Guide to the Sidney Dean Townley Papers SC0273
University Archives staff
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
October 2010; December 2023
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
Fax Number: (650) 723-8690
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Note
This encoded finding aid is compliant with Stanford EAD Best Practice Guidelines,
Version 1.0.
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Sidney Dean Townley papers
Identifier/Call Number: SC0273
Physical Description:
8 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): circa 1827-1939
Summary: Personal and
professional correspondence, manuscripts, research notes including astronomical observations
and geological measurements, articles, lectures, personal diaries, family genealogy, and a
collection of family photographs including glass plate negatives and a glass plate negative
format camera.
Language of Material:
Undetermined .
Biographical/Historical Sketch
Astronomer. Studied at Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, California, and at the
Universities of Berlin and Munich. Before becoming a Professor of Applied Mathematics at
Stanford Unviersiy in 1907, Townley taught at U.C. Berkeley and was Astronomer at the
International Latitude Observatory in Ukiah, California. He became Professor Emeritus of
Astronomy and Geodesy at Stanford in 1932. In addition to practical astronomy, his research
interests included asteroids, comets and variable stars, latitude measurements, and
seismology.
Description of the Collection
Personal and professional correspondence, manuscripts, research notes including
astronomical observations and geological measurements, articles, lectures, personal diaries,
family genealogy, and a collection of family photographs including glass plate negatives and
a glass plate negative format camera.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Diaries.
Photoprints.
Geodesy.
Glass plate negatives.
Social history -- 19th century.
Astronomy.
Social history -- 20th century.
Seismology.
Latitude variation.
Papers
Language of Material: English.
Box 1, folder 1
Address of the Reitiring President of the Society in Awarding the Bruce
Gold Medal to Mr. Edward Emerson Barnard
1917 April
General Physical Description note: Reprint
Box 1, folder 2
Automobile Routes from California to the Path of Totality for the Solar
Eclipse of June 8, 1918
1918 April
General Physical Description note: Reprint and clippings
Box 1, folder 3
Branner, John Casper
Undated
General Physical Description note: Typescript
Box 1, folder 4
Comstock, George Gary
1934 August
General Physical Description note: Reprint
Box 1, folder 5
The Contribution of Astronomy to Practical Religion and the Broader Aspects
of Human Welfare
Undated
General Physical Description note: Typescript
Box 1, folder 6
Diary of a Student of the University of Wisconsin
1886-1892
General Physical Description note: Publication
Box 1, folder 7
Earthquakes - the California Earthquake of 1906 with special reference to
the Earth displacements
Undated
General Physical Description note: Manuscript
Box 1, folder 8
Earthquakes - Earthquakes felt in San Francisco from January 1, 1907 to
December 10, 1931, of intensity III or greater
Undated
General Physical Description note: Typescript
Box 1, folder 9
Earthquakes - Earthquakes of the Pacific Coast of the United
States
1919 September
General Physical Description note: Reprint
Box 1, folder 10
Earthquakes - Earthquakes and Variations in Latitude
Undated
General Physical Description note: Manuscript
Box 1, folder 11
Earthquakes - Report on Certain Earthquakes in California, as affecting
insurance
Undated
General Physical Description note: Manuscript
Box 1, folder 12
Earthquakes - the San Jacinto Earthquake of April 21, 1918
1918 September
General Physical Description note: Reprint
Box 1, folder 13
Eclipse Stations in Oregon and Washington
1918 February
General Physical Description note: Reprint
Box 1, folder 14
Excursion to La Honda and Moss Beach
Undated
General Physical Description note: Manuscript
Box 1, folder 15
Halley's Comet
Undated
General Physical Description note: Manuscript
Box 1, folder 16
Light Curve of Nova Persei, 1901
Undated
General Physical Description note: Typescript
Box 1, folder 17
Light of All the Stars
Undated
General Physical Description note: Manuscript
Box 1, folder 18
Measurement of Celestial Distances
Undated
General Physical Description note: Typescript
Box 1, folder 20
Other Worlds Than Ours
Undated
General Physical Description note: Manuscript
Box 1, folder 21
The Palo Alto Union High School
Undated
Box 1, folder 22
The Probability of Collisions Among the Stars
Undated
General Physical Description note: Manuscript
Box 2, folder 1
Reform of the Calendar
Undated
General Physical Description note: Notes and reference studies
Box 2, folder 2
Resultate des Internationalen Breitendienstes
1907 June
General Physical Description note: Reprint
Box 2, folder 3
The Shifting of the Earth's Axis
1909 November
General Physical Description note: Reprint
Box 2, folder 4
Solar Eclipses
Undated
General Physical Description note: Lecture
Box 2, folder 5
Some Problems of Astronomy
Undated
General Physical Description note: Manuscript
Box 2, folder 6
Some Remarks on Dr. Lawson's paper
Undated
General Physical Description note: Typescript
Box 2, folder 7
The Sun's Heat
Undated
General Physical Description note: Manuscript
Box 2, folder 8
Variable Stars
Undated
General Physical Description note: Manuscript
Box 2, folder 9
Variable Stars - Miscellaneous
Undated
Box 2, folder 10
Variable Stars (Notes on Variable Stars Catalog)
Undated
Box 2, folder 11
Variation of Latitude
Undated
General Physical Description note: Lecture
Box 2, folder 12
Altitude and Azimuth of the Sun
1930
Box 2, folder 13
Latitudel Hot Springs, Nevada
1920
Box 2, folder 15
American Association for the Advancement of Science, Pacific Division -
Committee on Arrangements
1923-1925
Box 3, folder 1
AAAS - Programs and Meeting Announcements
1921-1936
Box 3, folder 2
AAAS - Preliminary Announcements
1921-1926
Box 3, folder 4
Pacific Science Congress
1939
Box 3, folder 6
Personal - Clippings
Undated
Box 3, folder 7
Physical Sciences, School of
Undated
Box 3, folder 8
Primary and Grammar School
Undated
Box 3, folder 9
Student Reports - Astronomy 165
1929
Box 3, folder 10
University of Chicago, Quarter System
Undated
Addenda, 1986-049 ARCH-1986-049
Language of Material: English.
