Personal Papers
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7242, August F. Foerste Papers
August F. Foerste (1862-1936) was born in Dayton, Ohio. Foerste studied geology at Denison University, B.A., 1887, and Harvard University, M.A., 1888, and Ph.D., 1890. While at Harvard, he also served as a part-time assistant with the United States Geological Survey studying the stratigraphy and petrography of New England. Following his attendance at Harvard, Foerste studied for two years at Heidelberg College and the Collè€ge de France. In 1893, he returned to Dayton and became a science teacher at a high school where he remained until his retirement in 1932.
Foerste's summer vacations were spent participating in geological surveys in Indiana, 1896, 1897, and 1899; Ohio, 1908 and 1919; Kentucky, 1904-1912; and Canada, 1911-1912. In 1920, Foerste began research in invertebrate paleontology at the United States National Museum (USNM) and was appointed Associate in Paleontology at the USNM in 1932.
Foerste's study of fossils centered on three areas: Ohio Valley Silurian stratigraphy and paleontology; Ordovician fossils of the United States and Canada; and lower Paleozoic cephalopods, particularly those of the Ozarkian-Canadian system with Edward Oscar Ulrich of the USNM.
This finding aid was digitized with funds generously provided by the Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.
These papers consist of Foerste's field, specimen, and miscellaneous notebooks; drafts of manuscripts on Ozarkian and Canadian cephalopods; and topographic maps.
This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
This series consists primarily of field notebooks from the various geological surveys in which Foerste participated. Other notebooks include maps and information on specimens and fossil collections.
Specimen Notebook, Ohio, 1887-1888. Includes field notes and copy of a letter from Leo Lesquereux to Edward Orton, 1886
Field Notes, New Jersey, 1891
Field Notes, Central Kentucky, 1898
Field Notes, Cumberland River and Tennessee, 1899
Field Notes, Tennessee, 1901
Field Notes, Kentucky (?), circa 1901-1902
Field Notes, Eastern Kentucky, 1902
Field Notes, Kentucky, circa 1905-1907
Field Notes, Indiana and Kentucky, 1910
Field Notes, Ohio and Indiana, circa 1914
Field Notes, Tennessee and Kentucky, undated
Field Notes, Kentucky, undated. 2 volumes.
Field Notes, Kentucky Geological Survey, undated
Field Notes, Ohio, undated. 2 volumes
Notes on specimens taken in the field, Michigan, undated
Field Notes, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, undated
Field Notes, New England, undated
Field Notes, undated. 2 volumes. Includes drawings of fossils.
Field Notes, undated
Field Notes, undated
Field Notes, undated
Field Notes, undated
Field Notes, undated
Field Notes, undated
Field Notes, undated
Field Notes, undated
This series consists of drafts of manuscripts on Ozarkian and Canadian cephalopods which Foerste collaborated on with Edward Oscar Ulrich.
This series consists of topographic maps used by Foerste on various geological surveys. The maps are either annotated or color-coded to show geologic formations. See also Series 1 for maps in notebooks.
Topographic map of Dayton quadrangle surveyed by Foerste, 1909-1910
Topographic map of Ohio surveyed in 1914
Topographic map of Rutland, Vermont, undated
Topographic map of eastern Ontario, undated
Topographic maps of Ohio (10 maps), undated
Topographic maps of Ohio (8 maps), undated
Topographic maps of Ohio (8 maps), undated