WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 51 



Geologist and geographer, archaeologist and anthropologist, delv- 

 ing in the past while working always at the task that lay immedi- 

 ately at hand, his work looked ever to the future, making him our 

 first conservationist. To him Mr. Pinchot owed much of his inspira- 

 tion, and President Roosevelt no doubt found him a never failing 

 source of information as well as a perpetual inspiration. 



To young men he was ever a helpful friend, and there are some 

 who were with him in the West who would not be alive today had it 

 not been for his thoughtfulness where they were thoughtless. And 

 this care for the welfare of others extended even to the savage men 

 among whom he worked, and endeared him to everyone who came 

 in contact with him. 



From Dr. N. H. Darton, of the United States Geological Survey. 

 A Memorial presented to the Association of American Geographers, 

 December 28, 1912: 



In the death of W J McGee science has been deprived of one of 

 its most efficient workers, and mankind has lost a vigorous champion 

 for its advancement. Had he been spared to us, he might have had 

 many more years of continued usefulness, for he was only 59 years of 

 age and in most respects was in fine physical and mental condition. 

 McGee had always been a worker. He was remarkable for the uni- 

 versality of his interests. He was wonderfully rich in ideas pertain- 

 ing not alone to those sciences in which personally he was most in- 

 terested but also to the broader fields of general culture in which his 

 companions might be working. A man of enthusiastic endeavor him- 

 self, he was bound to inspire enthusiasm in an honest worker in any 

 field. 



The variety of interests of which McGee was mentally capable 

 was shown by a very early versatility. As an illustration of the 

 latter I might mention that he had a large share in the great con- 

 servation movement, and was one of the principal advisors of the 

 National Conservation Commission. 



He was born on a farm in Dubuque County, Iowa, April 17, 1853, 

 of Irish parentage. Excepting a short attendance at the county 

 school he was entirely self-educated. As a boy he had much to do 

 on the farm but gave all spare time to study, and at the age of 20 had 



