User:VaudevillianScientist/Cressy L. Wilbur

Cressy Livingston Wilbur (March 16, 1865 – August 10, 1928) was an American biostatistician who specialized in vital statistics. He was from 1906 to 1914 the Chief Statistician at the United States Census Bureau. Wilbur is known for his contributions in the initiative to compile the first series of the cause of deaths records of the United States population, an effort that eventually lead to the International Classification of Diseases.

Education and career
Wilbur was born in Hillsdale, Michigan and studied at the Hillsdale College, where he received his Ph.B. in 1886 and Ph.M. in 1889. He went on to study at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College (now New York University Grossman School of Medicine).

In 1893, Wilbur was appointed Chief of the Division of Vital Statistics of the State of Michigan. He held the position for the following 13 years. In 1906, Wilbur became Chief Statistician at the United States Census Bureau in Washington, D.C, succeeding William Alexander King, whom Wilbur was previously an assistant to. During his leadership period from 1906 to 1914, he worked along the director Edward Dana Durand to oversee the foundation of the United States Children's Bureau.

His efforts lead to the Manual of international classification of causes of death, which was first published in 1909.