Winifred Goldring

Winifred Goldring (1888-1971) was an American geologist and paleontologist who worked at the New York State Museum for over 30 years. She joined the museum in 1914 as a scientific expert in paleontology and continued to serve in diverse capacities until she retired in 1954, having earned the distinction of being the museum's first female curator and the first woman to serve as State Paleontologist of New York from 1939-1954.

Her contributions to the science of paleontology were profound and included an extensive work on the Devonian crinoids of New York (NYSM Memoir 16), a report on the Gilboa fossil forest in 1924 (NYSM Bulletin, no. 251), and the subsequent development of an innovative exhibit based on the Gilboa fossils that brought further distinction to both Goldring and the New York State Museum.

Her interest in educating the public inspired numerous innovative fossil exhibits and several publications, most notably her two-volume Handbook of Paleontology and Guide to the Geology of John Boyd Thacher Park. Goldring's 1939 appointment as State Paleontologist was a first for women in the nation and in the world. She also served as president of the Paleontological Society (1949) and vice president of the Geological Society of America (1950).

  • Positions held at the New York State Museum

    1914-1915: Scientific Expert in Paleontology

    1915-1926: Assistant Paleontologist

    1926-1928: Paleobotanist
     
    1928-1932: Associate Paleontologist

    1932-1938: Assistant State Paleontologist

    1939-1954: State Paleontologist

  • Early Life, Education, and Retirement

    Early Life

    Born in Kenwood, near Albany, New York, Winifred was one of nine children of Frederick and Mary Goldring. Frederick, trained as a specialist in orchids at Kew Gardens, emigrated to the United States (Albany) in 1879 and took charge of orchid growing on the estate of Erastus Corning. It was here that he met Mary Grey, a teacher and daughter of the estate's head gardener; they married in 1881. The Goldrings left Kenwood in 1890 and established a thriving greenhouse business in the Albany suburb of Slingerlands, New York. For 81 years, Goldring resided in her childhood home where she was first introduced to the natural world surrounding the Helderbergs.

    Education

    Winifred was an excellent student. In 1905 she graduated as valedictorian from one of Albany's best high schools - the Milne School - and enrolled in Wellesley College with an intended major in classical languages. She became intensely interested in geology, zoology, botany, and geography at Wellesley and changed her major, attaining a B.A. (with honors) in 1909. After receiving an M.A. in 1912, she remained at Wellesley as a geology instructor and as a teaching assistant in Boston's Teacher's School of Science. Winifred took additional graduate coursework at Harvard and Columbia. Although she began working for the New York State Museum in 1914, she pursued additional graduate work in paleobotany in 1921 at Johns Hopkins University.

    Retirement

    After having worked in the field of paleontology for over 40 years, Goldring retired from the New York State Museum in 1954. Retirement allowed her to focus on other interests, including crocheting, reading, music, and long, walks. She passed away on January 30, 1971, just three days shy of her 83rd birthday in her beloved hometown of Slingerlands, NY.

  • Associations and Awards

    Associations

    • Paleontological Society: Elected first woman president in 1939. 
    • Fellow of the Geological Society of America: joined in 1921 and elected Vice-President in 1950.
    • The Paleobotanical Society
    • The Paleontological Research Institution
    • American Association for the Advancement of Science
    • American Geophysical Union
    • New York Academy of Science
    • Association of American Museums
    • American Geophysical Union
    • New York Academy of Sciences
    • New York Historical Association
    • Phi Beta Kappa
    • Sigma Xi

     

    Honorary Degrees

    • 1937 - Russell Sage College
    • 1957 - Smith College

     

    Awards

    • Mary Clark Thompson Medal from the National Academy of Sciences
    • The Paleontological Society Medal
  • References

    Fisher, D.W. (1974). Memorial to Winifred Goldring (1888-1971). Memorials of the Geological Society of America, 3, 96-107.

    Albany Institute of History & Art Library (1996) Winifred Goldring Papers 1899-1971.

    Aldrich, Michele & Leviton, Alan & Aldrich, Mark. (2005). Winifred Goldring (1888-1971): New York Paleontologist. Northeastern Geology & Environmental Sciences. 27. 229-238.

