Narrow Your Results

Go Reset

Refine Your Results

Filter Your Results

Expeditions Information

Close Browse records and papers documenting scientific and collecting expeditions either affiliated with the Smithsonian, or with which Smithsonian researchers participated. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by geographic regions predominantly represented in expedition records.

Smithsonian Secretaries Information

Close Browse records and papers of the Smithsonian Secretaries, from 1846 until today. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by individuals who have held that office.

Smithsonian Records Information

Close Browse official records created at the Smithsonian Institution’s museums, research centers, libraries, and archives, now in the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ collections. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by major topics or disciplines.

Personal Papers Information

Close Browse papers and special collections created by institutions and persons who have contributed to and collaborated with the Smithsonian. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by major topics and disciplines.

Professional Societies Information

Close Browse records of professional societies closely associated with the Smithsonian, that focus on areas of scientific research and museum studies. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by major topics and disciplines.

Oral Histories Information

Close Browse oral and video history collections containing interviews with current and retired Smithsonian staff, and others who have made significant contributions to the Institution. Pre-set filters help narrow searches by major topics or disciplines.

SIA RU000112, Smithsonian Institution Assistant Secretary in charge of the United States National Museum, Correspondence and Memoranda, 1879-1907

Print Share Submit a reference request about this item
* required
Please succinctly provide us with any information pertinent to your inquiry. If you are writing to us about a research request, provide as much detail as possible about the collections in which you are interested (including collection numbers, box numbers, and folder titles).
(if known)
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Summary

Creator:
Smithsonian Institution Assistant Secretary in charge of the United States National Museum
Title:
Correspondence and Memoranda, 1879-1907
Dates:
1879, 1879-1907
Summary:
These records comprise the primary outgoing correspondence of the officer in immediate charge of the United States National Museum from the appointment of George Brown Goode as Assistant Director in 1881. Records from the years 1879-1881 mostly pertain to the United States Fish Commission, and Commission business is included through 1887. In 1888, Goode was made Assistant Secretary in charge of the United States National Museum. After Goode's death in 1896, the business of this office was administered for a time by the Executive Curator, Frederick William True. Richard Rathbun became Assistant Secretary in 1898, but most correspondence in this series in the period 1896-1902 is signed by the Executive Curator; after that, most is signed by the Assistant Secretary
Several peculiarities of this record unit should be noted. Predominance of Fish Commission correspondence in the pre-1881 years has been described. Although letterpress volumes are numbered sequentially, dates do not always follow in strict chronologic order; sometimes special books were designated for an official to use when out of the city or when discharging special duties. Many letters were signed by subordinates, the Secretary, and by the Assistant Secretary as Acting Secretary. Apparently, the sequential numbering was imposed at a later date. These records were in the custody of the Registrar for many years. See record unit 189 for incoming correspondence. See also record unit 192
Restrictions:
(1) Record unit available on microfilm; (2) use of this record unit requires prior arrangement with the Archives staff
Topics:
Museums--Administration, Museums--Collection management
Subjects:
Rathbun, Richard 1852-1918, Goode, G. Brown (George Brown) 1851-1896, True, Frederick William 1858-1914, Walcott, Charles D (Charles Doolittle) 1850-1927, United States Fish Commission, United States National Museum Executive Curator, United States National Museum Office of the Registrar, United States National Museum
Form/Genre:
Mixed archival materials, Collection descriptions
Local Number:
SIA RU000112
Physical Description:
10 linear meters

Finding Aids to Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Record Unit 112

Smithsonian Institution, Assistant Secretary in charge of the United States National Museum

Correspondence and Memoranda, 1879-1907

Repository: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator: Smithsonian Institution, Assistant Secretary in charge of the United States National Museum
Title: Correspondence and Memoranda
Dates: 1879-1907
Quantity: 10 linear meters.
Collection: Record Unit 112
Language of Materials: English

