Dr. Albert Spear Hitchcock (-1935)

HITCHCOCK

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 11/13/2008 at 20:09:31

THE AMES TRIBUNE AND TIMES, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Saturday, January 4, 1936.

Dr. Hitchcock, Noted Graduate of I. S., Dead

Dr. Albert Spear Hitchcock, 70, a graduate of Iowa State college and an internationally known botanist, died a short time ago while returning to the United States after attending the International Botanical congress in Amsterdam, Holland, and visiting thru Europe, it was reported Saturday by Prof. I. E. Methus, head of the botany department at Iowa State college.

Dr. Hitchcock received a bachelor of science degree from Iowa State in 1 884 and a master's degree in 1886. He served as a graduate assistant in chemistry here while working for his master's degree and was an instructor in chemistry at the University of Iowa from 1886 to 1889. After teaching at several colleges he joined the United States agricultural servcie in 1905. He was senior botanist in the bureau of plant industry at the time of his death.

Professor Mehus reported that Dr. Hitchcock celebrated his 70th birthday while at the congress and many of the botanists enjoyed a large birthday cake prepared by Mrs. Hitchcock. Dr. Hitchcock died Dec. 16 while on the boat en route to the states.

Dr. Hitchcock was regarded by many as the world's foremost authority on grasses. He was the author of numerous botany books, chief of which was a complete and authoritative volume on grasses grown thruout the world.