Pringle, Cyrus G. (Cyrus Guernsey), 1838-1911

Cyrus G. Pringle (1838-1911) was an American botanist who spent his career cataloging the plants of North America, especially in Mexico. He was born on May 6, 1838 in East Charlotte, Vermont. He enrolled at the University of Vermont but had to leave after a semester when his older brother died, so he could run the farm. He did fight in the Civil War, but was discharged after a short time. He went back to the farm and continued his work as a plant breeder where experimented with crops such as corn, fruit trees, and potatoes. He discovered 1,200 new species, 100 new varieties, and 29 new genera. In 1880, he became a botanical collector at the American Museum of Natural History. He was also an agent for the U.S. Census Bureau, in which he explored the forests of New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and New England. The University of Vermont and Middlebury College gave him honorary master's and doctorate degrees for his botanical contributions. He died on May 25, 1911.

Smithsonian Institution Archives Field Book Project: Person : Description : rid_500_pid_EACP497