Samuel A Aughey Jr. (1831 - 1912)

Born 8 Feb 1831 in Milford Township, Juniata, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Catharina (Welty) Aughey — married 14 Oct 1858 in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 23 Feb 1912 at age 81 in Spokane, Spokane, Washington, United States

Biography

Samuel was born in 1831 to Samuel Aughey Sr. and Elizabeth Kepner in Milford, Pennsylvania.

In 1856, Samuel graduated with a degree in natural sciences at Pennsylvania College (now called Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania) [1]. Then, he earned a theological degree at Lutheran Theological Seminary of Gettysburg.

Samuel was a pastor of the Lutheran Church. In 1864, he moved to Dakota City, Nebraska, to become the pastor at the local church. In 1867, he left his position in the church and began collecting for the Smithsonian Institution.

In 1871, Samuel took a position as professor of natural sciences at University of Nebraska, which had just been founded [2].

In 1878, Samuel earned an LLD from Wittenburg College in Ohio.

In 1900, Samuel moved to Spokane where he took up the profession of mining engineer. "His influence on regional oil exploration and mining continued to resonate for years after that first boom had faded away." [3]

He passed away in 1912 in Spokane. He is buried in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania College Book, 1882 [4]

Samuel Aughey. Born February 8, 1831, in Milford township, Juniata county, Pa. Parents, Samuel and Elizabeth. Farming and teaching. Entered Preparatory, 1851. Philomathaean. Linnaean. Teaching. Theological course, Gettysburg. Licensed 1858. Residing Chester Springs, Pa., 1858-9; Lionville, Pa., 1159-62; Blairsville, Pa., 1862-3; Duncannon, Pa., 1863-5. Engaged in general scientific work in Nebraska from 1867. Professor of Natural Science in University of Nebraska since 1871. Delivered the Nebraska address at U. S. Centennial, Philadelphia, 1876. Member of U. S. Entomological Commission, 1877. U.S. Artesian Well Commissioner, 1881. Member of American Association for Advancement of Science; Buffalo Academy of Science; St. Louis Academy of Science. President of Nebraska Academy of Science. Secretary of Nebraska Historical Society, etc. Ph.D., University of Ohio, 1874; Wittenberg College, 1875; Alma Mater, 1876. LL.D., Wittenberg College, 1878. Married, October 14, 1858, to Elizabeth C. Welty, Westmoreland county. Pa.

Publications. — Renovation of Politics, sermon, 1861. Geology of Nebraska, address, 1872. Superficial Deposits of Nebraska, Hayden Survey, 1874. Catalogue of the Flora of Nebraska, 1875; Catalogue of the Land and Fresh Water Shells of Nebraska, Hayden Survey, 1876. Material Resources of Nebraska, 1877. Food of the Birds of Nebraska and Faunal List, publication in Government Reports, 1878. History of Nebraska, 1878. Physical Geography and Geology of Nebraska, pp. 326, 1880. The Ideas and the Men that Created the University of Nebraska, 1881. Geological Report on Shoshone and Beaver Oil Regions of Wyoming, 1880, Geological Report on all the Wyoming Oil Basins, 1881. Report of U. S. Artesian Well Commission (Aughey and White), 1882. Genesis of the Rocky Mountains, 1882. Lutheran Population in Nebraska. Lutheran Quarterly, VII. 382. Many other magazine and other scientific papers.

Juniata Sentinel and Republican (Mifflintown, Pennsylvania) 31 Jul 1878, Wednesday, page 3

Wittenburg College, Ohio, at the late commencement conferred the degree of L.L.D. on Rev. Samuel Aughey, a native of Juniata county, now a professor of Natural Sciences in the Nebraska State University.

The Lincoln Star (Lincoln, Nebraska) 10 Feb 1912, Saturday, page 7

DEATH OF FORMER UNI PROFESSOR

News of the death of Samuel Aughey at Spokane, Wash., has been received In this city. Mr. Aurhey was a professor of science at the University of Nebraska from 1871 to 1884. Engaged in his profession of mining engineer, he has been living at Spokane for the past twelve years.

Mr. Aughey was an English Lutheran minister before he entered the educational field. He came to Nebraska in 1864, locating at Dakota City as pastor of a Lutheran church there. He remained at Dakota City for three years, working along scientific lines in addition to performing his pastoral duties. In 1867 he gave up his position as pastor and devoted his time to science exclusively, making collections for the Smithsonian Institution and making geological surveys of Nebraska and the Dakotas.

In 1871 he became connected with the University of Nebraska. Ha was one of the scientific commissioners to whom was delegated the task of examining the country east of the Rocky mountains to determine where water could be had for irrigation purposes. At this time Mr. Aughey also wrote extensively on scientific subjects. He began to spend too much of his time in expert mining work in various parts of the west to suit the university regents, and as a result of the disagreement arising out of this he left the university in 1884. He had since devoted all his time to mining engineering.

Mr. Aughey leaves a widow and one daughter, Mrs. Elton Fulmer, whose husband Is connected with the Washington State college at Pullman, Wash.

1850 Federal Census in Milford, Pennsylvania:

• S[amuel] Aughey 46 Farmer born Pennsylvania
• E[lizabeth] 43 born Pennsylvania
• S[amuel] 18 born Pennsylvania
• E[lizabeth] 18 born Pennsylvania
• S[arah] 15 female born Pennsylvania
• H[annah] C 12 female born Pennsylvania
• MC 10 female born Pennsylvania
• D[elilah] C 8 female born Pennsylvania
• L[yman] 5 born Pennsylvania
• H[arriet] 1 born Pennsylvania

1860 Federal Census in Chester, Pennsylvania:

• Rev. Samuel Aughy 28 Luth Minister born Pennsylvania
• [wife] Elizabeth C 21 born Pennsylvania
• [daughter] Annie A 0 born Pennsylvania
• [sister-in-law] Jinny B Welty 18 born Pennsylvania

Sources

• 1850 Federal Census [5]
• 1860 Federal Census [6]
• 1870 Federal Census [7]
• 1910 Federal Census [8]
• 1912 Washington Death Records for Samuel Aughey gives father as Samuel Aughey [9]
• Findagrave [10]