The Marmaton group consists of about 250 feet of limestone, shale, sandstone, and coal which, together with the underlying Cherokee shale, comprise the Des Moines series of Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) age in the northern Mid-continent area. The outcrop area of Marmaton rocks extends from southern Iowa across Missouri and southeastern Kansas into northeastern Oklahoma. Marmaton rocks seem to rest conformably on the Cherokee shale, but are separated from the overlying rocks of the Missouri series by a regional disconformity. Marmaton rocks have long been subdivided into limestone formations and shale formations, and these have been given formal names. A few of the members of the limestone formations have been named, but the classification thus far has been decidedly incomplete. This paper introduces names for several limestone and shale units within the limestone formations and hence offers a more nearly complete classification applicable to the group in Kansas and at least in part in other states. Names are given to members of the Fort Scott, Pawnee, Altamont, and Lenapah limestone formations, and names are suggested for sandstones (probably better termed sandy facies) in the Bandera and Nowata shales. Although the lithology of Marmaton rocks is not described here in detail, some descriptions of lateral and vertical changes are nevertheless included. The fact that there is plain evidence of cyclic sedimentation is noted. It is explained that the rocks of the Marmaton group are readily divisible into megacyclothems and cyclothems,
The term Bronson group now designates the second stratigraphic unit of group rank above the base of the Missouri series of the Pennsylvanian of the mid-continent region. It comprises about the lower one-third of the strata termed Kansas City formation as that name was used in 1915 by Hinds and Gteene (1). The base of the old Kansas City formation is the base of a limestone formerly thought to be the Hertha limestone and the top is a limestone formerly thought to be the Iola limestone. Both were miscorrelated when the old Kansas City formation was named. The term Bronson as a stratigraphic unit was first used by Adams (2) in 1904. It now designates a natural unit composed largely of limestone comprising two limestone formations and a shale (or sandstone shale) formation. The type locality is near Bronson in Bourbon county, Kansas. The Bronson is recognized from southwestern Iowa to northern Oklahoma. During the past two field seasons the writer has studied these strata from Kansas City to northern Oklahoma and has learned several heretofore unknown facts concerning them.
Discovery that members of the Red Eagle formation (Lower Permian) have been defined and correlated inconsistently between southern Nebraska and northern Oklahoma indicates need for restudy of these strata. Determination of criteria for recognition of member boundaries usable throughout the area of outcrop is required. It is shown that the Red Eagle beds include faunal and lithologic zones that can be traced entirely across Kansas and adjacent parts of Nebraska and Oklahoma, and these serve to guide identification of stratigraphic units without modifying definitions of this formation and its members.
The Marmaton group comprises four limestones and four shale formations which lie in the upper part of rocks of Desmoinesian age in Kansas. Rocks of this group are underlain by the Cherokee shale; they lie below a regional unconformity that is regarded as separating rocks of Desmoinesian age from those of Missourian age. The outcrop belt of these rocks in Kansas ranges in width from about 10 to 25 miles, and extends from Linn and Bourbon counties on the Kansas-Missouri boundary to Montgomery and Labette counties on the Kansas-Oklahoma boundary. The rock units are described in detail and 179 stratigraphic sections measured in Kansas are given. A few sections measured in neighboring parts of Missouri and Oklahoma are also included. The rock descriptions are based on studies of these and many other less complete exposures. Exposures of Marmaton rocks in Kansas offer excellent opportunities for studying cyclic deposits. Both cyclothems and megacyclothems are more or less readily identified in these sediments.
Research Article| June 01, 1966 MEMORIAL TO WALTER H. SCHOEWE (1891–1966) JOHN MARK JEWETT JOHN MARK JEWETT Dept. Geology and State Geological Survey, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1966) 77 (6): P113–P116. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1966)77[P113:MTWHS]2.0.CO;2 Article history first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation JOHN MARK JEWETT; MEMORIAL TO WALTER H. SCHOEWE (1891–1966). GSA Bulletin 1966;; 77 (6): P113–P116. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1966)77[P113:MTWHS]2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract No abstract available This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.
In August, 1933, an occurrence of rock, which has been polished and striated by glacial action, was found by the writer in Kansas City, Mo. The locality is a short distance north and west of Southwest boulevard, and is about two blocks northeast of the Kansas-Missouri boundary. This is south of Kansas and Missouri rivers where but few other occurrences of glacial scratches have been reported either from eastern Kansas (1) or from western Missouri (2). The striae are upon the nearly horizontal surface of a portion of the Winterset limestone of the Dennis formation of Pennsylvanian age and are immediately below several feet of drift composed largely of locally derived boulders and pebbles of limestone. This drift was called a pre-glacial boulder bed by McCourt (3), who must not have seen the evidence of glaciation beneath it. The limestone is in the left-hand valley wall of Turkey creek. The altitude is about 800 feet above sea level and about 80 feet above lowwater stage of Missouri river. The upper surface of the rock is highly polished and faintly striated. The surface is irregular, and has the aspects of very minature roches moutonnees as it has three or more inches of relief within a horizontal distance of two feet or less. Many faint stria are present and their direction is south 65 to 70 degrees east (magnetic). REFERENCES
he Pleasanton Group, a span of rocks that is mostly shale but includes some sandstone, limestone, and coal, is described as it occurs in its belt of outcrop in eastern Kansas. These rocks, which for several years previous to 1948 were called the "Bourbon Group," are of early Missourian age (Upper Pennsylvanian). The Group comprises, in ascending order, the Seminole Formation, the Checkerboard Limestone, and the Tacket Formation (a new stratigraphic name introduced in this paper). Another new name, South Mound Shale Member, is introduced for the upper member of the Seminole Formation, whose lower member is the Hepler Sandstone. A thick sequence of dark limestone and shale beds, known as "Bourbon flags" and some lenticular sandstone bodies (Knobtown sandstone) are characteristic of facies of the Seminole-Tacket formations, the name applied to the entire span of Pleasanton rocks in the northern part of its outcrop area where the separating Checkerboard Limestone is not identified.
Although other scholars, especially Curvier (1769-1832)*, had presentiments that fossils might indicate relative ages of strata, William Smith (1769-1839) seems to merit distinction of being first to recognize clearly the significance of organic remains in the rocks. For a long time he has been called the Father of Stratigraphy. But I do not wish here to attempt to evaluate relatively the accomplishments of the founders of modern geology. Nevertheless other names stand out. There were the Cavelier de Lamark (1774-1829), James Hutton (1726-1797), Charles Lyell (1797-1875), and, of course, Charles Darwin (1809-1882). The gleam had been caught earlier by other brilliant minds: Da Vinci (1452-1519), Palissy (1510 ?-1590), Steno (1638-1686), Buffon (1717-1788); and back beyond the dark ages had been the old Greek philosophers, Axaminandaros and Empedocles and several others. The genius who first had an understanding of fossils must remain unknown forever. And it is well to remember that the understanding that fossils are evidence of past life is not per se recognition that they are indicators of relative age of strata.
