Joseph John Fahey

"Joseph J. Fahey" redirects here. For the theologian, see Joseph Fahey.
Not to be confused with John Joseph Fahey.

Joseph John Fahey (July 30, 1901 – June 29, 1980) was an American geologist and geochemist. He joined the U.S. Geological Survey in 1927, where he worked until his retirement in 1971.[1] During his career, he named seventeen minerals,[2] including bradleyite, edgarbaileyite, loughlinite,[3] mansfieldite,[4] and wherryite. The mineral faheyite was named after him in 1953.[5]

Fahey was born in Massena, New York[1] on July 30, 1901.[6][2] He and his family soon moved to Washington, D.C., where he attended Gonzaga High School and was educated in the classics.[2] Fahey first enrolled at Catholic University, where he studied chemistry from 1919 to 1921; he transferred to George Washington University that year.[6] He stayed enrolled at the university and studied at night until 1925, though issues with the transferring of credits meant he never received a Bachelor of Science degree even with all required credits completed.[2] From 1922 to 1927, he was employed by the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, and was transferred to the Geological Survey in 1927. At the beginning of his Geological Survey career he was a junior chemist, but rose the ranks until he was appointed Principal Chemist in 1941, a title he held until his 1971 retirement.[6]

Fahey was a member of many learned societies, including the Geological Society of Washington, to which he presented a memorial at their 1968 meeting;[7][8] and the Chemical Society of Washington,[a] of which he served as president.[2] He was also a fellow of the Washington Academy of Sciences,[6] and served as their vice president.[10]

He died at the Fairland Nursing Home in Silver Spring, Maryland,[b] on June 29, 1980.[1] At the time of his death, he was a life fellow of the Mineralogical Society of America,[11] and a fellow of the Geological Society of America.[2] He was also a former resident of University Park, Maryland.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d "Joseph Fahey Dies at 78, Geologist With Survey". The Washington Post. July 3, 1980.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Fleischer, Michael (May 1984). "Memorial to Joseph John Fahey" (PDF). Memorials. 15. Geological Society of America. ISSN 0091-5041.
  3. ^ "New Asbestos-Like Mineral Is Discovered". Harrisburg Telegraph. Science Service. January 24, 1948 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Brill, Kenneth G. Jr. (September 1987). "Memorial to Victor Thomas Allen" (PDF). Memorials. 18. Geological Society of America. ISSN 0091-5041.
  5. ^ a b "Faheyite". Mindat.org. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d Faust, George T. (April 1982). "Memorial of Joseph John Fahey July 30, 1901 – June 29, 1980" (PDF). American Mineralogist. 67 (3–4): 401–403.
  7. ^ "GSW: 1968 MEETING MINUTES". Geological Society of Washington. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  8. ^ Newman, William L. (1969). "Geological Society of Washington: Proceedings for 1968". Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences. 59 (1–3). Washington Academy of Sciences: 50–53. ISSN 0043-0439. JSTOR 24535951.
  9. ^ "Local Section Lookup". American Chemical Society. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  10. ^ Defandorf, F. M.; et al. (1952). "Proceedings of the Academy". Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences. 42 (6). Washington Academy of Sciences: 198–207. ISSN 0043-0439. JSTOR 24531063.
  11. ^ "March 1981" (PDF). MSA Newsletter (14). Mineralogical Society of America. March 1981.


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