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IN MEMORIAM—THOMAS W. SPURLOCK.
(Read and referred March 4, 1884.)

Thomas W. Spurlock was born in the village of Cedarville, King
William county, Virginia, on the 15th of January, 1803. He learned
the trade of a shoemaker, and worked at different times in Richmond)
Lynchburg and Fredericksburg. He married about 1831, Miss Martha
Ann Davis, and in November, 1836, he moved to Cincinnati, where
he lived until his death. He followed his trade until about 1850,
when he was engaged by Mr. Harwood, of the firm of Marsh &
Harwood, to work in their chemical laboratory. He was employed in
the manufacture of sulphuric acid, and continued in that department
of the works until about twelve years ago, when his advanced age
compelled him to give up active labor. From that time he lived with
his son in-law, Mr. Henry Ambach, on Mohawk street, till he died,
of pneumonia, on the 19th of January, 1884, aged 81 years and
4 days.

Mr. Spurlock’s deep love for botanical studies, and his general in-
terest in all branches of natural science, together with his contribu-
tions to the flora of Cincinnati, entitle him to a notice before this
Society.

As a young man, he was fond of hunting, and in his rambles near
his native place developed a love for nature which never relaxed its
fervor, and which was as warm in his old age as in middle life. Even
in his last hours his mind wandered among the wild flowers and ferns,
and planned excursions to catch the first blossoms of the coming
season,

In Virginia he had studied the flora of the region where he was born,
and the recollection of the plants he had known there was dear to
him. The discovery of a familiar plant was like meeting an old
friend, and his face would beam with delight as he displayed his new-
found treasure. His companion in his rambles in bygone years was
Dr. Thomas Salter, who kept a drug store at the corner of Ludlow

2 Cincinnati Society of Natural History.

and Second streets. In later years his botanical excursions were some-
times made in the company, (though he usually went alone) of Dr. C.
J. Funck and Dr. R. M. Byrnes. Dr. Salter seems to have been an
intimate friend, to whom’ Mr. Spurlock looked for companionship in
his studies, and to whose herbarium he made many contributions.

During the eight years’ acquaintance which the writer enjoyed
with Mr. Spurlock, scarcely a week passed that he did not bring him
some rare or beautiful plant. He never collected for himself. He
gave freely to his friends the results of his herborizing. He admired
plants as they grew. Unlike most collectors, he cared more for their
preservation in the woods, the fields or on the hillsides than in herb.
aria, He |
“Loved the wood rose and left it on its stalk.”

He often refused to give information as to the locality of a rare
plant, for fear some ardent collector would destroy it and it might not
appear again. He watched even the most insignificant with as much
care as a gardener watches his choicest varieties.

From its first budding to its fruiting the vilest weed, if rare, was
the subject of his constant attention, and when the seed had matured,
‘he carefully gathered and scattered it in new places, in the hope—
often vain, indeed—that it might germinate, and thus a rare species
would be preserved to our flora. It was a favorite scheme of his to
place the homely Jamestown weed (Datura stramonitum) with the
beautiful flowered Datura meteloides. ‘He scattered many seeds on
the hillsides and in the quarries, and though they germinated, the
beauty and fragrance of the flowers were the destruction of the plants,
and the plan, as might have been expected, failed. Less worthy,
though as characteristic, was his endeavor to establish the Xanthium
spinosum and. Dysodia chrysanthemoides, and more fortunate for us
that he was unsuccessful. He desired to have unusual plants near
him, where he could readily get to them, watch them grow and flower
and gather a few now and then to please his botanical friends.

The ferns Mr. Spurlock dearly loved and admired. It was a ¢con-
stant source of regret that the rapid spread of the city was destroy-
ing the places in which they grew. The locality of a rare species
was to him a Mecca demanding a yearly pilgrimage, and how deeply he
felt the destruction of such a locality can only be known to those who
have heard him gravely complain of his misfortunes.

When botanizing with Mr. Spurlock, he said to the writer: “ Come,
and I will show you where the New York fern grows.’ (It is rare in

In Memoriam—Thomas W. Spurlock. 3

this region.) He led the way toa small grove of noble beeches, and on a
little mound made by the roots of a prostrated tree, lay the remains
of a few plants, the fronds broken and crumpled. Tenderly, as if
caressing a child, the old man smoothed out the leaves and mourned
over the injured plant, sighing at the thought that it might not revive
again.

In the latter part of August, 1883, hé found a few plants of Cassia
occidentalis, on the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad below Millcreek.
It is an extra limital species, and had never ‘been observed here
before. Our old friend’s interest was excited. He took botanists to
see the plants and visited the spot regularly once a week, until on
October 18th he brought a well flowered specimen carefully wrapped
in wet cloths, and with a smiling face and twinkling eye, gave it to
the writer, with the injunction to press it carefully for an herbarium
specimen. He now watched for the seeding, and one day came to say
that the section men had almost destroyed his flowers, but that he
had saved one broken specimen. This he planted in a pot, bandaged the
broken stem carefully, and faithfully watched it till the seed matured.
These he saved, and with a generosity so characteristic of him, he
brought the two legumes to us and asked us to open one, give him two
or three seeds, and keep and plant the remaining ones.

Mr. Spurlock left no herbarium and no notes of his observations,
but he did leave to those who knew him the fragrant recollection of a
pure, simple love of nature, which in a less modest or more aggressive
man would have hiossomed forth in work of permanent value. Local
botany owes much to him, and his loss will long be felt by those who
knew his kindly ways. He found many plants which are named in
the Cincinnati Flora of Mr. Jos. F. James, and discovered not a few
which, from their retiring habits, had been thought extinct in the
vicinity. .

He was also a collector of fossils, and many of the collections of the
city have been enriched by his “finds.”” He added to the pleasure of
finding that of giving. The rare trilobite Proteus spurlocki was found
by him and presented to Mr. C. B. Dyer, and the beautiful plyzoan,
Ptilodictya shafferi was first found and given by Mr. Spurlock to the
gentleman whose name is honored in connection with it.

Mr. Spurlock was a very modest and retiring man, quiet in manner
and pleasant in conversation when he could be drawn out. He was
entirely self educated, had been a great reader, and had a fund of gen-
eral knowledge which was surprising ix a man of his opportunities.

4 Cincinnati Society of Natural History.

He was well aequainted with the medicinal qualities of herbs, and had
considerable knowledge of chemistry and medicine.

In person he was short, spare, and stooped with age, brisk in his
movements, and walked usually with a cane.*

He was a life-long member of the First Baptist Church, Uniting
with that congregation when he first came to the city, he continued a
constant attendant till his death. He was licensed by his church in 1842,
and has more than once served in the capacity of preacher. He never
obtruded his religious opinions upon any one. He was a simple-
hearted believer in Christianity, who “looked through nature up to
Nature’s God,’ and saw in the humblest flower “ the revelation of His
love.’ To one who visited him in his last illness, he said that with
St. Augustine he could say, “ Spes mea Christus.” In this hope he
died. With us he still lives in memory as a man whose love for
nature was pure and childlike adil ey ond, any expectation of gain.

' ite He 8 te _ Davis L. James.

* His favorite walking stiewast a aaa stem of Artemisia.

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