Background
Pember was born in South Granville, New York, the youngest child and only son of Reuel and Maria Tanner Pember. Pember grew up on a prosperous family farm, two miles from South Granville on the Hartford road.
Pember was born in South Granville, New York, the youngest child and only son of Reuel and Maria Tanner Pember. Pember grew up on a prosperous family farm, two miles from South Granville on the Hartford road.
He attended a nearby one-room schoolhouse. From 1859 to 1861 he studied science at the newly opened college preparatory school, the Fort Edward Collegiate Institute.
Pember founded the Pember Library and the Pember Museum of Natural History in Granville, New New York Pember also constructed the Pember Opera House and provided land for the community sewer systems By the age of 21 Pember was a hunter, trader and taxidermist.
During the following 40 years, Pember collected a variety of specimens of birds and mammals, bird nests and eggs, shells, insects, plants and rocks and minerals.
His collection became the foundation for the Pember Museum of Natural History. Pember was also responsible for creating a network between professional collectors and museums.
He was a successful businessman with one of his earliest enterprises being in the nursery business, selling fruit and ornamental trees, shrubs, plants and flowers. They established the firm of Pember and Prouty, Commission Dealers in Furs and Skins, in New York City in 1873.
The firm was located at 129 West. Broadway, and later at 164-166 South. Fifth Avenue.
They bought furs from all over the United States and Canada and exported them in large quantities to European markets.