Lawson, Andrew C. (Andrew Cowper), 1861-1952

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Andrew Cowper Lawson, geologist and professor, was born in Anstruther, Scotland, July 25, 1861, moving to Hamilton, Ontario when he was five. Graduating from the University of Toronto in 1883, he worked with the Canadian Geological Survey and continued his education, receiving a Masters in 1885. In 1888 he received a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University.

He continued work with the Canadian Geological Survey in the Lake Superior area after graduation, but early in 1890 he resigned and moved to Vancouver as a consulting geologist for the Canadian Pacific Railroad. In October, 1890, he accepted an invitation from Professor Joseph LeConte to become an Assistant Professor of Mineralogy and Geology at the University of California where he remained throughout his career. Lawson succeeded LeConte as department chair upon LeConte's death in 1901.

During his tenure at Berkeley, he observed, mapped and interpreted Coast Range geology, and organized systematized courses of instruction in mineralogy, petrography, and field geology. His was the first field geology course at any university in the country. In 1893, he established the first scientific publication series at Berkeley, The Bulletin of the Department of Geology and served as its editor for thirty-five years.

Lawson was also heavily involved in the promotion of the study of seismology, serving as the chairman of the State Earthquake Investigation Commission, appointed by Governor George C. Pardee after the devastating San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 and serving as the first Vice- President of the Seismological Society of America (founded in 1906).

Lawson married Ludovika von Jansch of Brünn, Moravia in 1889. They had four sons. After her death in 1929, he married Isabel R. Collins of Ottawa in 1931. They had one son. He died June 16, 1952.

From the guide to the Andrew C. Lawson papers, 1880-1954, bulk 1890-1951, (The Bancroft Library)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Douglas Tilden Papers, 1860-1970 Bancroft Library
creatorOf Lawson, Andrew C. (Andrew Cowper), 1861-1952. Andrew C. Lawson papers, 1880-1954 (bulk 1890-1951). UC Berkeley Libraries
creatorOf Lawson, Andrew C. (Andrew Cowper), 1861-1952. Andrew C. Lawson collection of lantern slides relating to the development of man [graphic]. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire Digital Collection Bancroft Library
creatorOf University of California, Berkeley. Seismological Laboratory. Berkeley Seismological Laboratory collection on the California earthquake of April 18, 1906 [graphic]. UC Berkeley Libraries
creatorOf Lawson, A. Werner. Report on the geological considerations relating to the Carquinez Bridge project at Valona, California / by A. Werner Lawson. Water Resources Collections and Archives
creatorOf California State Earthquake Investigation Commission photographs from the Andrew C. Lawson collection, 1900-1910, bulk 1906 Bancroft Library
referencedIn Russell, Richard Joel, 1895-. Papers, [ca. 1930s-1971]. American Philosophical Society Library
creatorOf Lawson, Andrew C. (Andrew Cowper), 1861-1952. California State Earthquake Investigation Commission photographs from the Andrew C. Lawson collection [graphic]. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Berkeley Club Papers, 1873-1960 Bancroft Library
referencedIn Portrait file: Guide. Houghton Library
referencedIn Richard Joel Russell papers, [ca. 1930s-1971], Circa 1930-1971 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Palache, Charles, 1869-1954. Charles Palache autobiography : photocopy. UC Berkeley Libraries
creatorOf Andrew C. Lawson papers, 1880-1954, bulk 1890-1951 Bancroft Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Agnews State Hospital (San Jose, Calif.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Berkeley Club corporateBody
associatedWith Branner, John Casper, 1850-1922. person
associatedWith California. State Earthquake Investigation Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith Call Building (San Francisco, Calif.) corporateBody
associatedWith Crosby, G. S. (George S.) person
associatedWith Crosby, G. S. (George S.) person
associatedWith Dudley person
associatedWith Eakle, Arthur S. (Arthur Starr), 1862-1931. person
associatedWith Fairbanks, Harold W. (Harold Wellman), b. 1860. person
associatedWith Geological Society of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Geological Survey of Canada. corporateBody
associatedWith Geological Survey (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Gilbert, Grove Karl, 1843-1918. person
associatedWith Holway, Ruliff S. (Ruliff Stephen), 1857-1927. person
associatedWith Lawson, A. Werner. person
associatedWith LeConte, Joseph N. (Joseph Nisbet), 1870-1950. person
associatedWith Matthes, François, 1874-1948. person
associatedWith Moran person
associatedWith Online Archive of California. corporateBody
associatedWith Palache, Charles, 1869-1954. person
associatedWith Pillsbury Picture Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Russell, Richard Joel, 1895- person
associatedWith San Francisco City Hall corporateBody
associatedWith Stanford University corporateBody
correspondedWith Tilden, Douglas, 1860-1935 person
associatedWith University of California, Berkeley. Dept. of Geology and Geophysics corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, Berkeley. Dept. of Geology and Geophysics. corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, Berkeley. Seismological Laboratory. corporateBody
associatedWith Wood, Harry O. (Harry Oscar), 1879-1958. person
associatedWith Worden, Willard E. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (Oakland and San Francisco, Calif.)
California--San Francisco
San Andreas Fault (Calif.)
Carrizo Plain (Calif.)
California
Subject
Anthropology
Buildings
Cave paintings
Earthquakes
Earthquakes
Evolution (Biology)
Faults (Geology)
Faults (Geology)
Geology
Geology
Prehistoric peoples
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906
San Francisco Earthquake, Calif., 1906
Occupation
Photographers
Activity

Person

Birth 1861-07-25

Death 1952-06-16

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