William Jones Rhees Papers: Finding Aid mssRH

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents

1. The Institute's forerunners: The Metropolitan Association; The Columbian Institute; and the Washington Museum
2. The organization of the National Institution for the Promotion of Science (later incorporated as the National Institute), including membership and the constitution, by-laws and rules for the Institute
3. The Museum (housed in the United States Patent Office), including the acquisition of curiosities and the collections of the United States Exploring Expedition, commanded by Charles Wilkes, 1838-1842
4. The Smithson bequest, including his interest and influence in the final disposition of the gift and the original custody of Smithson's collections of minerals, pamphlets and personal effects.

1. The plan of organization for the Metropolitan Society or Association (June 15, 1816) in the handwriting of Edward Cutbush, with signatures of the original members
2. A notebook kept by John Varden of subscribers to the Washington Museum, 1840-1841
3. A note by Joel Roberts Poinsett, c. 1840, of the members to confer on the Smithson bequest
4. An August 23, 1848, letter from Joseph Libbey Folsom sending a specimen of the gold found at Sutter's Mill and some other minerals from California.

Scope and Contents

1. A. Girard College (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
2. 1. Bache's presidency, 1836-1842
3. Bache's tour of Britain and the European continent preparatory to formulating a plan of organization for the college.
4. B. The United States Coast Survey: Bache was appointed in 1843 as Superintendent of the Coast Survey to succeed the late Ferdinand R. Hassler, and continued to direct the Survey until his death. These letters, however, relate more to the personnel of the organization rather than to the work itself.
5. C. Bache's interest in the development of science
6. 1. Terrestrial magnetism research
7. 2. Correspondence with contemporaries, chiefly in the fields of physics, mathematics, and astronomy
8. 3. Interest in and support of scientific expeditions
9. 4. The establishment of scientific institutions and departments of science
10. D. The Civil War
11. 1. The work of the Coast Survey
12. Reports of events from former associates
13. The Sanitary Commission, of which Bache was one of the vice presidents.

1. A letter from Horace Binney offering Bache the chair of "Natural Philosophy" at the University of Pennsylvania (August 29, 1828)
2. Notes by Whitley Stokes, Regius Professor of Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin, on a "Plan of organization for a College near Philadelphia" (November 22, 1836)
3. 8 letters from Belgian astronomer Lamber Adolphe Jacques Quetelet (1836-1849)
4. 29 letters from Sir Edward Sabine chiefly concerning their mutual interest in magnetic research (1839-1864)
5. 7 letters from Humphrey Lloyd, provost of Trinity College, Dublin, dealing with magnetism (1840-1851)
6. 36 letters from American physicist Benjamin Peirce, chiefly personal but with considerable mention of science and fellow scientists (1845-1863)
7. 32 letters from Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz, both personal and relating to science (1847-1864)
8. 2 letters from members of the Perry expedition, which opened relations with Japan: one from George Henry Preble (April 2, 1854) and one from John Rodgers Goldsborough (May 15, 1854)
9. 2 letters from subsequent Admiral John Rodgers regarding a theory of tides (March 31 and April 2, 1855)
10. 5 items from Elisha Kent Kane concerning Arctic expeditions (1852-1856)
11. 6 letters from Isaac Israel Hayes concerning his polar expedition (1858-1862)
12. 15 letters from Isaac Ingalls Stevens, highly critical of Union generalship, particularly in South Carolina (February 22-August 5, 1862)

Scope and Contents

1. A. James Smithson (chiefly references to him and his bequest creating the Smithsonian Institution)
2. Routine activities of the Smithsonian Institution
3. 1. Preparation and circulation of reports and other publications, including replies to the plan of organization sent to scientists, educators, etc. in 1847 for their opinions
4. 2. Meetings of the Regents and Executive Committee
5. 3. Visits to the Institution.
6. C. Joseph Henry (1797-1878), the first Secretary, including biography material, papers related to the administration of the Smithsonian Institution, and his other interests including research in physics, Princeton University, the United States Lighthouse Board, the National Academy of Sciences, and correspondence with noted contemporaries; and commemoration including a memorial service held on January 16, 1879 and a statute by William Wetmore Story erected in Washington in 1883
7. D. Spencer Fullerton Baird (1823-1887), the second Secretary, related to his administrative duties and the United States Bureau of Fish and Fisheries
8. E. Miscellaneous items related to the National Museum, the Library, and encouragement of research

1. A copy of the receipt given by Charles Coffin Jewett for the books and pamphlets in the Smithson bequest (January 10, 1849)
2. 6 letters from prominent historians, including George Bancroft, Washington Irving, and Jared Sparks, urging publication by the Smithsonian of some Spanish documents relating to the history of the Southwest.
3. A letter from Joseph Henry to Professor Agassiz, giving details of the fire that destroyed part of the Smithsonian Institution on January 24th (January 31, 1865)
4. A letter from George Catlin asking Professor Henry's aid for securing his Indian portraits for the benefit of science (March 21, 1870). There is also a memorial from the New York Historical Society, signed by several members, urging action to preserve this collection (January 1875)
5. 3 letters from Sir John Henry Lefroy to Joseph Henry from Bermuda (1872-1873)
6. A letter from Phineas Taylor Barnum to Joseph Henry regarding a proposed aerial navigation of the Atlantic in a balloon (September 19, 1873)
7. A letter from Rear Admiral John Rodgers to Mrs. Henry notifying her of the action of Congress for the payment of $11,000 to the heirs of Professor Henry in recognition of his services to the Lighthouse Establishment (July 5, 1878)
8. Draft of the address given by Samuel Sullivan Cox at the commemoration services for Joseph Henry (January 16, 1879)
9. 10 letters from Frank Hamilton Cushing to William Jones Rhees from Zuni, New Mexico Territory (1880-1881)

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents