SKETCH OF RICHARD OWEN. 263 



David Dale Owen was especially interested in fossils and min- 

 erals, and was employed to label and arrange the large collection 

 of Maclure. A part of the collection became his property, and 

 formed the nucleus of the famous Owen Museum, containing 

 some eighty-five thousand specimens. This was purchased by 

 the University of Indiana for the sum of twenty thousand dol- 

 lars, but it was in great part lost in the destruction of the mu- 

 seum building in the disastrous fire of 1883. 



David Dale Owen spent most of his life as geologist in the 

 public service. He was State Geologist of Indiana in 1837. After- 

 ward he undertook government work in Wisconsin and Iowa. 

 He spent five years as United States Geologist in field work in 

 the region beyond the Mississippi. Then in turn he had charge 

 of the State Surveys in Kentucky, Arkansas, and Indiana. He 

 was State Geologist of Indiana at the time of his death, in 1860. 

 His work was admirably and conscientiously performed, and as 

 first State Geologist of several different States he set a high stand- 

 ard of public work which few of his successors have been able 

 to follow. One of the most untiring of workers and most unself- 

 ish of men, David Dale Owen has left a deep impression on the 

 history of American geology, and the students in the Geological 

 Department of the University of Indiana are proud to do their 

 work in the building named " Owen Hall." 



Richard Owen spent much of his early life as a teacher. He 

 served for a time in the Mexican War, commanding a company 

 under General Taylor. At the close of the war he became his 

 brother's chief assistant, and was the first geologist to explore the 

 northern shore of Lake Superior. For a time he held a professor- 

 ship in the Western Military Institute in Kentucky, and after- 

 ward a similar position in a college in Nashville. This position 

 he resigned to become his brother's successor as State Geologist of 

 Indiana. While engaged in the survey of the State the civil 

 war began, and he became lieutenant colonel of the Fifteenth 

 Indiana regiment, under a commission from Governor Morton. 

 While in camp he read the proof sheets of his last geological 

 report. He took part in the battles of Rich Mountain and Green- 

 briar, and was promoted to the rank of colonel of the Sixtieth 

 Indiana regiment. 



The following facts regarding the war record of Colonel Owen 

 I quote from an address by Judge R. W. Miers, one of his stu- 

 dents: "In the winter of 1861-'62 he guarded at Indianapolis four 

 thousand prisoners captured at Fort Donelson. In the spring of 

 the following year he was ordered to Kentucky, where his regi- 

 ment was taken prisoners of war by General Bragg at Mumfords- 

 ville. Three months later they were exchanged. Although the 

 regiment was paroled. Dr. Owen was not, nor were his side arms 



