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Finding Aids to Personal Papers and Special Collections in the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Record Unit 7325

Stanton, T. W. (Timothy William), 1860-1953

T.W. (Timothy William) Stanton Papers, 1885-1928, 1941 and undated

Repository:Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator:Stanton, T. W. (Timothy William), 1860-1953
Title:T.W. (Timothy William) Stanton Papers
Dates:1885-1928, 1941 and undated
Quantity:2.5 cu. ft. (5 document boxes)
Collection:Record Unit 7325
Language of Materials:English
Summary:

The papers of Timothy William Stanton partially document his career with the USGS, his research on Cretaceous invertebrates, field expeditions, professional activities, and personal affairs. Included is incoming and outgoing correspondence which concerns USGS work, especially his service on the Committee on Geologic Names; his research at the USNM; and his work for the Paleontological Society and the Geological Society of America. The collection also includes outgoing correspondence written by Stanton and his predecessor, Charles Abiathar White, which mostly reports on fossils sent for identification; copies of letters written by Stanton while on field expeditions; and a copy of his autobiography, Eighty Years of Joy and Gladness Mingled with some Work and Sadness, 1941.

Historical Note

Timothy William Stanton (1860-1953) was a paleontologist specializing in the study of Cretaceous invertebrates. He was educated at the University of Colorado (B.S., 1883; M.S., 1895) and Columbian (now George Washington) University (Ph.D., 1897). His 46-year career with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) began in 1889 when he was appointed Assistant Paleontologist to support Charles Abiathar White's work on Cretaceous invertebrates. In 1892, he replaced White as Geologist-in-Charge of the work. Stanton was promoted to Chief of the Section of Paleontology in 1900, and, in 1903, he was made Chief of the newly created Section of Paleontology and Stratigraphy. From 1930 to 1932, Stanton served as Acting Chief Geologist of the USGS. In 1932, he was promoted to Chief Geologist and he remained in the position until his retirement from the Survey in 1935. For many years, Stanton also acted as Chairman of the USGS Committee on Geologic Names. In addition to his USGS duties, Stanton served the United States National Museum (USNM) in an honorary capacity as Custodian of Mesozoic Invertebrates from 1894 to 1953. Stanton's career with the USGS was marked by extensive field research, especially in the western and southwestern United States. He has been described as an outstanding fossil collector. One biographer stated that during his early field work "... Stanton made collections of fossils that have not since been surpassed for quality and scope." Despite the press of USGS duties, Stanton managed to published several monographs and papers, mostly on the Cretaceous deposits of the western United States. He was active within the geological profession and served as President of the Paleontological Society in 1921 and Vice-President of the Geological Society of America in the same year.

For additional biographical information on Stanton see "Memorial to Timothy William Stanton (1860-1953)," by John B. Reeside, Jr. Proceedings Volume of the Geological Society of America Annual Report for 1954, pp. 137-142. 1955.

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Introduction

The 1879 act establishing the United States Geological Survey (USGS) declares "And all collections of rocks, minerals, soils, and fossils, and objects of natural history, archaeology, and ethnology, made by the Coast and Interior Survey, the Geological Survey, or by any other parties for the Government of the United States, when no longer needed for investigations in progress, shall be deposited in the National Museum." Many of the paleontologists affiliated with the USGS Paleontology and Stratigraphy Branch have been stationed at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) to study and care for the national collections. This close working relationship between the USGS and the NMNH has resulted in the Smithsonian Archives acquiring records and special collections documenting paleontological work of the Survey and its scientists.

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Descriptive Entry

The papers of Timothy William Stanton document his professional career at the United States Geological Survey, and his research on Cretaceous invertebrate fossils. The collection is also documents Stanton's many field explorations conducted in the western and southwestern United States between 1893 and 1928. This work is primarily illustrated by copies of outgoing letters written by Stanton during each field season. Included are letters written to the Chief Geologist, USGS, which provide monthly summaries of field operations, and correspondence written by Stanton to professional colleagues describing the work. The collection also includes incoming and outgoing correspondence documenting an eight year period (1921-1928) of Stanton's career. The letters provide information on his USGS duties, including his service as Chairman of the Committee on Geologic Names; his work as Custodian of Mesozoic Invertebrates in the USNM; and his professional activities, including his work as President of Paleontological Society, 1921, and Vice-President of the Geological Society of America, also in 1921. Of special interest are letters documenting John B. Reeside's field work in the western United States during the 1920s. Finally, Stanton's outgoing correspondence from 1894 to 1916 is maintained in a series of letterpress volumes. The outgoing letters primarily illustrate his official USGS duties and contain many reports on fossils sent to Stanton for identification. The volumes also contain Charles Abiathar White's outgoing correspondence from 1885 to 1894.

Researchers should also consult SI Archives Accession 88-180, United States Geological Survey, Paleontology and Stratigraphy Branch, Branch Chief Records for additional Stanton correspondence.

