TORREYA 



\'ol. 38 September-October, 1938 No. 5 



LlftRARY 



.NtW YORK 



iiOTANICAJi 



RAYMOND H. TORREY 



A short account of his life and connection with the 



Torrey Botanical Club, from notes furnished 



by Mrs. Elizabeth Torrey 



Raymond H. Torrey was born in Georgetown, Massachu- 

 setts, on July 15, 1880, and died at his home in Hollis, Long Is- 

 land on July 15, 1938. He was distantly related to Dr. John 

 Torrey for whom the Botanical Club was named, as both were 

 descended from \Vm. Torrey who settled in Weymouth, Mass., 

 in 1640. His mother was a descendant of Richard Warren, who 

 landed at Plymouth on the "Mayflower," and of General Joseph 

 Warren, who was killed at Bunker Hill. 



His early education was received in Georgetown. While in 

 grammar school he became acquainted with local botanists who 

 were employed by Harvard College to collect fresh material 

 then used in classes in botany. Mr. Torrey frequently went with 

 them after school and on week-ends in search of specimens. He 

 thus acquired when a boy an unusual knowledge of wild plants. 

 He also began to realize the need of protecting our native flora 

 as he found that some of the rarer species the college wanted had 

 disappeared from near the town. 



Upon graduation from high school he obtained employment 

 on the local newspaper, performing the varied tasks of editor, 

 reporter, typsetter, and on occasion operated the printing press 

 and tended to the steam boiler which supplied the power. This 

 journalistic experience aided him in obtaining a position on the 

 Springfield Union. Later he came to New York and entered 

 the employ of the New York City News Association, He at- 

 tained the position of Night City Editor on the New York 

 American and the Herald Tribune. He conducted a column in 

 the New York Post for hikers and nature lovers for many years 

 until his death under the name "The Long Brown Path." 



It was not long after his arrival in New York that he became 

 a member of the Torrey Botanical Club. Because of his interest 



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