Raphael Pumpelly Papers: Finding Aid

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The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2000
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.


Overview of the Collection

Title: Raphael Pumpelly Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1839-1916
Collection Number: mssPumpelly papers
Creator: Pumpelly, Raphael, 1837-1923.
Extent: Approximately 3,500 pieces in 15 boxes
Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection chiefly consists of correspondence and some papers related to the lives and family affairs of American geologist and explorer Raphael Pumpelly (1837-1923) and his wife, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly (died 1915).
Language: English.

Access

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Administrative Information

Publication Rights

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]. Raphael Pumpelly Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Provenance

Gift of Raphael Pumpelly (grandson of the geologist), January 28, 1960.

Biographical Note

Raphael Pumpelly (1837-1923), American geologist and explorer, studied at the Royal School of Mines in Freiberg. He accepted a post in 1861 as a geologist for the Japanese government, and served two years in that position before traveling on through China, Mongolia, and Russia. He returned to the U.S. to study iron and copper deposits in Michigan and the Lake Superior district and from 1884-89 served as head of the New England division of the U.S. Geological Survey. In 1903 and 1904 he led expeditions to Turkestan under the auspices of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. Pumpelly's wife, Eliza Frances Shephard Pumpelly, whom he had married in 1869, died in 1915, eight years before he died in Newport, Rhode Island in 1923.

Scope and Content

This collection consists chiefly of letters, with some documents and manuscripts (including 29 volumes of notebooks and diaries) related to the lives and family affairs of Raphael and Eliza Pumpelly. The collection includes a few professional papers of Raphael Pumpelly, along with geological notes and descriptions of people and expeditions in Japan, China, Mongolia, Russia, Turkestan, and various places in the United States. Among the papers related to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly, there are descriptions of travel in Europe and Asia and also of the expeditions to Turkestan in 1903 and 1904. The collection also contains a few business and personal letters of Raphael Pumpelly's parents, William Pumpelly and Mary Wells Pumpelly, and their family.

Arrangement

Arranged in the following order:
Part I
  • Raphael Pumpelly Passports and Notebooks (Box 1, Pt. I)
  • Eliza Shepard Pumpelly Diaries (Box 2, Pt. I)
Part I
  • William and Mary Welles Pumpelly Papers (Box 1, pt. II)
  • Raphael and Eliza Shepard Pumpelly Papers (Box 2, pt. II)
  • Eliza Shepard Pumpelly Papers (including family correspondence) (Boxes 3-13)
  • Miscellany (Box 13)

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Huntington Library's Online Catalog.  

Subjects

Pumpelly, Eliza Shephard, -1915.
Pumpelly, Raphael, 1837-1923.
Geologists -- United States -- Archives.
Geology -- Asia, Central.
Geology -- China.
Geology -- Japan.
Geology -- Mongolia.
Geology -- Russia.
Geology -- United States.
Mines and mineral resources -- Michigan.
Scientific expeditions -- Asia, Central.
Scientific expeditions -- China.
Scientific expeditions -- Japan.
Scientific expeditions -- Mongolia.
Scientific expeditions -- Russia.
Asia -- Description and travel.
Europe -- Description and travel.

Forms/Genres

Diaries.
Family papers United States.
Letters (correspondence) United States.
Notebooks United States.
Professional papers United States.

Alternate Authors

Pumpelly, Eliza Shephard, -1915.


 

Part I

 

Raphael Pumpelly Passports and Notebooks

Box 1 (Pt. I)

Passports and Notebooks (1-7)

 

I. Passports [2 pieces]. 1854, 1855

 

II. Notebooks

 

1. Arizona [1 volume]. 1861

 

2. Explorations for Japanese [3 volumes]. 1861-1863

 

3. Private Expedition through Coal fields of China for Chinese Government [2 volumes]. 1863-1864

 

4. Pekin to St. Petersburg via Mongolia and Siberia [1 volume]. 1864

 

5. U.S. Transcontinental Survey, Rocky Mountains [3 volumes]. 1881-1883

 

6. Atlanta, North Carolina and Tennessee [3 volumes]. 1865-1887

 

7. New England, Reconnaissance of Southern Appalachians, Eastern Canada, and the Region West of Lake Superior [5 volumes]. 1890-1899

Box 2 (Pt. I)

Notebooks (1-7)

Box 2 (Pt. I)

8. Trans Caspian Expedition [9 volumes]. 1901-1902

 

9. General Orders [unbound, 1 piece]. Undated

 

