Strata Smith advanced geology the hard way 1769 William Smith
('Strata' Smith; d. August 28, 1839), English
geologist/cartographer who created the first nationwide geologic
map. Although not born in a prominent family (in fact, he came
from the wrong side of the tracks according to the social
stratification of the day), Smith taught himself the
fundamentals of geology. As revealed in Simon Winchester's book,
The Map That Changed the World: A biography of William Smith, a
respectable scientist of his day appropriated his map as his
own. Smith was for a time poverty stricken, serving time in from
King's Bench Prison in London, a debtor's prison. He returned to
his home of fourteen years at 15 Buckingham Street to find a
bailiff at the door and his home and property seized ...
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