Simon Snyder Rathvon (1812–1891) was an American

entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...

. He specialized in economic and agricultural entomology. Rathvon was from

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Lancaster, ( ; pdc, Lengeschder) is a city in and the county seat of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is one of the oldest inland cities in the United States. With a population at the 2020 census of 58,039, it ranks 11th in population amon ...

, and studied under naturalist Samuel S. Haldeman. He went on to become Professor of Entomology at the

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) is a nonprofit organization that promotes horticulture-related events and community activities. It is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of 2021, PHS has more than 13,000 members. PHS was ...

, editor of the agricultural periodical ''Lancaster Farmer'', and contributed to reports published by the

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the United States federal executive departments, federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, ...

Biography

Rathvon was born on April 24, 1812, in

Marietta, Pennsylvania Marietta is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The population was 2,633 at the 2020 census. It is located on the east bank of the Susquehanna River northwest of Columbia. Geography Marietta is located in western Lancaster County at ( ...

. He apprenticed for a tailor in his teenage years, and by 1832, he opened his own shop in Marietta. He continued the trade for the rest of his career. Although he had an interest in farming, he did not consider himself to have the right build for the work. In 1832, Rathvon joined the Marietta Thespian Society. Here he met Samuel S. Haldeman, who kindled Rathvon's interest in natural history. By 1842, entomology had become his primary focus. He published perhaps hundreds of papers on the subject, but the true amount is not known. He was only paid twice for these pursuits—for when he had authored two reports for the USDA in the 1860s. Rathvon was known for having a quiet, reserved disposition. He struggled with feelings of inadequacy within the scientific community, and felt that his lack of formal education made him unqualified. Despite this, Rathvon was an early advocate for applied agricultural entomology. He argued for using integrated pest and crop management techniques, emphasizing the importance of growers differentiating between beneficial, detrimental, and neutral insects. Later in his scientific career, Rathvon became Professor of Entomology at the

and editor of the agricultural periodical ''Lancaster Farmer''. In 1862, Rathvon helped found the Linnaean Society of Lancaster. In 1878, he was awarded an honorary Ph.D. from

Franklin and Marshall College Franklin & Marshall College (F&M) is a private liberal arts college in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It employs 175 full-time faculty members and has a student body of approximately 2,400 full-time students. It was founded upon the merger of Frankli ...

. Partially deaf since his early 30s, his deafness became total in the 1880s. Rathvon died on March 19, 1891. Although it is stated that he was interred at Shreiner-Concord Cemetery, the exact site of his grave is unknown.

Legacy

Rathvon fathered 11 children with his wife Catharine Freyberger. Rathvon had a large personal insect collection and purchased the collection of Haldeman. Through this purchase, he also acquired the collections of

Nicholas Marcellus Hentz Nicholas Marcellus Hentz (July 25, 1797 – November 4, 1856) was a French American educator and arachnologist. Biography Hentz was born in Versailles, France. He was the youngest child of Charles Nicholas Arnould Hentz and Marie-Anne Therese Da ...

. The Rathvon collection numbered around 10,000 species by 1884. It was later purchased for donation to Franklin and Marshall College. Almost 6,000 of Rathvon's specimens are housed at the

North Museum of Nature and Science The North Museum of Nature and Science is a museum in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, specialising in natural history, part of Franklin & Marshall College. History The museum was founded in 1953 with help from local businessman Hugh M. North. It bec ...

in Lancaster. Rathvon is the namesake of several species, including '' Anatis rathvoni'', '' Lichnanthe rathvoni'', and '' Lytta rathvoni''. The subspecies '' Nebria gebleri rathvoni'' was also named in his honor by

John Lawrence LeConte John Lawrence LeConte (May 13, 1825 – November 15, 1883) was an American entomologist of the 19th century, responsible for naming and describing approximately half of the insect taxa known in the United States during his lifetime,

References

{{authority control American entomologists 1812 births 1891 deaths People from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Botanists with author abbreviations