    VanAller Hernick, L. (2012).Women's History in the Collections. From archived New York State Museum website.

    VanAller Hernick, Linda. (2006) A Look Back: Remembering State Paleontologist Winifred Goldring. Legacy: The Magazine of the New York State Museum. 2(3), 5.

Winifred Goldring (1888-1971) - NYSM Scientist & State Paleontologist

 

Winifred Goldring, Age 17, 1905
Winifred Goldring, Age 17, 1905
Winifred Goldring graduation from Wellesley College, Age 21, 1909
Winifred Goldring graduation from Wellesley College, Age 21, 1909
Winifred Goldring
Winifred Goldring
Winifred Goldring
Winifred Goldring
Winifred Goldring, Mt. Rainer National Park, 1928
Winifred Goldring, Mt. Rainer National Park, 1928
Winifred Goldring, with hammer, 1929
Winifred Goldring, with hammer, 1929
Winifred Goldring at Rensselaerville Falls, 1932
Winifred Goldring at Rensselaerville Falls, 1932
Winifred Goldring
Winifred Goldring

Publications

Winifred Goldring Publications – Chronological – APA Style

Link to Publication
Goldring, W. (1912). The Geographer and His Subject (Masters Thesis, Wellesley College.).
Goldring, W. (1921). Annual rings of growth in Carboniferous wood. Botanical Gazette, 72(5), 326-330. View online + PDF download:
JSTOR (jstor.org)
Goldring, W. (1921). Decreasing salinity of the Pleistocene Champlain sea going southward, as shown by the character of the fauna, with a brief discussion of the Pleistocene fauna of the Hudson Valley and its significance. Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, 32(1), 132-133. View abstract, subscription required for full text:
GSA Bulletin (https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/)
Goldring, W. (1922). The Champlain Sea: Evidence of Its Decreasing Salinity Southwward as Shown by the Character of the Fauna. New York State Museum Bulletin, (239-240), 153-194. View online & PDF Download (25 MB):
NYSM Bulletin 239-240, 153-194
Goldring, W. (1923). The Devonian crinoids of the state of New York (Vol. 16). New York State Museum Memoir, 16. View online + PDF Download:
Biodiversity Heritage Library (biodiversitylibrary.org)
Clarke, J.M. (1924). "A Hemiaspidan Crustacean from the New York Silurian Waterlimes [with diagrams by W. Goldring]. New York State Museum Bulletin, 251, 119-120. View online & PDF download (400 KB):
NYSM Bulletin 251, 119-120
Goldring, W. (1924). The Upper Devonian forest of seed ferns in eastern New York. New York State Museum Bulletin, 251, 50-92. View online & PDF download (7 MB):
NYSM Bulletin 251, 50-92
Goldring, W. (1926). New museum exhibits. New York State Museum Bulletin, 267, 81-84. View online & PDF download (2 MB)
NYSM Bulletin 267, 81-84
Goldring, W. (1926). New Upper Devonian plant material. New York State Museum Bulletin, 267, 85-87. View online & PDF download (2 MB):
NYSM Bulletin 267, 85-87
Goldring, W. (1926). New species of Hamilton crinoids. New York State Museum Bulletin, 267, 89-92. View online & PDF download (2 MB):
NYSM Bulletin 267, 89-92
Goldring, W. (1927). The oldest known petrified forest. Scientific Monthly, 24(6), 515-529. View online + PDF download:
JSTOR (jstor.org)
Goldring, W. (1929). Handbook of paleontology for beginners and amateurs: Part I, The fossils. New York State Museum Handbook, 9, 1-356. View online & PDF download (112 MB):
NYSM Handbook 9, 1-356
Goldring, W. (1929). Honors to Doctor Ruedemann, New York State Museum Bulletin, 284, 20–21. View online & PDF download (700 KB):
NYSM Bulletin 284, 20-21
Goldring, W. (1929). Nature, preservation and significance of fossils. New York State Museum Educational Leaflet, 2. NYSM publication citation only
Goldring, W. (1929). An outdoor exhibit of the Gilboa fossil trees. New York State Museum Bulletin, 284, 33-35. View online & PDF download (2MB):
NYSM Bulletin 284, 33-35
Ruedemann, R., Goldring, W. (1929). Making Fossils Popular in the New York State Museum. New York State Museum Bulletin, 279, 47-51. View online & PDF download (3MB):
