James Hall Jr.
Hall, James, Jr. (1811-1898) was an American paleontologist and one of the most influential scientists of his time. His greatest work was the 13-volume Palaeontology of New York, which was written over a period of nearly 50 years (1847–1894) and includes detailed information about the fossils and rock layers in New York. Hall theorized that mountain chains such as the Appalachians were formed as the result of downward folds in the earth's crust, called geosynclines.
Hall was born on Sept. 12, 1811, in Hingham, Massachusetts. In 1830, he walked more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) from Hingham to Troy, New York, to enroll in the Rensselaer School (now Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute). He received a bachelor's degree from Rensselaer in 1832 and a master's degree in 1833. He taught chemistry at the school from 1834 to 1841.
From 1836 to 1842, Hall also worked as a geologist with the New York State Survey. During that time, he gathered a huge collection of fossils and began to write extensively about his findings.
In 1838, Hall married Sarah Aikin. They had two daughters and two sons.
Hall was appointed state paleontologist in 1843. He directed a large staff of assistants whom he trained as paleontologists. In the 1850's and 1860's, Hall helped establish geological surveys in several other states.
In 1871, Hall became the first director of the New York Museum of Natural History (now the New York State Museum) in Albany. Much of his private collection of fossils ended up in the museum.
Hall received many honors and awards throughout his career. He was one of the first 50 members of the National Academy of Sciences, established in 1863, and served as the first president of the Geological Society of America in 1889.