Oakes, William, 1799-1848

Dates

• Existence: 1799 - 1848

Biography

William Oakes (July 1, 1799-July 31, 1848) was an American botanist. William Oakes was born on July 1, 1799. He attended Harvard from 1816 and developed an interest in natural history under the guidance of his tutor, William Dandridge Peck. After graduation in 1820, Oakes studied law and then, from 1824, began a legal practice in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Oakes was among the first travelers on a path to the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire that had been constructed in 1821 by the pioneering Ethan Crawford. He came to know Crawford well during his numerous subsequent visits to the White Mountains in which Mount Washington lies. Oakes Gulf in the mountains is named after him. Oakes eventually gave up law to pursue full-time his interest in natural history. He was asked to contribute a description of White Mountains flora to a geological survey report in 1842 and thereafter spent much time on the project. Oakes drowned on July 31, 1848 after falling off a ferry running between Boston and East Boston

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