John Russell Bartlett
Encyclopedia
John Russell Bartlett was an American
historian and linguist.
. From his first to his eighteenth year he lived in Kingston, Canada; he was then in turn, from 1824 to 1836, a clerk in a dry goods store, a book-keeper and a bank cashier at Providence, and for more than ten years after 1836 he was a bookseller in New York City
, returning to Providence in 1850.
In 1850–1853 he was the commissioner on the part of the United States
for the survey of the boundary between the United States and Mexico
, but owing to the lack of funds did not finish the work. During this time he traveled with Henry Cheever Pratt
throughout the Southwest. The autoethnonym of the Seri people of northwestern Mexico
, Comcaac (which he wrote as "komkak"), was first recorded by Bartlett during a short visit to the area in early 1852. The word was included in the list of approximately 180 words that Bartlett archived in the Bureau of American Ethnology
(now part of the National Anthropological Archives
, housed at the Smithsonian).
After being superseded by another commissioner upon the accession of President Franklin Pierce
, he published A Personal Narrative of Explorations and Incidents in Texas, New Mexico, California, Sonora and Chihuahua (2 vols., 1854), which, contains much valuable scientific and historical material concerning the south-west. In 1842, he joined ethnologist and public servant Albert Gallatin
in founding the American Ethnological Society. He is chiefly remembered however, for his Dictionary of Americanisms (1848), a pioneering work which, although supplanted by later dialect
studies, is still of value to students of language and remains a valuable contribution to the subject. The work is referenced frequently by the Oxford English Dictionary
in which it is given the abbreviation "BARTLETT Dict. Amer."
From 1855 to 1872 he was Secretary of State of Rhode Island
, and while serving in this capacity thoroughly re-arranged and classified the state records and prepared various bibliographies and compilations, relating chiefly to the history of the state. He was for several years librarian of the John Carter Brown library and collated an exhaustive catalogue which was published in four volumes. He died in Providence on May 28, 1886.
, publisher of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
historian and linguist.
Biography
Bartlett was born in Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
. From his first to his eighteenth year he lived in Kingston, Canada; he was then in turn, from 1824 to 1836, a clerk in a dry goods store, a book-keeper and a bank cashier at Providence, and for more than ten years after 1836 he was a bookseller in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, returning to Providence in 1850.
In 1850–1853 he was the commissioner on the part of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for the survey of the boundary between the United States and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, but owing to the lack of funds did not finish the work. During this time he traveled with Henry Cheever Pratt
Henry Cheever Pratt
Henry Cheever Pratt was an American artist and explorer. He lived in Boston, Massachusetts.-Biography:Born in New England and trained by Samuel F.B. Morse, Pratt painted landscapes of Maine on painting trips with Thomas Cole and of the American Southwest while on boundary surveying expeditions...
throughout the Southwest. The autoethnonym of the Seri people of northwestern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Comcaac (which he wrote as "komkak"), was first recorded by Bartlett during a short visit to the area in early 1852. The word was included in the list of approximately 180 words that Bartlett archived in the Bureau of American Ethnology
Bureau of American Ethnology
The Bureau of American Ethnology was established in 1879 by an act of Congress for the purpose of transferring archives, records and materials relating to the Indians of North America from the Interior Department to the Smithsonian Institution...
(now part of the National Anthropological Archives
National Anthropological Archives
The National Anthropological Archives and Human Studies Film Archives are a collection of historical and contemporary documents maintained by the Smithsonian Institution, which document the history of anthropology and the world's peoples and cultures...
, housed at the Smithsonian).
After being superseded by another commissioner upon the accession of President Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
, he published A Personal Narrative of Explorations and Incidents in Texas, New Mexico, California, Sonora and Chihuahua (2 vols., 1854), which, contains much valuable scientific and historical material concerning the south-west. In 1842, he joined ethnologist and public servant Albert Gallatin
Albert Gallatin
Abraham Alfonse Albert Gallatin was a Swiss-American ethnologist, linguist, politician, diplomat, congressman, and the longest-serving United States Secretary of the Treasury. In 1831, he founded the University of the City of New York...
in founding the American Ethnological Society. He is chiefly remembered however, for his Dictionary of Americanisms (1848), a pioneering work which, although supplanted by later dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
studies, is still of value to students of language and remains a valuable contribution to the subject. The work is referenced frequently by the Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
in which it is given the abbreviation "BARTLETT Dict. Amer."
From 1855 to 1872 he was Secretary of State of Rhode Island
Secretary of State of Rhode Island
The Secretary of the State of Rhode Island is an elected office in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. As of 2008, the current Secretary of State is A...
, and while serving in this capacity thoroughly re-arranged and classified the state records and prepared various bibliographies and compilations, relating chiefly to the history of the state. He was for several years librarian of the John Carter Brown library and collated an exhaustive catalogue which was published in four volumes. He died in Providence on May 28, 1886.
Note
John Russell Bartlett should not be confused with John BartlettJohn Bartlett
John Bartlett may refer to:*John Bartlett *John Bartlett , publisher of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations*John H...
, publisher of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, often simply called Bartlett's, is an American reference work that is the longest-lived and most widely distributed collection of quotations...
.
External links
- John Russell Bartlett Papers at the Rhode Island Historical SocietyRhode Island Historical SocietyThe Rhode Island Historical Society is a privately endowed membership organization, founded in 1822, dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing the history of Rhode Island...