Biography

United States botanist from Wady Petra, Illinois, who was largely self-trained and aided in his formative years by his aunt, Mary Agnes Chase. He first started work as a railroad telegrapher before working on a farm and in a grocery store until becoming a clerk working at the Peoria and Pekin Union Railroad yard in East Peoria for 28 years, until his retirement in 1951. V.H. Chase collected some 15,000 botanical specimens mainly from the mid-western United States but also collected in Nuevo Leon in Mexico (1939). He was a member of the Peoria Academy of Science and was elected president in 1937. He was also a member of the Illinois State Archeological Society, Illinois State Historical Society, Society for American Archaeology, the American Society of Plant Taxonomists and was a Commissioner for the Boy Scout movement. He was awarded an honorary degree from Kenyon College (MA, 1949) and an honorary Doctor of Science from Bradley University (1950). His herbarium was purchased by the University of Illinois (ILL). He is commemorated by Aster chasei G.N. Jones, Bouteloua chasei Swallen (= Chondrosum chasei (Swallen) Clayton) from Mexico, and Xanthium chasei Fernald.

Biography

United States botanist from Wady Petra, Illinois, who was largely self-trained and aided in his formative years by his aunt, Mary Agnes Chase. He first started work as a railroad telegrapher before working on a farm and in a grocery store until becoming a clerk working at the Peoria and Pekin Union Railroad yard in East Peoria for 28 years, until his retirement in 1951. V.H. Chase collected some 15,000 botanical specimens mainly from the mid-western United States but also collected in Nuevo Leon in Mexico (1939). He was a member of the Peoria Academy of Science and was elected president in 1937. He was also a member of the Illinois State Archeological Society, Illinois State Historical Society, Society for American Archaeology, the American Society of Plant Taxonomists and was a Commissioner for the Boy Scout movement. He was awarded an honorary degree from Kenyon College (MA, 1949) and an honorary Doctor of Science from Bradley University (1950). His herbarium was purchased by the University of Illinois (ILL). He is commemorated by Aster chasei G.N. Jones, Bouteloua chasei Swallen (= Chondrosum chasei (Swallen) Clayton) from Mexico, and Xanthium chasei Fernald.

Biography

United States botanist from Wady Petra, Illinois, who was largely self-trained and aided in his formative years by his aunt, Mary Agnes Chase. He first started work as a railroad telegrapher before working on a farm and in a grocery store until becoming a clerk working at the Peoria and Pekin Union Railroad yard in East Peoria for 28 years, until his retirement in 1951. V.H. Chase collected some 15,000 botanical specimens mainly from the mid-western United States but also collected in Nuevo Leon in Mexico (1939). He was a member of the Peoria Academy of Science and was elected president in 1937. He was also a member of the Illinois State Archeological Society, Illinois State Historical Society, Society for American Archaeology, the American Society of Plant Taxonomists and was a Commissioner for the Boy Scout movement. He was awarded an honorary degree from Kenyon College (MA, 1949) and an honorary Doctor of Science from Bradley University (1950). His herbarium was purchased by the University of Illinois (ILL). He is commemorated by Aster chasei G.N. Jones, Bouteloua chasei Swallen (= Chondrosum chasei (Swallen) Clayton) from Mexico, and Xanthium chasei Fernald.