Hubbard, Lucius L. (Lucius Lee), 1849-1933

State Geologist and University of Michigan regent.

Lucius Lee Hubbard was born in 1849 and grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. After graduating from Harvard University in 1872, Hubbard also attended the University of Bonn in Germany and received a law degree from the Boston School of Law. After spending several years in business and legal practice around Boston, Hubbard returned to the Universities of Heidelberg and Bonn where he received his Ph.D. in mineralogy. He joined the staff of the Michigan Geological Survey and the Michigan College of Mines in 1890; however in 1893 he left to become the Michigan State Geologist until 1899. Hubbard then headed geological exploration for the Copper Range Company where he discovered the southern extension of the Baltic lode, the last big native copper deposit found in Michigan's Copper Country. This discovery later became the Champion mine, where Hubbard later became general manager. He served as a member of the Board of Control of the Michigan College of Mines, and as a Regent of the University of Michigan from 1910 until his death in 1933 (excerpted from http://www.minrec.org/labels.asp?colid=1121, accessed 3/2010)

Lucius Lee Hubbard was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on August 7, 1849. He received his AB from Harvard in 1872 and his LL.B from Boston University in 1875. After receiving his law degree he took up practice in Boston only to give it up a few years later to devote himself to a career in science. In 1886, he took the AM and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Bonn where he worked with Von Laseaulz. From 1891 to 1893, Hubbard served as assistant to M. E. Wadsworth with the State Geological Survey of Michigan based in Houghton, and then from 1893 to 1899 as Michigan state geologist.

Hubbard was instrumental in the development the state mining industry, most notably in the area of Houghton. After leaving the geological survey, he then became general manager of the Copper Range Mining Co. and the Champion Copper Co., and afterwards was president of the Ojibway Mining Co. From 1905 to 1917 he was a member of the board of control of the Michigan College of Mines. In addition, he was a member of the board of scientific advisers of the geological survey and director of the Houghton National Bank and director and president of the South Range Bank. Houghton served as Regent of the University of Michigan from 1911 until his death in 1933.

Hubbard was author of books on mineralogy and geology, and a collector of Gulliver's Travels and Robinson Crusoe books. He died in Eagle Harbor, Michigan, August 3, 1933.