1883
Timothy William Stanton
The Founding Era
Born in 1860 in Monroe, Illinois, Timothy William Stanton was the second of nine children. He grew up in a household shaped by poverty, frequent relocations and the lingering effects of the Civil War. As a curious boy, he often dug up fossils in his spare time. After moving to Boulder with his family, he entered CU’s Preparatory School in 1877 at 17. Although he was small and timid, he was intellectually fearless. Stanton was one of just two students to graduate in 1883, and later earning a master’s degree in science from CU in 1894. After receiving a doctorate degree from Columbian University (now George Washington University), his lifelong habit of searching for geological clues led him to a 46-year career with the U.S. Geological Survey, where he became one of the nation’s leading experts on Cretaceous invertebrates. Despite his professional achievements and countless hours of study and dedication, he remained deeply committed to his wife, Grace, to whom he wrote poems every Valentine’s Day until her death in 1946.