Ray, John (1627-1705)
English naturalist
A predecessor of Carl Linnaeus, John Ray was the first naturalist to use the idea of species to distinguish different organisms from each other. Focusing primarily on the classification of plants and basing his system on the work of Aristotle, Ray divided plants into two groups: the moncotyledons and the dicotyledons. Both are still recognized today. In 1693, Ray published the final volume of Histora Plantarum, a complete classification of plants and one of the first natural systems of classification that was based on physical characteristics rather than origin and perceived use.
John Ray was born in Black Notley, Essex, England, to Roger Ray, a blacksmith, and Elizabeth Ray, an amateur herbalist and medical practitioner. He attended Trinity College at Cambridge from 1644–1651, receiving both a bachelor and masters degree. After graduation, he continued at Trinity as an appointed fellow of the college. He taught a number of courses, including Greek, mathematics, and humanities. Ray left his post at Trinity during the Reformation, when he refused to sign an oath required by the Act of Uniformity in 1662. It was at this time that his contribution to taxonomy flourished.
Without employment, Ray relied on the patronage of former students. One such patron was Francis Willughby, a wealthy contemporary from Cambridge. With the support of Willughby, Ray was able to expand his classification of plants from a part-time endeavor restricted to the indigenous species of Chambridgeshire to the whole of the British Isles and beyond. Willughby accompanied Ray on his many expeditions, and his interest in animals complimented Ray's own interests in plants. Ray's collaboration with Willughby ended in 1672, with the death of Willughby. That same year, Ray married Margaret Oakeley. They settled in Black Notley, where Ray continued his scientific endeavors.
As part of his work, Ray was able to convincingly show that fossils represented extinct species. At the time, the link between fossils and extinct species was not an accepted model; however, Ray's evidence provided the basis for the formation of a more thorough system of paleontology. Such a view was unusual for a naturalist at this time, particularly considering Ray's strong religious beliefs.
John Ray never lost his love and wonder for nature and had no problem reconciling his views of the world with his views of religion. As well as publishing extensively on natural history, Ray also published many theological works, including The Wisdom of God, and he was only stopped from taking priestly orders by the English civil war and Reformation. According to Ray, the study of nature was a way to reveal the omnipotence of God and to be a naturalist was a way to work within divinity.
Fossil Record; Fossils and Fossilization; History of Exploration Ii (Age of Exploration)
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