Descriptive Entry

These records comprise the primary outgoing correspondence of the officer in immediate charge of the United States National Museum from the appointment of George Brown Goode as Assistant Director in 1880. Volumes are numbered sequentially with the prefix "L." Records from the years 1879-1881 mostly pertain to the United States Fish Commission, and Commission business is included through the year of Spencer F. Baird's death in 1887. In 1888, Goode was made Assistant Secretary in Charge of the United States National Museum. After Goode's death in 1896, the business of this office was administered for a time by the Executive Curator, Frederick W. True. Richard Rathbun became Assistant Secretary in 1898, but most correspondence in this series in the period 1896-1902 is signed by the Executive Curator; after that, most is signed by the Assistant Secretary.

Several peculiarities of this record series should be noted. Predominance of Fish Commission correspondence in the pre-1881 years has been described. Although volumes are numbered sequentially, dates do not always follow in strict chronological order; sometimes special books were designated for an official to use when out of the city or when discharging special duties. Many letters are signed by subordinates and quite a few are signed by the Secretary or by the Assistant Secretary as Acting Secretary. Apparently, the sequential numbering was imposed at a later date than the earliest volumes, although the exact time of numbering is not known. These records were in the custody of the Registrar for many years.

Top of Page

Access Restriction

Record unit available on microfilm.

Top of Page

Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 112, Smithsonian Institution, Assistant Secretary in charge of the United States National Museum, Correspondence and Memoranda

