This is Throwback Thursday #55. In these, we look back into the past at ESCONI specifically and Earth Science in general. If you have any contributions, (science, pictures, stories, etc ...), please sent them to [email protected] Thanks!
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A giant in the history Mazon Creek fossil collecting and early ESCONI member, John McLuckie and his wife Lucy were known for their spectacular fossil collection. He is pictured on the left in the photo above at George Langford Night in June 1958. He and his wife sponsored many fossil collecting trips to Braidwood for ESCONI and other rock clubs during the 1950's and early 1960's. We have a post about the 1959 trip here. He and his wife became honorary ESCONI members in 1957. Interestingly, he is said to have multiple petrified Lepidodendron stumps in his yard as decoration.
John and Lucy at the 1958 Combined Clubs Day in Braidwood
They have no less than three species named for them.
- Caulopteris mcluckie, Lucy and John McLuckie
- Curculioides mcluckei. Lucy and John McLuckie
- Mcluckiepteron luciae, Lucy McLuckie
John McLuckie passed away 58 years ago on April 10th, 1963 at the age of 70. The following page appeared in the May 1963 edition of the ESCONI newsletter. From the stories I've heard, he was greatly missed!
JOHN M. McLUCKIE HAS LAID DOWN HIS ROCK HAMMER.
For many years the name of John McLuckie has often been mentioned in almost the same breath as fern fossils. For John, with the help of his wife Lucy, had spent much of his spare time collecting the nodules and had a very outstanding collection. Several variations were named for John and his wife.
Even more wonderful was his generosity in helping both those just starting to collect and those very much advanced. Many of us in ESCONI are indebted to him for his many kindnesses. Because of the great help he gave ESCONI, he and his wife were made honorary members in 1957.
Many are the individuals and groups that were invited into their home to see their collection and to talk "fern fossils". John liked above all to hunt, find, and talk about these fossils. As operator of the "big shovel" many years he had an advantage and a pleasure in seeing many mammoth remains and impressions of ancient life revealed.
John left us April 10, 1963 after a long illness. He was born September 18, 1893 in Carbon Hill and lived his entire lifetime in Coal City.
He will be greatly missed.
The McLuckie fossil collection was donated to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in 1989. A few pictures of their collection can be found here. Some of the pictures below are from that website,
Lucy McLuckie in front of their fossil collection
McLuckie home in Coal City, IL
