| Jessie G. Beach | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 5, 1887 Stephenville, Texas, US |
| Died | August 16, 1954 Fort Worth, Texas, US |
| Alma mater | George Washington University |
| Occupation | museum aide |
| Known for | one of the "Smithsonian women in science" |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | paleontology |
| Institutions | Smithsonian Institution |
Jessie G. Beach (1887 – 1954) was an American paleontologist and museum aide. She worked for the Smithsonian Institution's department of paleobiology at the United States National Museum (now the National Museum of Natural History). Beach is one of the notable "Smithsonian women in science", working at a time when very few women had these roles.
Biography
Jessie G. Beach was born on October 5, 1887, in Stephenville, Erath County, Texas, to parents Luella (née Wood) and Benjamin F. Beach. She was a Baptist. Beach attended Baylor University, and George Washington University. She received a B.S. and M.S. degree from George Washington University, where her graduate studies was focused on archaeology.
From 1918 until 1920, Beach worked at the Smithsonian Institution as a typist, followed by a promotion to a museum aide which she remained at until her death in 1954. In 1922, Beach traveled to France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, England, and Scotland in order to consult museums on their best cataloguing practices. In 1945, Beach aided the head curator in preparing exhibitions which often meant proper labeling, describing scientific terms, cleaning, and rearranging displays. She served as an aid to several departments and for several people including Charles E. Resser, Ray S. Bassler, and William F. Foshag. Her work at the museum influenced the publishing of "Bryozoa of the Philippine Region" (1929), authored by Ferdinand Canu and Ray S. Bassler.
Jessie G. Beach died in the hospital on August 16, 1954, in Fort Worth, Texas, after struggling with her health since April of the same year. She was cremated in Dallas, and has a gravestone at the Beach Cemetery in Johnsville, Texas.
Publications
Between 1929 and 1931, Beach wrote articles for the Evening Star newspaper in Washington, D.C. about new museum developments.
- Beach, Jessie G. (August 14, 1929). "Rare Work of Art On View In Capital". Evening Star (Washington, District of Columbia). p. 4. OCLC 974435782.
- Beach, Jessie G. (August 25, 1929). "Scientists Study Borax Deposits". Evening Star (Washington, District of Columbia). p. 13.
- Beach, Jessie G. (October 27, 1929). "Persian Tapestry Shows Many Faces". Evening Star (Washington, District of Columbia). p. 11.
- Beach, Jessie G. (December 7, 1930). "Native Silver Ore Shown At Museum". Evening Star (Washington, District of Columbia). p. 25.
- Beach, Jessie G. (December 26, 1931). "Horse's Ancestor Found, Missing Link in Evolution Chain Discovered". Evening Star (Washington, District of Columbia). p. 3.
References
- Sherwood, John (January 12, 1977). "Notes on Gentle People and Their Honest Love". Smithsonian Institution Archives. The Washington Star. Retrieved 2022-04-30.
- "Paleontologist Dies". Newspapers.com. San Angelo Standard-Times. August 17, 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 2022-04-30.
- ^ Hernandez, Lezlie (September 2, 2021). "Spotlight on Jessie G. Beach, Smithsonian Department of Paleobiology Staff Member". Smithsonian Libraries and Archives.
- "Bulletin of the United States National Museum". Bulletin. United States National Museum. Washington D.C.: G.P.O.: 2 1907–1971. ISSN 0362-9236.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ "Death Closes Long Career of Miss Beach". Newspapers.com. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. August 17, 1954. p. 4. Retrieved 2022-04-30.
- "Jessie G Beach in the Texas, U.S., Death Certificates, 1903-1982". Ancestry.com. Austin, TX: Texas Department of State Health Services.
Birth Date: 5 Oct 1887
- ^ "Miss Jessie G. Beach". Newspapers.com. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. August 18, 1954. p. 12. Retrieved 2022-04-30.