Simpson, George Gaylord, 1902-1984
Biographical Note
George Gaylord Simpson (1902-1984) was Curator of the Department of Geology and Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History from 1945 to 1959. He first joined the staff in 1927, but left to serve in World War II in North Africa. Simpson became curator upon his return. Before this appointment, he earned his PhD in Geology from Yale and served as a Professor of Zoology at Columbia University. After his time at the American Museum of Natural History, Simpson was Curator of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University from 1959 to 1970 and a Professor of Geosciences at the University of Arizona from 1968 until he retired in 1982.
Simpson was a major participant in the modern synthesis—a movement in the 20th century that combined Darwinian and Mendelian philosophies regarding evolution. His work primarily concerned evolutionary theory and the intercontinental migrations of extinct mammals. Simpson’s most prominent works were Tempo and Mode in Evolution, which was published in 1944, and Major Features in Evolution, published in 1953.
Selected Bibliography
Simpson, George Gaylord. Attending Marvels: A Patagonian Journal. 1931.
Simpson, George Gaylord. Quantitative Zoology. McGraw-Hill, 1939.
Simpson, George Gaylord. Tempo and Mode in Evolution. 1944.
Simpson, George Gaylord. The Principles of Classification and A Classification of Mammals. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1945.
Simpson, George Gaylord. The Meaning of Evolution. Mentor, 1951.
Simpson, George Gaylord. Horses. Oxford University Press, 1951.
Simpson, George Gaylord. Evolution and Geography. 1953.
Simpson, George Gaylord. The Major Features of Evolution. New York City: Columbia University Press, 1953.
Simpson, George Gaylord. Life: An Introduction to Biology. Harcourt, Brace & World, 1957.
Simpson, George Gaylord. Quantitative Zoology. Harcourt, Brace & World, 1960.
Simpson, George Gaylord. Principles of Animal Taxonomy. New York City: Columbia University Press, 1961.
Simpson, George Gaylord. This View of Life. Harcourt, Brace & World, 1964.
Simpson, George Gaylord. The Geography of Evolution. Chilton Books, 1965.
Simpson, George Gaylord. Penguins: Past and Present, Here and There. Yale University Press, 1976.
Simpson, George Gaylord. Concession to the Improbable: An Unconventional Autobiography. Yale University Press, 1978.
Simpson, George Gaylord. Fossils and the History Of Life. Scientific American Books, 1983.
Simpson, George Gaylord. Splendid Isolation: The Curious History of South American Mammals by George Gaylord Simpson. Yale University Press, 1980.
Simpson, George Gaylord. The Dechronization of Sam Magruder. St. Martins Press, 1996.
Sources
George Gaylord Simpson, Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Gaylord_Simpson
Found in 10 Collections and/or Records:
Central Asiatic Expeditions records
Department of Vertebrate Paleontology correspondence
Gaylord Simpson photographic slide collection, 1947.
Photographs taken in the United States Southwest, mostly New Mexico. Images include fossilized plants, petrified wood, sand dunes, and Nemez Indians branding calves and at a 4th of July rodeo.
William King Gregory papers, 1889-1948 (bulk 1906-1948)
Rams of the rimrock ; Brontosaurus ; Trance and dance in Bali
Series 1: Correspondence , 1892-1947
Series 1 (Boxes 1 to 6) contain Osborn’s correspondence, both general and relating to specific publications including “Age of Mammals” 2nd edition, “Ape Man,” and “Men of the Old Stone Age.” This series also contains accession information for the entire Henry Fairfield Osborn Papers collection. Most materials are in English, but there is also some correspondence in German. It is arranged alphabetically and thematically, then chronologically.
Series 1: Field diaries, 1891-1998
Consist of diaries, lists of specimens found, locations of finds, records of day to day activities, and step by step findings. Individual lists can be found with both the Charles H. Falkenbach and Ted Galusha Papers. The diaries are arranged by date and filed as nearly as possible in chronological order. Notable names in the field diaries include H. F. Osborn, Walter Granger, Barnum Brown, and G. G. Simpson.
Series 2: Field correspondence, 1891-1969
The field correspondence was written by field workers relaying events during excavations and expeditions. The collection includes department field communications from 1891 to 1969. The years 1960, 1962-1968 are missing.
Notable names in the field correspondence include Henry Fairfield Osborn, Walter Granger, Barnum Brown, Ted Galusha, Charles Falkenbach, and G. G. Simpson.
Series 2: Professional Correspondence, 1896 - 1942
The professional correspondence includes letters between Brown and other paleontologists both within AMNH and elsewhere. It also contains correspondence regarding Brown's lecture tours and his application for copyright. There are also some letters from the public with paleontological enquiries.
Series 2: Published Papers & Unpublished Manuscripts, 1870 - 1945
American Museum of Natural History
Museum Archives at the Gottesman Research Library
200 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024-5192