Eliza Shepard Pumpelly Diaries

Box 2

Diaries

 

1. Trans-Caspian Expedition, [2 volumes]. 1903-1904

 

Part II

Box 1 (Pt. II)

William and Mary Welles Pumpelly Papers

 

Business Papers. 1839-1880

 

Correspondence

 

1. William Pumpelly to his son, John Pumpelly. 1855-1857

 

2. William Pumpelly to his son, Raphael Pumpelly. 1867

 

3. B - W to William Pumpelly. 1852

 

4. Mary Welles Pumpelly to her husband, William Pumpelly. 1857-1873

 

5. Mary Welles Pumpelly to her sister, Susan Welles Hollenbeck. 1861

 

6. Mary Welles Pumpelly to her son, John Pumpelly. 1850

 

7. Mary Welles Pumpelly to her daughter, Antoinette Pumpelly Loder. 1853-1868

 

8. Mary Welles Pumpelly to her [step-daughter], Nannie Pumpelly. 1873

 

9. Mary Welles Pumpelly to her daughter-in-law, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1869-1879

 

10. Mary Welles Pumpelly to A - W. 1855, 1858

 

11. H - R to their Aunt, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1871-1876

 

12. A - W to Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1854-1868

 

13. Harmon Pumpelly to his sister, Mary Pumpelly. 1861

 

14. Harmon Pumpelly to his nephew, Raphael Pumpelly. 1861-1865

 

15. John Pumpelly to his father, William Pumpelly. 1855-1856

 

16. John Pumpelly to his mother, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1848-1864

 

17. John Pumpelly to his sister, Antoinette Pumpelly Loder. 1854

 

18. John Pumpelly to his brother, Raphael Pumpelly. 1866-1880

 

19. John Pumpelly to his aunt. 1856

 

20. John Pumpelly to Kate [Shepard]. [1884]

 

21. Maria Pumpelly to her nephew [Raphael Pumpelly]. 1864-1865

 

22. Marie Pumpelly to her sister, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1855-1864

 

23. Nannie Pumpelly to her father, William Pumpelly. n.d.

 

24. Nannie Pumpelly to her mother, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1874

 

25. Nannie Pumpelly to her brother, Raphael Pumpelly. 1860

 

26. Nannie Pumpelly to her sister-in-law, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1865

 

27. Miscellaneous Papers belonging to William and Mary Welles Pumpelly.

Box 2 (Pt. II)

Raphael and Eliza Shepard Pumpelly Papers

 

Personal Papers

 

1. Business Papers. 1874, 1876, 1906

 

2. Certificates of Membership

 

a. Appalachian Mountain Club. 1885

 

b. Boone & Crockett Club. n.d.

 

c. Cosmos Club. 1889

 

d. Essex Institute. 1872

 

e. National Security League. 1915

 

f. Trinity Historical Society, Dallas, Texas. 1887

 

3. Correspondence

 

a. Pumpelly, Raphael to his parents, William and Mary Welles Pumpelly. Undated

 

b. Pumpelly, Raphael to his wife, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1867, 1877

 

c. Pumpelly, Raphael to his brother-in-law, Jeremiah Loder. 1857

 

d. Pumpelly, Raphael to his aunt. 1855

 

e. Pumpelly, Raphael to his uncle. 1872

 

f. Pumpelly, Raphael to his daughter, Elise Pumpelly Cabot. 1900-1912

 

g. a-w: Letters of Condolence upon the death of his wife, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1911

 

h. Miscellaneous

 

4. Dinner Invitations. 1862-1868

 

5. Report: New Haven Collegiate & Commercial Institute. 1854

 

Professional Papers

 

1. Papers referring to Raphael Pumpelly's work as Mining Engineer for the Japanese Government. 1863-1866

 

2. Geological Localities, Genessee Valley. n.d.

 

3. Professional Correspondence

 

a. Raphael Pumpelly to Louis Janin. 1865

 

b. B-W to Raphael Pumpelly. 1866-1916

 

Eliza Shepard Pumpelly Papers

 

Correspondence

Box 3

Family Correspondence (Pumpelly)

 

1. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her parents, Mr. & Mrs. Otis Shepard. 1858-1885

 

2. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her husband. 18-- to 1898

 

3. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her brother, Clay Shepard. 1858

 

4. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her sister, Ada Shepard Badger. 1860-1869

 

5. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her sister, Kate Shepard. 1860-1909

 

6. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her sister, Lucy Shepard. n.y.

