Meyer, Frank Nicholas

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Frank N. Meyer was born Frans Meijer in Amsterdam in 1875. His family was not well off financially so young Frans was sent to work at the Amsterdam Botanical Gardens at age 14 as a gardener's helper. He proved an able assistant and worked his way up to the position of head gardener in charge of the experimental garden. His aptitude caught the attention of the director of the experimental garden Hugo de Vries who became his mentor and encouraged him to take some university courses on botany. Meyer arrived in the United States in 1901, and was hired by the USDA. In his 2 1/2 year tenure with the USDA, he completed several botanical expeditions to China. He subsequently began corresponding with Charles S. Sargent, the director of the Arnold Arboretum, who hired him to complete joint expeditions (with the USDA) to Asian in order to find plants of economic value. Meyer completed several major trips, documenting and bringing back thousands of specimens. Meyer died unexpectly in 1918, having either fallen or jumped off his steamer ship along the Yangtze River while enroute to Shanghai. He was buried in Shanghai.

From the description of Papers of Frank N. Meyer, 1907-1914. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 432425905

In 1901, Frans Nicholas Meijer (1875-1918) emigrated from the Netherlands to America where he became Frank Meyer. Almost immediately Meyer went to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Erwin F. Smith, known internationally for his groundbreaking work in bacteriology. In 1902 Meyer began working at USDA's Plant Introduction Station in Santa Ana, California. The period from 1905-1908 marked the beginning of Meyer's expeditions to Asia, where he collected plants in China, Russia, and Japan, as well as other countries. During his second expedition from 1909-1912, he colected in Europe, Russia, and in China. From 1913-1915, he explored and collected plants in Russia and China. Meyer's fourth and final expedition took place from 1916-1918. The purpose of this journey is stated in the accompanying typescripts, dated July 25, 1916. In summary, Meyer was to explore the portion of China lying southeast of Shanghai and south of the Yangtze River. He was to seek and collect southern peaches, bamboos--both timber and edible--the tung or wood-oil tree, improved varieties of tallow trees, the lichi, longan, root crops for wet lands, new varieties of rive, soy beans, rasberries, pears, chesnuts, and ornamental shrubs and timber trees. Meyer died an untimely death in June 1918. A passenger on the Feng Yang Maru Japanese riverboat, destined for Shanghai, he fell overboard into the Yangtze River. His body was recovered, but the circumstances of his death will always remain a mystery and source of speculation. Honored the world over for his contributions as a plant explorer, Frank Meyer's work touches us all every day. From apricots to wild pears, his introductions number over 2,500.

From the description of Frank Nicholas Meyer collection : [manuscript], 1905-1918. 1905-1918. (National Agricultural Library). WorldCat record id: 688639894

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn William Woodville Rockhill papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Sargent, Charles Sprague, 1841-1927. Records of the Director Charles Sprague Sargent, 1893-1927 (inclusive). Harvard University, Arnold Arboretum, Horticultural Library, Jamacia Plain
creatorOf Meyer, Frank Nicholas. South China explorations : typescript, July 25, 1916-September 21, 1918 / Frank N. Meyer and David Fairchild. National Agricultural Library, NAL
referencedIn Erwin F. Smith Papers, 1876-1927, (bulk 1920-1927) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Wilson, Ernest Henry, 1876-1930. Records of Keeper, Ernest H. Wilson, 1896-1952 (inclusive), 1896-1930 (bulk). Harvard University, Arnold Arboretum, Horticultural Library, Jamacia Plain
referencedIn Robert C. Cook papers, 1882-1992 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Meyer, Frank Nicholas. Frank N. Meyer (1875-1918) collection. Harvard University, Arnold Arboretum, Horticultural Library, Jamacia Plain
referencedIn Kate Sessions Collection, 1876-1940 San Diego History Center Document Collection
creatorOf Meyer, Frank N. (Frank Nicholas). Papers of Frank N. Meyer, 1907-1914. Harvard University, Botany Libraries
creatorOf Meyer, Frank Nicholas. Letters of Frank N. Meyer, 1902-[1918]. University of California, Davis, Shields Library
referencedIn Arnold Arboretum collection of photographs, 1870- Harvard University, Arnold Arboretum, Horticultural Library, Jamacia Plain
referencedIn Cunningham, Isabel Shipley, 1919-. Isabel Shipley Cunningham collection on Frank Nicholas Meyer. National Agricultural Library, NAL
creatorOf Meyer, Frank Nicholas. Frank Nicholas Meyer collection : [manuscript], 1905-1918. National Agricultural Library, NAL
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Arnold Arboretum. corporateBody
correspondedWith Cook, Robert C. (Robert Carter), 1898-1991. person
associatedWith Cunningham, Isabel Shipley, 1919- person
associatedWith Fairchild, David, 1869-1954. person
correspondedWith Rockhill, William Woodville, 1854-1914 person
associatedWith Sargent, Charles Sprague, 1841-1927. person
associatedWith Sessions, Kate Olivia, 1857-1940 person
associatedWith Smith, Erwin F. (Erwin Frink), 1854-1927. person
associatedWith United States. Dept. of Agriculture corporateBody
associatedWith Wilson, Ernest Henry, 1876-1930. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
China, Southeast
China
United States
East Asia
China
United States
Subject
Botany
Botany
Botany, Economic
Botany, Economic
Plant collecting
Plant collecting
Plant collectors
Plant introduction
Plant introduction
Plants
Scientific expeditions
Vegetation surveys
Occupation
Activity

Person

Active 1907

Active 1914

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