(Born: Deerfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A., 23 May 1793; Died: Amherst, Massachusetts, U.S.A., 27 February 1864) American geologist.

Hitchcock was educated as a clergyman, and from 1824 to 1845 he was professor of natural history and chemistry at Amherst College, becoming president of the institution from 1845 to 1855. He then took an appointment as professor of geology from 1855 to 1864. At various times he was the State Geologist of Massachusetts and Vermont. He is best remembered for his work on glacial drift and the fossil footprints of the Connecticut Valley.

Biographical references: American Geologist: 16 (18??), 133-49, biblio., portrait. • American Journal of Science: 37 (1864), 302-4. • Annals of the National Academy of Science: 1866 (1867), 127-54. • Catalogue of Portraits of Naturalists: 583 [1 portrait listed]. • Cleevely, World Palæontological Collections, 1983: p. 152. • DAB: 5, 71-2. • DSB: 6, 437-8. • Hitchcock, E., Reminiscences of Amherst college, historical, scientific, biographical and autobiographical: also, of other and wider life experiences. With four plates and a geological map. Northampton, Mass., Bridgman & Childs, 1863. vii, [1], 412 p. front. (port.) 3 pl., fold. map.. • Isis: 63 (1972), 529-43. • Poggendorff: 1, cols. 1112-3 & 1573-4. • Quarterly Journal of Geological Society of London: 21 (1865), 50-1. • Sarjeant, Geologists, 1980: 2, p. 1267-8. • Wilson, Benjamin Silliman and his circle, 1979.

1. English, 1823.
A sketch of the geology, mineralogy and topography of the Connecticut; with a map and drawings, and occasional botanical notices. (From the American journal of Science.) To which is added, a discourse on the utility of natural history. ... New Haven [Conn.]: S. Converse, publisher. 1823.

8°: [iii]-iv, [1], 2-154p. 4 plates (2 fold.) p., illus., map. Very scarce.

Bibliographical references: Rink, Technical Americana, 1981: no. 791. • Sabin, Dictionary, 1868-1936: no. 12837.

Report on the Geology, 1833

2. English, 1833 [First edition].
Report | On The | Geology, | Mineralogy, Botany And Zoology | Of | Massachusetts. | Made And Published By Order Of the Government Of | That State: | In Four Parts: | Part I. Economical Geology. | Part II. Topographical Geology. | Part III. Scientific Geology. | Part IV. Catalogues Of Animals And Plants. | With A Descriptive List Of The | Specimens Of Rocks And Minerals Collected For The | Government. | Illustrated By Numerous Wood Cuts And An Atlas Of Plates. | By Edward Hitchcock, | Professor of Chemistry and Natural History in Amherst College. | [rule] | Amherst: | Press Of J.S. and C. Adams. | 1833.

8°: [i]-xii, [1]-692 p.

Contents: [i-ii], Title page, verso blank.; [iii]-v, "Introductory Or Historical Note."; [vi]-xii, "Contents."; [1]-652, Text.; 653-678, Appendix, "Catalogue of Specimens in the Government Collection of Rocks and Minerals."; 679-692, Index.

Scarce. This is the first report prepared by Hitchcok of the geology, mineralogy, botany and zoology of Massachusetts. The text is divided into four parts with the (I) Economical Geology taking pages 1-72, followed by (II) Topographical Geology (pp. 73-110), (III) Scientific Geology (pp. 111-542) and (IV) Catalogues of the Animals and Plants on pages 543-652. Throughout the text there are numerous references to the minerals and mineral deposits found with in the state. It was followed by several other publications on the subject [which see entries below].

The "Atlas of Plates" refereed to on the title page almost never accompanies the text volume. It appears to have consisted of a few pages of text together with a large 240 x 300 mm. folding colored(?) map of the state of Massachusetts.

Bibliographical references: NUC: ??, ?? [NH ??????????].

