Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 4.djvu/547

 of Major J. W. Powell. From 1876 to 1879 he was holding the same position in the Geological Survey of the Territories, under Dr. F. V. Hayden. He served as curator in charge of the Paleontological Collections of the United States National Museum at Washington from 1879 to 1882 and was detailed to act as chief of the Artesian Wells Commission in 1881, under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture. He was Geologist and Paleontologist of the United States Geological Survey from 1883 to 1892. In December, 1899, he was elected foreign member of the Geological Society of London. During this period Dr. White published by the Smithsonian Institution a large number of scientific works in his specialties.  FREDERICK E. WHITE was born in Prussia, in 1844. He came to America with his mother in 1857, making his home on a farm in Keokuk County. At the beginning of the War of the Rebellion he enlisted in the Eighth Infantry but was rejected on account of being under eighteen. In February, 1862, he again enlisted, this time in the Thirteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, serving until the close of the war. In 1890 he was nominated by the Democrats of the Sixth District for Representative in Congress and elected over John F. Lacey, Republican. He served but one term, being defeated in 1892 for reëlection by his former competitor. He was the Democratic candidate for Governor in 1897 and again in 1899 but was defeated by L. M. Shaw the Republican candidate. CHARLES E. WHITING was born in Otsego County, New York, on the 17th of January, 1821. He received a liberal education and was reared on a farm. At twenty-two years of age he went to Alabama and became a merchant. In 1850 he joined the gold seekers in a trip to California where he remained until 1853. In 1855 he came to Iowa, locating in Monona County, where he acquired a farm of more than 7,000 acres. He began the planting of trees, raising black walnut from the nuts and was very successful. He also planted other varieties, including fruit trees, doing a large amount of intelligent experimental work in tree culture and giving the results of his labors in this line to the public through the State Horticultural Society and its publications. He was a close observer and contributed a large amount of valuable information for the benefit of Iowa and prairie farmers and western horticulturists. His farm beside being one of the largest in the State, was one of the best managed and was an enduring object lesson to other farmers. He was many times nominated by the Democratic party, of which he was a lifelong member, for public offices. He was one of the early trustees of the State Agricultural College and a valuable member of the board. He was elected to the State Senate in 1883, serving four years. In 1885 he was nominated by his party for Governor but was not elected. Mr. Whiting served six years as