John James Abert
John James Abert (1788–1863) was a United States soldier. He headed the Corps of Topographical Engineers for 32 years, during which time he organized the mapping of the American West.
Abert was born in 1788 in Shepherdstown, Virginia (now West Virginia). Abert graduated from West Point in 1811. After leaving West Point, he married Ellen Matlack Stretch. He rejoined the army as a topographical engineer in 1814. His son, James William Abert, who also became a member of the corps, was born in 1820.[1] In 1829 John Abert was promoted to the leadership of the corps. Officers working under him were responsible for the exploration and mapping of the lands west of the Mississippi River. He was elected an Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1845.[2]
Abert Rim in Oregon was named after him, as was Abert's Squirrel.
[edit] References
- ^ U.S. Corps of Tophographical Engineers
- ^ "Book of Members, 1780-2010: Chapter A". American Academy of Arts and Sciences. http://www.amacad.org/publications/BookofMembers/ChapterA.pdf. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
[edit] External links
- Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography, edited by James Grant Wilson, John Fiske and Stanley L. Klos. Six volumes, New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1887-1889
- Abert Family Papers Missouri History Museum Archives
  |
This biographical article related to the United States Army is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1788 births
- 1863 deaths
- American cartographers
- American military personnel from West Virginia
- American topographers
- Explorers of Oregon
- Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- People from Shepherdstown, West Virginia
- United States Army officers
- United States Military Academy alumni
- United States Army personnel stubs
