George Suckley Papers: Finding Aid mssSU
Gayle Richardson
The Huntington Library
December 2020
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Business Number: (626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: George Suckley papers
Creator:
Suckley, George,
1830-1869
Identifier/Call Number: mssSU
Physical Description:
3 Linear Feet
(1 box, 1 oversize folder)
Date (inclusive): 1846-1886
Abstract: A collection of material related to the
professional career of George Suckley, American Army surgeon and naturalist.
Language of Material: Materials are in
English.
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[Identification of item]. George Suckley papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino,
California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquired from M. F. Savage, January 1923.
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.
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.
Processed by Huntington Library Staff, circa 1930. In 2020, Gayle Richardson created the
finding aid derived from a legacy summary report.
Arranged chronologically.
Individual call numbers included in the collection: mssSU 1-85.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Naturalists -- United States
Ornithology -- United States
Railroads -- West (U. S.) -- Surveying
Northwest, Pacific -- Description and
travel
Northwest, Pacific -- Surveys
West (U.S.) -- Description and
travel.
West (U.S.) -- Surveys
Letters (correspondence) -- West (U.S.) -- 19th century
Professional papers -- West (U. S.) -- 19th century
Research (document genres) -- West (U.S.) -- 19th century
Baird, Spencer Fullerton,
1823-1887
Cassin, John,
1813-1869
Cooper, J. G. (James
Graham), 1830-1902
Northern Pacific Railroad Company
United States. Army -- Surgeons
Box 1, Folder 1-86
George Suckley papers 1846-1890
Folder 1
Medical degree of Dr. George Suckley, from New York University 1851 September