American physician, geologist and professor (1823–1901)
For the Sierra Nevada explorer and son of Joseph Le Conte, see Joseph Nisbet LeConte.
Joseph Le Conte
Born
(1823-02-26)February 26, 1823
Liberty County, Georgia, US
Died
July 6, 1901(1901-07-06) (aged 78)
Yosemite Valley, California, US
Alma mater
Franklin College (University of Georgia)
New York College of Physicians and Surgeons
Harvard University
Occupation(s)
Physician, scholar, professor and conservationist
Spouse
Caroline Nisbet
Joseph Le Conte (alternative spelling: Joseph LeConte) (February 26, 1823 – July 6, 1901) was a physician, geologist, professor at the University of California, Berkeley, early California conservationist, and eugenicist.
After graduating from Harvard, Le Conte in 1851 accompanied Agassiz on an expedition to study the Florida Reef.[2] On his return he became professor of natural science at Oglethorpe University, which was located in Midway, Georgia, at the time,[4] and from December 1852 until 1856 professor of natural history and geology at Franklin College (the sole college at the University of Georgia at that time).[2] From 1857 to 1869 he was a professor of chemistry and geology at South Carolina College, which is now the University of South Carolina.[5]
On January 14, 1846, he married Caroline Nisbet, a niece of Eugenius A. Nisbet. The Le Conte(s) had four children grow to adulthood: Emma Florence Le Conte, Sarah Elizabeth Le Conte, Caroline Eaton Le Conte, and Joseph Nisbet Le Conte.
Discouraged by unsettled postwar conditions at the University of South Carolina, in 1868 he accepted an offer of a professorship at the newly established University of California. In September 1869, he moved west to Berkeley, California.[4] His older brother John had come to California in April 1869, also to join the faculty of the new university as a professor of physics. Joseph was appointed the first professor of geology and natural history and botany at the university, a post which he held until his death.
He published a series of papers on monocular and binocular vision, and also on psychology.[2] His chief contributions, however, related to geology. He described the fissure-eruptions in western America, discoursed on earth-crust movements and their causes and on the great features of the Earth's surface.[2] As separate works he published Elements of Geology (1878, 5th ed. 1889); Religion and Science (1874); and Evolution and its Relation to Religious Thought (1888). This last work anticipates in structure and argument Teilhard de Chardin's "Phenomenon of Man".(1955).[8] LeConte endorsed theistic evolution.[9]
Leconte, along with other founders of the Sierra Club were advocates of white supremacy and supporters of the eugenics movement in the United States.[17][18] The elementary school at 2241 Russell Street in Berkeley was named for Joseph LeConte from 1892 until 2018,[19] when it was renamed due to concerns regarding his views on race.[20]
Another building at UC Berkeley was also renamed, as announced on July 7, 2020, due to the LeConte brothers' support of white supremacy and vigorous white supremacy writings in that regard.[21][22][23][24]