Frank Hall Knowlton (September 2, 1860 - November 22, 1926) was an American botanist, ornithologist and naturalist. Born in Vermont, he joined the

Geological Survey A geological survey is the systematic investigation of the geology beneath a given piece of ground for the purpose of creating a geological map or model. Geological surveying employs techniques from the traditional walk-over survey, studying outc ...

and took an interest in fossil plants in the local lignite, later becoming a specialist in paleobotany. He was born in

Brandon, Vermont Brandon is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,129. History On October 20, 1761, the town of Neshobe was chartered to Capt. Josiah Powers. In October 1784, the name of the town was chang ...

to a family of old settlers. He went to study at Middlebury College where he took an interest in natural history, influenced by

Ezra Brainerd Ezra Brainerd (December 17, 1844 – December 8, 1924) was president of Middlebury College, Vermont, United States, from 1885 until 1908. Born in St. Albans, Vermont, Brainerd was a graduate of the college in 1864. Brainerd assumed the presidency ...

and Henry M. Seely. He received a BS in 1884 and an MS in 1887. He visited the US National Museum in Washington in 1884, while preparing an exhibit for the

World Cotton Centennial The World Cotton Centennial (also known as the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition) was a World's Fair held in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States in 1884. At a time when nearly one third of all cotton produced in the United Sta ...

in New Orleans and came in contact with palaeobotanist Lester F. Ward there. He later became an assistant to Ward on the Geology Survey, during which time he studied fossil wood in the lignites of the Potomac. He joined the Geological Survey as an assistant paleontologist in 1894 and was promoted geologist in 1907. He joined the Columbian College as a professor of botany and received a PhD in 1896. He received a ScD in 1921. He founded the journal ''The Plant World'' in 1897 and edited it for its first seven years. Knowlton was also interested in birds and in 1909 he produced ''Birds of the World'' published as part of the American Nature Series from Holt. His work on Mesozoic and Cenozoic plants occupied much of his research.

References

External links

''Plants of the Past: A Popular Account of Fossil Plants'' (1927)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knowlton, Frank Hall American paleontologists 1860 births 1926 deaths Paleobotanists