Evening star., 1926-01-11
DR.. ". f. Stafford,
us. BOTAN|ST, DIES
Was Author of Varied Books
ard Known for Lingual
." knowledge.

Dr. William Edwin Stafford. 80 years
old, economic botanist OF the De-
partment OF Agriculture, writer and
generally recognized as one of the
lea ding botanistS OF the United
States. died at his home. 3339 Mount
Pleasant street. yesterday. Death
vas due 10 pneumonia, with resulting
heart complications.
With the Department Of Agriculture
continuously since 1902. DR.. Stafford
IN that time had completed numerous
works on agricultural economies. and
his books on several subjects had be-
come the standard reference volumes
FOR the department. One of the VOL
1mes prepared by him. entitled The
Useful Plants Of the Island of Guam,
n considered by officials of the de-
pa-tnent as a standard work of ref
ereuCe on economic botany OF the
Pacific islands. He was an expert on
tropical plants.
At the time Of his death, DIR. Stafford
was preparing a book on Useful
Economic Plants of Mexico" with
particular reference to the uses Of
plants among the aborigines.
Known as Linquist.
DR. Stafford was known for his un-
usual knowledge of languages He
spoke German, French and Spanish
with fluency, and the literature of
science and exploration in those
languages was as familiar to him as
that in English.
Born IN Chillicothe. Ohio. in De-
Cember, 1889, he was appointed TO the
Naval Academy and was graduated in
the class of 1880. He was appointed
a commissioner to Peru and Bolivia
tOr the Chicago Exposition in 1891
and 1892. He served in the Spanish
American War and was vice governor
of Guam IN 1899 and 1900.
He resigned from the Navy just be-
fore Joining the scientific staff of the
Department of Agriculture, in 1902,
when he was appointed an assistant
botaGist.
His last special mission for the De-
partment of Agriculture was as a
delegate TO the Pan-Pacific conference
in Honolulu in 1920. DR.. Stafford also
was Il recognized ethnologist, archie
ologist and fine arts critic.
He was a member Of the Literary
Society Of Washington and its secre-
tary for many years, and. upon retir-
ing as one of its executives, about
year ago, he was made secretary
emeritus. He was for many years an
active worker in the Arts Club and a
former secretary of that orga aniZation.
a member OF the Washington Acad-
emy Of Sciences and its vice president
IN 1911 and 1915, a member OF the
Botanical Society OF Washington, Of
which he was president in 1921 and
1922. and a member of the Botanical
Society OF America He belonged TO
the Cosmos Club and the Authors
Club OF London.
Works Of Variety.
Among his special works were the
preparation OF books on The Cha
mora Language of the Island Of
Guam" Edible Plants and Textiles
of Ancient America" Narcotics and
cans" Natural History of Paradise
Key, Florida" and b great many tech
nical papers.
DR.. Stafford is survived by his
widow. 81 son, D. Wade Stafford; a
daughter. Miss Bernice C, Stafford,
and three sisters, Mrs. Edith F. Spot
ford OF Washington, Mrs. Henry New
man Staats of Chillicothe, ,qOhio,% and
Mrs. James G. Rice of New York
Funeral services win be conducted
at his residence tomorrow afternoon
at O'Clock, Rev. 4. B. Phillips,
rector of the Church of the Epiph-
any, will ofticiate. The body will be
taken to Chil.icothe for burial.
Honorary pallbearers Will include:
From the Department OF Agriculture,
q. n. Collins, biophysicist: c. S. SEQ
field, in charge of the department
of Western irrigation agriculture;
II. T. Edwards, expert on tropical
fibers, William r. MoXen, associate
curator, in charge Of the United States
National Herbarium; Thomas II. kear-
ney, in charge Of Egyptian cotton
breeding work; DR.. Frederick V. Co
vile, botanist and in charge of eco
nOnlic and systematic botany for the
department, and Edgar Brown, in
charge of the sea laboratory depart
ment: also DIR. Lyman J. Briggs, chief
Of the division OF mechanics and
sound, Bureau Of Standards.