George Francis Atkinson

Born in 1854, George Francis Atkinson came to higher education in an unusual way, enrolling at Olivet College after years of work and then continuing on to Cornell University. He returned to Cornell in 1892 and went on to serve as Professor of Botany and later chairman of the department, building a career that centered on fungi as well as broader botanical teaching and research.

Atkinson is especially remembered as an early American mycologist. Cornell sources describe him as a pioneering figure whose ideas improved the understanding and naming of fungi, and whose careful use of photography and documentation influenced later generations of researchers. He also wrote books that brought his subject to a wider audience, including works on edible and poisonous mushrooms.

He remained deeply devoted to field collecting throughout his life. Cornell’s historical accounts note that he died in 1918, during a collecting trip in Washington State, leaving behind important specimens, photographs, and notes that still help tell the story of his work.