Ross Gilmore Marvin
Encyclopedia
Ross Gilmore Marvin was an Arctic explorer who took part in Robert Peary
's 1905-1906 and 1908-1909 expeditions. It was initially believed that Marvin died in an accident on the second expedition, at the age of 29, but later evidence emerged that he may have been murdered. There is still controversy regarding the real causes of Marvin's death.
, New York
on January 28, 1880 to Mary J. Marvin and Edward Marvin. He was the youngest of six children. When Marvin was six years old his father died. Marvin was educated in Elmira in the public school system at Beecher School. In 1899, Marvin graduated from the Elmira Free Academy, and in fall of that same year he went to Cornell University
. Marvin also served on the training-ship St. Mary's
of the New York Nautical School, which conducted scientific studies in European waters. He graduated from the Nautical School in 1902 and from Cornell University in 1905 with a degree in civil engineering
.
, but he was more committed then ever to go back. After his return, Marvin became a professor of engineering at Cornell University. He took a leave of absence from this post in order to participate in Peary's 1908-1909 expedition.
cousins, Kudlookto and Harrigan. After Peary left Marvin with his two Eskimo companions, Peary never saw Marvin alive.
cousins, reported that Marvin had fallen through the ice, and that there was no foul play. Seventeen years after the incident, Kudlookto confessed the murder to a Danish missionary, due to his newfound Christian beliefs. Because of the remoteness of the area in which Kudlookto lived and the indeterminate jurisdiction of the site of the crime, no attempt was ever made to prosecute Kudlookto. However, there are also stories that Marvin lost his mind and Kudlookto had to shoot him to save his cousin. Marvin was threatening to leave Harrigan behind and Kudlookto shot him to save Harrigan. Even with the stories, those who were close to the Eskimo claimed that he would not harm anyone. They still holdfast to the theory that Marvin drowned in the water after falling through the ice. Another theory is that since Marvin did not know the language well, his way to get through was by using hand gestures. There is a possibility that the two cousins may have misinterpreted what Marvin was trying to convey, and in the panic shot him.
Marvin is remembered at the one of his alma maters, State University of New York Maritime College in New York City with a plaque commemorated May 7, 1968.
http://www.bowdoin.edu/arctic-museum/index.shtml
http://www.bowdoin.edu/arctic-museum/activity/northward-journal/ross-marvin.shtml
"Ross Gilmore Marvin: Scientist, Teacher, Explorer. By James Vinton Stowell. 1954"
http://www.bowdoin.edu/arctic-museum/activity/northward-journal/1908/12/08.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Peary
Robert Peary
Robert Edwin Peary, Sr. was an American explorer who claimed to have been the first person, on April 6, 1909, to reach the geographic North Pole...
's 1905-1906 and 1908-1909 expeditions. It was initially believed that Marvin died in an accident on the second expedition, at the age of 29, but later evidence emerged that he may have been murdered. There is still controversy regarding the real causes of Marvin's death.
Personal Life
Marvin was born in ElmiraElmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on January 28, 1880 to Mary J. Marvin and Edward Marvin. He was the youngest of six children. When Marvin was six years old his father died. Marvin was educated in Elmira in the public school system at Beecher School. In 1899, Marvin graduated from the Elmira Free Academy, and in fall of that same year he went to Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. Marvin also served on the training-ship St. Mary's
USS St. Mary's (1844)
The second USS St. Mary's was a sloop-of-war in the United States Navy.St. Mary's was built in 1843-44 at the Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., was commissioned in the fall of 1844, Commander John L. Saunders in command....
of the New York Nautical School, which conducted scientific studies in European waters. He graduated from the Nautical School in 1902 and from Cornell University in 1905 with a degree in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
.
First Expedition
Marvin took part in the first Peary expedition shortly after graduating from Cornell. Marvin was very eager to join the expedition, because he felt that it was his life's work. This expedition failed to reach the North PoleNorth Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
, but he was more committed then ever to go back. After his return, Marvin became a professor of engineering at Cornell University. He took a leave of absence from this post in order to participate in Peary's 1908-1909 expedition.
Second Expedition
Marvin was given the role of chief scientist and keeper of the ship's log. He would record the day to day activities of the men, and of the general conditions that the men had to face while headed toward the arctic, which included the weather. Marvin kept a journal of his days on the ice, however the entries began to dwindle as the expedition went on. His last journal entry was on December 8, 1908. On this journey, they were better equipped. They had 7 explorers, 17 Eskimos, 133 sled dogs, and 19 sledges. There was a main group and there were smaller groups. The smaller groups would break off from the main group and go ahead to establish camps for the main group. While Peary set out to reach the North Pole, Marvin was left behind as part of a staged support team. His partners were InuitInuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
cousins, Kudlookto and Harrigan. After Peary left Marvin with his two Eskimo companions, Peary never saw Marvin alive.
Death and Legacy
There are a few theories as to what people think happened on the ice that day but because of the location, nothing can be proved conclusively. There was an official explanation in place until 1926. Initially, Kudlookto and Harrigan, the two InuitInuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
cousins, reported that Marvin had fallen through the ice, and that there was no foul play. Seventeen years after the incident, Kudlookto confessed the murder to a Danish missionary, due to his newfound Christian beliefs. Because of the remoteness of the area in which Kudlookto lived and the indeterminate jurisdiction of the site of the crime, no attempt was ever made to prosecute Kudlookto. However, there are also stories that Marvin lost his mind and Kudlookto had to shoot him to save his cousin. Marvin was threatening to leave Harrigan behind and Kudlookto shot him to save Harrigan. Even with the stories, those who were close to the Eskimo claimed that he would not harm anyone. They still holdfast to the theory that Marvin drowned in the water after falling through the ice. Another theory is that since Marvin did not know the language well, his way to get through was by using hand gestures. There is a possibility that the two cousins may have misinterpreted what Marvin was trying to convey, and in the panic shot him.
Marvin is remembered at the one of his alma maters, State University of New York Maritime College in New York City with a plaque commemorated May 7, 1968.
External Links
http://www.chemungvalleymuseum.org/http://www.bowdoin.edu/arctic-museum/index.shtml
http://www.bowdoin.edu/arctic-museum/activity/northward-journal/ross-marvin.shtml
"Ross Gilmore Marvin: Scientist, Teacher, Explorer. By James Vinton Stowell. 1954"
http://www.bowdoin.edu/arctic-museum/activity/northward-journal/1908/12/08.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Peary