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

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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.
 

Articles and Lectures

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 19

Miscellaneous Undated

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
 

Calculations

Box 2, folder 12

Altitude and Azimuth of the Sun 1930

Box 2, folder 13

Latitudel Hot Springs, Nevada 1920

Box 2, folder 14

Miscellaneous Undated

 

Conferences

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 3

Miscellaneous Undated

Box 3, folder 4

Pacific Science Congress 1939

 

Miscellaneous material

Box 3, folder 5

Miscellaneous Undated

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.