Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- George Suckley papers
- Dates:
- 1846-1886
- Creators:
- Suckley, George, 1830-1869
- Abstract:
- A collection of material related to the professional career of George Suckley, American Army surgeon and naturalist.
- Extent:
- 3 Linear Feet (1 box, 1 oversize folder)
- Language:
- Materials are in English.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item]. George Suckley papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
A collection of 97 items from 1846 to 1890, it consists of correspondence and papers related to George Suckley's activities and interest in the field of natural history, especially ornithology. Some letters relate to the Northern Pacific Railroad Route Survey of 1853 to 1857. Correspondents include Spencer Fullerton Baird and John Cassin; there is also correspondence from James Graham Cooper regarding his collaboration with Suckley, and the publication of their book, The natural history of Washington territory.
- Biographical / historical:
-
George Suckley (1830-1869) was an United States Army surgeon and naturalist. In 1852 Suckley served as resident surgeon in the New York hospital; in the following year, 1853, he became assistant surgeon in the U. S. Army in which capacity he served until 1856. It was during this period that he was engaged as surgeon and naturalist for the Northern Pacific Railroad Route Survey led by Isaac Ingalls Stevens. The party made explorations and scientific investigations from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Puget Sound in Washington from 1853 to 1857. Suckley pursued his ornithological interest sending specimens to Spencer Fullerton Baird at the Smithsonian Institution and to John Cassin at the Philadelphia Academy of Science as well as creating a private collection. Suckley collaborated with James G. Cooper on The natural history of Washington territory, which was published in 1859. In 1861, he was a Brigade surgeon and in 1865, a staff surgeon in the U. S. Volunteers. Suckley died in New York in 1869.
- Acquisition information:
- Acquired from M. F. Savage, January 1923.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Huntington Library Staff, circa 1930. In 2020, Gayle Richardson created the finding aid derived from a legacy summary report.
- Arrangement:
-
Arranged chronologically.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Naturalists -- United States
Ornithology -- United States
Railroads -- West (U. S.) -- Surveying
Letters (correspondence) -- West (U.S.) -- 19th century
Professional papers -- West (U. S.) -- 19th century
Research (document genres) -- West (U.S.) -- 19th century - Names:
- Northern Pacific Railroad Company
United States. Army -- Surgeons
Baird, Spencer Fullerton, 1823-1887
Cassin, John, 1813-1869
Cooper, J. G. (James Graham), 1830-1902 - Places:
- Northwest, Pacific -- Description and
travel
Northwest, Pacific -- Surveys
West (U.S.) -- Description and travel.
West (U.S.) -- Surveys
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2022-03-30 08:48:53 -0700 .
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.
- Terms of access:
-
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item]. George Suckley papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
1151 Oxford RoadSan Marino, CA 91108, US
- Contact:
- (626) 405-2191