Top of Page

Container List

Box 1

L1 February 1879-November 1879

Box 1 of 76

L2 November 1879-April 1880

Box 1 of 76

L3 August 1880-January 1881

Box 1 of 76

Box 2

L4 January 1881-June 1881

Box 2 of 76

L5 June 1881-December 1881

Box 2 of 76

L6 December 1881-April 1882

Box 2 of 76

Box 3

L7 April 1882-August 1882

Box 3 of 76

L8 August 1882-October 1882

Box 3 of 76

L9 October 1882-January 1883

Box 3 of 76

L10 December 1882-April 1883

Box 3 of 76

Box 4

L11 April 1883-June 1883

Box 4 of 76

L12 June 1883-October 1883

Box 4 of 76

L13 October 1883-January 1884

Box 4 of 76

L14 January 1884-May 1884

Box 4 of 76

Box 5

L15 May 1884-August 1884

Box 5 of 76

L16 August 1884-October 1884

Box 5 of 76

L16 1/2 August 1884-September 1884

Box 5 of 76

L17 October 1884-January 1885

Box 5 of 76

Box 6

L18 January 1885-April 1885

Box 6 of 76

L19 April 1885-July 1885

Box 6 of 76

L20 July 1885-November 1885

Box 6 of 76

L21 August 1885-September 1885

Box 6 of 76

Box 7

L22 April 1885-January 1886

Box 7 of 76

L23 November 1885-March 1886

Box 7 of 76

L24 March 1886-June 1886

Box 7 of 76

L25 July 1886-October 1886

Box 7 of 76

Box 8

L26 October 1886-February 1887

Box 8 of 76

L27 February 1887-April 1887

Box 8 of 76

L28 April 1887-June 1887

Box 8 of 76

L29 June 1887-September 1887

Box 8 of 76

Box 9

L30 September 1887-November 1887

Box 9 of 76

L31 November 1887-January 1888

Box 9 of 76

L32 January 1888-February 1888

Box 9 of 76

Box 10

L33 February 1888-April 1888

Box 10 of 76

L34 April 1888-June 1888

Box 10 of 76

L35 June 1888-August 1888

Box 10 of 76

Box 11

L36 August 1888-October 1888

Box 11 of 76

L37 October 1888-December 1888

Box 11 of 76

L38 December 1888-January 1889

Box 11 of 76

Box 12

L39 January 1889-March 1889

Box 12 of 76

L40 March 1889-May 1889

Box 12 of 76

L41 May 1889-July 1889

Box 12 of 76

Box 13

L42 July 1889-August 1889

Box 13 of 76

L43 August 1889-October 1889

Box 13 of 76

L44 October 1889-December 1889

Box 13 of 76

Box 14

L45 December 1889-January 1890

Box 14 of 76

L46 February 1890-March 1890

Box 14 of 76

L47 March 1890-April 1890

Box 14 of 76

Box 15

L48 April 1890-May 1890

Box 15 of 76

L49 May 1890-June 1890

Box 15 of 76

L50 July 1890-August 1890

Box 15 of 76

Box 16

L51 August 1890-October 1890

Box 16 of 76

L52 October 1890-November 1890

Box 16 of 76

L53 November 1890-January 1891

Box 16 of 76

Box 17

L54 January 1891-February 1891

Box 17 of 76

L55 February 1891-March 1891

Box 17 of 76

L56 March 1891-April 1891

Box 17 of 76

Box 18

L57 April 1891-May 1891

Box 18 of 76

L58 May 1891-July 1891

Box 18 of 76

L59 June 1891-August 1891

Box 18 of 76

Box 19

L60 August 1891-September 1891

Box 19 of 76

L61 September 1891-October 1891

Box 19 of 76

L62 October 1891-November 1891

Box 19 of 76

Box 20

L63 November 1891-January 1892

Box 20 of 76

L64 January 1892-February 1892

Box 20 of 76

L65 February 1892-March 1892

Box 20 of 76

Box 21

L66 March 1892-April 1892

Box 21 of 76

L67 April 1892-May 1892

Box 21 of 76

L68 May 1892-July 1892

Box 21 of 76

Box 22

L69 July 1892-August 1892

Box 22 of 76

L70 August 1892-September 1892

Box 22 of 76

L71 September 1892-October 1892

Box 22 of 76

Box 23

L72 October 1892-November 1892

Box 23 of 76

L73 November 1892-December 1892

Box 23 of 76

L74 December 1892-January 1893

Box 23 of 76

Box 24

L75 January 1893-February 1893

Box 24 of 76

L76 February 1893-March 1893

Box 24 of 76

L77 March 1893-April 1893

Box 24 of 76

Box 25

L78 April 1893-May 1893

Box 25 of 76

L79 May 1893-June 1893

Box 25 of 76

L80 June 1893-July 1893

Box 25 of 76

Box 26

L81 July 1893-August 1893

Box 26 of 76

L82 August 1893-September 1893

Box 26 of 76

