George was born in Patterson, North Carolina; the son of Elijah Coffey and Mary Ann Nelson.[1] He matriculated to the University of North Carolina, where he studied geology and chemistry. From 1899 to 1900, he worked as an assistant in the university's geology laboratory, then graduated cum laude in 1900 with a bachelor's degree in philosophy.[2]
Following his graduation, he went to work as a field assistant for the Bureau of Soils in the Department of Agriculture. He held this position for the next four years, where he was co-author of 13 soil survey reports covering the states of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, and Ohio. In 1905, he was placed in charge of soil classification and correlation for the Bureau, during which he became aware of the need for a better classification system based on soil properties rather than the geology. This need prompted him to perform graduate studies, and he received an M.S. from George Washington University in 1907,[2] with the Master's thesis The Basis of Soil Classification.[3]
In 1909, he was named President of the American Society of Agronomy, becoming the second president of that recently created institution. During his term he attempted to introduce the ideas of Russian geologist Vasily Dokuchaev to American soil scientists, emphasizing a need to focus more on the properties of soil rather than exclusively studying their geology.[4] He served as chairman of a committee of 15 people tasked with creating a more uniform system of nomenclature and classification for soils in the United States and Canada.[1]
George Coffey was the first person to publish a national soil map of the United States, which appeared in the USDA Bureau of Soils Bulletin 85 in 1912. However, it was not released as an "official" map by the Bureau as it did not conform to the prevailing soil classification concepts of the first Bureau Chief, Milton Whitney.[5] Coffey had resigned from the Bureau in 1911 to join the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station,[2] and it would remain for Curtis F. Marbut to bring Dokuchaev's ideas to prominence.[6] Coffey was awarded a Ph.D. in geology from the George Washington University in 1912 with a thesis titled A Study of Soils in the United States.[7][8]
While at Wooster, Coffey performed studies on erosion in Ohio. The area had been subject to multiple glaciations, which had resulted in impacts to drainage. This led to a lifelong passion for the subject, and he would publish a series of papers regarding drainage. He was also involved in fertilizers trials, particularly with regard to the effects of different soil types.[2] On April 22, 1914, he was married to Clara Estella Kean in Wooster, Ohio.[9] He left Ohio for a position at the University of Illinois, where he became Assistant State Leader for County Farm Advisors. He published his last article in the Journal of the American Society of Agronomy in 1916, leaving soil science for a business career in order to be closer to his family.[2]
Referencesedit
^ abMotter, H. L., ed. (1911), Who's Who in the World, 1912, International Who's Who Publishing Company, p. 293.
^ abcdeBrevik, Eric C. (November 1999), "George Nelson Coffey, Early American Pedologist", Soil Science Society of America Journal, 63 (6): 1485–1493, Bibcode:1999SSASJ..63.1485B, doi:10.2136/sssaj1999.6361485x, retrieved 2016-04-02.
^Helms, Douglas; Effland, Anne B. W.; Durana, Patricia J., eds. (2008), Profiles in the History of the U.S. Soil Survey, John Wiley & Sons, p. 58, ISBN978-0470376737.
^Brevik, Eric C. (November 5, 2007), "George Nelson Coffey: ASA's Second President", ACS Meetings, retrieved 2016-04-03.
^Brevik, Eric C.; Hartemink, Alfred E. (November 19, 2012), (PDF), Soil Science Society of America Journal, 77 (4): 1117–1132, Bibcode:2013SSASJ..77.1117B, doi:10.2136/sssaj2012.0390, archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-25, retrieved 2016-04-02.
^Verheye, Willy H. (2010), Soils, Plant Growth and Crop Production, vol. 3, EOLSS Publications, pp. 315–316, ISBN9781848263697.
^"Doctors of Philosophy", George Washington University Bulletin, George Washington University, 9−10: 276, 1910.
^Landa, Edward R. (March 2004), "Soil Science and Geology: Connects, Disconnects and New Opportunities in Geoscience Education" (PDF), Journal of Geoscience Education, 52 (2): 191–196, Bibcode:2004JGeEd..52..191L, doi:10.5408/1089-9995-52.2.191, S2CID 127504334, retrieved 2016-04-03.
^Leonard, John William; Marquis, Albert Nelson, eds. (1916), Who's who in America, vol. 9, Marquis Who's Who, p. 490.
