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Mook, Charles Craig, 1887-1966

 Person

Biographical Note

Charles C. Mook (1887-1966) was hired after graduation from Columbia in 1912 as a research assistant to Osborn and retired as AMNH Department of Paleontology Curator Emeritus of Fossil Reptiles.

Mook was born to Charles Oscar Moook and Gertrude Martin Mook in Metuchen, New Jersey. He had a variety of jobs after finishing high school in 1904, including working at a cement company, teaching and studying music, and selling magazine subscriptions. He developed an interest in geology in 1906 after noticing a book on the topic at his public library. He got his B.S. in 1912, his M.A. in 1914, and his Ph. D. in 1915, all from Columbia. He married Ruth Weir Raeder the same year he got his masters degree, and they had three children over the course of their marriage: Gertrude, Ruth, and Caryl.

After starting at AMNH as research assistant in 1912, he became Associate Curator in 1922. He did ample field research, and collected for the Frick Laboratory. In 1926 he became an Associate in Paleontology, 1927 an Associate Curator of Fossil Reptiles, 1928 an Associate Curator of Geology and Paleontology, and he became Associate Curator Emeritus at AMNH before attaining his final title of Curator Emeritus of Fossil Reptiles. His work focused on fossil reptiles, co-authoring a book with Osborn on sauropod dinosaurs in 1921. He spent many years writing a work on fossil crocodiles. He published over 60 scientific papers on dinosaurs and crocodiles. He participated in a variety of professional organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, New York Academy of Sciences, Paleontological Society of America, and the Geological Society of America.

He taught at a variety of institutions, including Barnard College, Columbia, Rutgers, Hunter College, New York University, and Brooklyn College, holding titles from Lecturer to Full Professor. He became head of the Department of Geology at Brooklyn College.

Sources

Mook, Charles C. (1887-1966) Curator, Fossil Reptiles - Biographical File, AMNH Research Library

Found in 5 Collections and/or Records:

Crocodile specimen photographs

 Collection
Identifier: PPC .M66
Scope and Contents

Photographs of crocodiles.

Dates: 1938-1939

Department of Vertebrate Paleontology correspondence

 Collection
Identifier: VPA 105
Scope and Contents Department of Vertebrate Paleontology correspondence from 1887-1966, alphabetized by subject or author. Hundreds of scientists worldwide are represented by correspondence and include Alexander Agassiz, Glover M. Allen, Florentino Ameghino, Erwin H. Barbour, Franz Boas, Stephen F. Borhegyi, Robert Broom, Barnum Brown, Hermon C. Bumpus, Edwin H. Colbert, Thomas Alva Edison, Walter Granger, William T. Gregory, Claude W. Hibbard, D.A. Hooijer, William T. Hornaday, Remington Kellogg, Charles R....
Dates: 1887-1966

William King Gregory papers, 1889-1948 (bulk 1906-1948)

 Collection
Identifier: Mss .G7441
Scope and Contents The collection consists of administrative, scientific, academic and personal papers, and correspondence. Papers include Gregory's general correspondence with universities, colleges and scientists about his research topics and publications; correspondence with museums about purchasing replicas of fossils; and with students seeking employement. Other papers include lecture notes prepared for zoology classes emphasizing evolution, 1925-1926 and 1939; and manuscripts and notes for his...
Dates: 1889-1948; Majority of material found within 1906-1948

Charles C. Mook papers

 Collection
Identifier: VPA 123
Scope and Contents Mook's papers consist of two folders containing annotated manuscripts, pencil illustrations and charts on fossil mammals and reptiles with notes and exchanges with William King Gregory, William Diller Matthew and Childs Frick. The collection includes materials for courses at Columbia University and outlines of lectures by various lecturers. The materials are organized into two folders and are roughly chronological, though many items are undated. There is also correspondence and...
Dates: 1900-1966

Recommendation, 1919-1923

 File — Box: 1, Folder: 16
Identifier: Mss .H682
Scope and Contents

Correspondence between E. O. Hovey and others, regarding letters of recommendation for various colleagues and former employees.

Dates: 1919-1923