The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1926-05-27
Noted Scientist Dead.

The funeral services for Prof John
! 20. Smock were held on Friday April %,
1926, from his late home on Union
street, Hudson, N. Y, with the Rev. ii.
Dubois Milford, Of Claverack, an old
friend, officiating. Mr.. SmOck was a
member Of the Collegiate Church of st.
Nicholas in New York city, a Reformed
church.
Until the death of his wife the couple
travelled extensively, each winter max
ing tour or sojurn, going abroad a
number of times and some winters were
passed in California and Florida.
A scientist and worker in the domain
of geology, Professor John Conover
Shocks Identification with Hudson,
N. Y, is an association that paid the
tribute of choice rather than one de-
pendent upon the accident Of birth or
business circumstance.
Prof. Smock was a descendant of
Hendrick Matthyse Smock Tor Smack, ]
who came from the Netherlands in 1854,
and settled in New Utrecht, Long Is
sland, where he was magistrate, 1869
1885. From her and his wife, Geertje
Hermansl Slnock Tor Smack the line
of descent it through their son, johann
mas and his wife Catherine [Barentsl
Smock; their son Hendrick, and his
wife, Mary [Schenck] Smoek; their son
John, and his wife. Elizabeth (Con-
over) Smock; thier son, George, a Rev
Iolutionary soldier, and his wife Margaret
ivan Deyenter) Smock, Prof. Smock S
grandparents.
Prof. Smock was son of Isaac O..
rfyar
born near HolmdeI, Monmouth county,
New Jersey, September 81, i842. His
father a successful farmer Of high
standing in his neighborhood, took a keen
interest in his sons early education, and
aided him in every possible manner
John c. Smock pursued preparatory
studies at Matawan, and then entered
Rutgers college. New Brunswick. N. j :,
whence hewas graduated in the class Of
| 1852. In 1868 he was en- .aged with Prof.
George FL. Cook 10 geological work in
New Jersey and in 1854 became assls-
tant in the survey of that State. In
| 1865-67 he tutor in chemistry at Rutgers
college; andin 1859 he continued his
lst1dies abroad, completing courses at the
University of Berlin and the Berb Akad.
lemic. He returned to Rutgers in 1871
and was a member of the faculty until
1885, during which time assistant geol-
ogist on the State survey.
Ia 1885 he became assistant in charge
| of the New York State Museum in AL.
Ebans of which the director was Prof
Hall, and during the five years OF his
continuance in this post gave part OF
his time to the examination of the iron
ore districts of the State and to the
building stoue industry, preparing State
bulletins Nos. 3, and ID on these SUBJ
jects.
Prof. Snock was appointed State
Geologist of New Jersey in 1890, and
ably discharged the duties of his po-
sition until July 1901, when he re-
signed retaining his connection with
work of this nature in the State from
| 1901 to 1915 as member of the board
of managers of the New Jersey Geo
logical Survey. He assisted Prof.
Cook in the preparati N Of annual re-
ports of the survey, and those submit
ted during the years of his administration
are likewise models of exact and COM
prehensive scientific information Vol
unes three and four of the final report
series were prepar I'd under his direction.
and also the Report of Forests" 1901
During his term of Office valuable maps
and data were made available for gen.
eral use and the work of the department
was prosecuted with vigorous industry
and efficiency. For severl years Prof.
Smock has been engaged in the study
Of the Greek elements in the English Lam
guage particularly the Technology Of
| the natural sciences and its sources in
classic Greek. Lafayette college con-
ferred the degree of Phi. d upon him
and l. l.. ID. 1902.
He was member of organizations in
GLIDING within thsir membership many
of American savants.
Prof. Smock married October 10. 1874,
Catherine +. Beekman, of Brooklyn.
descendant of the old Beekman family
of New Amsterdam, Wilhelm Beekman
came over in 1647 with Governor Peter
Stuyvesant. Mrs. Smock died in 1922.