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SIA RU000223, United States National Museum Division of Plants, Records, 1899-1947
Summary
- Creator:
- United States National Museum Division of Plants
- Title:
- Records, 1899-1947
- Dates:
- 1899, 1899-1947
- Notes:
- These records are the official files of William Ralph Maxon as Aid, Assistant and Associate Curator, and Curator of the United States National Herbarium, Division of Plants, United States National Museum, 1899-1946. For an administrative history of the Division of Plants, see Record Unit 220
- These records include incoming and outgoing correspondence with United States and foreign botanists; colleagues; directors of museums and herbaria; Smithsonian administrators; botanical collectors; and friends concerning identification, examination, and reports on botanical specimens; botanical gifts; loans or exchanges with other herbaria and collectors; information concerning ferns; carbon copies of Frederick Vernon Coville correspondence in regard to recommendations made by Maxon and Joseph Nelson Rose to have leading botanists receive honorary research positions with the National Herbarium; activities of staff members; salaries and annual leave; explorations and collecting expeditions; Maxon's expedition to Cuba, 1907, as well as to the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, South America, and Asia; professional potential of colleagues; information concerning the affairs of other botanical institutions; manuscripts; requests for publications and reprints; scientific society meetings; and editing and review of scientific articles. There is also correspondence concerning the American Fern Society and its publication, the American Fern Journal, 1924-1931
- Topic:
- Botany
- Subjects:
- Coville, Frederick V (Frederick Vernon) 1867-1937, Maxon, William R (William Ralph) 1877-1948, American Fern Society, United States National Herbarium Department of Botany (USNM)
- Form/Genre:
- Mixed archival materials, Collection descriptions
- Local Number:
- SIA RU000223
- Physical Description:
- 4.2 linear meters
Finding Aids to Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution Archives
Table of Contents
- Collection Overview
- Historical Note
- Introduction
- Descriptive Entry
- Index Terms
- Administrative Information
- Container List
- Series 1 - INCOMING AND OCCASIONAL OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE, 1899-1947. LOOSE. ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY AND IN MOST INSTANCES CHRONOLOGICALLY THEREUNDER.
- Series 2 - OFFICIAL OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE, WILLIAM RALPH MAXON, 1899-1931. BOUND. INDEXED.
- Series 3 - OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE, AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY AND AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL (WILLIAM RALPH MAXON), 1924-1931. BOUND. INDEXED.
Record Unit 223
United States National Museum, Division of Plants
Records, 1899-1947
Collection Overview | |
| Repository: | Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu. |
|---|---|
| Creator: | United States National Museum, Division of Plants |
| Title: | Records |
| Dates: | 1899-1947 |
| Quantity: | 4.2 linear meters. |
| Collection: | Record Unit 223 |
| Language of Materials: | English |
Historical Note
William Ralph Maxon, botanist, was born in Oneida, New York, on February 27, 1877, where he received an early interest in the natural sciences from his father, a newspaper editor, who would take him on long walks through the countryside on Sundays when he was a small boy. Maxon entered Syracuse University in 1894 and received a Ph.B. in 1898. While at Syracuse he developed an interest in ferns, and in the summer of 1898 Maxon left for Columbia University to do postgraduate study on ferns under Lucien Marcus Underwood.
In November 1899, Maxon received an appointment as an aid in the United States National Museum, Division of Plants. Working his way up the professional ladder, Maxon became assistant curator in 1905, associate curator in 1914, and the second curator of that Division (Frederick Vernon Coville held the title of honorary curator, without remuneration, 1894-1937) from February 1, 1937, until May 31, 1946. Retiring in 1946, Maxon became an associate in botany, a position he held until his death on February 25, 1948.
Maxon specialized in the taxonomic study of Pteridophyta, especially those of tropical America, and was considered to be one of the leading systematic pteridologists of his time. He built up the fern collection in the United States National Herbarium from one of relative insignificance to one of the finest in quantity and quality in the western hemisphere. Between 1903 and 1926 he undertook nine major expeditions to tropical America. A heart attack in 1931 put a stop to any further explorations. In 1928, and again in 1930, Maxon worked overseas in European herbaria, including those in London, Copenhagen, and Berlin. Among his scientific papers, one of his most important series of writings was his "Studies of Tropical American Ferns," which was published in Contributions From the United States National Herbarium.