L83 September 1893-October 1893

Box 26 of 76

Box 27

L84 October 1893-November 1893

Box 27 of 76

L85 November 1893-December 1893

Box 27 of 76

L86 December 1893-January 1894

Box 27 of 76

Box 28

L87 January 1894-February 1894

Box 28 of 76

L88 February 1894-March 1894

Box 28 of 76

L89 March 1894

Box 28 of 76

Box 29

L90 March 1894-April 1894

Box 29 of 76

L91 April 1894-May 1894

Box 29 of 76

L92 May 1894-June 1894

Box 29 of 76

Box 30

L93 June 1894-July 1894

Box 30 of 76

L94 July 1894-September 1894

Box 30 of 76

L95 August 1894-October 1894

Box 30 of 76

Box 31

L96 October 1894

Box 31 of 76

L97 October 1894-November 1894

Box 31 of 76

L98 November 1894-December 1894

Box 31 of 76

Box 32

L99 December 1894-January 1895

Box 32 of 76

L100 January 1895-February 1895

Box 32 of 76

L101 February 1895-March 1895

Box 32 of 76

Box 33

L102 March 1895-April 1895

Box 33 of 76

L103 April 1895-May 1895

Box 33 of 76

L104 May 1895-June 1895

Box 33 of 76

Box 34

L105 June 1895-July 1895

Box 34 of 76

L106 July 1895-August 1895

Box 34 of 76

L107 August 1895-September 1895

Box 34 of 76

Box 35

L108 September 1895-October 1895

Box 35 of 76

L109 October 1895-November 1895

Box 35 of 76

L110 November 1895-December 1895

Box 35 of 76

Box 36

L111 December 1895-January 1896

Box 36 of 76

L112 January 1896-February 1896

Box 36 of 76

L113 February 1896-March 1896

Box 36 of 76

Box 37

L114 March 1896-April 1896

Box 37 of 76

L115 April 1896-May 1896

Box 37 of 76

L116 May 1896-June 1896

Box 37 of 76

Box 38

L117 June 1896-July 1896

Box 38 of 76

L118 July 1896-August 1896

Box 38 of 76

L119 August 1896-September 1896

Box 38 of 76

Box 39

L120 September 1896-October 1896

Box 39 of 76

L121 October 1896-November 1896

Box 39 of 76

L122 November 1896-December 1896

Box 39 of 76

Box 40

L123 December 1896-January 1897

Box 40 of 76

L124 January 1897

Box 40 of 76

L125 January 1897-February 1897

Box 40 of 76

Box 41

L126 February 1897-March 1897

Box 41 of 76

L127 March 1897

Box 41 of 76

L128 March 1897-April 1897

Box 41 of 76

Box 42

L129 April 1897-June 1897

Box 42 of 76

L130 June 1897-July 1897

Box 42 of 76

L131 July 1897-August 1897

Box 42 of 76

Box 43

L132 August 1897-September 1897

Box 43 of 76

L133 September 1897-October 1897

Box 43 of 76

L134 October 1897-November 1897

Box 43 of 76

Box 44

L135 November 1897-December 1897

Box 44 of 76

L136 December 1897-January 1898

Box 44 of 76

L137 January 1898-February 1898

Box 44 of 76

Box 45

L138 February 1898-March 1898

Box 45 of 76

L139 March 1898-April 1898

Box 45 of 76

L140 April 1898-May 1898

Box 45 of 76

Box 46

L141 May 1898-July 1898

Box 46 of 76

L142 July 1898-August 1898

Box 46 of 76

L143 August 1898-October 1898

Box 46 of 76

Box 47

L144 October 1898-November 1898

Box 47 of 76

L145 November 1898-January 1899

Box 47 of 76

L146 January 1899-February 1899

Box 47 of 76

Box 48

L147 February 1899-March 1899

Box 48 of 76

L148 March 1899-April 1899

Box 48 of 76

L149 April 1899-May 1899

Box 48 of 76

Box 49

L150 May 1899-June 1899

Box 49 of 76

L151 June 1899-August 1899

Box 49 of 76

L152 August 1899-September 1899

Box 49 of 76

Box 50

L153 September 1899-October 1899

Box 50 of 76

L154 October 1899-December 1899

Box 50 of 76

L155 December 1899-January 1900

Box 50 of 76

Box 51

L156 January 1900-February 1900

Box 51 of 76

L157 February 1900-March 1900

Box 51 of 76

L158 March 1900-April 1900

Box 51 of 76

Box 52

L159 April 1900-June 1900

Box 52 of 76

L160 June 1900-July 1900

Box 52 of 76

L161 July 1900-September 1900

Box 52 of 76

Box 53

L162 September 1900-October 1900

Box 53 of 76

L163 October 1900-December 1900

Box 53 of 76