Box 4

Family Correspondence (Pumpelly, continued)

 

7. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her sister, Nellie Shepard Hill. 1867-1914

 

8. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her sister, Rachael Shepard. 1862-1907

 

9. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her sister, Rebecca Shepard. 1860-1895

 

10. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her sisters Three and Four. 1913, 1894

 

11. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her sister-in-law, Nannie Pumpelly. n.y.

 

12. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her son, Raphael Welles Pumpelly and/or his wife, Amelie Pumpelly. 1903-1909

 

13. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her daughter, Elise Pumpelly Cabot. 1883-1902

 

14. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her [son-in-law], Handasyd Cabot. 1901

 

15. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her daughter, Pauline Pumpelly Gregg. 1905

 

16. Pumpelly, Raphael Welles to his father, Raphael Pumpelly. 1898

 

17. Pumpelly, Raphael Welles to his mother, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1895-1896

 

18. Pumpelly, Raphael Welles to his uncle, John Pumpelly (copy). 1903

 

19. Pumpelly, Raphael Welles to his aunt, Kate Shepard. n.y.

Box 5

Family Correspondence (A-W to aunt-Hill)

 

20. A-W to their aunt, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1898-1911

 

21. Cabot, [Handasyd] to his mother-in-law, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1902

 

22. Cabot, Elise Pumpelly to her mother, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1902

 

23. Cabot, Elise Pumpelly to her aunt Kate Shepard. 1902

 

24. Gregg, Marjorie to her uncle Raphael Pumpelly. n.y.

 

25. Gregg, Marjorie to her aunt, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. n.d.

 

26. Gregg, Pauline Pumpelly to her father, Raphael Pumpelly. 1898-1900

 

27. Gregg, Pauline Pumpelly to her mother, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1898-1907

 

28. Gregg, Pauline Pumpelly to her aunt, Rachael Shepard. 1892, n.y.

 

29. Hill, Ned to his aunt, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1904

 

30. Hill, Ned to his niece, Marguerite Pumpelly (Daisy). 1878-1885

 

31. Hill, Nellie Shepard to her mother. Undated

Box 6

Family Correspondence (Hill, continued)

 

32. Hill, Nellie Shepard to her sister, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1876-1914

 

33. Hill, Nellie Shepard to her brother-in-law, Raphael Pumpelly. n.y.

 

34. Hill, Nellie Shepard to her sister, Kate Shepard. 1898, n.y.

 

35. Hill, Otis S. to his aunt, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1894

Box 7

Family Correspondence (Hollenbeck-Platt)

 

36. Hollenbeck, Susan Welles to her sister, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1854-1857

 

37. Hollenbeck, Susan Welles to her nephew, Raphael Pumpelly. 1856,1862

 

38. Loder, Antoinette Pumpelly to her father, William Pumpelly. 1855, 1859

 

39. Loder, Antoinette Pumpelly to her mother, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 185?

 

40. Loder, Antoinette Pumpelly to her brother, John Pumpelly. 1849-1861

 

41. Loder, Antoinette Pumpelly to her brother, Raphael Pumpelly. 1857-1890

 

42. Loder, Antoinette Pumpelly to her daughter, Edith Loder. 1879

 

43. Loder, Benjamin to his son, Jeremiah Loder. [1855]

 

44. Loder, Mrs. Benjamin to her son, Jeremiah Loder. 1854

 

45. Loder, Edith to her father, Jeremiah Loder. 1868

 

46. Loder, Edith to her mother, Antoinette Pumpelly Loder. 1868

 

47. Loder, Edith to her grandfather, William Pumpelly. 1879, 1903

 

48. Loder, Edith to her grandmother, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1869-1876

 

49. Loder, Edith to her uncle Raffy (Raphael Pumpelly). 1879-1903

 

50. Loder, Jeremiah to his father, Benjamin Loder. 1854-1857

 

51. Loder, Jeremiah to his mother-in-law, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1852-1871

 

52. Loder, Jeremiah to his wife, Antoinette Pumpelly Loder. 1851

 

53. Loder, Jeremiah to his brother-in-law, John Pumpelly. 1857

 

54. Parker, Stella Pumpelly to her aunt Mary Welles Pumpelly. n.y.

 

55. Pierce, Lucy Ann to her cousin, Eliza Shepard [Pumpelly]. 1856-1867

 

56. Platt, Emily Pumpelly to her mother, Mary Pumpelly. 1855

 

