William Stimpson and the Golden Age of American Natural HistoryWilliam Stimpson was at the forefront of the American natural history community in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Stimpson displayed an early affinity for the sea and natural history, and after completing an apprenticeship with famed naturalist Louis Agassiz, he became one of the first professionally trained naturalists in the United States. In 1852, twenty year old Stimpson was appointed naturalist of the United States North Pacific