Althea Sherman

Althea Rosina Sherman (1853 – 1943) was an American illustrator, educator, self-taught ornithologist, and writer who commissioned the building of the "Chimney Swifts' Tower" in Clayton County, Iowa. This structure enabled her to observe and report on the life cycle of chimney swifts, the first to complete such investigations. She published more than 70 articles in scientific and ornithological journals during her career. Sherman was elected as a member of the American Ornithologists' Union and was listed in the third edition of ''American Men of Science''. Additionally, her work as an illustrator, particularly of the American goldfinch, inspired the Iowa General Assembly to adopt the American goldfinch as the Iowa state bird.

Because she was self-taught in her field of expertise, Sherman was an example of an autodidact. Provided by Wikipedia