340 THOMAS TRACY BOUVE. 



THOMAS TKACY BOUVE. 



Thomas Tracy Bouve, Resident Fellow of the Academy, was born 

 on Prince Street, in Boston, January 14, 1815, and died in the city of 

 his birth, June 3, 1896. He was of Huguenot descent. His parents 

 were Ephraim Osborn and Lydia (Tracy) Bouve, and his paternal 

 grandfather was Jonathan Bouve, a soldier of the Revolution. In 

 1839 he married Emily G. Lincoln ; and his wife and five children sur- 

 vive him. 



Very early in life he attended a private school ; at the age of seven 

 years he entered the Eliot public school, received the Franklin medal 

 when twelve years of age, and then entered the English High School. 

 It being necessary for him to do something for self-support, he left the 

 school and entered a dry goods store. At fifteen he entered the service 

 of an iron manufacturing company, where he became bookkeeper and chief 

 accountant ; later, he entered the office of the Hamilton, Appleton, and 

 Lowell Manufacturing Companies to take charge of the books of these 

 respective companies, and he also kept the books of the Great Falls 

 Manufacturing Company. When about twenty-six years of age, Mr. 

 Bouve became a partner in a commission iron house, remaining in the 

 business thirty years ; and in 1870 he became treasurer of the Glendon 

 Iron Company, retaining this office until his death. 



Although his life was thus burdened to the end with the cares and 

 responsibilities of a successful business career, they could not fetter his 

 mind or stifle his interest in more distinctly intellectual pursuits. After 

 leaving school he devoted much time to the study of chemistry, French, 

 and Latin, and received the degree of A. M. from Harvard University in 

 1850. But the great central fact of Mr. Bouve's life was his deep and 

 abiding love of nature. This was manifested at a very early age, and 

 throughout his long and busy life he was an ardent and steadfast student 

 of natural history. His lifelong friend and associate. Dr. James C AVhite, 

 justly describes him as a fine example of the amateur naturalist, and 

 what this class has done for the advancement of science in this country. 



Mr. Bouve was only fifteen years old when the Boston Society of 

 Natural History was founded. Four years later he became a member 

 of the Society ; and his labors in its behalf extended over more than 

 threescore years, the period of his membership being the longest in its 

 history. In fact, it was in connection with the Boston Society of Natural 

 History, and especially in the building up of its collections, that his 

 interest in natural history was chiefly manifested. 



