The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1904-05-13
prof. Maxwell Sommer-
vile, Greatest of Amer
lean GEyptologists and
ArchaeoIogists is Dead
Spent Years and For
tunes in Collecting
Rare Antigua rian
Treasures-Was Born in
CIarksburg and is d
Cousin of the Misses
Chaplin of this City.

The remains Of Prof. Maxwell Som
mervilIe, of Philadelphia, who died last
Thursday in Paris suddenly from heart
failure, left Cherbourg, France, yester-
day on the KAISER Wilhelm der Gross
accompanied by the wife, enroute to the
home in Philadelphia, where the funeral
will occur.
Prof Maxwell sommervilie was one of
the greatest American glyptologists and
archaeologists. He was born in Clarks
burg and is an own consin of the Misses
Chaplin, of West Main stI<t.
Death came to Prof. Sommerville af
ter he had spent forty-six of his seventy
five years and the greater part of his
princely fortune in search for rare
and curious antiquarian treasure--a
search which took him to nearly every
corner Of the globe, frequently placing
him in the peril of his life, and which
resulted in the almost priceless col.
lection of cut gems and Bhuddist relics
which are among the fondest possess.
ions of the University of Pennsylvania.
where for the last ten years he held the
chair of glyptOlogy.
The news of the death of the famous
glyptologist cane as great shock to
MS friends. MS he left Philadelphia near
the end of last year looking hale and
hearty for all his seventy five years. He
was the head of the glypic. or precioul
gems department at the University
Archaeological Museum, one entire wing
Of which was devoted TO the display OF
the Maxwell SonImerville collection of
engraved gems. and the Bhuddist tenn
pie, which he himself crccred with the
japanese. Sinmese and Burmese relics
collected during his travels in Asia.
His win also enri'hes the University
with several generoussbequezts.
Few antiquarian scholars have accom-.
plished so faithful md successful cnr.
eer "a has Prof. Somemryille. Born
May i. 1920. in Clnrksburg. Va, OF DIR
I Maxwell Sommerville and Mary Fulton
nlcAlpin), he inherited scholarly pro-
cliyities from both his father nd his
mother. II was from the Iatter's father
James STeAlpin. in fact that he received
his first encouragement toward research.
His grandfather possessed some very fine
pieces of Greek statuary art and from
these Maxwell Sommerville, as boy
loved to make wax impressions and
applications.
He went to Philadelphia at an early
age and was educated In the Central
High School.
Upon coming into his fortune he pro-
ceeded to crafty his bent for the collec
tion of gems and slowly and carefully
with the assistance. and advice OF nc
best experts in Europe and America, be-
gan to accumulate the now famous group
of seals and canoes and various engrav-
ed stones that lies in the University
Museum.
This collection attracted the attention
of archaeologists in the early eighties
and for three years It was on exhibition
in the Metropolitan Museum. in New
York.
In 1894 it was formally donated to
the museum by sommerville, who in
the same year was elected to the chair
of giyptology and made curator of the
4 collection. The worth of this couec.
ton is estimated at sl5o,o0O
During later years the distinguished
traveller was largely interested in the
study OF Bhuddism and in search Of rel
les of this ancient faith secured the en-
tire southeastern portion of Asia. He
nilt a complete temple by means of
collected relics in the west wing OF the
Ssspsenn in which the reproduction was
sofaithful that several Hindoo travellers
visited it to pray.
Not only along tine line Of material
relic. but also of ethical and religious
doctrine. Prof sommerville carried his
inyes tisa tions and one of The hobbies
was ia dress u the full costume oE.a.
ia priest wheashe leetured on tie
subject.
III publ She works incl AIDE sags
al Cons $ ards 81 SaN7 4.
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