Biography
Archibald D. Shamel was born on October 15, 1877 in Taylorville, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois, Champaign and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1902. While attending university, he worked as an instructor of farm crops. After graduation, he secured a position as a physiologist working for the United States Department of Agriculture in the Bureau of Plant Industry. In 1903, his book Manual of Corn Judging was published. In 1904 he invented a tobacco seed separating machine that improved the quality of tobacco plants by separating seeds and preventing cross pollination. Shamel married Agnes Fay Brewer in 1908 and they relocated to Riverside, California around 1910. He continued working for the Department of Agriculture at the Citrus Experiment Station (CES). Much of Shamel's work at the CES focused on the improvement of citrus crops. In 1917 he invented a citrus humidifying machine that was used in citrus packing houses to improve storage conditions for the fruit. Shamel also had an interest in shade trees and was a member of the Riverside Parks Planning Department and the Riverside Beautification Committee. In 1937 he published the book Riverside’s Outstanding Trees . Towards the end of his professional career, Shamel continued to research unique and historic trees, writing articles for newspapers and magazines. In 1950, the American Pomological Society awarded him the Wilder Medal for his work with citrus and tropical fruits. Archibald D. Shamel died on April 8, 1956 in Riverside, California.
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1877::
Archibald D. Shamel was born on October 15th in Taylorville, Illinois.
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1899::
Shamel became a charter member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, University of Illinois, Champaign.
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1902::
Shamel received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Illinois.
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1902::
Shamel started work as a Physiologist for the Bureau of Plant Industry, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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1903::
Shamel published the Manual of corn judging.
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1904::
Shamel invented the Shamel tobacco seed separator.
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1908::
Shamel married Agnes Fay Brewer on September 28th.
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1913::
Shamel traveled to Bahia Brazil with a research expedition that included former president Theodore Roosevelt.
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1917::
Shamel invented the Shamel humidifier, a machine to aid in citrus storage.
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1933::
Shamel published the Washington Navel Orange with Carl S. Pomeroy detailing the history of the Riverside Parent Navel Orange Tree.
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1937::
Shamel published the book Riverside’s outstanding trees.
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1950::
Shamel was awarded the Wilder Medal from the American Pomological Society for his work with f tropical & subtropical fruits, and mutations.
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1956::
Archibald D. Shamel died on April 8th in Riverside, California.
From the guide to the Archibald D. Shamel papers, 1882-1954, undated, 1917-1943, (Rivera Library. Special Collections Department.)
