History of Geneva, (Kane County) Illinois United States of America

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Biographies:

Samuel Fessenden Clarke, naturalist, was born in Geneva, Ill., June 4, 1851; son of Samuel Nye and Polly Hooper (Patten) Clarke; grandson of Fessenden and Nabby Clarke and of William and Sally (Williams) Patten; and a descendant of Thomas Clarke of the Plymouth colony, who, according to current tradition in the early colonies, was mate of the Mayflower. He was left fatherless in 1856, was educated at the preparatory department of Antioch college, Ohio, and at Union school, Ann Arbor, Mich., and after five years spent in business in Chicago, he took a one-year course in chemistry and geology at Antioch college. In 1873 he entered the Sheffield scientific school of Yale as a special student in zoology and modern languages, and in 1874 was made assistant in zoology. He was assistant of zoology in the U.S. fish commission, 1874-76, and in 1876 was appointed fellow in Johns Hopkins university and assistant in biology. In 1881 he was made lecturer in betany at Smith college, Northampton, Mass., and the same year professor of natural history in Williams college. Through his efforts America was first represented at the international zoological station at Naples, a table there being taken by Williams college in 1883. This was occupied by Professor Clarke in 1884. In 1882 he laid before Professor Hyatt a plan for organizing an annual meeting of naturalists. This plan met with Professor Hyatt's approval and was endorsed by several other eminent naturalists. A meeting was then called at Springfield, Mass., and thus was founded the American society of naturalists. He received the degree of Ph. B. from Yale in 1878 and Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins in 1879. In 1891 Williams conferred on him the degree of A.M. His more notable published papers are Hydroids from the New England Coast (1875); from the Pacific Coast of Vancouver Island (1876); from Alaska (1876); from the Gulf Stream and Gulf of Mexico (1879); Development of Amblystoma Punctatum (1879); of the Wolffian Body (1881); of a Double-Headed Vertebrate (1880); The Embryology of the American Alligator (1891).

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Claus William Foss, educator, was born at Geneva, Kane county, Ill., Aug. 28, 1855; son of Charles John and Charlotte Christine (Erickson) Foss. He was prepared for college at the Red Wing, Minn., collegiate institute, and was graduated at Augustana college, Rock Island, Ill., in 1883. In 1884 he was elected to the chair of history and political science in Augustana college, and in 1888 became vice-president of the institution. In 1889 he received the degree of A.M. He was elected a member of the American institute of civics and of the American academy of political and social science. He is the author of contributions to various magazines and periodicals, and became associate editor of The Lutheran, Philadelphia.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor