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Finding Aids to Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Record Unit 167

United States National Museum. Administrative Assistant

Correspondence and Memoranda, 1885-1914

Repository:Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator:United States National Museum. Administrative Assistant
Title:Correspondence and Memoranda
Dates:1885-1914
Quantity:14.26 cu. ft. (3 document boxes) (22 tall document boxes)
Collection:Record Unit 167
Language of Materials:English
Summary:

The records consist of outgoing letterpress book correspondence concerning general fiscal matters, estimates of appropriations, appropriation and expenditure statements, certified vouchers for the disbursement clerk, fiscal records pertaining to USNM exhibits at international expositions, and personnel matters. Originally these records had been kept in three separate series: (1) general museum business, (2) personnel, and (3) copied letters addressed to the Secretary transmitting vouchers for payment.

Historical Note

The chief clerk's appointment was an administrative one. Under his charge was the general supervision of the expenditure of United States National Museum appropriations; preparing proposals for supplies, issuing orders for the purchasing of supplies; settlement of accounts; awarding contracts; supervision over nonscientific or specimen related correspondence; general supervision of employees, their assignments to duty, granting leaves of absence; and conducting boards of inquiry and investigation of complaints. The chief clerk also acted as special agent and at times was appointed representative of the Museum and the Smithsonian at international expositions.

William V. Cox, designated chief clerk of the Museum in 1885, was the first and last chief clerk of the Museum. When Cox left the Museum in 1902 the title of the position was changed to administrative assistant. Duties of the administrative assistant were somewhat modified but the differences between these duties and those of the chief clerk were never enumerated in the Museum reports.

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Descriptive Entry

Records consist of outgoing letterpress book correspondence concerning general fiscal matters, estimates of appropriations, appropriation and expenditure statements; certified vouchers for the disbursement clerk; and personnel matters including leaves of absence, appointments, promotions, terminations, and salaries; also included are fiscal records pertaining to USNM exhibits at international expositions. Originally these records had been kept in three separate series, (1) general museum business; (2) personnel; and (3) copied letters addressed to the Secretary transmitting vouchers for payment. These series were combined at an unknown date and volumes pertaining to exposition financial matters were added. Most of the correspondence was signed by Cox, and William De C. Ravenel. Other correspondents include Secretaries Samuel P. Langley, and Charles D. Walcott; executive curator, Frederick William True; and acting chief clerks, J. E. Rockwell, and J. L. Willige. Volumes are individually indexed. A Volume list follows.

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Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 167, United States National Museum. Administrative Assistant, Correspondence and Memoranda

