Finding aid to the Kate Stephens Papers, ca. 1898-1952 LA.1994.0411.003
Finding aid prepared by M. Myers
San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library
2018-10-02
1788 El Prado, Balboa Park
San Diego, CA 92101
library@sdnhm.org
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library
Title: Kate Stephens Papers
creator:
Stephens, Kate (Kate Brown), ca. 1853-1954
Identifier/Call Number: LA.1994.0411.003
Physical Description:
.5 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): ca. 1898-1952
Abstract: The Kate Stephens Papers consists of 12 folders of material relating to her work for the San Diego Society of Natural History.
The collection includes original field notes, diaries, and logs of her work as Curator of Collections for the Society and
as Curator of Mollusks and Marine Invertebrates for the San Diego Natural History Museum.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to researchers by appointment. Contact the Research Library Director, San Diego Natural History Museum.
Biographical / Historical
Kate Stephens (née Brown) was born in London circa 1853; she immigrated to the United States between 1888 and 1890, settling
in the east San Diego County community of Witch Creek. She married naturalist Frank Stephens in 1898 and traveled with him
on many collecting trips throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties in the early 1900s. She participated in the 1902 Colorado
Desert expedition for the U. S. Biological Survey and the 1907 University of California Alexander expedition to southeastern
Alaska. An authority on terrestrial and marine mollusks including fossils, she was first hired by the San Diego Society of
Natural History as Curator of Collections in 1908 and served as Curator of Mollusks and Marine Invertebrates at the San Diego
Natural History Museum from 1910 until 1936; she continued her conchology work into her mid-90s. She died in 1954.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Kate Stephens Papers, ca. 1898-1952. Research Library, San Diego Natural History Museum.
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of field and work diaries of naturalist Kate Stephens.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright may be reserved. Consult the San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library Director for more information.
Related Materials
Frank Stephens Field Notes Collection
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Field notes
Diaries
Women naturalists -- United States
Natural history--California.
Mollusks
Marine invertebrates
Paleontology -- California -- San Diego
Stephens, Frank, 1849-1937
Brandegee, Townshend Stith, 1843-1925
San Diego Society of Natural History
Stephens, Kate (Kate Brown), ca. 1853-1954
Baker, Frederick, 1854-1938
Fischer, Arthur F., (Arthur Frederick), 1888-1962
Grant, U. S., IV (Ulysses S.), 1893-1977
Box 178, Folder 1
Biographical material
1852-1954
Scope and Contents
News clippings and photographs
Box 178, Folder 2
Agreement
1952
Scope and Contents
Letter dated February 6, 1952; donation agreement between San Diego Society of Natural History and Evan Tollitt-Brown (guardian)
regarding Kate Stephens's library.
Box 178, Folder 3
Field Notes
circa 1901
Kate Stephens Field Notes, circa 1901
Scope and Contents
Field notes of a collecting trip in San Diego and Imperial Counties made by Kate Stephens and her husband Frank Stephens.
Entries dated from October 7 through October 25, year not given, circa 1901. "My first desert trip." Localities include Banner;
La Puerta; Laguna Mountains; Vallecito; Carrizo Creek; Palmetto Spring; Colorado River; Pelican Lake; Salton Sea; San Jacinto;
Duck Lake; San Felipe Valley. Includes 3 pages of notes, book references in Frank Stephens's hand at end of volume.
Box 178, Folder 4
Field Diary
October 7-25, ca. 1901 (transcription)
Kate Stephens Field Notes, October 7 through October 25, circa 1901
Scope and Contents
Loose pages, handwritten transcription by Kate Stephens of field notes from collecting trip from October 7 through October
25, circa 1901. Localities in San Diego and Imperial counties include La Puerta (Oct 10), Palmetta Spring (Oct 11), Pelican
Lake (Oct 14), San Jacinto (Oct 16), Duck Lake (Oct 17), the boundary of California and Mexico (Oct 18), Carizzo Creek (Oct
20), Vallecetto (Oct 23) Banner Canyon, San Felipe Valley (Oct 25).