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Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7325, T.W. (Timothy William) Stanton Papers

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Container List

Series 1

GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1921-1928, AND UNDATED. ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY.

Box 1

Folder 1 Abel - Brown, Roland W.

Box 1 of 5

Folder 2 Cattell - Foerste

Box 1 of 5

Folder 3 Gardner - Knowlton

Box 1 of 5

Folder 4 Lang - Price

Box 1 of 5

Folder 5 Reeside, John B., Jr., 1921-1928. Consists mostly of correspondence concerning Reeside's field work in Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, and other western states.

Box 1 of 5

Folder 6 Ries - Schramm

Box 1 of 5

Folder 7 Schuchert, Charles, 1922-1928. Of special interest is Schuchert's letter of April 28, 1924 which concerns Charles D. Walcott's position on the Ozarkian System.

Box 1 of 5

Folder 8 Scott - Smith, C. H.

Box 1 of 5

Folder 9 Smith, James Perrin, 1921-1928. Correspondence mostly concerning Smith's monograph on Triassic faunas.

Box 1 of 5

Folder 10 Spiroff - Swingle

Box 1 of 5

Folder 11 Wade - Yamasaki

Box 1 of 5

Series 2

OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE, 1885-1916. ARRANGED CHRONOLOGICALLY.

This series consists of letterpress volumes containing outgoing correspondence of Stanton, 1894-1916, and Charles Abiathar White, 1885-1894. There is a gap in Stanton's outgoing correspondence between January 1906 and January 1908.

Box 2

Folder 1 Outgoing correspondence, October 1885 - December 1890. Correspondence written by Charles A. White.

Box 2 of 5

Folder 2 Outgoing correspondence, January 1891 - November 1898. Correspondence written by Charles A. White, 1891-1894, and Stanton, 1894-1898.

Box 2 of 5

Folder 3 Outgoing correspondence, March 1902 - April 1904

Box 2 of 5

Box 3

Folder 1 Outgoing correspondence, May 1904 - January 1906

Box 3 of 5

Folder 2 Outgoing correspondence, January 1908 - November 1909

Box 3 of 5

Folder 3 Outgoing correspondence, November 1909 - March 1912

Box 3 of 5

Box 4

Folder 1 Outgoing correspondence, March 1912 - June 1916

Box 4 of 5

Series 3

FIELD LETTERS, 1893-1928. ARRANGED CHRONOLOGICALLY.

Box 4

Folder 2 Field letters, June 1893 - July 1905. Letters written by Stanton documenting field work in California, 1893; California, 1894; Texas, 1895; Colorado and Wyoming, 1896; Texas, 1897; Texas and Kansas, 1898; California and Oregon, 1900; California, 1902; Montana, 1903; Colorado and New Mexico, 1905.

Box 4 of 5

Folder 3 Field letters, August 1906 - August 1908. Letters written by Stanton documenting field work in Colorado, 1906; Wyoming and Montana, 1907; Montana and Wyoming, 1908.

Box 4 of 5

Folder 4 Field letters, August 1908 - July 1909. Letters written by Stanton documenting field work in Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming, 1908; Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Dakota, 1909.

Box 4 of 5

Folder 5 Field letters, July - September 1909. Letters written by Stanton documenting field work in Wyoming.

Box 4 of 5

Folder 6 Field letters, July 1910 - September 1911. Letters written by Stanton documenting field work in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, 1910; Montana and Texas, 1911.

Box 4 of 5

Box 5

Folder 1 Field letters, September - October 1912. Letters written by Stanton documenting field work in Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. Also includes a few official letters written between March 1913 and June 1914.

Box 5 of 5

Folder 2 Field letters, July - September 1913. Letters written by Stanton documenting field work in Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, and Montana.

Box 5 of 5

Folder 3 Field letters, August - October 1914. Letters written by Stanton documenting field work in North Dakota and Montana.

Box 5 of 5

Folder 4 Field letters, June - September 1915. Letters written by Stanton documenting field work in Colorado, Wyoming, and California.

Box 5 of 5

Folder 5 Field letters, May 1920 - August 1921. Letters written by Stanton documenting field work in Nebraska, Colorado, and South Dakota, 1920; Montana and South Dakota, 1921.

Box 5 of 5

Folder 6 Field letters, May - December 1923. Letters written by Stanton documenting field work in Texas.

Box 5 of 5

Folder 7 Field letters, July 1924 - November 1925. Letters written by Stanton documenting field work in Nevada, California, Wyoming, Colorado, 1924; Texas, 1925.

Box 5 of 5

Folder 8 Field letters, July 1926 - July 1928. Letters written by Stanton documenting field work in Texas, 1926, 1928.

Box 5 of 5

Folder 9 Autobiography "Eighty Years of Joy and Gladness Mingled with Some Work and Sadness," 1941 (Accession 95-102)

Box 5 of 5

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