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Container List

Box 1

Volume 1. Personnel. June 12, 1885-September 15, 1886

Box 1 of 25

Volume 2. Museum. January 19, 1886-September 14, 1886

Box 1 of 25

Volume 3. Museum. September 15, 1886-May 7, 1887

Box 1 of 25

Volume 4. Personnel. September 16, 1886-September 5, 1887

Box 1 of 25

Box 2

Volume 5. Museum. May 11, 1887-December 29, 1887

Box 2 of 25

Volume 6. Personnel. September 5, 1887-July 24, 1888

Box 2 of 25

Volume 7. Museum. December 29, 1887-August 20, 1888

Box 2 of 25

Volume 8. Vouchers. August 10, 1888-August 10, 1892

Box 2 of 25

Box 3

Volume 9. Cincinnati Exposition. May 29, 1888-May 2, 1889

Box 3 of 25

Volume 10. Cincinnati Exposition Vouchers. January 11, 1888-February 15, 1889

Box 3 of 25

Volume 11. Personnel. July 27, 1888-March 15, 1889

Box 3 of 25

Volume 12. Museum. August 21, 1888-March 30, 1889

Box 3 of 25

Box 4

Volume 13. Vouchers. August 13, 1892-August 2, 1897

Box 4 of 25

Volume 14. Personnel. March 15, 1889-October 25, 1889

Box 4 of 25

Volume 15. Museum. March 30, 1889-December 9, 1889

Box 4 of 25

Volume 16. Personnel. October 25, 1889-August 2, 1890

Box 4 of 25

Box 5

Volume 17. Museum. December 9, 1889-July 21, 1890

Box 5 of 25

Volume 18. Proposals. June 11, 1890-August 15, 1894

Box 5 of 25

Volume 19. Museum. July 21, 1890-April 21, 1891

Box 5 of 25

Volume 20. Personnel. August 2, 1890-March 3, 1891

Box 5 of 25

Box 6

Volume 21. Personnel. March 3, 1891-October 9, 1891

Box 6 of 25

Volume 22. Museum. April 21, 1891-December 3, 1891

Box 6 of 25

Volume 23. Personnel. October 10, 1891-July 22, 1892

Box 6 of 25

Volume 24. Museum. December 3, 1891-October 13, 1892

Box 6 of 25

Box 7

Volume 25. Personnel. July 22, 1892-March 22, 1893

Box 7 of 25

Volume 26. Museum. October 14, 1892-June 3, 1893

Box 7 of 25

Volume 27. Personnel. March 24, 1893-October 5, 1893

Box 7 of 25

Volume 28. World's Colombian Exposition. April 28, 1891-September 28, 1892

Box 7 of 25

Box 8

Volume 29. World's Colombian Exposition. September 29, 1892-May 26, 1893

Box 8 of 25

Volume 30. World's Colombian Exposition. May 26, 1893- February 24, 1894

Box 8 of 25

Volume 31. World's Colombian Exposition. February 10, 1894-October 11, 1894

Box 8 of 25

Volume 32. Museum. June 5, 1893-March 13, 1894

Box 8 of 25

Box 9

Volume 33. Personnel. October 7, 1893-May 28, 1894

Box 9 of 25

Volume 34. Museum. March 14, 1894-October 11, 1894

Box 9 of 25

Volume 35. Personnel. May 29, 1894-November 13, 1894

Box 9 of 25

Volume 36. Museum. October 12, 1894-May 11, 1895

Box 9 of 25

Box 10

Volume 37. Cotton States and International Exposition at Atlanta, Georgia. October 23, 1894-June 25, 1896

