Samuel Franklin Emmons

Who was Samuel Franklin Emmons?

Samuel Franklin Emmons was an American Geologist. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard University in 1861 and studied at the Ecole des Mines in Paris, France from 1862–1864 and at the Frieberg mining school from 1865-1865. In May 1867, he was appointed assistant geologist under Clarence King on the U. S. geological exploration of the fortieth parallel, and in July 1879, became geologist in charge of the Colorado division of the United States Geological Survey. He traveled extensively throughout the United States in connection with his work, and in 1870 made a survey, along with Mr. A.D. Wilson, of Mount Rainier. This is the highest and most inaccessible peak in the Cascade Range. The largest glacier in the contiguous US located along the survey route was named after him, Emmons Glacier.

During the autumn of 1872, with Clarence King, he discovered the locality of the supposed diamond fields in Colorado, and was active in exposing their fraudulent character.

Samuel Franklin Emmons is the namesake of Mount Emmons and Mount Emmons.