William Herbert Hobbs

William Herbert Hobbs, Ph.D. (Worcester, Mass., July 2, 1864 – Ann Arbor, MI, January 1, 1953) was an American geologist.

Background and education

William Herbert Hobbs, geologist and leader of four expeditions to Greenland, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, July 2, 1864, the son of Horace and Mary Paine (Parker) Hobbs. He was educated at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in 1883 he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science.), at Johns Hopkins (Ph.D., 1888), and at Heidelberg (1888–89).

Career

He filled several positions at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (1889–1906). From 1886 to 1906 he served with the United States Geological Survey. He received his appointment as Professor of Geology, Aug. 6, 1906. He also taught at the University of Michigan (1906 - 1934).

During his career, Hobbs lead four expeditions to Greenland and made several trips in Europe. In about 1906, he made a "record ascent" of Mont Blanc, "lowering the previous record by an hour and a half," according to one biographical source which offers no further detail nor source information. Hobbs gained notoriety in 1909, when he denounced as fraud Dr. Frederick Cook's claim of having reached the North Pole. Hobbs was then counter-attacked by Cook.

A few years later, Hobbs crusaded actively for American participation in World War I, helping to found and lead the 1915 Ann Arbor Branch of the National Security League, he subsequently engaged in related and comparable actions to discourage formation of the League of Nations.

Professional and scientific organizations to which Hobbs has been elected to membership or to office are the following: