Bogert, Marston Taylor (1868–1954)

1868–1954

Parents: Henry Augustine Bogert (1827–1905) and Mary Bowne Lawrence (1830–1898).
Spouse: Charlotte Elizabeth Hoogland (1870–1951), married September 12, 1893.
Children: Annette Bogert (1996–1976) and Charlotte Elise Bowdoin Bogert (1904–1972).

Kinship: Third cousin three times removed of the post–World War II Smith generation.

Early Life and Education Marston Taylor Bogert was born in Flushing, New York, on April 18, 1868, into a family with deep roots in colonial New York. He continued the family tradition of attending Columbia College, where he was a standout student. Unlike the timeline in your previous draft, Bogert did not initially earn a Ph.D.; rather, he received his A.B. in 1890 and a Ph.B. (Bachelor of Philosophy) in 1894 from the Columbia School of Mines, which was then the center of scientific training at the university. He later received an honorary Sc.D. from Columbia in 1929.

Career at Columbia

Bogert spent his entire academic career at Columbia University, rising from assistant in organic chemistry (1894) to full Professor (1904), a position he held until his retirement as Professor Emeritus in 1939. As a teacher, Bogert was instrumental in adopting the German model of scientific education at Columbia, insisting on original laboratory research as the core of the curriculum. He built the university's organic chemistry research program from the ground up, developing new synthetic methods and supervising more than one hundred doctoral dissertations—helping make Columbia the nation's leading producer of chemistry Ph.D.s during his tenure.

He was a pioneer in the field of synthetic organic chemistry, specifically researching quinazolines and thiazoles. His laboratory produced hundreds of papers that helped lay the groundwork for the modern American chemical industry, particularly in the fields of dyes, perfumes, and pharmaceuticals.

Service to the Nation and the World

Bogert was often referred to as a "statesman of science" for his leadership roles.

American Chemical Society (ACS): He served as President during 1907–1908

International Leadership: He was a central figure in global science, serving as the President of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) from 1938 to 1947, guiding the organization through the difficult years of World War II.

Military Service: During World War I, he served as a Colonel in the Chemical Warfare Service, organizing the Division of Gas Defense.

Awards and Recognition His contributions were recognized with the highest honors in his field, including the Nichols Medal (1905) and the Priestley Medal (1938)—the highest award bestowed by the American Chemical Society.

Personal Life

In 1893, he married Charlotte Elizabeth Hoogland. They had two daughters: Annette Hoogland Bogert (later Mrs. Frank B. Tallman) and Charlotte Elise Bowditch Bogert. The family resided for many years near the university in Manhattan and maintained their connection to Long Island.

Marston Taylor Bogert died on March 21, 1954, in Islip, New York, after a long illness. He is interred in the family plot at Flushing Cemetery.