Quotes:Powell, John Wesley

Zirkoff, Boris

Powell, John Wesley. American geologist and ethnologist, b. March 24, 1834, at Mt. Morris, N.Y.; d. in Haven, Me., Sept. 23, 1902. Educ. at Illinois and Oberlin Colleges. Lost right arm in Civil War, during which he became major. Especially interested in geology 540 and appointed, 1865, prof, of geology and curator of the museum in Illinois Wesleyan Univ, of Bloomington, and later at the Normal Univ. Began in 1867 a series of expeditions to the Rocky Mts. and the canyons of Green and Colorado Rivers, incl. a daring three months’ journey through the Grand Canyon, 1869. Founded and directed (1879) a bureau of ethnology at the Smithsonian Institution, and contributed comprehensive studies of the Indians and their languages. His work led to a U. S. Government geographical and geological survey of the Rockies (1870-79). In the period of 1881-94, Powell was director of the geological survey. Author of a number of works dealing with American geology.

Source: Boris de Zirkoff, «H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings», vol. 2, pp. 539-540