Mr. Isaacson in "Isaacson's Puffleg" (1 Viewer)

Here´s some little additional info, and some "teasers" (if anyone feel like looking further) regarding a fairly unknown eponym …

isaacsonii
● ... in the highly questioned "Eriocnemis isaacsonii" PARZUDAKI 1845 as "Ornysmia Isaacsonii" a k a "Isaacson's Puffleg" – most often considered an invalid (or at least doubtful) taxon, known only from three slightly different specimens (that all might be hybrids Eriocnemis sp. x Coeligena sp.). Link to OD (here)

"Nous dédions cette intéressante esèce à notre ami J. F. Isaacson, amateur distingué, attaché au Jardin zoologique de Liverpool."

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= the almost totally unknown amateur naturalist ad "Curator" Joseph (F.) Isaacson (xxxx–xxxx) … the "F." is simply trusting Parzudaki.

This Joseph Isaacson (the name used elsewhere) worked as "Curator", at least for a while during the late 1830's, in Atkins's* (private, but open to Public) Liverpool Zoological Gardens (1833-1865), situated on West Derby road, in Liverpool. Not to confuse with Rice Lane Zoo a k a "Liverpool Zoological Gardens", founded in the early 1880's by Liverpool Zoological Company, simply to shut down a few years later.

Beolens/Watkins/Grayson's Eponym Dictionary of Birds (2014) states Isaacson's second initial to have been "P.", as well as the HBW Alive Key, but I´m not fully convinced (I´ve found no dates, or years, close to nothing, on either version) … the second initial might, if not "F.", could have been "I." instead!? The thing is that there seem to have been a "Joseph I. Isaacson" (Jr.), Son (and namesake!?) of the (bankrupt) Merchant Joseph I. Isaacson (the latter died 16 May 1879, in the age of 76). This, the younger, "Joseph I. Isaacson" was in some way, connected to the Liverpool Zoological Gardens and (also as Curator) at Lord Derby's Menagerie at Knowsley Hall … and he (Jr.) passed away "… in the early part of his life". Though I wouldn´t bet any money that he really is the guy Pardudaki was commemorating.

But it sure looks like it, doesn´t it?

I´m at a Dead End on this one, and will look no further, mostly because I just happened to stumble upon him, while checking if he was Swedish (he´s most likely a Jewish Brit) and even if I get the feeling Mr. Isaacson is possible to trace "all the way", I have to leave him here.

There are simply too many other Eponyms to solve on my "Swedish List" ...

Hopefully some of the small bits and pieces I mentioned above can help. And; good luck to anyone who does feel like tracing him further.

Cheers!

PS. Someone with access to The Jewish Victorian: genealogical information from the Jewish newspapers, 1871-1880 … might solve the whole case!?

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*Thomas Atkins (1763-1848), menagerie keeper, dealer in Wild animals and zoo proprietor

The Gazette wrote about an Joseph Isaac Isaacson and a Phineas Isaacson.

Just an idea ...

The connection to the South American West Indies might be a little clue, since a likewise mysterious, unknown Mr. Isaacson apparently (also) bought a specimen (now in NHM) of Red-rumped Woodpecker Veniliornis kirkii, collected on the Caribbean (alt. West Indian) Island Tobago, … maybe … purchased via (if not by himself, or by any connections of) his "Bankrupt" relatives (?): "Joseph Isaac Isaacson" and "Phineas Isaacson", who knows?

Well I sure don´t, I´m simply speculating ...

PS. The first known specimen of the "Puff-leg" apparently came from Santa Fe de Bogota, Colombia.

Just finishing this one off

Joseph Isaac (John) Isaacson
1803–1879
BIRTH 1803 • "Foreign" according to 1841 census possibly the Dutch Antilles.
DEATH 15 MAY 1879 • Middlesex, England

Brother (Source of P)

Phineas Isaacson
BIRTH 1805 • London, England

I think the supposition they were Jewish is incorrect as I can find records of Phineas and Joseph being Masons.

There is a slim possibility they were related to the famous anti-abolitionist Steven Isaacson 1798 - 1849 who had a (white) West Indian wife.

P

😮 Wow, that's an old ghost suddenly resurrected ...

But Paul, to me, (still) just curious, it looks like you are "finishing" off the possible/suggested Father, and namesake (above), of what might, could be "our guy" ... !?

And even if not, if you do have got the proper "Joseph I. Isaacson", was he; "in some way, connected to the Liverpool Zoological Gardens and (also as Curator) at Lord Derby's Menagerie at Knowsley Hall … and he (Jr.) passed away "… in the early part of his life" (as I wrote it in post #4, back in November 2014) ... ?

Or who was?

If I remember it correctly, those were key pieces in connecting "our"Isaacson" to Parzudaki.

To me, this one, your guy: "Joseph Isaac (John) Isaacson 1803–1879" sure doesn't seem to have passed away "… in the early part of his life", but in his mid-70's. His Death year, and month, sure fit what I'd found (only the date differ, but even if so, only by one day, which isn't very rare, or could be explained).

Either way, did this guy of yours (probably found in a Heritage/Ancestry/Genealogy record/s, I assume) possibly had a relieve, that would fit Parzudaki's "... notre ami J. F. Isaacson , amateur distingué , attaché au Jardin zoologique de Liverpool" (in 1845) ?

Remember that this short dedication, by Parzudaki himself (in the OD itself), is the main source for whom we're looking for. And it would certainly feel far better, and safer, if the "F." part could be explained (or eliminated).

Paul, please connect the bits and pieces, for us ignorant, with lesser knowledge, who (at this point) doesn't see the full picture.

Cheers

Björn

But here as

J. J. Isaacson, Liverpool Zoological Gardens.

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All records I can find indicate only a single J. I. Isaacson lived in England in the 19th C. He moved between Liverpool (with an address in Derby Road (ie. opposite the zoo) that he shared with his brother) and London and had all sorts of professions, he died at 76, and there is no evidence of any Isaacson dying young. His Brother Phineus sometimes spelled his name with an F. Thus several records that have J.F. or J.P. I suspect were handwritten J & P and J & P and were misread by transcribers and even perhaps by Parzudaki. Similarly, J.I. could easily become J.J. As to his country of origin that is a mystery (remember the 1841 census just said foreign). And I know that I said I doubted J.I. Isaacson was Jewish but Isaacson is a very common name in the Middelburg area of the Netherlands and there are even 2 Isaac Joseph Isaacson birth records (for the 1820s) - unfortunately, birth records do not exist for 1803 (that I can find).

P

As well a case for an update in The Key to Scientific Names.