Educated at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, Marsh graduated in 1820 and took up the study of law. After practicing law in Burlington, Vermont for a number of years, he entered local state politics. He was elected to Congress in 1843 and served three terms in the House. During his tenure, he was influential in helping to establish the Smithsonian Institute. He resigned from Congress in 1849 to become minister to Turkey under president Taylor and continued in that role under president Filmore until 1853. He then served as Fish Commissioner of Vermont in 1857 and railroad commissioner from 1857 to 1859. In 1861, president Lincoln appointed Marsh as U.S. Minister to Italy, a post he held until his death. Marsh was a remarkably talented man who was fluent in twenty languages, a scholar in numerous subjects and a conservationist. His work Man and Nature (1864), which was subsequently revised to become The Earth as Modified by Human Action (1874), was one of the most influential geographical works of the 19th century and helped to initiate the Conservation Movement of the 20th century. His works also include The Camel: His Organization, Habits and Uses, Lectures on the English Language (1860) and The Origin and History of the English Language (1862). |
Chrysoma Associates Limited
