Slevin, Joseph Richard, 1881-1957

Chronology

• 1881: Born in San Francisco, September 13, 1881.
• 1904: Hired by the California Academy of Sciences in preparation for the Galapagos Islands Expedition.
• 1905: Sails for the Galapagos Islands onboard the schooner, Academy.
• 1906: Returns to San Francisco and helps to rebuild Academy after 1906 earthquake and fire. Becomes the assistant curator of the herpetology department.
• 1928: Becomes curator of the herpetology department.
• 1954: Elected Honorary Member by the California Academy of Sciences.
• 1956: Last bibliography of scientific publications is published.
• 1957: Dies in San Francisco on February 17th.

Biographical note

Joseph Richard Slevin was born in San Francisco on September 13, 1881. He attended St. Ignatius College, San Francisco and completed his studies in Humanities at St. Mary’s College in Kansas. His mother was an avid philatelist, one brother was an ornithologist, another brother was an entomologist, and his father, Thomas E. Slevin, was a member of the California Academy of Sciences as well as an amateur ornithologist.

Inevitably, after serving in the United States Navy and completing 20 voyages with the Oceanic Steamship Company, Joseph R. Slevin accepted a position at the California Academy of Sciences in 1904. At this time, the Academy was preparing for a Galapagos expedition and Slevin was found to be uniquely qualified for the trip. Prior to his departure, he was given extensive training by Dr. John Van Denburgh, curator of the Herpetology Department. On June 28, 1905, Slevin and the crew of the schooner, Academy, set sail for the Galapagos Islands.

While the expedition was taking place, most of the Academy’s collection was destroyed in the San Francisco 1906 earthquake. The expedition returned November 29, 1906, and its collection of the flora and fauna of the Galapagos served as the new building blocks for the Academy collection.

After the expedition, Slevin continued to work for the Academy as Dr. Van Denburgh’s assistant. Dr. Van Denburgh died in 1928 and Slevin assumed the curatorship for the herpetology department. In addition to his specialty in the Galapagos Islands, Slevin collected in Mexico, the Gulf of California, Australia, Guatemala, and elsewhere.

After 53 years of service to the California Academy of Sciences, Slevin died on February 15, 1957. At the time of his death, he had two books in manuscripts; a history of explorations in the Galapagos Islands, and a popular handbook of reptiles.

Sources Consulted: Academy News Letter, No. 207, March, 1957.

Academy News Letter, No. 164, August, 1953.

From the guide to the Slevin (Joseph Richard) papers, 1881-1957, (California Academy of Sciences, Special Collections)