The Biographical Dictionary of America/Atwater, Wilbur Olin

ATWATER, Wilbur Olin, chemist, was born at Johnsburg, N. Y., May 3, 1844. He was graduated from Wesleyan university in 1865, and was successively principal of Colchester academy, Vt., 1865; High school, Spencer, Mass., 1866; High school, Westport, N. Y. In 1868-'69 he studied in the Sheffield Scientific school at Yale college, and there received the degree of Ph.D., in 1869. He spent two years in Europe, chiefly in the study of chemistry and kindred subjects, at the German universities. In 1871 he returned to the United States, and accepted the chair of chemistry at the University of Tennessee. In 1873 he removed to Orono, Maine, to take a similar position at the Maine Agricultural and Mechanical college, and later in the same year became instructor of, and from 1874 to 1881 professor of chemistry at Wesleyan university. From 1875-'77 he was director of the Connecticut agricultural experiment station. Professor Atwater wrote authoritative articles on agricultural and chemical subjects, which were published in agricultural reports of several states. Popular Science Monthly, and the publications of the American association for the advancement of science. He published several volumes of reports of work at agricultural experiment stations, "Commercial Fertilizers at Home and Abroad" (1874); "Farm Experiments with Fertilizers" (1878); "Fertilizers: Co-operative Experimenting, etc." (1882). In conjunction with G. B. Goode, he wrote "The American Menhaden." His scientific writings found acceptance in European journals. Professor Atwater made thorough investigation, under the auspices of the Smithsonian institution, of the chemical composition and nutritive values of American foods, and also made exhaustive experiments in vegetable physiology. He was made a member of the American association for the advancement of science.