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Thomas Say Biography

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SAY, Thomas (1787-1834). An American geologist and zoölogist, born in Philadelphia. Becoming a member of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia (1812) soon after its founding, he devoted much time and labor to developing its collections. In 1818 he took part in a scientific exploration of Georgia and Florida, and in 1819-20 he was naturalist to Major S. H. Long's expedition to the Rocky Mountains. Say was a collector of insects and mollusks, and his works describing them were the beginnings of the sciences of entomology and conchology in America. His larger works were American Entomology (1824-28; reprinted and edited by J. L. Le Conte, 1859) and American Conchology (1830-34); new ed. by W. G. Binney, 1858). He became interested in, and after 1825 was a member of, the Socialistic community at New Harmony, Ind., where he died.  

The New International Encyclopaedia, Vol. XX (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920) 509.