- Othniel Charles Marsh (1831-1899) Along with J. Leidy and E. Cope, one of America's three great 19th century vertebrate paleontologists. Bitter enemy of Cope. Nephew of George Peabody, who as a wealthy benefactor of Yale University supported Marsh's research. As head of the Yale Peabody Museum, Marsh had a large technical staff; several former employees became disgruntled over his appropriation ...www.nceas.ucsb.edu/~alroy/lefa/Marsh.html