Maxon belonged to numerous scientific societies and was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement Science and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was an original member and president of the Biologists' Field Club of Washington, and he was president of the American Fern Society, 1898-1899, 1919-1933, and editor and editor-in-chief of its Journal from 1933 until his death. Maxon was awarded an honorary doctor of science degree from Syracuse University in 1922.
Introduction
This finding aid was digitized with funds generously provided by the Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.
Descriptive Entry
These records, for the most part, document the history of the collection of the United States National Herbarium (USNH), United States National Museum, Division of Plants, while William Ralph Maxon was aid, assistant curator, associate curator, and curator of the USNH, Division of Plants (1899-1946). This material includes loose incoming and outgoing correspondence between Maxon and U.S. and foreign botanists; colleagues; directors of museums and herbaria; Smithsonian administrative staff officers; botanical collectors and friends. It covers identification, examination, and reports concerning botanical specimens; botanical gifts, loans, or exchanges with other herbaria and collectors; information concerning ferns; carbon copies of Frederick Vernon Coville correspondence regarding recommendations made by Maxon and Joseph Nelson Rose to have leading botanists receive honorary research positions with the USNH; activities of staff members; salaries and annual leave; explorations and collecting expeditions; Maxon's expedition to Cuba (1907) as well as other parts of the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, South America, and Asia; professional potentiality of colleagues and information concerning the affairs of other botanical institutions; manuscripts; requests for publications and reprints; editing and review of scientific articles; scientific society meetings; outgoing letterpress correspondence concerning the above; and material concerning the American Fern Society and its publication, the American Fern Journal (1924-1931).
Index Terms
This collection is indexed under the following access terms. These are links to collections with related topics, persons or places.
Name
- American Fern Society
- Coville, Frederick V. (Frederick Vernon), 1867-1937
- Maxon, William R. (William Ralph), 1877-
- United States National Herbarium. Department of Botany (USNM)
Subject
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 223, United States National Museum, Division of Plants, Records
Container List
Series 1
INCOMING AND OCCASIONAL OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE, 1899-1947. LOOSE. ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY AND IN MOST INSTANCES CHRONOLOGICALLY THEREUNDER.Incoming correspondence, 1899-1947. For description of general contents, see descriptive entry at the beginning of the finding aid.
Box 1
A
Abrams, LeRoy (1916-1939)
Allen, Paul H.
Alston, A. H. G. (1928-1945)
Ames, Oakes (1917-1939)
Arsene, G. Brother (1937-1940)
Babcock, Ernest B.
Badiarus Manuscript
Bai-Bar
Bailey, Liberty Hyde
Barnhart, John Hendley (1904-1943)
Bartlett, Harley Harris (1926-1947)
Bartram, Edwin Bunting (1924-1945)
Bea-Bow
Benedict, Ralph C. (1908-1937)
Box 2
Blomquist, H. L.
Box, Harold E.
Bra-Bri
Bracelin, Mrs. H. P.
Britton, Elizabeth Gertrude (1902-1911)
Britton, Nathaniel Lord (1901-1932)
Bro-But
Broun, Maurice
Cal-Clu
Chase, Agnus
Ching, R. C. (1927-1940)
Christ, H.
Christensen, Carl (1905-1939)
Box 3
Chrysler, Mintin Asbury (1924-1946)
Clausen, Robert T.
Clokey, Ira M.
Collum, Rose E.
Copeland, E. B. (2 folders)
Copeland, Herbert F.
Cor-Cut
Coville, Frederick Vernon
Dai-Dix
Davenport, George E.
Deam, Charles Clemon (1929-1941)
Degener, Otto
Demaree, Delzie
Diels, L. (1914-1937)
Dixon, H. N.
Dod-Dut
Box 4
Eat-Eye
Eames, Arthur J.
Eastwood, Alice (1911-1941)
Eaton, A. A. (1899-1907). Includes a copy of a letter from David Cady Eaton to Hooker, 3/6/1862.
Ekman, E. L.
