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- Records, circa 1867-1971
Records, circa 1867-1971
Object Details
- Notes
- The Department of Mammals of the United States National Museum was created in 1880. Prior to that time, the Smithsonian held an extensive collection of mammals which had been obtained from the private collection of Spencer F. Baird, from the United States Exploring Expedition and other government explorations, and from the collections of the National Institute, which was dissolved in 1861. Upon the formation of the Department, Elliott Coues was appointed Honorary Curator of Mammals. He continued as Honorary Curator until Frederick William True became Curator in 1883. In 1897, a major reorganization of the Museum made the Department a division within the new Department of Biology; and True became Head Curator of Biology. True also remained Curator of Mammals until 1909. In 1898, Gerrit Smith Miller, Jr., was appointed Assistant Curator of Mammals and from 1908 until his retirement in 1940 served as Curator. Other staff members of the Division of Mammals have included Marcus Ward Lyon, Jr., Aid, 1898-1906, and Assistant Curator, 1906-1909; Ned Hollister, Assistant Curator, 1910-1916; A. Remington Kellogg, Assistant Curator, 1928-1941, and Curator, 1941-1948; David H. Johnson, Associate Curator, 1941-1957, and Curator, 1957-1967; Raymond Maurice Gilmore, Associate Curator, 1944-1947; Henry W. Setzer, Associate Curator, 1949-1969, and Curator, 1969- ; Charles O. Handley, Jr., Assistant Curator, 1950-1954, Associate Curator, 1954-1965,and Curator, 1965- ; and Richard W. Thorington, Jr., Associate Curator, 1969- .
- For a description of the record series of which these materials are a part, refer to "Forms part of" above.
- Organization
- (1) Annual reports of the Division of Mammals, 1905-1945; (2) outgoing correspondence, 1882-1907; (3) incoming correspondence, circa 1886-1907; (4) correspondence, 1907-1971; (5) invoices, circa 1867-1951; (6) manuscripts of Gerrit Smith Miller, Jr., and Marcus Ward Lyon, Jr., 1905-1907, 1909; (7) biographical material concerning prominent naturalists and scientists
- Summary
- The records contain the correspondence of the Division staff and are chiefly concerned with identification, loan, and acquisition of specimens; requests for information from scientists and the public; expeditions, field trips, and collectors; research being carried out by the staff; and administration of the Division. Also included in the records are annual reports and invoices of the Division, circa 1867-1951; manuscripts of Miller and Lyon, consisting mostly of descriptions and revisions of classifications which were apparently published; and collected biographical information on and photographs of prominent naturalists and scientists, including a significant amount of material on John Muir.
- Repository Loc.
- Smithsonian Institution Archives, Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507; 600 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20024-2520
- Data Source
- Smithsonian Institution Archives
- Date
- 1867
- 1867-1971
- circa 1867-1971
- Local number
- SIA RU000208
- Creator
- National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Division of Mammals
- Subject
- Baird, Spencer Fullerton 1823-1887
- Hollister, N (Ned) 1876-1924
- Gilmore, Raymond M (Raymond Maurice) 1907-1983
- Thorington, Richard W
- Muir, John 1838-1914
- Handley, Charles O (Charles Overton) 1924-2000
- Johnson, David H (David Horn) 1912-1996
- Lyon, Marcus Ward 1875-1942
- Miller, Gerrit S (Gerrit Smith) 1869-1956
- Setzer, Henry W
- True, Frederick William 1858-1914
- Coues, Elliott 1842-1899
- Kellogg, Remington 1892-1969
- United States National Museum
- National Institute
- United States National Museum Department of Biology
- United States Exploring Expedition (1838-1842)
- Type
- Black-and-white photographs
- Collection descriptions
- Manuscripts
- Physical description
- 31.24 cu. ft. (59 document boxes) (3 tall document boxes)
- See more items in
- Annual Reports 1905-1945 [National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Division of Mammals]
- Correspondence 1880-2017 [National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Division of Mammals]
- Specimen Records 1867-1972 [National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Division of Mammals]
- Manuscripts 1905-1909 [National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Division of Mammals]
- Biographical File 1860-1973 and undated [National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Division of Mammals]
- Expedition History 1911 [Biological Survey of the Canadian Rockies (1911)]
- Records circa 1867-1971 [National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Division of Mammals]
- Topic
- Mammalogy
- Mammalogists
- Record ID
- siris_arc_216776
- Usage
- CC0
