author
Frederick W. (Frederick William) True
1858–1914
A Smithsonian biologist and museum leader, he helped shape early American research on whales and other marine mammals. His work combined close scientific study with the practical work of building one of the nation’s major natural history collections.
1 Audiobook
The Beaked Whales of the Family Ziphiidae An Account of the Beaked Whales of the Family Ziphiidae in the Collection of the United States Museum...
by Frederick W. (Frederick William) True
About the author
Born in Middletown, Connecticut, in 1858, Frederick William True became an American biologist best known for his work at the United States National Museum, now part of the Smithsonian Institution. He studied at what was then the University of the City of New York and went on to build a career in zoology and museum science.
True served as the first head curator of biology at the United States National Museum from 1897 to 1911. He was especially noted for his research on marine mammals, including whales, and for helping develop the museum’s biological collections during a period when American natural history was growing quickly.
He died in Washington, D.C., in 1914. Remembered as both a scientist and an organizer of knowledge, he left behind a body of work that connected field observation, careful classification, and the public mission of the museum.