Handwritten transcription (in ink) of field notes Kate Stephens composed (in pencil) in a small memorandum notebook during
collecting trip, circa 1901. This transcription is missing the final entries of the notebook. See the related item for complete
field notes.
Box 178, Folder 5
Field Notes
1902a
Kate Stephens Field Notes, 1902a
Scope and Contents
Field notes dated May 5, 1902 through May 29, 1902. One of four notebooks from a four-month collecting trip in the Mojave
Desert (California and Arizona) for the U.S. Biological Survey, Department of Agriculture with field specialist Frank Stephens
and botanist T. S. Brandegee. Localities includeSanta Margarita Ranch, San Mateo Creek, San Juan Capistrano, San Bernardino
County, Bagdad, Cadiz, Danby.
Box 178, Folder 6
Field Notes
1902b
Kate Stephens Field Notes, 1902b
Scope and Contents
Field notes dated May 5, 1902 through June 10, 1902. The second of four notebooks from a four-month collecting trip in the
Mojave Desert (California and Arizona) for the U.S. Biological Survey, Department of Agriculture with field specialist Frank
Stephens and botanist T. S. Brandegee. Localities include Santa Margarita Ranch, San Mateo Creek, San Juan Capistrano, and
San Bernardino County localities including Bagdad, Cadiz, Danby, Fenner, Blake, Java, Needles. Includes pages which reproduce
material from 1902a notebook for the period May 5-29, 1902.
Box 178, Folder 7
Field Diary
1902c
Kate Stephens Field Notes, 1902c
Scope and Contents
Field notes dated June 11, 1902 through August 7, 1902. The third of four notebooks from a four-month collecting trip in the
Mojave Desert (California and Arizona) with field specialist Frank Stephens for the U.S. Biological Survey, Department of
Agriculture. Localities in Arizona include Camp Bowie (near Willcox), Needles, Little Meadows, Kingman, Beales Spring, Hualapai
Mountains, Potato Patch, Juniper Heights, Hualapai Spring, Bill Williams Fork (Colorado River), Signal, Planet, Mineral Wash,
Parker, Ehrenburg.
A handwritten transcription of these field notes exists, written by Kate Stephens on looseleaf paper in ink.
Box 178, Folder 8
Field Diary
1902c (transcription)
Scope and Contents
Loose pages; handwritten transcription of field notebook 1902c, chronicling collecting trip in Arizona June 11, 1902 to August
7, 1902.
Box 178, Folder 9
Field Diary
1902d
Kate Stephens Field Notes, 1902d
Scope and Contents
Field notes dated August 8, 1902 through September 2, 1902. The fourth of four notebooks from a four-month collecting trip
in the Mojave Desert (California and Arizona) with field specialist Frank Stephens for the U.S. Biological Survey, Department
of Agriculture. Localities include Hodges, the Chuckawalla Mountains, Pala Verde Valley, Cañon Spring, 29 Palms, Salton, Corn
Spring, Dos Palms, Fig Tree John's (Coachella Valley).
Box 178, Folder 10
SDNHM Catalog
Scope and Contents
One notepad (27 pages), handwritten list of books and reprints. Latest item dated 1911. Items numbered 1-99, 300-792.
Box 178, Folder 11
Work Diary
1914
Scope and Contents
One bound volume, cover labelled "Datebook for 1914." Title page inscribed "The Log of the San Diego Soc. of Nat. History."
Entries from January 2, 1914 through October 29, 1914 (later entries do not correspond to printed calendar pages). Includes
"Notes for 1915" at end of volume. Record of daily activities in collection care, specimen identification, museum management.
Box 178, Folder 12
Desert narrative
ca. 1930
Kate Stephens Desert Narrative, circa 1930
Scope and Contents
Handwritten narrative (written on one loose sheet and the back on an envelope), entitled "A desert scene's episodes." On
reverse of envelope is a handwritten draft of letter from Kate Stephens to U. S. Grant, IV re shells. Envelope postmark cancellation
of April 12, 1930.