Reference Request
Finding Aids to Personal Papers and Special Collections in the Smithsonian Institution Archives
Record Unit 7078
Rathbun, Richard, 1852-1918
Richard Rathbun Papers, 1870-1918 and undated
Historical Note
Richard Rathbun (1852-1918) was born in Buffalo, New York. He received his early education in the public schools of Buffalo and after graduation worked in his father's stone quarry business. Rathbun developed an early interest in the geology and paleontology of western New York, and by 1870 had deposited large collections of fossils in the Buffalo Society of Natural History. In 1871, Rathbun entered Cornell University on the advice of the distinguished Brazilian explorer, Charles F. Hartt. He left Cornell in 1873 to study the fossil collections at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University. In 1874, he was appointed assistant in zoology in the Boston Society of Natural History. While serving in this position, Rathbun also worked as a volunteer assistant with the United States Fish Commission (USFC). In 1875, he became a geologist with the Geological Commission of Brazil, under the direction of Hartt. He remained in Brazil until 1878, when he returned to the United States to accept the position of scientific assistant with the USFC. Rathbun remained on the staff of the USFC until 1896. His association with the Smithsonian Institution and United States National Museum began in 1881, when he was made honorary curator of the Department of Marine Invertebrates, a position he held until 1914. In 1897, Rathbun accepted the position of assistant secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, in charge of Office and Exchanges. In 1898, Rathbun's duties were expanded to include certain aspects of museum administration, and in 1901 his title was changed to Assistant secretary, in charge of the National Museum, a position he held until his death in 1918.
Descriptive Entry
The papers of Richard Rathbun document his early investigations in geology and paleontology; his college career at Cornell University, 1871-1872; his work as geologist on the Geological Commission of Brazil, 1875-1878; and his scientific and administrative careers with the United States Fish Commission and United States National Museum. Of special interest is correspondence and other materials concerning Samuel P. Langley's aerodrome experiments of 1903. The papers consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence; notebooks; manuscripts and research material; notes and sketches; photographs and lantern slides; and a manuscript on architecture by Rathbun's son, Seward Hume Rathbun.
Index Terms
This collection is indexed under the following access terms. These are links to collections with related topics, persons or places.
Name
- Boston Society of Natural History
- Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences
- Columbian Institute
- Cornell University
- Geological Commission of Brazil
- Hartt, Charles Frederick, 1840-1878
- Harvard University. Museum of Comparative Zoology
- Langley, S. P. (Samuel Pierpont), 1834-1906
- National Institute
- Rathbun, Richard, 1852-1918
- Rathbun, Seward Hume, 1886-
- Smithsonian Institution. Assistant Secretary in charge of the United States National Museum
- Smithsonian Institution. Assistant in charge of Office and Exchanges
- United States Fish Commission
- United States National Museum
- United States National Museum. Department of Marine Invertebrates
Subject
- Aeronautics
- Architecture
- Geologists
- Geology
- Ichthyology
- Invertebrate zoology
- Museum techniques
- Paleontologists
- Paleontology
- Zoology
Physical Characteristics of Materials in the Collection
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7078, Richard Rathbun Papers