Biography
Scope and Content
Arrangement of the Collection
Access
Processing Information
Acquisition Information
Preferred Citation
Publication Rights
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
University of California, Davis General Library, Dept. of Special Collections
Title: Thomas W. Whitaker Papers
Creator:
Whitaker, Thomas W.
(Thomas Wallace), 1904-1993
Identifier/Call Number: D-578
Physical Description:
1.8 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1928-1990
Abstract: Thomas W. Whitaker (1904-1993) served as a geneticist for the United
States Department of Agriculture where he developed new varieties of cantaloupes, gourds, and lettuce. The collection
contains his articles, talks, and manuscripts, as well as correspondence received upon his retirement, and a photograph
album.
Physical Location: Researchers should contact Special Collections to request collections,
as many are stored offsite.
Biography
Thomas W. Whitaker was born on August 13, 1904 in Monrovia, California. He graduated from the University of California,
Davis in 1927 and received his PhD in Biology at the University of Virginia in 1931. He served as a postdoctoral scholar at
Harvard University in 1933. In 1934, he became an Associate Professor at Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, Georgia. From
1936-1973, he worked as a geneticist for the United States Department of Agriculture where he developed better tasting and
disease resistant varieties of cantaloupes, gourds, and lettuce.
Whitaker passed away on November 29, 1993.
Source:
Thomas W. Whitaker Obituary,
La Jolla Light, December 9, 1993.
Scope and Content
The collection contains Whitaker's articles, talks, and manuscripts, as well as correspondence
received upon his retirement, and a photograph album.
Arrangement of the Collection
The collection is arranged alphabetically.
Access
Collection is open for research.
Processing Information
Sara Gunasekara processed this collection with assistance from student employee Michelle Xie.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Beverley Whitaker Rodgers in 2014.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], D-578, Thomas W. Whitaker Papers, Department of Special Collections, General Library, University
of California, Davis.
Publication Rights
All applicable copyrights for the collection are protected under chapter 17 of the U.S. Copyright Code. Requests for
permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the Regents of the University of California as the owner of the physical items. It is
not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Melons -- Research
Lettuce -- Diseases and pests
Cucurbitaceae
Gourds -- Research
Whitaker, Thomas W.
(Thomas Wallace), 1904-1993 -- Archives