American Medical Biographies/Bean, Tarleton Hoffman
Bean, Tarleton Hoffman (1846–1916)
Tarleton Hoffman Bean, eminent ichthyologist, was born in Bainbridge, Pennsylvania,
October 8, 1846, the son of George Bean and Mary Smith. He was educated at the State Normal School, Millersville, Pennsylvania, then studied medicine and graduated at Columbian (now George Washington) University in 1876.
He was curator of the Department of Fisheries, United States National Museum, from 1880 to 1895; director of the New York Aquarium from 1895 to 1898; and state fish culturist from 1906 until his death. He was assistant in charge of the division of fish culture, United States Fish Commission, 1892– 1895; and acting curator of fishes, American Museum of Natural History, New York, 1897.
From 1878 to 1886 he was editor of the Proceedings and Bulletins of the United States National Museum. Bean represented the United States Fish Commission at the Chicago Exposition in 1893; at the Atlanta Exposition in 1895; was director of Forestry and Fisheries at the Paris Exposition in 1900; and chief of the Departments of Fish and Game and Forestry at the St. Louis Exposition, 1902–1905.
Dr. Bean was one of the most eminent ichthyologists of America, and as a fish culturist he was easily in the foremost rank. He was a prolific writer on these subjects, the published bibliography of his books and articles containing 275 titles, to which must be added 47 published in collaboration, making a total of 322.
His chief books are: "The Fishes of Pennsylvania" (1893), "The Fishes of Long Island" (1901), "Fishes of New York" (1903), "The Fishes of Bermuda" (1906). In collaboration with W. C. Harris he published in 1905 "The Basses, Fresh-Water and Marine," and in collaboration with George Brown Goode he published 39 articles largely dealing with fishes of the deep sea. Undoubtedly that work which will longest perpetuate Dr. Bean's reputation as a profound student of fishes is "Oceanic Ichthyology" (1896) of which he was joint author with Goode. This great work consists of a volume of text of 529 pages and another of 124 plates.
From 1906 until his death in 1916, Bean was head of the fish cultural work in New York State, and by his energy and expert knowledge he put New York at the head of all the states of the union in the propagation and preservation of its fishes.
He was Chevalier Legion of Honor and Officer of Mérite Agricole, France; Knight Imperial Royal Order of Red Eagle, Germany; Order of the Rising Sun, Japan; an honorary member of the Danish Fisheries Societies; a member of the American Forestry Association; and the American Fisheries Society—its president in 1908–1909.
In 1878 he married Laurette H. Van Hook of Washington.
Dr. Bean was injured in an automobile accident in October, 1916, from the results of which he died December 28, 1916, at Albany, New York.