FAIRCHILD, Herman LeRoy [1850-1943] -- American geologist

He was born at Montrose, Pa., April 29, 1850; son of Harmon Canfield and Mary Amanda (Biasell) Fairchild, grandson of Asa Fairchild of New Milford, Conn., and a descendant of Thomas Fairchild of Stratford, Conn., 1689. The Fairchilds were from Litchfield county, Conn., and the Bissells were from Cooperstown, N.Y., but earlier from Rhode Island.

In 1869 he left the homestead farm, at Brooklyn, Pa., and spent one year as clerk in a railroad office at Scranton, Pa. He was graduated from Cornell with honor in 1874 with the degree of B.S. The years spent at Cornell during the early life of the institution and in the laboratory of Charles Fred Hartt determined his inclination toward science, and geology in particular.

He was professor of natural sciences in Wyoming seminary, near Wilkesbarre, Pa., 1874-76, and engaged in science lecturing in the schools and institutions of New York city and vicinity, 1877-88. Meanwhile he published numerous articles on paleobotany, zoölogy and geology. He became secretary of the New York academy of sciences and published its history in 1887. In 1888 he was called to the chair of geology in the University of Rochester, where in addition to the work of instruction he was active in the investigation of the Pleistocene geology of western New York, publishing numerous extended articles in geological journals.

The more important articles describe the glacial lakes which were held at the ice front during the retreat of the glacial ice sheet across New York state. In the American association for the advancement of science he was the local secretary for the New York and Rochester meetings and was secretary of the council, 1893; general secretary, 1894, and vice-president and chairman of Section E (geology), 1898. In 1889 he was elected president of the Rochester academy of science, and in 1890 secretary of the Geological society of America.

His writings include: two papers on zoölogy, nine on physiology, eight on paleontology and nineteen on geology; thirteen official reports of proceedings of the American geological association (1892-97); and "Memoir of John Strong Newberry" (1893). BDNA