The Biographical Dictionary of America/Bailey, William Whitman

BAILEY, William Whitman, botanist, was born at West Point, N. Y., Feb. 22, 1843, son of Jacob Whitman Bailey, professor of chemistry, geology, and mineralogy at the military academy. He received his early training at the school for officers' children, and upon the death of his father in 1857, he removed to Providence, R. I., where he entered the university grammar school. He entered Brown university in 1860, and in 1862 joined the 10th regiment R. I. volunteers in the defence of Washington. Returning to college he was graduated in 1864, and remained at the university during the following year as assistant in the chemical laboratory. During a part of 1866 he was assistant chemist at the Manchester (N. H.) print works; then (1866-’67) assistant in chemistry at the Massachusetts institute of technology, and in May, 1867, was appointed botanist to the U. S. geological exploration of 40th parallel under Clarence King. Failing health compelled his return to the east in 1868, and for a time he was deputy secretary of the state of Rhode Island. From 1869 to 1871 he was assistant librarian at the Providence athenæum. During a part of 1872 he engaged in journalism in New York, and until 1877 was a private teacher of botany, meanwhile studying that science at Columbia college and at the Harvard summer school. He was appointed instructor in botany at Brown university in 1877, and was given the chair of botany in 1881. He was made a member of the Torrey botanical club, Boston society of natural history, New England botanical club, the Rhode Island horticultural society, the New York microscopical society, the Appalachian mountain club, a fellow of American association for advancement of science, and a member of several military and social organizations. He was appointed, June, 1896, by President Cleveland a member of the board of visitors to the United States military academy, and served as secretary of the board. Among his published writings are: "The Botanical Collector's Hand-Book" (1881); "My Boyhood at West Point" (1891); "Botanist Note-Book" (1894); "Among Rhode Island Wild Rowers" (1895); and contributions in prose and verse to many periodicals and to the daily press.