98 
ROLLIN D. SALISBURY 
been, that is, and that shall be; and none among mortals has yet 
lifted my veil.” This is, mayhap, the riddle that we all go hence 
to guess. 
Salisbury was a man of singular charm of character, warm and 
generous nature, and of stainless life; of unyielding fidelity to his 
convictions of justice and right; of great tenacity of opinion, 
yet ever willing to give up theory and abide by proven fact; of 
boldness in avowing his views and equally sturdy in defending 
them. Always scrupulously exact in his duties towards his fel¬ 
low men, his life was an honor to his University, to the commun¬ 
ity to which it belonged, to the State and to the Nation. 
Amidst the old Glacial deposits, which were to prove to be the 
theme of his chief efforts in life’s work, Rollin D. Salisbury was 
born at Spring Prairie, Wisconsin, on August 17, 1858. His 
father’s name was Daniel Salisbury; and his mother’s maiden 
name was Lucinda Bryant. After attending the public schools, 
he matriculated in Beloit College, from which he was graduated 
with the class of 1881. Two years later he became instructor in 
geology and biology in his Alma Mater; and in the following 
year succeeded to the chair of geology then held by Prof. T. C. 
Chamberlin, who had been called to Government service. This 
post he held for seven years. At the end of this period he ac¬ 
cepted the chair of geology in the State University of Wisconsin, 
at Madison. After one year he transferred his activities to Chi¬ 
cago University where he remained until his death. At the last 
mentioned institution he held the posts of Professor of Geographic 
Geology from 1892; head of the department of geography since 
1893; dean of the University Colleges from 1894 to 1896; and 
dean of the graduate schools of science for twenty-three years. 
During this period he was also associated in one way or another 
with various geological surveys, notably those of the United 
States, New Jersey, Illinois and Wisconsin. He died in Chicago 
on August 15, 1922, from the result of a stroke of paralysis which 
befell him a few weeks previously. 
Salisbury never married. Relieved of giving hostages to for¬ 
tune, he devoted all that was best in him to the public which both 
in affection and means he must be regarded as having endowed. 
He early developed into one of those rare spirits which are best 
friends, best masters, best servants, but not always best subjects. 
