Almon Harris Thompson

Almon Harris Thompson (September 24, 1839 – July 31, 1906), also known as A. H. Thompson, was an American topographer, geologist, explorer, educator and Civil War veteran. Often called "The Professor" or simply "Prof", Thompson is perhaps best known for being second in command of John Wesley Powell's Second Geographical Expedition (1871–1875), a federally funded scientific expedition that retraced the route of Powell's original expedition in order to further explore and map the drainages and canyons of the Green and Colorado Rivers in what is now southern Utah and northern Arizona. Thompson's diary of the expedition was originally published in the Utah Historical Quarterly in 1939. Through his work on the Powell expeditions and later as a geographer at the U.S. Geological Survey, he was responsible for naming many geographic locations in the Western United States. Thompson is also known for being a founding member of the National Geographic Society.

Early life and education

Thompson was born on September 24, 1839, in Stoddard, New Hampshire. Thompson enjoyed mathematics and science.

After the war, Thompson served as superintendent of schools at Lacon, Illinois (1865–1867) and Bloomington, Illinois (1867–1868). In the 1870 census, Thompson was listed as living in Normal, Illinois, with his wife Ellen, mother Mary, as well as Emma and John Powell. Both Thompson and Powell are listed as schoolteachers.

Expeditions

In 1867, Thompson's brother-in-law, John Wesley Powell, organized an expedition to the Rocky Mountains to collect specimens for the Illinois State Natural History Society. Thompson acted as the entomologist of the party. He was appointed acting curator of the Illinois State Natural History Society in 1869. He also became the first European American to reach the summit of the Henry Mountains, which likewise was the last mountain range in the contiguous United States to be surveyed. He named the highest peak Mount Ellen after his wife.

Powell gave Thompson credit for his work in the Preface of one of their reports, stating, "Professor A. H. Thompson has been my companion and collaborator during the greater part of the time, and has had entire charge of the geographic work; the final maps will exhibit the results of this learning and executive ability". The 1880 census listed Thompson as living in Salem, Greenwood, Kansas, and working as a wool grower.

After the Powell expeditions

In the early 1880s, Thompson began work for the U.S. Geological Survey under the new USGS director, John Wesley Powell. Thompson was sent to New Mexico to begin topographical surveying. The Sundry Civil Bill of 1888 appropriated funding for an irrigation survey. Thompson directed work parties throughout the west.

Later, Thompson was appointed the chief geographer for the USGS. As a geographer and cartographer, he authored or co-authored many USGS maps, including maps of the Green River from the Union Pacific Railroad to the mouth of the White River. Thompson was also involved in a number of other projects, including serving as cartographer on projects in California, Colorado, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, and Wyoming.

Thompson also devised a survey instrument used during geographical operations to provide measurements that could be used in determining the irrigable land. He contributed Chapter IX to the Report on the Lands of the Arid Region by John Wesley Powell. The chapter, titled "Irrigable Lands of the Portion of Utah Drained by the Colorado River and its Tributaries", focuses on river drainage, tributaries, and geography. Thompson called the meeting to order and introduced the resolution to form the society. Within two weeks, an organizing committee consisting of Thompson and others created the plan for the National Geographic Society. Serving as one of the vice-presidents of this new organization, Thompson was actively involved in its growth.

Later years

In a report submitted July 1, 1893, Thompson described work conducted in all of the western states and the establishment of new field offices in California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Thompson retained his post at the United States Geological Survey until his death on July 31, 1906. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in the Officers Section, Site 1567, in August 1906.

Naming of geographic locations

Thompson is credited with naming many geographic locations during his work with John Wesley Powell and the USGS. He named the Waterpocket Fold in what is now Capitol Reef National Park, the Aquarius Plateau, the Markagunt Plateau, Mount Ellen, Boulder Mountain, Canaan Mountain, the Escalante River, and the town of Escalante in Garfield County, Utah.

Thompson had strong opinions about the need for principles to aid in geographic nomenclature. He stated that "a geographic name should be short, euphonic, pronounced as spelled, and have a meaning or express some sentiment to help fix it in the memory". In choosing geographic names during the Powell expeditions, Thompson selected a combination of Piute terms such as Kaibab and Toroweap, Mormon pioneer terms like Pipe Springs and Wild Band Pockets, and also used descriptive words like Tantalus Creek and Thousand Lakes Mountain. Mount Thompson in the Sierra Nevada, and Thompson Peak in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Santa Fe were all named in honor of A. H. Thompson.

Legacy

Thompson's accomplishments are often overlooked in history books and websites. Dellenbaugh notes that although Thompson was largely responsible for the "scientific and practical success of the second expedition", Powell ignored Thompson's contributions in his reports.

In the introduction to Thompson's diaries, Herbert Gregory states that "Thompson possessed that rare combination of qualities that brings success to the explorer: a rigid insistence on discipline and order of procedure, kindness toward his subordinates, and sympathetic interest in the native people with whom he came in contact".

Frederick Dellenbaugh, author of The Romance of the Colorado River and a fellow member of the Second Expedition, stated that "to his (Thompson's) foresight, rare good judgment, ability to think out a plan to the last minute detail, fine nerve and absolute lack of any kind of foolishness, together with a wide knowledge and intelligence, this expedition, and indeed the scientific work so admirably carried on by the United States Survey of the Rocky Mountain region and the Geological Survey for three decades in the Far West, largely own success".

Gallery