Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Russell, Israel Cook

RUSSELL, Israel Cook, geologist, b. near Garrattsville, N. Y., 10 Dec., 1852. He was graduated at the University of the city of New York in 1872, after which he spent two years in studying science at the School of mines of Columbia college. In 1874 he accompanied one of the parties sent out by the U. S. government to observe the transit of Venus, and was stationed at Queenstown, New Zealand. On his return in 1875 he was appointed assistant in geology at the School of mines, and in 1878 he became assistant geologist on the U. S. geological and geographical survey west of the 100th meridian. In 1880 he was appointed to a similar office on the U. S. geological survey, which he still (1898) holds. Besides large contributions on geological subjects to various scientific periodicals, he has published scientific memoirs, which have been issued by the government in the annual reports of the survey, or as separate monographs. These include “Sketch of the Geological History of Lake Lahontan” (1883); “A Geological Reconnoissance in Southern Oregon” (1884); “Existing Glaciers of the United States” (1885); “Geological History of Lake Lahontan” (1885); “Geological History of Mono Valley” (1888); and “Sub-Aërial Decay of Rocks” (1888).