Charles Herbert Belanski
1897-1929
Charles Herbert Belanski was born in 1897, and grew up near Rock Grove in north-central Iowa where his parents operated a mill. Belanski's interest in geology began as a young child after speaking with Samuel Calvin who visited his parent's mill. After graduating from high school, Belanski continued to learn about geology independently. He became very close friends with A.O. Thomas, who in 1914, allowed him to be the driver on a research trip to the Devonian rocks around Nora Springs. Thomas continued to mentor Belanski by providing him with references aiding his study of paleontology. In 1918, Belanski enlisted to fight in World War I and fought with a field artillery unit. Upon his return from the war he married Alberta Phipps.
In the fall of 1927, Belanski entered the University of Iowa and became the curator of the natural history museum in the old science hall. During this time he donated over 700,000 fossil specimens to the University of Iowa, many of which are still in the collections today.
After a collecting trip in cold rain, Belanski caught pneumonia and died on April 30, 1929. He was inducted into Sigma Xi posthumously in 1930 in recognition of his superior research achievements.
"Herbert Belanski gained the profound respect of teachers, pupils, and fellow students. His work inspired those about him to greater efforts. His ongoing is an irreparable loss to Iowa and to science. He died all too soon- He had the will to work and the understanding to become one of the greatest geologist of all times if he had been permitted to live out a reasonably long life"- Mason City Globe Gazette, 1929.
"The time has come, Fenton, when Paleontology is a complete science in itself and is no longer in its infancy as it was in the days of Hall, Murohieon, Owen, and Verneuil"- Belanski to Fenton on October 17, 1926.
