IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCES. 
13 
two pieces of wood evidently hermetically sealed and which 
contained sheets of birch bark bearing aboriginal hieroglyphs. 
The committee appointed to prepare a memorial in honor of 
Dr. Charles Wachsmuth and consisting of Prof. Samuel Calvin 
and Dr. Charles R. Keyes, presented the following sketch, pre- 
pared by the long time friend and former co-laborer of Dr. 
W’achsmuth, Dr. Charles R. Keyes. The plate for the portrait 
was kindly loaned by Mr. Charles Aldrich, of the historical 
department. 
MEMORIAL OP CHARLES WACHSMUTH. 
Since our last annual gathering the Academy has lost one of its most illus- 
trious and honored members, the state one of its most distinguished citizens 
and American science one of its most indefatigable workers. By the death of 
Charles Wachsmuth an epoch in the history of Iowa science closes. To 
those of you who were intimately acquainted with our departed friend and 
associate no words that we can utter will seem extravagant. Yet it appears 
befitting at this time, especially for the consideration of those of you who 
were not so fortunate as to come in frequent contact with him, to give some 
estimate of his personality and worth. 
Charles Wachsmuth was born September 13, 1829, in the city of Hanno- 
ver, Germany. He was the only son of a lawyer of considerable reputation 
who was a member, in 1848, of the German parliament of Prankfurt, Prom 
early childhood he was always in feeble health. It was the wish of his 
father that he should study law, and he was accordingly sent at an early 
age to the high school of his native place to receive a classical education; 
but to his father’s great grief and his own, he was obliged, at the age of 
sixteen, to give up all studies on account of failing health, and on the 
advice of the attending physician to enter a mercantile career. 
In 1852 the young Hannoverian came to America, having been sent to 
New York as an agent of a Hamburg shipping house, in which capacity he 
served for a period of over two years. Severe illness compelled him to 
leave the sea coast, and upon the advice of friends he settled in Burlington. 
In 1855 Mr. Wachsmuth was married, and in the same year embarked on 
his own account. The dry, western country did not bring about the 
expected improvement in health, and his physician advised that as much 
time as possible should be spent in the open air, suggesting that the col- 
lecting of fossils, which abounded in the rocks of the neighborhood, would 
soon provide an incentive for sufficient exercise. It did not take long for 
him to develop into an enthusiastic collector, so that days at a time were 
spent in quarries and ravines around the city, his wife often looking after 
the store. The new mode of life at once produced a wonderful improve- 
ment of health. In the course of a few years a fine collection of crinoids 
had been brought together. It reached such dimensions that it attracted 
