Clarence King (January 6,1842-December 24,1901) was an American geologist and climber, and the first director of the USGS, from 1879-1881. He was born in Newport, Rhode Island.
Clarence King was noted for his exploration of the Sierra Nevada. With William Brewer and Josiah Whitney, he was a member of the California Geological Survey . King had the first ascent of Mount Tyndall , at the time labelling it mistakenly as the highest peak in the Sierra Nevada.
King died of tuberculosis in Phoenix, Arizona. Mount Clarence King is named in his honor.
Reference
Clarence King: A Biography by Thurman Wilkins, Caroline Lawson Hinkley, University of New Mexico Press, ISBN 0826310850
