H. W. Harkness

H. W. Harkness

Infobox_Scientist
name = H(arvey) W(illson) Harkness


image_width = 200px
birth_date = 1821
birth_place = Pelham, Massachusetts
death_date = 1901
death_place = San Francisco, California
residence = Sacramento, California (1850–1869),
San Francisco, California (1869-1901)
nationality = American
field = Mycology, Natural history
work_institution = California Academy of Sciences
known_for = Earliest cataloging of California fungal species
author_abbreviation_bot = Harkn.

Harvey Willson Harkness (1821–1901) was an American mycologist and natural historian best known for his early descriptions of California fungal species. Born and raised in Massachusetts and trained as a physician, Harkness came to California during the Gold Rush in 1849. He rose to prominence as physician, educator, real estate developer, and newspaper editor in Sacramento, becoming part of the social circle of early California notables such as Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker, Collis Huntington, and Mark Hopkins. Harkness was a participant in the ceremony marking the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad, representing California and bearing the Golden Spike that was driven by Leland Stanford marking the completion of the railroad. [http://www.cprr.org/Museum/Stanford_Tutorow_files/Stanford_Tutorow_Ch6.pdf]

Having earned a large fortune in Sacramento real estate, Harkness retired his medical practice in 1869 and relocated to San Francisco. There, he joined the faculty of the California Academy of Sciences, becoming its president from 1887-1896. He devoted himself to research into the natural history of the Pacific States, publishing articles on the age of the Lassen Cinder Cone [ [http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2000/fs023-00/ How Old is "Cinder Cone"?Solving a Mystery in Lassen Volcanic Park, California | USGS Fact Sheet ] at pubs.usgs.gov] and the nature of the fossil footprints discovered near Carson City, Nevada. [ [http://paleo.cc/paluxy/carson.htm Carson City "Giant Human Tracks" ] at paleo.cc]

The bulk of his research was devoted to cataloging the previously undescribed fungi of California. In the last 30 years of his life, Harkness authored or coauthored a number of papers on California fungi, ranging from simple species lists to a detailed monograph of California hypogeous fungi.

Legacy

* Harkness and his correspondents described scores of fungal species that were new to science. His 1899 monograph, "California Hypogeous Fungi", alone described some 55 new species of hypogeous fungi.
* The phytopathogenic ascomycete genus "Harknessia" is named for him, as are the names of fungal species in 20 genera, as well as several species of vascular plants, including "Leptosiphon harknessii".
* Mount Harkness, a mountain near Lassen Peak, is named for him.
* There is an H. W. Harkness Elementary School in Sacramento, California, commemorating his role as first Superintendent of Schools for Sacramento.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.mssf.org/mnews/0612mn.pdf "MycoDigest: Pioneers of California Mycology: HW Harkness"] by Peter Werner, "Mycena News" 57(12):1,4,6, December 2006.
* [http://www.ssvms.org/articles/0403west2.asp "The Society's Founders"] by Irma West, "Sierra Sacramento Valley Medicine" 55(2), March/April 2004. (Scroll down to "Harvey W. Harkness, MD, 1821-1901".)
* [http://www.cprr.org/Museum/Stanford_Tutorow_files/Stanford_Tutorow_Ch6.pdf "Building the Central Pacific Rail Road of California, 1863–1869: A Work of Giants"] , Chapter 6 of "The Governor: The Life and Legacy of Leland Stanford" by Norman E. Tutorow, 2004. (Scroll down to page 292 (PDF page 80).)


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Harkness — is a Scottish surname. Its etymology is probably from the Old English personal name Hereca (a derivative of the various compound names with the first element here army ) plus the Old English næss headland , cape The name comes from hidden origins …   Wikipedia

  • Harkness — est un nom de famille d origine écossaise Ned Harkness (1921 2008) joueur de hockey sur glace Steve Harkness (né en 1971), footballeur Tim Harkness (né en 1937), joueur de baseball Harkness est le nom de famille de personnages de fiction… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Harkness Memorial State Park — (230 acres) is a park and botanical garden located at 275 Great Neck Road, Waterford, Connecticut, on the Long Island Sound. It is open to the public every day during the daylight hours.The park was formerly Eolia, the estate of Edward Harkness,… …   Wikipedia

  • Harkness Tower — Der Harkness Tower ist ein Glockenturm auf dem Campus der Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut in den Vereinigten Staaten. Er ist ein markantes Wahrzeichen der Universität und auch als Fotomotiv beliebt. Der 1917 bis 1921 im Stil der …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Harkness — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Douglas Harkness (1903–1999), kanadischer Politiker James Harkness (1864–1923), kanadischer Mathematiker Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselben Wort bezeichneter… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Harkness Tower — Infobox building building name = Harkness Tower native building name= caption = Harkness Tower over the year former names = building type = architectural style = Collegiate Gothic structural system = location =New Haven, CT owner =Yale University …   Wikipedia

  • Harkness Roses — R. Harkness Co. Ltd, or Harkness Roses, is the leading rose breeder in England.The nursery was founded in 1879 in Yorkshire. Early varieties included a sport of Heinrich Schultheis introduced in 1893 as Mrs. Harkness .In the 1950s, Harkness… …   Wikipedia

  • Harkness Fellowship — The Harkness Fellowships (previously known as the Commonwealth Fund Fellowships) are a programme run by the Commonwealth Fund of New York City. They were established to reciprocate the Rhodes Scholarships[1] and enable Fellows from several… …   Wikipedia

  • Harkness, Anna M. Richardson — ▪ American philanthropist née  Anna M. Richardson  born Oct. 25, 1837, Dalton, Ohio, U.S. died March 27, 1926, New York, N.Y.       American philanthropist, perhaps best remembered for establishing the Commonwealth Fund, which continues as a… …   Universalium

  • Harkness table — The Harkness table refers to a style of teaching wherein students sit at a large, ovular table with their teachers, in use at many American boarding schools and colleges. It encourages classes to be held in a discursive manner. Developed at… …   Wikipedia

  • Harkness — Recorded in several spelling forms including: Harkness, Hakkness, Hearkness, and Harkess, this most interesting surname is Anglo Scottish. It is a locational name from an unidentified place but possibly the remote village of Hackness in Yorkshire …   Surnames reference

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”