| | 1 | Author: | Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Joseph Henry letters, 1836-1878
| | | | Dates: | 1836-1878 | | | | Abstract: | This small collection contains an assortment of Joseph Henry correspondence, mostly from prominent Americans writing to Henry. Most of the early letters are relatively short notes, with longer, more detailed letters beginning in the correspondence from the 1850s. The most prominent topics of discussion are the Smithsonian Institution, the establishment of Colorado as a territory, and Humboldt's work. Among the prominent correspondents are Robert Hare, Louis Aggasiz, and Alexander Dallas Bache. Two letters are addressed to Mrs. Henry.
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.B.H39p | | | | Extent: | 47 item(s) | | | | Topics: | Colony and State Specific History | Science and technology | | | | Genre: | General Correspondence | | | | Subjects: | Natural history. | Physics. | |
| 2 | Author: | Featherstonhaugh, George William, 1780-1866 | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | George William Featherstonhaugh papers, 1809-1840
| | | | Dates: | 1809-1840 | | | | Abstract: | This collection of George William Featherstonhaugh Correspondence. Featherstonhaugh was a prominent British scientist who traveled to America numerous times and helped promote internal improvements. The single original letter is to Benjamin Franklin Peale and discusses mineralogy. The other documents, all photocopies of originals in private hands, discuss science and APS business and are from APS members Peter Du Ponceau, John Vaughan, and James Mease.
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.B.F31 | | | | Extent: | 0.25 Linear Feet | | | | Topics: | Science and technology | | | | Genre: | General Correspondence | Scientific Correspondence | | | | Subjects: | Science -- Societies, etc. | |
| 3 | Author: | Collinson, Peter, 1694-1768 | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Peter Collinson letters, [ca. 1740]-1770
| | | | Dates: | 1740-1770 | | | | Abstract: | The APS has a number of Collinson collections on microfilm. Its primary source holdings contain approximately thirty-seven letters written to Peter Collinson, a prominent figure in the eighteenth century British scientific community. Because of his networks in trade and science, he served as an important node in the conveyance of knowledge throughout the Atlantic World.The majority of the letters involve discussions of natural history. The letters offer a range of correspondence. There is a letter written about the culture of bathing in Wales in the 1730s to extended correspondence between Collinson and Lady Petre on the botanical gardens on the Petre's estate, and a series of letters from Spanish officials in the Caribbean relaying information to Collinson. There is also a notable amount of correspondence between Collinson and various nobility discussing horticultural issues.
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.B.C692 | | | | Extent: | 0.25 Linear Feet | | | | Topics: | Natural history | Science and technology | | | | Genre: | General Correspondence | Scientific Correspondence | | | | Subjects: | Natural history. | |
| 5 | Author: | Michaux, Francois André, 1770-1855 | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Francois André Michaux papers, 1802-1911
| | | | Dates: | 1802-1911 | | | | Abstract: | The F.A. Michaux Collection is a large collection of correspondence. Francois Michaux was the son of Andre Michaux. He was, like his father, a botanist. Francois also was an active member of the APS. Michaux regularly corresponded with peers in Europe, and this collection captures the conveyance of news, information, and knowledge across the Atlantic. As an active member of the APS and other institutions, Michaux's correspondence also lends insight into the establishment and operation of many scientific institutions. The vast majority of the collection consists of outgoing correspondence from Michaux; his primary correspondent was John Vaughan of the APS. The correspondence is almost exclusively in French. Later documents reflect the APS's continued interest in silviculture, which was spurred by a bequest by Michaux. Included in this section is the APS's acquisition of books and involvement in forest preservation and development, including the planting and preservation of Michaux Grove in Fairmount Park.
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.B.M58.1 | | | | Extent: | 0.25 Linear Feet | | | | Topics: | Science and technology | | | | Genre: | Foreign Language | General Correspondence | Institutional Records | Scientific Data | | | | Subjects: | Forests and forestry -- United States. | |
| 7 | Author: | Frazer, John Fries, 1812-1872 | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | John Fries Frazer papers, 1834-1871
| | | | Dates: | 1834-1871 | | | | Abstract: | John Fries Frazer was a prominent Pennsylvania scientist in nineteenth century America, serving as a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and very active in both the Franklin Institute and the APS. This large collection of his correspondence provides a snapshot of the growing scientific community in mid-nineteenth century America. Frazer's correspondence involves a wide range of topics: science and scientific institutions (shipbuilding, mechanical engineering, geology, geography, astronomy, chemistry, among others), although there are fragments of personal correspondence. His range of correspondents is as diverse as the topics, but there is a notably large collection of letters from scientific heavyweights Titian Ramsey Peale, Louis Aggasiz, Joseph Henry, and Alexander Dallas Bache.
