DOUGLASS HOUGHTON. IGl 



professor of geology, niineralog.v and cluMnistrv in the University of Miclii- 

 gan. a position wliieli he retained until the close of his busy career. In 

 1833, he was married to Miss Stevens of Fredonia, New York, who, 

 together with two children survived to mourn his death, which occurred 

 on the night of October 13, 1845. Ilis death was tragic; while prosecuting 

 his arduous and frequently hazardous explorations on Lake Superior, in 

 an open boat, he was overtaken by a severe snow storm, his boat was cap- 

 sized near the mouth of Eagle river, and he, with one companion, was 

 drowned. His body was recovered the following spring and buried in 

 Detroit. 



"Thus, at the early age of thirty-six years, was lost to his state and science one 

 who, without eulogy, may be ranked among the most extraordinary men of our 

 country; whether we view him as the humble student of nature, attracting all 

 hearts to science; the friendly and skillful physician, periling his life to save that 

 of others; the energetic and independent public man, untiring in his energy and 

 sacrificing his private means in the public cause; or the university instructor of 

 youth and age, the source of as frequent and general reference as the pages of a 

 cyclopedia." — Bela Hubbard. 



The esteem with which Dr. Houghton was held by those who had the 

 privilege of knowing him personally, both on account of his many attrac- 

 tions as a man and his wide scientitic attainments, is suggested by 

 the following from the many similar quotations that might be made. 



"Simple as a child, and unassuming as he was scholarly, he wrote his name on 

 the history of his state, there to remain forever." — Lyman D. Norris. 



"I believe we never had a citizen who did more for the future of the state than 

 Dr. Douglass Houghton." — James V. Camphell. 



"The honesty, skill and enthusiasm with which this field of work [the explora- 

 tion of Michigan] was executed, resulted in the collection of a large amount of 

 geological data, which on the completion of the survey would have left little to be 

 done save the final report with which the master mind should classify, group and 

 harmonize these facts and thereby develop nature's laws from the mass of material 

 collected." — T. B. Brooks. 



"Dr. Houghton's report, published in 1841, furnished the world with the first 

 definite information relating to the occurrence of native copper in place on Lake 

 Superior, and the mining interests now rapidly growing up in that region have 

 been to a great extent created by the attention he directed to it." — Alexander 

 Winchell. 



The memory of Douglass Houghton has its most noble monument in his 

 own publfcations, although these, on account of his death before his field 

 notes could be systematically studied, are few in number; but in addition, 

 his countrymen have acknowledged his services on the map of Michigan 

 by a county, a lake and a city named in his honor. A memorial window 

 dedicated to him, was placed in St. Paul's church, Marquette, in 

 1887, as a tribute to his memory from one who valued his work 

 but did not know the man. The Douglass school in Detroit is named for 

 him. A granite shaft erected by his wife, marks his last resting place in 

 Elmwood cemetery ; and his name with an appropriate epitaph, is en- 

 scribed on a marble column in the campus of the University of Michigan. 

 A poi'trait, painted by Alvah Bradish, has been placed in the capitol at 

 Lansing. 



Douglass Houghton's principal publications relate to his work as State 



Geologist of Michigan, and are comprised mainly in seven annual reports. 



A final report I believe was never begun. Some of his explorations and 



surveys in Michigan were conducted under the auspices of the U. S. Land 



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