NYSM Bulletin 279, 47-51
Goldring, W. (1930). The oldest known petrified forest. American Forestry and Forest Life, 36, 491-493 & 546. View online:
Greene County Soil & Water District (gcswd.org)
Ruedemann, R., & Goldring, W. (1931). Some Museum Methods Developed in the New York State Museum. New York State Museum Bulletin, 288, 71-83. View online & PDF download (1MB):
NYSM Bulletin 288, 71-83
Goldring, W. (1932). Albany to Binghamton. In The Paleozoic Stratigraphy of New York, 4: Excursion A-4 by D.H. Newland. Contains "Albany to Binghamton" by Winifred Goldring, 24- 38. View online:
GoogleBooks (books.google.com)
Goldring, W. (1933). Guide to the geology of John Boyd Thacher Park (Indian Ladder region) and vicinity. New York State Museum Handbook, 14, 112. View online & PDF download (33 MB):
NYSM Handbook 14
Goldring, W. (1933). A new species of crinoid from the Devonian (Oriskany) of Maine. Proceedings of the Portland Society of Natural History, 4, 153-155. NYSM publication citation only
Goldring, W. (1933). Handbook of paleontology for beginners and amateurs: Part 2, The Formations. New York State Museum Handbook, 10, 488. View online + PDF download:
Internet Archive (archive.org)
Goldring, W. (1934). Some Hamilton crinoids of New York and Canada. Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, 15(3), 182-200.
Goldring, W., & Cook, J.H. (1935). Geology of the Berne quadrangle; with a chapter on glacial geology by John H. Cook. New York State Museum Bulletin, 303, 238p. View online & PDF download (19 MB)
NYSM Bulletin 303
Goldring, W. (1935). New and Previously Known Middle Devonian Crinoids of New York. Annals of the Carnegie Museum, 24, 349-368. View online + PDF download:
Biodiversity Heritage Library (biodiversitylibrary.org)
Goldring, W. (1935). Some Upper Devonian crinoids from New York. Annals of Carnegie Museum, 24, 337-348. View online + PDF download:
Biodiversity Heritage Library (biodiversitylibrary.org)
Goldring, W. (1935) Der aelteste versteinerte Wald aus der Devon-Zeit von New York, Natur und Volk, 65, 151–155.
Goldring, W. (1936). Some Hamilton (Devonian) crinoids from New York. Journal of Paleontology, 10, 14-22. View preview (full article + PDF download with library login):
JSTOR (jstor.org)
Goldring, W. (1937). Cryptozoon: Plant nature and distribution. Science, 86(2241), 530-531. [Mistitled “On the origin of the Saratoga mineral waters,” which is the correct title for the next paper in the journal.] View preview (full article + PDF download with library login):
JSTOR (jstor.org)
Goldring, W. (1938). Algal barrier reefs in the Lower Ozarkian of New York: with a chapter on the importance of coralline Algae as reef builders through the ages. New York State Museum Bulletin, 315, 5-75. View online & PDF download (6 MB)
NYSM Bulletin 315, 5-75
Goldring, W. (1938). Additional notes on previously described Devonian crinoids. New York State Museum Bulletin, 315, 77-83. View online & PDF download (500 KB)
NYSM Bulletin 315, 77-83
Goldring, W. (1938). An Upper Devonian species of Aorocrinus. Carnegie Museum Annals, 27, 109-112. View online + PDF download:
Biodiversity Heritage Library (biodiversitylibrary.org)
Goldring, W. (1938). Devonian Crinoids from the Mackenzie River Basin, NWT, Canada. American Paleontology, 24(81), 23. View online + PDF download:
Biodiversity Heritage Library (biodiversitylibrary.org)
Goldring, W. (1939). Linobrachiocrinus, new name for Linocrinus Goldring, 1938, not Kirk. Journal of Paleontology, 13(3), 354. View preview (full article + PDF download with library login):
JSTOR (jstor.org)
Goldring, W. (1939). Report on geological mapping of sedimentary rocks (exclusive of Grenville) and glacial areas in New York State. New York State Museum Bulletin, 317, 119-131. View online & PDF download (600KB):
NYSM Bulletin 317, 119-131
