1855-1926

Rosser Daniel Bohannan was born near Mathews Court House, Virginia on April 20, 1855 to John Gordon Jr. and Lora (Lick) Bohannan. He studied mathematics, science and engineering at the University of Virginia, graduating with degrees of B.Sc., C.E. and E.M. in 1876. He was then employed as a teacher of mathematics and Latin at Suffolk Collegiate Institute, Virginia, 1876-77 and at New York Latin School, New York City, 1877-78. He then served as professor of mathematics at Emory and Henry College, Virginia during 1878-80. During 1880-82 he studied mathematics at Cambridge University, and then continued at the University of Göttingen during 1882-83. In 1883 he returned to the University of Virginia, as an assistant and acting professor.

In 1887 he was appointed professor of mathematics and astronomy at the the Ohio State University, succeeding Comstock [0]. In 1895 his title was changed to professor of mathematics and chair of the department. He remained in that position until his death in 1926, a period of 39 years. Under his leadership the department grew from a staff of two (consisting of Bohannan and Assistant Profesor George W. McCoard) to one consisting of 8 professors, 7 assistant professors, and two instructors.

Despite having to shoulder a heavy teaching load, Bohannan remained an active researcher, publishing a number of papers in such journals as the Annals of Mathematics, the American Journal of Mathematics, and the American Mathematical Monthly, on various topics including classical and algebraic geometry and complex function theory, and was the author of two textbooks. He was also active in the affairs of the American mathematical community, being one of the main organizers of the foundational meeting of the Mathematical Association of America in Columbus in December 1915 and served as chairman of the Ohio Section of the Association.

Bohannan was married twice, first to Ellen Pierce, with whom he had two daughters Mary (Mrs. Charles St. John Chubb [1]) and Ellen, and then to Florence Ella Short, with whom he had two sons, Robert C. and John D.

He died on June 20, 1926 in Columbus.

Columbus Dispatch Obituary -- June 21, 1926 [1]

Department of Mathematics [1]