Harshberger, John W. (John William), 1869-1929

Botanist, naturalist, educator and author; B.S. and Ph.D., U. of Pennsylvania, (1892 and 1893); faculty, botany and biology, U. of Pennsylvania (1889-1929); officer and director of numerous professional societies; author of works on plant geography of North America; noted for research on various determining factors of plant distribution in North America.

Philadelphia-born botanist. Before completing his undergraduate requirements at the University of Pennsylvania, he was appointed Assistant Instructor in Botany. He founded the University Naturalists Field Club in 1891. Upon receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, Harshberger was appointed as Instructor in botany, biology, and zoology. As a research botanist, Harshberger traveled all over the world. He was a member of the American Philosophical Society, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Natural History Society, the Geographical Society of Philadelphia, and many other academic societies. He served as president of both the Botanical Society of Pennsylvania (1921-1929) and the Pennsylvania chapter of the Wild Flower Preservation Society.

John W. Harshberger was born in Philadelphia on January 1, 1869. He graduated from Central High School of Philadelphia with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1888 and entered the University of Pennsylvania the same year. While at Penn, he showed great interest in plant life and received a certificate of proficiency in biology in 1890. During the summer of 1890 Harshberger studied the trees and shrubs in the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. In the following fall, before completing his undergraduate requirements, he was appointed Assistant Instructor in Botany at Penn. Harshberger and a group of enthusiastic Penn undergraduates founded the University Naturalists Field Club in 1891. In 1892 Harshberger obtained his B.S.; he received his Ph.D. the next year.

Upon graduation, the University appointed him Instructor in botany, biology and Zoology. The University promoted Harshberger to the rank of Assistant Professor in 1907 and Professor of botany in 1911. Simultaneously he held teaching positions with the American Society for Extension of University Teaching (1896) and the Pennsylvania Farmers' Institute (1904-1906). In addition, Harshberger directed the nature study at the Pocono Pines Summer School from 1903 to 1908, the section of ecology at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, for ten summers from 1913 to 1922, and the botanical work of the Maria Mitchell Association on the Island of Nantucket, during the summers of 1914 and 1915.

As a botanist, Harshberger traveled widely in North America. He botanized in Eastern and Northwestern states, Southern Florida, Alaska, Arizona, Utah, and California. Overseas, his research trips extended through Europe, Brazil, Argentine, Chile and Mexico.

Harshberger was a member of the American Philosophical Society, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Natural History Society, the Geographical Society of Philadelphia, and many other academic societies. He served as president of both the Botanical Society of Pennsylvania (1921-1929) and the Pennsylvania chapter of the Wild Flower Preservation Society. He died in 1929.