William Codman Sturgis papers

William Codman Sturgis (1862-1942) is best remembered for his collections and studies of the Myxomycetes, especially those of Colorado. He also studied plant pathology, forestry and mycology. Additionally, he had a long career as a lay educator within the Protestant Episcopal Church.

He was born in Boston, Mass. on November 15, 1862. He studied Botany at Harvard College, receiving his A.B. in 1884, A.M. in 1887 and his Ph.D. in 1889. His first position was as assistant in the Cryptogamic Laboratory at Harvard, followed by a position as vegetable pathologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and lecturer at the Yale School of Forestry(1891-1901). It was in Connecticut that he first became interested in the Myxomycetes. This interest was reinforced through a visit with Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Lister in England. A lifelong correspondence ensued. After Lister’s death, Sturgis continued to correspond with his daughter Gulielma Lister. He received many rare specimens, especially types materials for the many new species proposed by them.

From 1904-1917 he was Dean of the School of Forestry at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO. While in Colorado, Sturgis made extensive collections of Myxomycetes of the area, among which were several forms which he proposed as new species.

He moved to New York City in 1917 to assume the position of Educational Secretary of the Board of Missions of the Episcopal Church in New York. He held this position until 1927. From 1929-1931 he was a lecturer at the College of Preachers, Washington D. C. From 1934-1938 he served as warden at St. Martin’s House, Bernardsville, N. J.

Sturgis was married to the former Carolyn Hall. They had four children, Norman, Alanson, Margaret (Mrs. John W. Suter), and Julie. He died at their winter home in New York City on September 29, 1942.