John Mason Clarke

Born in Canandaigua, New York, on April 15, 1857, John Mason Clarke became an important figure in American geology and paleontology. He studied at Amherst College and went on to build a career that combined teaching, research, and public science.

Clarke joined the New York State Museum in 1886 as assistant state paleontologist. After James Hall’s death in 1898, he became State Paleontologist, and in 1904 he was named State Geologist and Director of the New York State Museum. He is also remembered as the first president of the Paleontological Society.

His scientific work focused especially on fossils and ancient rock formations, and he played a major role in documenting New York State’s deep geologic history. Clarke died in Albany, New York, on May 29, 1925, but his name remains closely tied to the growth of paleontology in the United States.