Epling, Carl (1924-1942)
Evans, Alexander William (1903-1943)
F
Fernald, Merritt Lyndon (1913-1945)
Ga-Go
Gleason, Henry Allen (1918-1946)
Greenman, Jesse M. (1913-1944)
Gr-Gu
Box 5
Ha-He
Hall, Harvey Monroe (1913-1945). Includes Hall's "Proposal for an International Bureau of Plant Taxonomy," 1930.
Happ, George B.
Hargitt, C. W.
Harper, Roland M.
Harris, William (1903-1920)
Hatch, W. R.
Haught, Oscar
Haynes, Caroline C. (1927-1940)
Hayward, Wyndham
Hendry, Isabel B. Concerning her grandfather, William Dunlop Brackenridge.
Herrera, Fortunato L.
Heuvrard, H.
Hi-Hu
Hill, Arthur Sir (1922-1939)
Hinton, James C.
Hitchcock, C. Leo
Holdridge, Leslie R.
Holttum, R. E.
House, Homer Doliver (1912-1938)
Howe, Marshall Avery (1901-1936)
Hulten, Eric (1933-1945)
Box 6
Hume, H. Harold (1934-1938)
I-J
Jepson, Willis Linn (1918-1937)
Johnson, Duncan S.
Johnston, Ivan Murry (1921-1927)
Just, Theodor (1936-1945)
K
Kearney, Thomas Henry (1933-1939)
Keissler, Karl
Killip, Ellsworth Paine (1916-1946)
Knobloch, Irving W.
L (2 folders)
Lemee, A.
Leon, Brother (1921-1945)
Lindman, Carl
Lundell, Cyrus Longworth (1931-1943) (2 folders)
Lyonnet, E.
Box 7
Ma
Macbride, J. Francis
Mackenzie, Kenneth M. (1912-1933)
Macoun, J. M.
Mains, E. B.
Makrinius, Emil
Martinez, Maximino
Maxon, William Ralph (1899-1930). Includes correspondence regarding his salary; report to Richard Rathbun on collecting in eastern Cuba with correspondence relating to this expedition (1907). (2 folders)
Maxon, William Ralph. Mss. on "Ferns" for one of his radio talks (5/1/1926); manuscript on "Cibotium," and "The North American tree-ferns of the genus Dicksonia."
Mc-My
Merrill, Elmer Drew (1905-1946) (3 folders)
Merrill, G. K.
Mertie, J. B., Jr.
Box 8
Metcalf, Franklin P. (1925-1941)
Mexia, Ynes E. (1925-1931)
Middleton, Margaret. Regarding the biography of John Wolf.
Millspaugh, Charles Frederick (1901-1923)
Moldenke, Harold Norman (1929-1944)
Morrison, John L.
Morton, Conrad Vernon (1933-1942)
Moxley, George L.
Munz, P. A.
N-O
Nelson, Aven (1913-1941)
O'Neill, Hugh Father
P
Palmer, T. Chalkey
Parish, S. B.
Pennell, Francis Whittier (1913-1942) (2 folders)
Pfeiffer, Norma E.
Phillips, E. Percy
Pilger, R.
Piper, Charles Vancouver (1919-1924)
Pittier, Henri (1914-1940) (2 folders)
Box 9
Porsild, Alf Erling (1937-1945)
Pringle, Cyrus Guernsey
Purpus, C. A.
Quested, Adrien (1938-1946)
Quisumbing, Eduardo
R (3 folders)
Ramsbottom, J.
Record, Samuel J.
Rehder, Alfred (1925-1940)
Robinson, Benjamin Lincoln (1901-1934) (3 folders)
Rock, Joseph Francis (1917-1946)
Rose, Joseph Nelson (1928, 1936). Continuation of Rose's correspondence by Maxon after Rose's death.
Box 10
S (4 folders)
Samuelsson, Gunnar
Schaffner, John H. (1919-1932)
Schellenberg, Gustav
Schmidt, O. C.
Schneider, Camillo
Schweinfurth, Charles
Seifriz, William (1920-1941)
Setchell, William Albert (1911-1931)
Shannon, Raymond C.
Skutch, Alexander F. (1933-1945) (3 folders)
Sleumer, H.