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.B.F865 | | | | Extent: | 3 Linear Feet | | | | Topics: | Education | Philadelphia History | Science and technology | | | | Genre: | General Correspondence | Scientific Correspondence | | | | Subjects: | Boilers. | Education -- United States. | Electricity. | Geology -- United States. | Haida Indians | Magnetism. | Natural history. | Paleontology. | Scientific apparatus and instruments. | Scientists -- United States. | Solar eclipses. | Tsimshian Indians | Weights and measures. | |
| 8 | Author: | Hays, Isaac,1796-1879. | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Isaac and I. Minis Hays papers
| | | | Dates: | Circa 1820-1925 | | | | Abstract: | Isaac Hays was a Philadelphia ophthalmologist who was also deeply involved in natural history. The Isaac Hays material has two discreet sections: a volume of correspondence for 1824-1855 and a collection of loose manuscripts. The first part of the collection is a bound volume that contains the correspondence Hays carried on with other prominent naturalists in the nineteenth century from 1824–1855, although the bulk come from the 1820s and early 1830s. Prominent correspondents in this series include Charles Lucien Bonaparte, George Ord, Thomas Say, and Charles Lesueur. All of the correspondence is incoming, addressed to Hays. Occasionally the correspondence involves commentary on other current events in addition to the obvious scientific nature of the correspondence. A letter from Bonaparte, for instance, discusses the rivalry between the Philadelphia and New York orchestras. The Ord correspondence, written mostly from Europe, makes reference to Audubon, Ord's ornithological rival, and scientific publications and thought prominent in Europe. The Say correspondence, written from New Harmony, also provides insight on that utopian experiment and his relationship with Lesueur, who also settled in New Harmony. There are only a few Lesueur letters, all of which are in French and written from New Harmony.
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.B.H334 | | | | Extent: | 1.75 Linear Feet | | | | Topics: | Natural history | Science and technology | Social Life and Custom | | | | Genre: | General Correspondence | Scientific Data | | | | Subjects: | Medical publishing -- United States -- 19th century. | Medical publishing -- United States. | Medicine -- Societies, etc. | Medicine -- United States -- 19th century. | Medicine -- United States. | Natural history. | Paleontology. | |
| 9 | Author: | Patterson family. | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Patterson-Lord papers, [ca. 1809]-1876
| | | | Dates: | Circa 1809-1876 | | | | Abstract: | Previously catalogued with the Robert Patterson Collection, The Patterson-Lord Collection contains contains a range of documents that touch on many different topics, although most have to do with science and engineering. The largest portion of the documents relate to scientific correspondence to Robert Patterson, a member of the APS. Much of this correspondence is done under the cover of official APS business. Of particular note are a series of letters relating to nautical calculations that include complex equations used to determine longitude and latitude for nautical almanacs.
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.B.P274.2 | | | | Extent: | 0.5 Linear Feet | | | | Topics: | Americans Abroad | Education | Science and technology | | | | Genre: | General Correspondence | Institutional Records | | | | Subjects: | Education -- Europe -- 19th century. | |
| 10 | Author: | Ord, George, 1781-1866 | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | George Ord Collection
| | | | Dates: | 1831-1864 | | | | Abstract: | The collection of George Ord correspondence is a relatively small but significant collection. Most of the letters are from George Ord to Charles Waterton, a British naturalist, and reflect their shared interest in natural history, especially ornithology. The letters deal with Ord's rivalry with Audubon. Many of Ord's letters question the accuracy of Audobon's work. Other letters touch on Alexander Wilson and on new techniques for capturing images of animal life, such as the use of the Daguerre process.
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.B.Or2 | | | | Extent: | 0.25 Linear Feet | | | | Topics: | Early National Politics | Exploration. | Natural history | Philadelphia History | Science and technology | | | | Genre: | General Correspondence | Scientific Correspondence | | | | Subjects: | Abolitionists -- United States -- Attitudes | Animals -- Habits and behavior of | Audubon, John James, 1785-1851. Birds of America | Banks and banking -- United States. | Birds -- Study and teaching | Birds. | Cholic Acid | Church buildings -- Pennsylvania-Philadelphia | Cicada (Genus) | Columbidia | Cuckoos | Daguerreotypes | Dictionary of the English language. Johnson, Samuel, 1709-1784 | Dove | English language -- Dictionaries | Famines -- Ireland | France -- 19th century | Frogs -- United States | Frost -- Great Britain | Geese | Gold mines and mining -- California -- 19th century | Heatstroke | Immigrants -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia | Influenza -- United States | Irish -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia | Memorials -- Great Britain | Mercury | Mexican War, 1846-1848 | Monk, Maria, d. 1850 | Partridges | Peale, Charles Willson, 1741-1827 -- Art collections. | Potatoes | Railroads -- 19th century | Rattlesnake | Religion | Reptiles | Sea monsters | Secession -- Southern States | Skin -- Diseases-Treatment | Slaves -- Emancipation-America | Smoking -- Health aspects -- United States | Soap trade -- Pennsylvania | Steam-navigation -- Atlantic Ocean | Steamboat disasters | Stowe, Harriet Beecher, 1811-1896 Uncle Tom's Cabin. | Telegraph | United States Exploring Expedition (1838-1842). | Wilkes, Charles, 1798-1872. Narrative of the United States exploring expedition. | Williams, Eleazer, 1787-1858 | |
| 13 | Author: | Correia da Serra, José Francisco, 1750-1823 | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Note nécrologique sur le Docteur Wistar, 1818
| | | | Dates: | 1818 | | | | Abstract: | This small bound volume contains a range of information on Caspar Wistar's life. There is a French essay on Wistar, a 47-page printed eulogy published by the APS, various newspaper clippings, and letters from others, all commemorating Wistar's life. A range of significant moments in Wistar's life are discussed, such as the yellow fever epidemic, scientific pursuits and friends, and his career as a professor at the University of Pennsylvania
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| | | | Call #: | Mss.B.W76c | | | | Extent: | 1 volume(s) | | | | Topics: | Medicine | Philadelphia History | Science and technology | | | | Genre: | General Correspondence | Manuscript Essays | Printed Material | | | | Subjects: | Physicians | |
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