Oliver C. (Oliver Cummings) Farrington

Born in Maine in 1864, Oliver Cummings Farrington became an American geologist and mineralogist whose career was closely tied to Chicago’s Field Museum. Sources agree that he studied at the University of Maine and later earned a Ph.D. at Yale before moving into museum and scientific work.

Farrington joined what became the Field Museum in the 1890s and served there for decades as curator of geology. He was especially known for his work on gems, minerals, and meteorites, and for building collections that helped make earth science more accessible to the public.

He also wrote widely, producing books and museum publications that introduced readers to topics such as precious stones, meteorites, and early humans. He died in 1933, leaving behind a body of work that reflects both scholarly expertise and a strong gift for explanation.