3. English, 1835 [2nd edition].
Report | On The | Geology, | Mineralogy, Botany And Zoology | Of | Massachusetts. | Made And Published By Order Of the Government Of | That State: | In Four Parts: | Part I. Economical Geology. | Part II. Topographical Geology. | Part III. Scientific Geology. | Part IV. Catalogues Of Animals And Plants. | With A Descriptive List Of The | Specimens Of Rocks And Minerals Collected For The Government. | Illustrated By Numerous Wood Cuts And An Atlas Of Plates. | Second Edition, Corrected And Enlarged. | By Edward Hitchcock, | [...3 lines of titles and memberships...] | [rule] | Amherst: | Published By J.S. And C. Adams. | 1835.

[Text] 8°: [1]-702 p. [Atlas] 4°: 19 p., one folding map (240 x 300 mm. of the State of Massachusetts).

Very scarce. Second slightly enlarged edition of the 1833 text. Again the Atlas called for on the title page is a very seldom encountered book.

Bibliographical references: NUC: ??, ?? [NH ????????].

4. English, 1838.
Report | On A | Re-Examination | Of The | Economical Geology | Of | Massachusetts. | [rule] | By Edward Hitchcock, | Professor Of Chemistry And Natural History In Amherst College. | [rule] | Boston: | Dutton And Wentworth, State Printers. | ............. | 1838.

8°: [1]-139, [1] p.

Contents: [1-2], Title page, verso blank.; [3]-4, "Contents."; [5]-139, Text, signed Edward Hitchcock, 1 April 1838 on page 139.; [1 pg], Blank.

Very scarce. Describes the soils, marls, clays, limestone, sands, salt, lime, fossil fuels, metallic ores including magnetite, chromite, galena, and sphalerite, feldspars, slate and serpentine found in the boundaries of the state of Massachusetts.

Bibliographical references: NUC: ??, ?? [NH ?????????].

5. English, 1841.
Final Report | On The | Geology Of Massachusetts: | Vol. I. | Containin | I. Economical Geology. | II. Scenograpical Geology. | By Edward Hitchcock, LL. D. | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | [wavy rule] | Northampton: | Published By J.H. Butler | 1841.

[Title of volume two reads:]

Final Report | ... | III. Scientific Geology. | IV. Elementary Geology. | ...

2 vols. [Vol 1] 8°: [i]-xii, 1a-11a, [1], [13]-299, [1] p., 14 plates. [Vol 2] 8°: [2], [300]-831, [1] p., 41 leaves of plates (some folded), illus.

Contents: [Vol 1] [i-ii], Title page, verso blank.; [iii]-iv, Dedication.; [v]-vii, "Introduction-History of the Survey."; [viii]-x, "Contents."; xi-xii, "Explanation of the Plates."; [1a]-11a, "Postscript."; [1 pg], Blank.; [13]-225, Text (part I).; [226], Blank.; [227-299, Text (part II).; [At end], 14 plates (one folding) showing scenes of Massachusetts.

[Vol 2] [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [300]-714, Text (part III).; [715]-800, Text (part IV).; [901]-825, "Appendix | A Catalogue of Specimens of Rocks and Minerals | Illustrating the Report of a Geological | Survey of Massachusetts."; [826], Blank.; [827]-831, "Index."; [1 pg], Blank.; [At end], 41 plates.

Very scarce. This is Hitchcock's final report of the his survey of the geology and mineralogy of Massachusetts, first published in 1833.

Bibliographical references: NUC: ??, ?? [NH ?????????].

6. English, 1861.
Report on the Geology of Vermont. Descriptive, theoretical, economical and scenographical ... In Two Volumes. Claremont, N.H., Claremont Manufacturing Co., 1861.

2 vols. [Vol 1] 8°: viii, 9-558 p., 289 illus. [Vol 2] 8°: [6], 559-988 p., illus. 290-365, 38 plates, including a hand-colored geological map of Vermont, cross-sections, views, etc.

Very rare. A famous book noted for its fine illustrations and accurate text. The hand-colored map showing the geology of Vermont is the first of the state. The work was printed in a small edition, however. Only 30 copies were given to private individuals and some others to State Colleges making this set a scarce item, and perhaps Hitchcock's rarest publication.

Bibliographical references: Merrill, First One Hundred Years, 1924: p. 469-70.

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