Science was organized, Prof. Sheldon, then a man of sixty years, was urged to be president. He retained the office only a few months, but up to the last week of his life he was the academy's trusted counselor, constant supporter, and faithful friend.
Fortunately, there was then in Davenport one who was a professionally scientific man—Dr. C. C. Parry. For more than six
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| Fig. 2.—David Sylvester Sheldon. | Fig. 3.—Charles Christopher Parry. |
years he was president of the academy. From the start he held the idea that the academy was called to a higher purpose than to supply pastime to a few townspeople. Charles Christopher Parry was born in Admington, Gloucester, England, August 28, 1823. When he was but nine years old his parents came to this country, settling in Washington County, New York. Educated at Union College, Schenectady, he studied medicine at Columbia College. He settled in Davenport in 1846. There he was a diligent student of the local flora. Later on he examined the mountain flora of California, Colorado, and Mexico. He was official botanist of the Mexican Boundary Survey. Later he held official positions in the Department of Agriculture and as special agent of the Forestry Department of the census of 1880. His journeys to every part of our great Western mountain region were extensive and scientifically productive. He was the discoverer and describer of many new species of plants and of several important genera. His name is associated with that of Torrey and Gray both in geography and on the pages of botanical literature. A man of energy, convictions, and heart, he was the very one to shape and mold a
