Abstract
The Steinhammer Club, formed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1857 was the direct precursor of the Natural History Society of New Brunswick which became a major influence in studies of natural science east of Montreal. Two club members, G.F. Matthew and C.F. Hartt, became distinguished geologists in the North American geoscience community and contributed significantly to our understanding of the geology of eastern Canada. Matthew, a charter member of the Royal Society of Canada, published more than 200 scientific papers. Hartt, who later directed the Geological Survey of Brazil, gained early experience studying Carboniferous fossils near Saint John. Both men, along with fellow club members and their colleague L.W. Bailey, advanced pre-Confederation geology in New Brunswick and assisted work by the Geological Survey of Canada through to the twentieth century.