Box 10 of 25

Volume 38. Personnel. November 17, 1894-August 23, 1895

Box 10 of 25

Volume 39. Museum. May 11, 1895-November 13, 1895

Box 10 of 25

Volume 40. Personnel. August 23, 1895-March 25, 1896

Box 10 of 25

Box 11

Volume 41. Museum. November 13, 1895-June 20, 1896

Box 11 of 25

Volume 42. Personnel. March 25, 1896-November 3, 1896

Box 11 of 25

Volume 43. Museum and Personnel. June 20, 1896-January 18, 1897

Box 11 of 25

Volume 44. Museum and Personnel. November 3, 1896-April 10, 1897

Box 11 of 25

Box 12

Volume 45. Museum and Personnel. April 10, 1897-June 28, 1897

Box 12 of 25

Volume 46. Museum and Personnel. June 28, 1897-August 3, 1897

Box 12 of 25

Volume 47. Museum and Personnel. August 3, 1897-October 8, 1897

Box 12 of 25

Volume 48. Museum and Personnel. October 9, 1897-December 6, 1897

Box 12 of 25

Box 13

Volume 49. Museum and Personnel. December 6, 1897-February 9, 1898

Box 13 of 25

Volume 50. Museum and Personnel. February 9, 1898-April 7, 1898

Box 13 of 25

Volume 51. Museum and Personnel. April 7, 1898-June 9, 1898

Box 13 of 25

Volume 52. Museum and Personnel. June 10, 1898-July 23, 1898

Box 13 of 25

Box 14

Volume 53. Museum and Personnel. July 21, 1898-September 26, 1898

Box 14 of 25

Volume 54. Museum and Personnel. September 26, 1898-November 8, 1898

Box 14 of 25

Volume 55. Personnel. October 31, 1898-February 9, 1899

Box 14 of 25

Volume 56. Personnel. February 13, 1899-June 14, 1899

Box 14 of 25

Box 15

Volume 57. Museum and Personnel. June 14, 1899-September 6, 1899

Box 15 of 25

Volume 58. Museum and Personnel. September 6, 1899-December 14, 1899

Box 15 of 25

Volume 59. Museum and Personnel. December 14, 1899-April 25, 1900

Box 15 of 25

Volume 60. Museum and Personnel. April 25, 1900-June 29, 1900

Box 15 of 25

Box 16

Volume 61. Museum and Personnel. June 29, 1900-September 4, 1900

Box 16 of 25

Volume 62. Museum and Personnel. September 5, 1900-December 6, 1900

Box 16 of 25

Volume 63. Museum and Personnel. December 7, 1900-March 29, 1901

Box 16 of 25

Volume 64. Museum and Personnel. March 27, 1901-June 24, 1901

Box 16 of 25

Box 17

Volume 65. Museum and Personnel. June 25, 1901-September 11, 1901

Box 17 of 25

Volume 66. Museum and Personnel. September 13, 1901-December 12, 1901

Box 17 of 25

Volume 67. Vouchers. August 9, 1897-October 24, 1901

Box 17 of 25

Volume 68. Museum and Personnel. December 12, 1901-March 12, 1902

Box 17 of 25

Box 18

Volume 69. Museum and Personnel. March 10, 1902-May 1, 1902

Box 18 of 25

Volume 70. Museum and Personnel. April 30, 1902-June 26, 1902

Box 18 of 25

Volume 71. Museum and Personnel. June 26, 1902-July 29, 1902

Box 18 of 25

Volume 72. Museum and Personnel. July 29, 1902-September 8, 1902

Box 18 of 25

Box 19

Volume 73. Museum and Personnel. September 8, 1902-November 14, 1902

Box 19 of 25

Volume 74. Museum and Personnel. November 16, 1902-January 22, 1903

Box 19 of 25

Volume 75. Museum and Personnel. January 22, 1903-April 11, 1903

Box 19 of 25

Volume 76. Museum and Personnel. April 11, 1903-June 16, 1903

Box 19 of 25

Box 20

Volume 77. Museum and Personnel. June 12, 1903-July 27, 1903

Box 20 of 25

Volume 78. Museum and Personnel. July 27, 1903-October 2, 1903

Box 20 of 25

Volume 79. Museum and Personnel. October 2, 1903-December 12, 1903

Box 20 of 25

Volume 80. Museum and Personnel. December 14, 1903-February 13, 1904

Box 20 of 25

Box 21

Volume 81. Museum and Personnel. February 12, 1904-April 27, 1904

Box 21 of 25

Volume 82. Museum and Personnel. April 28, 1904-June 17, 1904

Box 21 of 25

Volume 83. Museum and Personnel. June 17, 1904-July 16, 1904

Box 21 of 25

Volume 84. Museum and Personnel. July 16, 1904-September 13, 1904

Box 21 of 25

Box 22

Volume 85. Museum and Personnel. September 14, 1904-November 17, 1904

Box 22 of 25

Volume 86. Museum and Personnel. November 16, 1904-January 30, 1905

Box 22 of 25

Volume 87. Museum and Personnel. January 31, 1905-March 29, 1905

Box 22 of 25

Volume 88. Museum and Personnel. March 29, 1905-May 29, 1905

Box 22 of 25

Box 23

Volume 89. Museum and Personnel. May 29, 1905-June 30, 1905

Box 23 of 25

Volume 90. Museum and Personnel. July 17, 1905-November 8, 1905

Box 23 of 25

Volume 91. Museum and Personnel. November 9, 1905-March 19, 1906

Box 23 of 25

Volume 92. Museum and Personnel. March 16, 1906-June 28, 1906

Box 23 of 25

Box 24

Volume 93. Museum and Personnel. June 26, 1906-August 22, 1906

Box 24 of 25

Volume 94. Museum and Personnel. August 21, 1906-February 28, 1907

Box 24 of 25

Volume 95. Vouchers. October 30, 1901-January 17, 1905

Box 24 of 25

Volume 96. Vouchers. January 20, 1905-September 17, 1907

Box 24 of 25

Box 25

Volume 97. Vouchers. September 21, 1907-October 8, 1910

Box 25 of 25

Volume 98. Vouchers. October 10, 1910-March 10, 1913

Box 25 of 25

Volume 99. Vouchers. March 13, 1913-April 7, 1914

Box 25 of 25

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