Charles Edwin Bessey (l845-l9l5)

Categories: Conservation, Botany, Education, Author
Death date: February 26, l9l5
Contribution to State: Botany professor, University of Nebr; promoter of forestry; conservationist, author, dean of University of Nebraska Agricultural College, 1909, interim chancellor of University of Nebraska three times.
Years in Nebraska: l884-l9l5
National Contribution: Influence in Wild Flower Preservation Society and in the preserving of California Sequoia trees, president of American Association for Advancement of Science, Editor of American Naturalist

Called the father of the Nebraska National Forest at Halsey, Nebraska, Charles Edwin Bessey is credited with creating this man-planted forest in the Sandhills of Nebraska. Bessey came to the University of Nebraska in l884 to be a professor of botany. The Ohio native had studied at Michigan Agricultural College, at Harvard, and at Iowa State University. He was professor of botany at Iowa Agricultural College from l870-84. Bessey established a botanical laboratory at Iowa State University in 1873 when, according to Bessey, "botanical laboratories were unknown, even in the great universities of the country."

Dr. Bessey was made dean of the University of Nebraska Agricultural College, and became head dean in 1909. He served as interim chancellor of the University 1888-9l, 1899 and again in 1899. The college's enrollment and curriculum grew during Bessey's administration.

In l885 Bessey was appointed scientist of the State Board of Agriculture. His research and reports on plant life in Nebraska helped in the agricultural development of the state. He collected specimens of Nebraska's natural plants and grasses and arranged for their exhibit at the state fair.

Bessey's successful tree planting experiment in Holt County on land furnished by Lawrence Bruner in 1891 led to the establishment of forest reservations in Thomas and Cherry Counties in l902. The Nebraska National Forest is the only one in our National Forest system which is planted rather than natural.

Bessey was elected to the board of managers of the national Wild Flower Preservation Society in 1902. He influenced this group to publicize the organization. Public awareness of the group and its work helped prevent the destruction of wild flowers. Shortly afterwards Bessey was asked by the Outdoor Art League of California to support their efforts in preserving sequoia trees in Calaveras and Tuolumne counties of California. As committee chairman of a botany section of the American Association for Advancement of Science, Bessey recommended that all botanists support federal legislation preserving the giant trees. His influence eventually led to state and federal protection of the Calaveras sequoia trees.

Dr. Bessey held offices in many state and national societies devoted to agriculture and science, including president of the Botanical Society of America, 1895-96. and president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1910-12. He was the author of many reports and textbooks on botany. His best known book was Essential of Botany, published in 1884. In 1914, Bessey and his son Ernst A. Bessey rewrote the book and titled it The Essentials of College Botany. From l899-l9l5 he was editor of Science magazine.

Bessey died in Lincoln on February 26, 19l5. He was named to the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement in 1918.