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Powell (JOHN WESLEY an American)

JOHN WESLEY, an American geologist; born in Mount Morris, N. Y., March 24, 1834. He was educated at Oberlin College; was a lieutenantcolonel of artillery at the close of the Civil War; professor of geology in the Illinois Wesleyan University, 1865; explored the cañon of the Colorado river in 1867 and in 1870-1874. He was director of the United States Geological Survey in 1879-1896, and of the United States Bureau of Ethnology after 1879.

The special volumes of reports written by Major Powell are: "Exploration of the Colorado River in 1869-1872" (1875); "Geology of the Uinta Mountains" (1876); "The Arid Regions of the United States" (1879); "Introduction to Study of Indian Languages" (1880); "Cañons of the Colorado," etc. He died in 1902.