December 14, 2023
george, nelson, coffey, january, 1875, october, 1967, american, pedologist, born, 1875, january, 1875patterson, north, carolinadiedoctober, 1967, 1967, aged, wooster, ohiocitizenshipunited, stateseducationph, alma, materuniversity, north, carolinageorge, washi. George Nelson Coffey January 17 1875 October 4 1967 was an American pedologist George Nelson CoffeyBorn 1875 01 17 January 17 1875Patterson North CarolinaDiedOctober 4 1967 1967 10 04 aged 92 Wooster OhioCitizenshipUnited StatesEducationPh D Alma materUniversity of North CarolinaGeorge Washington UniversityOccupationPedologistSpouseClara Estella KeanParent s Elijah CoffeyMary Ann NelsonGeorge was born in Patterson North Carolina the son of Elijah Coffey and Mary Ann Nelson 1 He matriculated to the University of North Carolina where he studied geology and chemistry From 1899 to 1900 he worked as an assistant in the university s geology laboratory then graduated cum laude in 1900 with a bachelor s degree in philosophy 2 Following his graduation he went to work as a field assistant for the Bureau of Soils in the Department of Agriculture He held this position for the next four years where he was co author of 13 soil survey reports covering the states of Illinois Iowa Kansas North Carolina and Ohio In 1905 he was placed in charge of soil classification and correlation for the Bureau during which he became aware of the need for a better classification system based on soil properties rather than the geology This need prompted him to perform graduate studies and he received an M S from George Washington University in 1907 2 with the Master s thesis The Basis of Soil Classification 3 In 1909 he was named President of the American Society of Agronomy becoming the second president of that recently created institution During his term he attempted to introduce the ideas of Russian geologist Vasily Dokuchaev to American soil scientists emphasizing a need to focus more on the properties of soil rather than exclusively studying their geology 4 He served as chairman of a committee of 15 people tasked with creating a more uniform system of nomenclature and classification for soils in the United States and Canada 1 George Coffey was the first person to publish a national soil map of the United States which appeared in the USDA Bureau of Soils Bulletin 85 in 1912 However it was not released as an official map by the Bureau as it did not conform to the prevailing soil classification concepts of the first Bureau Chief Milton Whitney 5 Coffey had resigned from the Bureau in 1911 to join the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station 2 and it would remain for Curtis F Marbut to bring Dokuchaev s ideas to prominence 6 Coffey was awarded a Ph D in geology from the George Washington University in 1912 with a thesis titled A Study of Soils in the United States 7 8 While at Wooster Coffey performed studies on erosion in Ohio The area had been subject to multiple glaciations which had resulted in impacts to drainage This led to a lifelong passion for the subject and he would publish a series of papers regarding drainage He was also involved in fertilizers trials particularly with regard to the effects of different soil types 2 On April 22 1914 he was married to Clara Estella Kean in Wooster Ohio 9 He left Ohio for a position at the University of Illinois where he became Assistant State Leader for County Farm Advisors He published his last article in the Journal of the American Society of Agronomy in 1916 leaving soil science for a business career in order to be closer to his family 2 References edit a b Motter H L ed 1911 Who s Who in the World 1912 International Who s Who Publishing Company p 293 a b c d e Brevik Eric C November 1999 George Nelson Coffey Early American Pedologist Soil Science Society of America Journal 63 6 1485 1493 Bibcode 1999SSASJ 63 1485B doi 10 2136 sssaj1999 6361485x retrieved 2016 04 02 Helms Douglas Effland Anne B W Durana Patricia J eds 2008 Profiles in the History of the U S Soil Survey John Wiley amp Sons p 58 ISBN 978 0470376737 Brevik Eric C November 5 2007 George Nelson Coffey ASA s Second President ACS Meetings retrieved 2016 04 03 Brevik Eric C Hartemink Alfred E November 19 2012 Soil Maps of the United States of America PDF Soil Science Society of America Journal 77 4 1117 1132 Bibcode 2013SSASJ 77 1117B doi 10 2136 sssaj2012 0390 archived from the original PDF on 2016 03 25 retrieved 2016 04 02 Verheye Willy H 2010 Soils Plant Growth and Crop Production vol 3 EOLSS Publications pp 315 316 ISBN 9781848263697 Doctors of Philosophy George Washington University Bulletin George Washington University 9 10 276 1910 Landa Edward R March 2004 Soil Science and Geology Connects Disconnects and New Opportunities in Geoscience Education PDF Journal of Geoscience Education 52 2 191 196 Bibcode 2004JGeEd 52 191L doi 10 5408 1089 9995 52 2 191 S2CID 127504334 retrieved 2016 04 03 Leonard John William Marquis Albert Nelson eds 1916 Who s who in America vol 9 Marquis Who s Who p 490 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Nelson Coffey amp oldid 1186482846, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
