William P. Trowbridge, USMA 1848

Born May 25, 1828,     died August 12, 1892

• Professor of Mathematics, University of Michigan,  1856-57.
• Elected to the National Academy of the Sciences, 1872.
   

"The Cass Expedition to the Great Lakes: 1820.  Though regarded as an authority on the languages and customs of the northern Indian tribes, Michigan governor Lewis Cass declared himself "not competent to speculate upon the natural history of the country through which we may pass" and asked Secretary of War J.C. Calhoun to appoint to the expedition "some person acquainted with zoology, botany, and mineralogy." Accordingly, Calhoun appointed Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, Captain D. B. Douglass, Charles C. Trowbridge (1800-1883), and Dr. Alexander Wolcott."  [Quoting http://www.amphilsoc.org/library/guides/stanton/0335.htm ]

I suspect that Charles Christopher Trowbridge (1800-1883) was the father of William P. Trowbridge (1828-1892). Evidence for this is that C. C. Trowbridge was secretary of the Board of Trustees for the University of Michigan from 1821 to 1835. In addition the elder Trowbridge would have known Douglass well from the Cass Expedition.

PROF. C.C. TROWBRIDGE DEAD
Charles Christopher TROWBRIDGE, assistant professor of physics in
Columbia and a member of many scientific societies, died yesterday in
Roosevelt Hospital, Manhattan, after a brief illness. He was 48 years
old and unmarried. He was a son of Gen. William P. TROWBRIDGE, for
many years head of the department of engineering at Columbia. Prof.
TROWBRIDGE made many contributions to scientific journals and was
especially active in the affairs of the New York Academy of Sciences.
 

1918 DEATHS

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