Box 4, folder 1
Correspondence - Automobiles
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 4, folder 2
Correspondence - family
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 4, folder 3
Correspondence - Prairie Home Cemetery
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 4, folder 4
Correspondence
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 4, folder 5
Astronomy (manuscript): p. 1-98
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 4, folder 6
Astronomy (manuscript): p. 99-128
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 4, folder 7
Astronomy (manuscript): p. 129-306
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 4, folder 8
Planters Almanac, vols. 1898-1902
1898-1902
Box 4, folder 9
Memorial Resolution
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 4, folder 10
Family genealogy
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 4, folder 11
Wright and Townley Genealogies by Lucille Townley Clark
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 5, folder 1
Pitkin Family of America: A genealogy of the Descendents of William Pitkin by
A.P. Pitkin
1827
Box 5, folder 2
Townley, S.D.: Diaries
1903-1904
Box 5, folder 3
Townley, S.D.: Diaries
1905-1906
Box 5, folder 4
Townley, S.D.: Diaries
1907-1908
Box 5, folder 5
Townley, S.D.: Diaries
1909-1910
Box 6, folder 1
Townley, S.D.: Diaries
1911-1912
Box 6, folder 2
Townley, S.D.: Diaries
1913-1914
Box 6, folder 3
Townley, S.D.: Diaries
1915-1916
Box 6, folder 4
Townley, S.D.: Diaries
1917-1918
Box 6, folder 5
Townley, S.D.: Diaries
1919-1920
Box 6, folder 6
Townley, S.D.: Diaries
1921-1922
Box 6, folder 7
Townley, S.D.: Diaries
1923-1924
Box 6, folder 8
Townley, S.D.: Diaries
1925-1926
Box 7, folder 1
Townley, S.D.: Diaries
1927-1928
Box 7, folder 2
Townley, S.D.: Diaries
1929
Box 7, folder 3
Townley, S.D.: Honeymoon diary and photo record (2 vol.)
1894
General Physical Description note: Inventory for glass negatives included in
collection
Box 7, folder 4
Memoirs/Essays
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 5
Photographs
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 6
Photographs - family
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 7
Photographs - family
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 8
Personal ephemera
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 9
Senior Contest Oration
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 10
Memory Book (S.D. Townley's mother? -- Isabel)
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 11
S.D. Townley birthday book
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 12
Miscellaneous
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 13
Family - baby toys
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 8, folder 1
Townley, Francis Wright - correspondence
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 8, folder 2
Townley, Francis Wright - correspondence
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 8, folder 3
Townley, Francis Wright - correspondence
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 8, folder 4
Wright, Francis: Diary
1895
Box 8, folder 5
Wright family photo album
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 8, folder 6
Townley, Francis Wright memory book
1888
Box 8, folder 7
Townley, Francis Wright - textbooks - Mills College
1888
Box 8, folder 8
Townley, Francis Wright - miscellaneous
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 9, folder 1
Townley, Sidney: Diary
1885-1897
General Physical Description note: Also includes Photograph of University of
Wisconsin baseball team
Box 10, folder 1
Astronomical file cards - Catalogued observations
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 10A
Astronomical file cards - Catalogued observations
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 10B
Astronomical file cards - Catalogued observations
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 11
Astronomical file cards - Catalogued observations
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 12, folder 1
Correspondence, professional
1929-1932
Box 12, folder 2
Correspondence, professional
1929-1934
Box 12, folder 3
Lick Observatory Notebook, Number 1
1892 August 19-December 10
Box 12, folder 4
Lick Observatory Notebook, Number 2
1892 January 2-
Box 12, folder 5
Lick Observatory Notebook, "Variable Stars"
1902 May 22-July 12
Glass Plate Negative Collection ARCH-1986-049
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents note
Sidney D. Townley's Glass plate camera and Tripod (stored in original case). Glass negs
(inventory available in manuscript collection Box 7 folder 3)
Box 1
5 x 7" Glass Negatives #1-108
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 2
5 x 7" Glass Negatives #109-204
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 3
5 x 7" Glass Negatives #204-307
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 4
5 x 7" Glass Negatives #308-390
undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 5
4 x 5" Glass Negatives #326-335; 4 x 5" Glass negatives "Babies" #244, 245,
248, 263, 265, 270, 271, 289, 274; 3 x 4" Lantern slides; 20 5 x 7" Glass negatives -
separate
undated
Language of Material: English.