Goldring, W., & Flower, R.H. (1942). Restudy of the Schoharie and Esopus formations in New York State. American Journal of Science, 240(10), 673-694. View abstract, subscription required for full text:
American Journal of Science (ajsonline.org)
Goldring, W. (1942). Crown of Ancyrocrinus bulbosus Hall. Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Science, 17(3), 13-18.
Goldring, W., & Cook, J.H. (1943). Geology of the Coxsackie Quadrangle, New York. New York State Museum Bulletin, 332, 374. View online + PDF download:
Biodiversity Heritage Library (biodiversitylibrary.org)
Goldring, W., & Flower, R.H. (1944). Carlisle Center Formation, a new name for the Sharon Springs Formation of Goldring and Flower. American Journal of Science, 242(6), 340. View online, PDF download with subscription:
American Journal of Science (ajsonline.org)
Goldring, W., & Ruedemann R. (1944) Memorial to David H. Newland [1872-1943]. Proceedings of the Geological Society of America, 209-216.
Goldring, W. (1945). Notes on Thamnocrinus springeri Goldring and other Hamilton crinoids. American Journal of Science, 243(2), 57-65. View abstract, subscription required for full text:
American Journal of Science (ajsonline.org)
Goldring, W. (1946). A new Lower Chemung crinoid. Bulletin of American Paleontology, 31 (119), 1-8. View online + PDF download:
Biodiversity Heritage Library (biodiversitylibrary.org)
Goldring, W. (1948). Status of ‘Homocrinus’ cylindricus Hall. Bulletin of the Wagner Free Institute of Sciences of Philadelphia, 23(4), 25-32. NYSM publication citation only
Goldring, W. (1948). Occurrence of Gennaeocrinus kentuckiensis (Shumard) in Pennsylvania. Bulletin of the Wagner Free Institute of Sciences of Philadelphia, 23(1), 1-3. NYSM publication citation only
Goldring, W. (1950). Handbook of paleontology for beginners and amateurs: Part 1, the fossils, Second Edition. New York State Museum Handbook, 9, 394.
Goldring, W. (1950). Devonian crinoids; new and old. Bulletin of the Wagner Free Institute of Sciences of Philadelphia, 25(4), 29-37. NYSM publication citation only
Goldring, W. (1951). A New Species of the Genus Craterocrinus Goldring. New York State Museum Circular, 27, 6. NYSM publication citation only
Goldring, W., Gazin, C.L., & Woodring, W. (1952). Distribution of evolutionary explosions in geologic time. Journal of Paleontology, 26, 297-394.
Goldring, W. (1954). Memorial to George Halcott Chadwick (1876-1953). Proceedings of the Geological Society of America. 101-106. NYSM publication citation only
Goldring, W. (1954). Devonian crinoids, new and old, II. New York State Museum Circular, 37, 51. NYSM publication citation only
Goldring, W. (1958). Memorial to Rudolf Ruedemann, 1864-1956. Proceedings of the Geological Society of America, 1957, 153-161. NYSM publication citation only
Riggs, E.S. and Goldring, W. (1967). Age determination of faunas by E.O. Ulrich, Methods of creating popular interest in exhibits of fossils. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 32, 132. View abstract, subscription required for full text:
GSA Bulletin (https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/)
Copper,Goldring, et al. (1942). Correlation of the Devonian sedimentary formations of North America. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 53.

Articles About Goldring
Fisher, D.W. (1974). Memorial to Winifred Goldring (1888-1971). Memorials of the Geological Society of America, 3, 96-107. View online + PDF download:
Geological Society of America (geosociety.org)
Albany Institute of History & Art Library (1996) Winifred Goldring Papers 1899-1971. View online & PDF download:
Albany Institute of History & Art (albanyinstitute.org)
Aldrich, Michele & Leviton, Alan & Aldrich, Mark. (2005). Winifred Goldring (1888-1971): New York Paleontologist. Northeastern Geology & Environmental Sciences. 27. 229-238. View online & PDF download:
Research Gate (researchgate.net)

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