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{{short description|American historian (1893–1975)}}
{{For| the mayor of Portland, Maine (1831–1921)|James Phinney Baxter}}
{{For| the mayor of Portland, Maine (1831–1921)|James Phinney Baxter}}
{{infobox officeholder
{{Refimprove|date=May 2011}}
|name=James Phinney Baxter III
'''James Phinney Baxter III''' (February 15, 1893 – June 17, 1975) was an American [[historian]], [[educator]] and [[academic]]. He won the 1947 [[Pulitzer Prize]] for history, for his book ''Scientists Against Time''. He was also the author of ''The Introduction of the Ironclad Warship'', which he wrote in 1933. He attended Portland Highschool
|office=10th President of [[Williams College]]
|term_start=1937
|term_end=1961
|predecessor=[[Tyler Dennett]]
|successor=[[John Edward Sawyer]]
|birth_date={{birth date|1893|2|15}}
|birth_place=[[Portland, Maine]], U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|1975|6|17|1893|2|15}}
|death_place=[[Williamstown, Massachusetts]], U.S.
|occupation=Historian, educator, academic
|awards=[[Pulitzer Prize for History]] (1947)
⚫
}}
'''James Phinney Baxter III''' (February 15, 1893 in [[Portland, Maine]] – June 17, 1975 in [[Williamstown, Massachusetts]]) was an American [[historian]], [[educator]], and [[academic]], who won the 1947 [[Pulitzer Prize for History]] for his book ''Scientists Against Time'' (1946).<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=57lgAAAAIAAJ|title=Scientists against time|access-date=24 June 2015|last1=Baxter|first1=James Phinney|year=1946|publisher=Little, Brown |isbn=9780598553881}}</ref> He was also the author of ''The Introduction of the Ironclad Warship'' (1933).<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rR95Mi7vVHoC|title=The Introduction of the Ironclad Warship|access-date=24 June 2015|isbn=9781557502186|last1=Baxter|first1=James Phinney|year=2001|publisher=Naval Institute Press }}</ref>


==Life==
==Life==
⚫
Baxter was initially educated at [[Portland High School (Portland, Maine)|Portland High School]] and [[Phillips Academy]] in [[Andover, Massachusetts]]. He then attended [[Williams College]] where he was graduated as [[valedictorian]] with [[Phi Beta Kappa]] honors, was a member of [[Kappa Alpha Society|The Kappa Alpha Society]], and served as president of the Gargoyle Society. He obtained M.A. degrees from both Williams and [[Harvard University]] and his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1926.


⚫
Baxter was the grandson of historian and mayor of [[Portland, Maine]], [[James Phinney Baxter]] and the son of James Phinney Baxter, Jr. He was a nephew of former Maine governor and philanthropist [[Percival Proctor Baxter]]. He attended [[Portland High School (Portland, Maine)|Portland High School]] and [[Phillips Academy]] in [[Andover, Massachusetts]], followed by [[Williams College]], where he was graduated as [[valedictorian]] with [[Phi Beta Kappa]] honors, was a member of [[Kappa Alpha Society|The Kappa Alpha Society]], and served as president of the [[Gargoyle Society]]. He obtained M.A. degrees from both Williams and [[Harvard University]] and his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1926.
Baxter taught at [[Colorado College]] and then at Harvard, progressing from Instructor to full Professor in 10 years. He served as Master of Adams House. He was elected a Fellow of the [[American Academy of Arts and Sciences]] in 1928.<ref name=AAAS>{{cite web|title=Book of Members, 1780-2010: Chapter B|url=http://www.amacad.org/publications/BookofMembers/ChapterB.pdf|publisher=American Academy of Arts and Sciences|accessdate=May 28, 2011}}</ref> In 1937, he became president of Williams College.


Baxter taught at [[Colorado College]] and then at Harvard, progressing from instructor to full professor in 10 years. He served as the first master of [[Adams House (Harvard University)|Adams House]]. In 1928 he was elected a Fellow of the [[American Academy of Arts and Sciences]].<ref name="AAAS">{{cite web |title=Book of Members, 1780-2010: Chapter B |url=http://www.amacad.org/publications/BookofMembers/ChapterB.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329065701/http://www.amacad.org/publications/BookofMembers/ChapterB.pdf |archive-date=2018-03-29 |access-date=May 28, 2011 |publisher=American Academy of Arts and Sciences}}</ref> In 1937-1961 he was president of Williams College.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.williams.edu/presidents/baxter.php|title=Baxter, James Phinney 1937-1961|author=Williams College Archives & Special Collections|work=williams.edu|access-date=24 June 2015}}</ref> Baxter left Williams for a few years during World War II while he served as research coordinator of information (1941–1943) and director of the [[Office of Strategic Services]] (1942–1943). In 1943 he was the part-time official historian of the [[Office of Scientific Research and Development]], where he wrote ''Scientists Against Time''.
In 1943 he was the part-time official historian of the [[Office of Scientific Research and Development]], while serving as president of Williams College from 1937-1961. He was a member of the board of trustees of the World Peace Foundation.


