John Bartram

NAME: John Bartram

WHAT FAMOUS FOR: John Bartram was a renowned American botanist and explorer, often referred to as the "Father of American Botany."

BIRTH: John Bartram was born on March 23, 1699, near Darby, Pennsylvania, British America.

FAMILY BACKGROUND: He was the son of William Bartram, a Quaker farmer and judge, and Elizabeth Hunt Bartram. The Bartram family had roots in England and settled in Pennsylvania.

CHILDHOOD: Growing up on the family farm, John Bartram developed an early interest in plants and nature.

EDUCATION: Bartram received only a basic education. Orphaned at the age of 13,  Bartram taught himself botany, medicine, and surgery when he was not working as an agricultural laborer.

CAREER RECORD: He started as a farmer but transitioned into a successful career as a botanist, exploring and documenting the flora of North America.

Established Bartram's Botanic Garden near Philadelphia

Collected and exported seeds and plants throughout North America

Corresponded with and shared plants with European scientists like Carl Linnaeus

Served as the King's Botanist for the American colonies

APPEARANCE: Bartram was described as tall and slender, with a weathered face from his outdoor pursuits.

John Bartram Library of Congress. https://www.historynet.com/

FASHION: He dressed in practical clothing suitable for outdoor expeditions.

CHARACTER: John Bartram was known for his curiosity, persistence, and passion for plants. He was considered generous and hospitable.

SENSE OF HUMOUR: Bartram was said to have a dry sense of humor, typical of Quakers, often displayed in his letters and writings.

RELATIONSHIPS: He was married to Mary Maris Bartram from 1723 to her death in 1727. He wed Ann Mendenhall in 1729. He had 11 children, two by Mary and nine by Ann. His third son, William Bartram, became a noted naturalist in his own right.

MONEY AND FAME: Bartram gained fame and recognition for his botanical discoveries and contributions to the field. He earned income from selling seeds and plants.

In 1765, King George III, honored Bartram as King's Botanist for North America with an annual pension of £50, a position he held until his death in 1777

FOOD AND DRINK: Bartram likely consumed a simple diet typical of the time, based on locally grown produce and game.

MUSIC AND ARTS: While not a musician or artist himself, Bartram appreciated the arts and supported artists and writers.

LITERATURE: He corresponded with many intellectuals of his time and wrote extensively about his botanical explorations. Bartram's best-known work is his 1751 Observations on the Inhabitants, Climate, Soil, Rivers, Productions, Animals, and other Matters Worthy of Notice, made by Mr. John Bartram in his Travels from Pennsylvania to Onondaga, Oswego, and the Lake Ontario, in Canada (1751).

Bartram read widely about botany and natural history,

NATURE: Bartram had a deep appreciation and reverence for the natural world and dedicated his life to studying and documenting North American flora. 

For forty years, Bartram became a man possessed by a botanical wanderlust. He traipsed hither and yon across the continent, his boots leaving a trail from the shores of Lake Ontario all the way down to the sun-drenched swamps of Florida and the banks of the Ohio River. Everywhere he went, his keen eye was on the lookout for new plant life and natural wonders to add to his ever-growing collection. This wasn't just a personal project, mind you – Bartram was a supplier of the finest flora to collectors both at home and abroad.

Alongside his son, William, who was just as nutty about plants as his old man, Bartram is credited with unearthing and nurturing over 200 native American plants, coaxing them from obscurity into the limelight of cultivation. Their garden became the hottest joint in town, a must-see for the Founding Fathers – even Ben Franklin, that cravat-wearing wiz, couldn't resist a peek at Bartram's botanical bonanza. The garden's so famous, it's still maintained by Philadelphia today, a testament to Bartram's green-thumbed genius.

But Bartram wasn't just a plant fanatic. This guy was a full-blown naturalist, a collector of creatures both creepy and crawly. He documented and bagged zoological specimens with the zeal of a big-game hunter, all the while proposing that they investigate geological oddities like mineral deposits with a bit more scientific rigor. Even fossils got a look-in – Bartram argued they deserved a good grilling by the boffins, rather than simply being gawped at as curiosities.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS: His main hobby was botany, but he also enjoyed hunting and fishing.

SCIENCE AND MATHS: Bartram's work was rooted in scientific observation and recording.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY: Bartram's Quaker beliefs likely influenced his appreciation for nature and simplicity. He was also influenced by Enlightenment ideas and believed in the ordHBartram demonstrated his opposition to the slave trade by freeing his slaves; his outspoken religious opinions caused him to be disowned by his coreligionists in the Society of Friends.

Bartram demonstrated his opposition to the slave trade by freeing his slaves.

Bartram was one of the co-founders, along with Benjamin Franklin, of the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia. It supported scientific studies as well as philosophy.   

SCANDAL: Bartram was not associated with any scandals.

MILITARY RECORD: He was not known for military service.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS: Bartram was robust and healthy, attributed to his outdoor lifestyle.

HOMES: In 1728, John Bartram, with a nose for greenery stronger than a bloodhound on a ham trail, bought up some land at Kingsessing, near Philadelphia. This wasn't just any plot of dirt, mind you – Bartram had grand designs. He was going to turn this patch into the first botanical garden the American colonies had ever seen, a place bursting with exotic blooms and peculiar flora that would make a tulip blush. And that's exactly what he did. In fact, he even threw in some groundbreaking plant hybridization experiments for good measure, just to keep things spicy. Today it is known as Bartram's Garden and is a historic site.

TRAVEL: Bartram embarked on several botanical expeditions, including journeys through the American colonies. They included a journey to Florida on a commission from the King

DEATH: John Bartram passed away on September 22, 1777, at his Kingsessing home, just four days before the British invaded Philadelphia. He was buried at the Darby Friends Cemetery in Darby, Pennsylvania. 

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA: Bartram's life and contributions have been depicted in various books and documentaries.

ACHIEVEMENTS: Founded the first major botanical garden in America

Pioneered the study and classification of North American plants

Introduced North American plants to Europe

Contributed significantly to the advancement of botanical knowledge

Inspired future generations of American botanists