of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia from 1864 to 1882 and as president of the Zoological Society of Philadelphia. His mineral and archaeological collections were bequeathed to the Academy of Natural Sciences after his death.

Early life

Vaux was born on May 19, 1811, in Philadelphia[1] to George and Eliza H. Vaux. His ancestors were early Quaker settlers of the Province of Pennsylvania and amassed great wealth through their businesses. Vaux left the Quaker religion at a young age and joined the Episcopal Church. He inherited his parents wealth after their deaths and never engaged in business. His inheritance allowed him to dedicate his time toward the study of science and mineralogy in particular.[2]

Career

He became a member of the Academy of Natural Sciences in 1834, and served in various capacities,[2] including as vice-president from 1864 to 1882.[1] Vaux made several trips to Europe to collect mineral specimens, and his collection was considered to be the finest in the United States. Vaux was one of eight founders of the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia and served as vice-president.[2] He served as president of the Zoological Society of Philadelphia.[1] He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1859.[3]

In 1859, he purchased the James McBride collection of archaeological surveys, field notes and drawings of artifacts at a public auction.[4]

Personal life

Vaux's gravestone in Laurel Hill Cemetery

Vaux was married but his wife died several years before him. They had one son together, however he died at an early age. Vaux became infirm toward the end of his life from a disease contracted from travelling in Rome. He died on May 5, 1882, of a tumor-like growth in his abdomen[2] and was interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery.[5]

Legacy

He bequeathed his mineral and archaeological collections to the Academy of Natural Sciences, along with his library and an endowment for their preservation.[6] His collection of James McBride's archaeological surveys, field notes, and surveys has been on loan indefinitely since 1960 from the Academy of Natural Sciences to the Ohio Historical Society.[4]

The Vaux's swift was named in his honor[7] by John Kirk Townsend.[8]

In 1986, his great-nephews donated his collection of Roman glass to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c Herringshaw, Thomas William (1914). Herringshaw's National Library of American Biography. Chicago: American Publishers' Association. p. 546. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society Held at Philadelphia for Promoting Useful Knowledge. Philadelphia: McCalla & Stavely. 1885. pp. 404–405. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  3. ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  4. ^ a b Barnhart, Terry A. (2015). American Antiquities - Revisiting the Origian of American Archaelogy. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. pp. 231–232. ISBN 978-0-8032-6842-5.
  5. ^ "William S Vaux". remembermyjourney.com. webCemeteries. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  6. ^ Audubon to Xantus, by Barbara and Richard Mearns, Academic Press (1992) ISBN 0-12-487423-1
  7. ^ Daniels, Matthew (2021). Cascadia Revealed - A Guide to Plants, Animals & Geology of the Pacific Northwest Mountains. Timber Press. ISBN 9781643261133. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  8. ^ Ashworth, William B., Jr. "John Kirk Townsend". www.lindahall.org. Linda Hall Library. Retrieved 13 December 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ White, Donald; Brownlee, Ann Blair; Romano, Irene Bald; Turfa, Jean Macintosh (2002). Guide to the Etruscan and Roman Worlds at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology. p. 7. ISBN 1-931707-37-5. Retrieved 11 December 2024.