Thomas Say

Thomas Say
Thomas Say

27 July 1787 – 10 October 1834

Born: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Died: New Harmony, Indiana.

Occupation: Pharmacist; Naturalist, Conchologist. Co-Founder of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia. Curator of the American Philosophical Society after 1821. Professor of Natural History, University of Pennsylvania, 1822-25.

Education:

Research Interests: Freshwater and landsnails.

Travels: Georgia, Florida 1818; Major Long’s Expedition west of the Mississippi River; moved to New Harmony, Indiana in 1825

Data from: Abbott, R.T., and M.E. Young (eds.). 1973. American Malacologists: A national register of professional and amateur malacologists and private shell collectors and biographies of early American mollusk workers born between 1618 and 1900. American Malacologists, Falls Church, Virginia. Consolidated/Drake Press, Philadelphia. 494 pp.

Other References: Pitzer, D.E. 1989. The original boatload of knowledge down the Ohio River: William McClure’s and Robert Owen’s transfer of Science and education to the Midwest, 1825-1826. Ohio Journal of Science 89(5):128-142.

Partial Bibliography:

Say, T. 1817. Article “Conchology.” in W. Nicholson (ed.). American Edition of the British Encyclopedia or Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, Comprising an Accurate and Popular View of the Present Improved State of Human Knowledge. First Edition. Samuel A. Mitchell and Horace Ames, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Vol. 2 + 4 plates. No pagination.

Say, T. 1817. Descriptions of seven species of American fresh water and land shells, not noticed in the systems. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 1(1):13-16.

Say, T. 1817. Descriptions of seven species of American fresh water and land shells, not noticed in the systems. (cont.). Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 1(2):17-18.

Say, T. 1818. Article “Conchology.” in W. Nicholson (ed.). American Edition of the British Encyclopedia or Dictionary of Arts and Sciences. 2nd Edition, Samuel, A. Mitchel and Horace Ames, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Vol. 4 + 4 plates. No pagination.

Say, T. 1818. Description of a new genus of fresh water bivalve shells. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 1(11):459-460.

Say, T. 1818. Account of two new genera, and several new species, of fresh water and land shells. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 1(2):276-284.

Say, T. 1819. Article “Conchology.” in W. Nicholson (ed.). American Edition of the British Encyclopedia or Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, Comprising an Accurate and Popular View of the Present Improved State of Human Knowledge. 3rd Edition, Samuel, A. Mitchel and Horace Ames, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Say, T. 1821. Descriptions of univalve shells of the United States. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 2(1):149-179.

Say, T. 1822. Description of univalve terrestrial and fluviatile shells of the United States. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 2(2):370-381.

Say, T. 1824. Narrative of an expedition to the source of St. Peter’s River, etc., under the command of Major Stephen H. Long. Long’s Expedition. 2:256-265.

Say, T. 1825. Appendix Part I. – Natural History. 1. Zoology C. Class Mollusca in W.H. Keating, Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St. Peter’s River, etc., under the command of Stephen H. Long, U.S.T.E. 2:5-13.

Say, T. 1825. Descriptions of some new species of fresh water and land shells of the United States. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 5:119-131.

Say, T. 1829. Descriptions of some new terrestrial and fluviatile shells of North America. The Disseminator of Useful Knowledge; containing hints to the youth of the U. States, from the School of Industry 2(15):229-230. 29 July 1829.

Say, T. 1829. Descriptions of some new terrestrial and fluviatile shells of North America. (cont.). The Disseminator of Useful Knowledge; containing hints to the youth of the U. States, from the School of Industry 2(16):244-246. 12 August 1829.

Say, T. 1829. Descriptions of some new terrestrial and fluviatile shells of North America. (cont.). The Disseminator of Useful Knowledge; containing hints to the youth of the U. States, from the School of Industry 2(17):259-261. 26 August 1829.

Say, T. 1829. Descriptions of some new terrestrial and fluviatile shells of North America. (cont.). The Disseminator of Useful Knowledge; containing hints to the youth of the U. States, from the School of Industry 2(18):275-277. 9 September 1829.

Say, T. 1829. Descriptions of some new terrestrial and fluviatile shells of North America. (cont.). The Disseminator of Useful Knowledge; containing hints to the youth of the U. States, from the School of Industry 2(19):291-293. 23 September 1829.

Say, T. 1829. Descriptions of some new terrestrial and fluviatile shells of North America. (cont.). The Disseminator of Useful Knowledge; containing hints to the youth of the U. States, from the School of Industry 2(20):308-310. 7 October 1829.

Say, T. 1829. Descriptions of some new terrestrial and fluviatile shells of North America. (cont.). The Disseminator of Useful Knowledge; containing hints to the youth of the U. States, from the School of Industry 2(21):323-325. 21 October 1829.

Say, T. 1829. Descriptions of some new terrestrial and fluviatile shells of North America. (cont.). The Disseminator of Useful Knowledge; containing hints to the youth of the U. States, from the School of Industry 2(22):339-341. 4 November 1829.

Say, T. 1829. Descriptions of some new terrestrial and fluviatile shells of North America. (cont.). The Disseminator of Useful Knowledge; containing hints to the youth of the U. States, from the School of Industry 2(23):355-356. 18 November 1829.

Say, T. 1830. American Conchology, or descriptions of the shells of North America. Illustrated by colored figures from original drawings executed from nature. New Harmony, Indiana 1: unpaginated + plates 1-10.

Say, T. 1830. New terrestrial and fluviatile shells of North America. The Disseminator. [2nd Series]. New Harmony, Indiana 1(27): no pagination. 28 December 1830.

Say, T. 1831. American Conchology, or descriptions of the shells of North America. Illustrated by colored figures from original drawings executed from nature. New Harmony, Indiana 2-3: unpaginated + plates 11-30.

Say, T. 1831. New terrestrial and fluviatile shells of North America. (cont.). The Disseminator. [2nd Series]. New Harmony, Indiana 1(29): no pagination, 15 January 1831.

Say, T. 1831. New terrestrial and fluviatile shells of North America. (cont.). The Disseminator. [2nd Series]. New Harmony, Indiana 1(31): no pagination, 29 January 1831.

Say, T. 1831. Descriptions of several new species of shells and of a new species of Lumbricus. Transylvania Journal of Medicine 4:525-528.

Say, T. 1832. American Conchology, or descriptions of the shells of North America. Illustrated by colored figures from original drawings executed from nature. New Harmony, Indiana 4-5: unpaginated + plates 31-50.

Say, T. 1834. An attempt to exhibit the synonymy of the western North American species of Unio and Alasmodonta. Appearing with Part 6 of American Conchology unpaginated.

Say, T. 1834. American Conchology, or descriptions of the shells of North America. Illustrated by colored figures from original drawings executed from nature. New Harmony, Indiana 6: unpaginated + plates 51-60.

Say, T. undated. American Conchology, or descriptions of the shells of North America. Illustrated by colored figures from original drawings executed from nature. New Harmony, Indiana 7: unpaginated + plates 61-68.