L164 November 1900-January 1901

Box 53 of 76

Box 54

L165 January 1901-February 1901

Box 54 of 76

L166 February 1901-March 1901

Box 54 of 76

L167 March 1901-April 1901

Box 54 of 76

Box 55

L168 April 1901-June 1901

Box 55 of 76

L169 June 1901-July 1901

Box 55 of 76

L170 July 1901-August 1901

Box 55 of 76

Box 56

L171 August 1901-October 1901

Box 56 of 76

L172 October 1901-December 1901

Box 56 of 76

L173 November 1901-January 1902

Box 56 of 76

Box 57

L174 January 1902

Box 57 of 76

L175 January 1902-February 1902

Box 57 of 76

L176 February 1902-March 1902

Box 57 of 76

Box 58

L177 March 1902-April 1902

Box 58 of 76

L178 April 1902-May 1902

Box 58 of 76

L179 May 1902-July 1902

Box 58 of 76

Box 59

L180 June 1902-August 1902

Box 59 of 76

L181 August 1902-September 1902

Box 59 of 76

L182 September 1902-October 1902

Box 59 of 76

Box 60

L183 October 1902-December 1902

Box 60 of 76

L184 December 1902-January 1903

Box 60 of 76

L185 January 1903-February 1903

Box 60 of 76

Box 61

L186 February 1903-March 1903

Box 61 of 76

L187 March 1903-April 1903

Box 61 of 76

L188 April 1903-May 1903

Box 61 of 76

Box 62

L189 May 1903-June 1903

Box 62 of 76

L190 June 1903-August 1903

Box 62 of 76

L191 August 1903-October 1903

Box 62 of 76

Box 63

L192 October 1903-November 1903

Box 63 of 76

L193 November 1903-December 1903

Box 63 of 76

L194 December 1903-January 1904

Box 63 of 76

Box 64

L195 January 1904-February 1904

Box 64 of 76

L196 February 1904-March 1904

Box 64 of 76

L197 March 1904-April 1904

Box 64 of 76

Box 65

L198 April 1904-May 1904

Box 65 of 76

L199 May 1904-June 1904

Box 65 of 76

L200 June 1904-July 1904

Box 65 of 76

Box 66

L201 July 1904-August 1904

Box 66 of 76

L202 September 1904-October 1904

Box 66 of 76

L203 October 1904-November 1904

Box 66 of 76

Box 67

L204 November 1904-December 1904

Box 67 of 76

L205 December 1904-January 1905

Box 67 of 76

L206 January 1905-February 1905

Box 67 of 76

Box 68

L207 February 1905-March 1905

Box 68 of 76

L208 March 1905-April 1905

Box 68 of 76

L209 April 1905-May 1905

Box 68 of 76

Box 69

L210 Number skipped

Box 69 of 76

L211 May 1905-June 1905

Box 69 of 76

L212 June 1905-July 1905

Box 69 of 76

L213 July 1905-September 1905

Box 69 of 76

Box 70

L214 September 1905-October 1905

Box 70 of 76

L215 October 1905-November 1905

Box 70 of 76

L216 November 1905-December 1905

Box 70 of 76

Box 71

L217 December 1905-January 1906

Box 71 of 76

L218 January 1906

Box 71 of 76

L219 January 1906-February 1906

Box 71 of 76

Box 72

L220 February 1906-March 1906

Box 72 of 76

L221 March 1906

Box 72 of 76

L222 March 1906-April 1906

Box 72 of 76

Box 73

L223 April 1906-May 1906

Box 73 of 76

L224 May 1906-June 1906

Box 73 of 76

L225 June 1906-August 1906

Box 73 of 76

Box 74

L226 August 1906-September 1906

Box 74 of 76

L227 September 1906-October 1906

Box 74 of 76

L228 October 1906-November 1906

Box 74 of 76

Box 75

L229 November 1906-December 1906

Box 75 of 76

L 230 December 1906-January 1907

Box 75 of 76

L231 January 1907-February 1907

Box 75 of 76

Box 76

L232 February 1907

Box 76 of 76

Index to Letterbooks

Box 76 of 76

Top of Page

Using the Archives' Collections

The Smithsonian Institution Archives welcomes personal and educational use of its collections unless otherwise noted. Please cite the Smithsonian Institution Archives as the source of the content, and when possible, link to the Smithsonian Archives website (siarchives.si.edu). Please let us know how you are using our collections for your projects. For information on commercial licensing or other uses, visit Rights and Reproductions. More information available within the Smithsonian’s Terms of Use policy.