He was the grandson of historian and mayor of [[Portland, Maine]], [[James Phinney Baxter]].
He was a member of the board of trustees of the [[World Peace Foundation]].


==References== <!--obituary reportedly Washington Post, 6/19/75 -->
==References== <!--obituary reportedly Washington Post, 6/19/75 -->
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==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.williams.edu/home/presidents/#Baxter Williams College biography] {{dead link|date=October 2013}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100724042116/http://www.williams.edu/home/presidents/ Williams College biography]
* [http://lccn.loc.gov/n84803232 James Phinney Baxter, 1893–1975] at [[Library of Congress]] Authorities — with 6 catalog records
* [http://lccn.loc.gov/n84803232 James Phinney Baxter, 1893–1975] at [[Library of Congress]] Authorities — with 6 catalog records


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{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Baxter, James Phinney, III
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =American historian
| DATE OF BIRTH =February 15, 1893
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH =June 17, 1975
| PLACE OF DEATH =
⚫
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baxter, James Phinney, Iii}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baxter, James Phinney, Iii}}
[[Category:1893 births]]
[[Category:1893 births]]
[[Category:1975 deaths]]
[[Category:1975 deaths]]
⚫
[[Category:American historians]]
[[Category:Pulitzer Prize for History winners]]
[[Category:Pulitzer Prize for History winners]]
[[Category:Harvard University alumni]]
[[Category:Harvard University alumni]]
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[[Category:Writers from Portland, Maine]]
[[Category:Writers from Portland, Maine]]
[[Category:Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences]]
[[Category:Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing]]
[[Category:Academics from Portland, Maine]]
[[Category:Place of death missing]]
[[Category:20th-century American historians]]
[[Category:Portland High School (Maine) alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
⚫
[[Category:American male non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Baxter family]]




{{US-historian-stub}}
{{US-sci-historian-stub}}

Latest revision as of 16:49, 12 December 2024

For the mayor of Portland, Maine (1831–1921), see James Phinney Baxter.
James Phinney Baxter III
10th President of Williams College
In office
1937–1961
Preceded byTyler Dennett
Succeeded byJohn Edward Sawyer
Personal details
Born(1893-02-15)February 15, 1893
Portland, Maine, U.S.
DiedJune 17, 1975(1975-06-17) (aged 82)
Williamstown, Massachusetts, U.S.
OccupationHistorian, educator, academic
AwardsPulitzer Prize for History (1947)

James Phinney Baxter III (February 15, 1893 in Portland, Maine – June 17, 1975 in Williamstown, Massachusetts) was an American historian, educator, and academic, who won the 1947 Pulitzer Prize for History for his book Scientists Against Time (1946).[1] He was also the author of The Introduction of the Ironclad Warship (1933).[2]

Life

[edit]

Baxter was the grandson of historian and mayor of Portland, Maine, James Phinney Baxter and the son of James Phinney Baxter, Jr. He was a nephew of former Maine governor and philanthropist Percival Proctor Baxter. He attended Portland High School and Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, followed by Williams College, where he was graduated as valedictorian with Phi Beta Kappa honors, was a member of The Kappa Alpha Society, and served as president of the Gargoyle Society. He obtained M.A. degrees from both Williams and Harvard University and his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1926.

Baxter taught at Colorado College and then at Harvard, progressing from instructor to full professor in 10 years. He served as the first master of Adams House. In 1928 he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.[3] In 1937-1961 he was president of Williams College.[4] Baxter left Williams for a few years during World War II while he served as research coordinator of information (1941–1943) and director of the Office of Strategic Services (1942–1943). In 1943 he was the part-time official historian of the Office of Scientific Research and Development, where he wrote Scientists Against Time.

He was a member of the board of trustees of the World Peace Foundation.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Baxter, James Phinney (1946). Scientists against time. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780598553881. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  2. ^ Baxter, James Phinney (2001). The Introduction of the Ironclad Warship. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9781557502186. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Book of Members, 1780-2010: Chapter B" (PDF). American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-03-29. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
  4. ^ Williams College Archives & Special Collections. "Baxter, James Phinney 1937-1961". williams.edu. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
[edit]


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