Discovering the Mastodon:
Part 6: The Search Heats Up
Interest in the "Mammoth" (American mastodon) increased dramatically following the Revolutionary War. Accounts of fossil finds from Big Bone Lick and the Hudson River Valley find their way into popular publications, as do excerpts and paraphrases of Jefferson's use of the "Mammoth" in his rebuttal to Buffon's theory of American Degeneracy. (1) Meanwhile, presentations on fossils become regular events at learned societies in Boston, New York and Philadelphia (2), and Charles Willson Peale opens his American Museum to the public. (3)
Two significant excavations at Big Bone Lick occur during this period. An excursion to the site in 1786 by Samuel Parsons yielded about 400 pounds of bones, including a femur, jaws with teeth and isolated molars. Knowledge of Parsons' expedition was largely limited to his circle of New England associates until his account was published by the Boston-based American Academy of Arts and Science in 1793.
In 1795, William Henry Harrison conducted what was probably the most ambitious excavation at Big Bone Lick to date. Harrison, then the governor of the Northwest Territories, retrieved enough fossils to fill 13 large wooden containers. Unfortunately, these were lost when his flatboat capsized in the Ohio River enroute to Pittsburgh.
The interest in fossils was especially keen at the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia, the oldest and most prestigious learned society in the country. Reports on fossils from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia and the Carolinas were regularly features at the society's meetings, but two particularly significant presentations occurred in the final years of the 18 th century. In March of 1797, Thomas Jefferson presented his fossils of "Megalonyx" or "giant claw" to the Society. This exciting new discovery, believed to be the partial remains of a giant tiger, prompted many members to consider the possibility of a second monster roaming the American wilderness. (5)
Later, member George Turner presented the Society with an eyewitness account of Big Bone Lick and a detailed discourse of the current state of knowledge concerning the "Mammoth". Turner agreed with Jefferson that the "Mammoth" was not the elephant, but rather an unknown animal. He also agreed in that this animal was a carnivore. Indeed, Turner inferred that this animal had tremendous leaping ability and large claws. On the other hand, he differed from Jefferson on two significant points. First, he declared that comparisons of their teeth demonstrated that the American "Mammoth" was not the same species as the Siberian Mammoth. Second, he was convinced that both the Siberian Mammoth the American "Mammoth" were extinct.
Perhaps the most significant element of George Turner's talk was his call for the American Philosophical Society to find a complete skeleton. In response, Thomas Jefferson, the new president of the Philosophical Society, appointed a committee to generate a printed appeal for archaeological and natural antiquities. The letter stressed the need to find a complete skeleton of the "Mammoth" and designated Big Bone Lick as the most promising site. The appeal was published in 1799.
Next: Part 7 - Peale's "Mammoth"
Print Resources:
- Parson, S.H. 1793. "Discoveries Made in the Western Country, by General Parsons." Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 1( part 2): 119-127.
- Semonin, P. 2002. American Monster: How the nation's first prehistoric creature became a symbol of national identity. New York & London: New York University Press.
Notes:
- The paraphrases and excerpts were of Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia. See Part 5: Jefferson's Notes for more on Jefferson's use of the "Mammoth" in rebutting Buffon's Theory of American Degeneracy. See Notes on the State of Virginia for more information on Jefferson's book. [go back]
- The American Academy of Arts and Sciences was the learned society from Boston. It was founded by John Adams. The Tammany Society was located in New York City. Samuel Latham Mitchill was its most notable early member. The American Philosophical Society, based in Philadelphia, was the largest and most influential learned society in the early United States. [go back]
- Charles Willison Peale was a Philadelphia portrait painter who became inspired to open a museum of natural history curiosities after he illustrated some "Mammoth" fossils. His museum was extremely popular in the 1790s and well into the first half of the 19th century. See Peale's American Museum for more information. [go back]
- The image of the mastodon femur (thigh bone) was first published in a 1786 edition of Columbian Magazine, a popular Philadelphian journal. (go back]
- Although the "Megalonyx" fossils were first believed to have come from a giant tiger, it was soon realized that they were from a new type of ground sloth. See History of the Great Claw for more information. [go back]