History of the Indiana Geological Survey

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History of the Indiana Geological Survey

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A Resumption

During the years of Owen's involvement in surveys of the territories and of Kentucky and Arkansas, efforts had continued to resume state-supported geologic work in Indiana. These efforts were successful in 1859, when the General Assembly authorized a geological survey under the supervision of the State Board of Agriculture and created (anew) the office of State Geologist. The board wished no one but Owen to supervise the work, and Owen accepted the assignment with the provision that his brother Richard would begin the study and pursue it until the Arkansas survey was completed. Richard Owen conducted a 65-day field season beginning in September and returned to New Harmony with 1,000 pounds of specimens. David Dale Owen reported to the State Board of Agriculture in Indianapolis in January 1860 on the progress of the work and plans for the following season, during which Richard Owen concentrated principally on the Coal Measures.

Photograph of the residence of Kenneth Dale Owen

Figure 4. David Dale Owen's fourth laboratory, now the New Harmony residence of Kenneth Dale Owen.

David Dale Owen had in the meantime further complicated his life by undertaking the construction of a new laboratory (fig. 4) in New Harmony to serve the former functions of the old granary. He designed every aspect of the new building and supervised the construction.

Since the 1854 field season in Kentucky he had been in poor health from constant bouts with some fever, and to these miseries were added those of acute rheumatism in October 1860. His biographer, W. B. Hendrickson, recounted (1943, p.130-131) that Owen was bedfast and dictating the second Arkansas report to two secretaries. His personal physician warned him, "Doctor, if you go on thus * * * you will die in a week." Owen's reply was: "I only want 13 days to finish." He continued dictation until 3 days before his death on November 13, 1860, at the age of 53. J. P. Lesley wrote to James Hall, "Poor Owen is dead, suicide!" which in a sense was true; as Hendrickson observed, "David Dale Owen literally worked himself to death."

Figure 5. Richard Owen, State Geologist, 1860-61.

The second Indiana survey was completed by Richard Owen (1862 and fig. 5), who was appointed State Geologist succeeding his brother. That the report, except for sections credited to Dr. Robert Peter, Prof. Leo Lesquereux, and Mr. J. P. Lesley, was largely Richard Owen's work is clear, as shown by such entries as a response (1862, p.184) to an inquiry from Cannelton, Ind., regarding the durability of sandstone for building:

The freestone of Edinburgh, Scotland, which has stood for centuries unimpaired in buildings and bridges, is from the Coal Measures. And I may add a large granary, erected at New Harmony forty-five years since by the Germans, is from the higher series of the Coal Measures. It seems as substantial as the first day, except at one place where some salted meat by being piled against it, caused some scaling and crumbling.

Kenneth Dale Owen, the great grandson of Richard Owen, and I examined, a few years ago, the sandstone in the building and speculated on its probable source. It seems likely, in view of the transportation facilities of the day, that it came from the locality, a short distance below New Harmony on the Wabash, where a ledge of sandstone forms the rapids that permitted the Harmonists to use waterpower in their mill. Exposures in the adjacent bluff retain no evidence of quarrying, but the stone resembles that used in the building. Whether based on Richard Owen's advice or not, the sandstone from the Mansfield Formation is prominent in the architecture of Cannelton.

The second Owen survey was funded only for the period 1859-61. In May of the latter year, legislation made the State Geologist a member of the Indiana University faculty ex officio, and several published references during the 1860's refer to Richard Owen by that title, although a supporting organization and appropriation did not exist and he was not paid directly by the state.

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