57. Platt, S. Emily to her grandparents. 1876

Box 8

Family Correspondence (Shepard)

 

58. Shepard, Ada to her sister, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1855-1873

 

59. Shepard, Ada to her sister, Kate Shepard. 1857

 

60. Shepard, Ada to her sister, Rachael Shepard. 1873

 

61. Shepard, Adeline to her cousins, Raphael and Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. n.y.

 

62. Shepard, Annie to her sister, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1907-1914

 

63. Shepard, Annie to her sister, Kate Shepard. 1907, n.y.

 

64. [Shepard], Clay to his sister, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1874

 

65. Shepard, Emily B. to her aunt, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. n.y.

 

66. Shepard, Emily E. to her sister and brother-in-law, Raphael and Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1911

 

67. Shepard, Horace to his sister, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1904-1913

 

68. Shepard, Horace to his sister, Nellie Shepard Hill. 1904

 

69. Shepard, Kate to her sister, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1904-1910

 

70. Shepard, Kate, to her sister, Nellie S. Hill. n.y.

 

71. Shepard, Kate to her nieces, Elise and Mary Marguerite Pumpelly. 1915, n.y.

 

72. Shepard, Lucy to her sister, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1857-1863

 

73. Shepard, Lucy to her sister, Kate Shepard. 1858

 

74. Shepard, Morris to his aunt, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1907

 

75. Shepard, Otis to his daughter, Adeline Shepard. 1859

 

76. Shepard, Mother (Mrs. Otis) to her daughter, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1854

 

77. Shepard, Pauline to her aunt, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1907-1911

 

78. Shepard, Pauline to her aunt, Kate Shepard. 1904-1913

 

79. Shepard, Rebecca to her sister, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1863-1886

 

80. Shepard, Rebecca to her sister, Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. n.y.

 

81. Shepard, Rebecca to her sister, Kate Shepard. 1885

Box 9

Family Correspondence (Smith-Welles and miscellaneous)

 

82. [Smith], Charlotte to her grandparents, Raphael and Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1914

 

83. Smyth, Harry to his mother. 1890

 

84. Smyth, Harry to his wife, Marguerite Pumpelly Smith. 1898

 

85. Smyth, Marguerite to her parents, Harry and Marguerite Pumpelly Smyth. 1903-1913

 

86. A-W to Mary Marguerite Pumpelly Smyth. 1903-1913

 

87. Smyth, Mary Marguerite Pumpelly to her aunt, Rachael Shepard. 1883

 

88. Smyth, Mary Marguerite Pumpelly to her cousin, Ned Hill. 1884

 

89. Smyth, Pauline to her grandmother [Eliza Shepard Pumpelly]. 1909

 

90. Welles, A.B. to his aunt, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1874

 

91. Welles, C.F. to his sister, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1830-1865

 

92. Welles, C.F. to his sister, Susan Welles Hollenbeck. 1853-1861

 

93. Welles, C.F. to his brother-in-law, William Pumpelly. 1865

 

94. Welles, Charles Stuart to his aunt, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1874

 

95. Welles, Carrie to her aunt, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1875

 

96. Welles, E.S. to his aunt, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1860

 

97. Welles, Edward to his aunt, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1874-1877

 

98. Welles, G.H. to his aunt, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1865

 

99. Welles, H.S. to his aunt, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1861

 

100. M.H. to his aunt, Mary Welles Pumpelly. 1874-1876

 

101. Miscellaneous Family Correspondence

Box 10

Correspondence with persons outside the family (Eliza Shepard Pumpelly to Mrs. Fox)

 

1. Pumpelly, Eliza Shepard to her mother's friend, Mrs. Fox. 1860-1897

Box 11

Correspondence with persons outside the family (A-C to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly)

 

2. A- to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1856-1914

 

3. Ba-Bo to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1874-1914

 

4. Br-Bu to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1865-1885

 

5. C including Chauvenet to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1869-1908

Box 12

Correspondence with persons outside the family (D-P to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly)

 

6. D-E to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1856-1876

 

7. F to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1870-1899

 

8. G-H-J-K to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1874-1915

 

9. L-M to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1886-1911

 

10. N-O-P to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1870-1913

Box 13

Correspondence with persons outside the family (R-Z and miscellaneous to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly)

 

11. R to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1889-1913

 

12. S-T to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1872-1911

 

13. W-Y to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1880-1914

 

14. Miscellaneous to Eliza Shepard Pumpelly. 1860-1913

Box 13

Miscellany