Small, John Kunkel (1934-1937)
Smith, Albert C. (1931-1946)
Box 11
Smith, John Donnell
Soxman, G. M.
Sperry, Omer E.
Standley, Paul Carpenter (1916-1946) (2 folders)
Steele, Edward Strieby (1922-1944). Includes biographical note by George W. Dalzell.
Steere, William Campbell
Stehle, Henri (1935-1945)
St. John, Robert P.
Sudworth, G. B.
Swingle, Walter Tennyson (1912-1929)
T
Taylor, William Randolph (1926-1944)
Tharp, B. C.
Thompson, J. William
Thornber, J. J.
Tilden, Josephine E.
Tilton, George H.
Tonduz, Ad.
Train, Percy
Trelease, William (1912-1939)
Box 12
U-V
Underwood, Lucien M. (1902-1906)
Urban, Ignatius (1911-1930)
Verdoorn, Frans (1933-1936)
W
Wagner, Warren Herbert Jr. (1937-1945)
Walker, Egbert Hamilton (1933-1944)
Weatherby, Charles Alfred (1916-1947) (3 folders)
Wetmore, Alexander (1927-1944)
Wherry, Edgar Theodore (1931-1938)
Wiggins, Ira L.
Whitford, A. C.
Box 13
Williams, Louis Otho (1938-1943)
Williams, R. S.
Woodson, Robert Everard Jr. (1928-1943)
X-Z
Journal - Cuba, 1907
Series 2
OFFICIAL OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE, WILLIAM RALPH MAXON, 1899-1931. BOUND. INDEXED.Outgoing letterpress correspondence, February 25, 1899-August 18, 1931. Indexed. 41 volumes. For general contents regarding the material, see the descriptive entry at the beginning of the finding aid. Letterpress correspondence usually corresponds to incoming correspondence when there is a lengthy and continuing correspondence with an individual.
Box 14
February 25, 1899-June 27, 1906 (3 volumes)
Box 15
July 2, 1906-June 21, 1911 (3 volumes)
Box 16
July 13, 1911-December 29, 1913 (3 volumes)
Box 17
January 2, 1914-May 11, 1915 (3 volumes)
Box 18
May 8, 1915-October 26, 1916 (3 volumes)
Box 19
October 27, 1916-November 5, 1918 (3 volumes)
Box 20
November 5, 1918-August 13, 1920 (3 volumes)
Box 21
August 16, 1920-January 19, 1922 (3 volumes)
Box 22
January 20, 1922-November 16, 1923 (3 volumes)
Box 23
November 17, 1923-May 4, 1925 (3 volumes)
Box 24
May 1, 1925-May 7, 1927 (3 volumes)
Box 25
May 7, 1927-March 7, 1929 (3 volumes)
Box 26
March 8, 1929-December 10, 1930 (3 volumes)
Box 27
December 11, 1930-August 18, 1931 (2 volumes)
Series 3
OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE, AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY AND AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL (WILLIAM RALPH MAXON), 1924-1931. BOUND. INDEXED.Personal outgoing letterpress correspondence, 1924-1931. Indexed. 1 volume. Mostly concerns the American Fern Society and the American Fern Journal while Maxon was president of the Society. Though this correspondence seems to be with those same persons with whom Maxon carried on official incoming correspondence, see series 1, there appears to be no correlation between the contents of this volume and the incoming correspondence. It appears that Maxon kept aside personal papers which, except for this volume, did not make their way into these records. Besides correspondence regarding the American Fern Society and its Journal, contents include correspondence concerning specimen collections and other scientific societies.
Box 28
Correspondence: Box, Harold E.
Ferns of Jamaica, Volume 1
North American Ferns, Polypodium
Notes on Cyatheaceae
Photographs: Tropical station and laboratory; Cinchona, Jamaica
Photographs: Kew
Photograph: British Museum Herbarium
Photographs: Botanisk Have, Copenhagen
Photograph: Naturhistoriska Riksmuseum, Stockholm
Photographs: Botanischer Garten, Berlin
Specimen notes
- Finding Aid encoded on: 7-11-2011
- Contact us at osiaref@si.edu
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