Robert Chambers collection on William Wagner and the history of the Wagner Free Institute of Science Bulk, 1820-1910 1798-1980

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Robert Chambers collection on William Wagner and the history of the Wagner Free Institute of Science Bulk, 1820-1910 1798-1980

http://dla.library.upenn.edu/dla/pacscl/ead.html?id=PACSCL_WFIS_WFIS90015

Incorporated by William Wagner (1796-1885) in 1855, the Wagner Free Institute of Science is a natural history museum and educational institution in Philadelphia that is dedicated to providing free public education in the sciences. The Robert Chambers collection on William Wagner and the history of the Wagner Free Institute of Science includes material collected by Chambers and contains correspondence; genealogical and family information; documents on William Wagner's early business career with Stephen Girard, the Lennoxville Steam Saw Mill and Snowden and Wagner; Wagner Free Instute of Science financial and operational material; and personal material from Sydney T. Skidmore, a member of the Board. This collection will almost certainly not provide a researcher with all the information needed-instead, this is an excellent starting point. Because these materials were, according to institutional memory, removed from other collections by Robert Chambers and kept close at hand due to their importance, these records will not tell the entire story. However, Chambers apparently thought them to be of particular interest and value and therefore, researchers will benefit greatly from consulting this finding aid. Researchers interested in the life of William Wagner, his early business efforts, Stephen Girard, Joseph Leidy, and the operation of the Wagner Free Institute of Science will find this collection to be of great interest.

2.0 Linear feet; 5 containers

Wagner Free Institute of Science

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 6328744

Wagner Free Institute of Science

Related Entities

There are 20 Entities related to this resource.

Dall, William Healey, 1845-1927

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xb32q1 (person)

William Healey Dall was born on 21 August 1845 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA He entered the service of the Land Office of the Illinois Central Railroad in Chicago, spending his evenings studying at the Chicago Academy of Sciences. In 1865, he was appointed naturalist on the United States Western Union Telegraph Expedition (Alaskan Division), 1865-1867 (leader Robert Kennicott), sent by the Western Union Telegraph Company to survey a route for, and to construct, a telegraph line thr...

Leidy, Joseph, 1823-1891

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6gc2v8n (person)

Philadelphia-born naturalist. Leidy studied medicine and anatomy and received the degree of M.D. at the University of Pennsylvania in 1844. He died in 1891 recognized as the foremost American anatomist of his time. Among many interests, parasitology had been a favorite study of Leidy. From the description of Joseph Leidy journal: Researches on rhizopods, 1875-1877. (University of Pennsylvania Library). WorldCat record id: 214283687 ...

Wagner, Caroline Moore Say

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6043fb6 (person)

Wagner, Samuel, 1842-1937

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w64s2htq (person)

Girard, Stephen, 1750-1831

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6pv6nwf (person)

Charles Nicoll Bancker was a merchant and financier. From the guide to the Charles Nicoll Bancker family papers, 1733-1894, 1733-1894, (American Philosophical Society) Stephen Girard was a merchant, banker, and philanthropist. From the description of Papers, 1769-1831. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 17270776 Philadelphia banker and philanthropist. From the description of LS : Philadelphia, to John Curwen, 1802 S...

Willcox, Joseph

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6s75hcd (person)

Free library of Philadelphia

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w66h86xg (corporateBody)

This is a collection of manuscripts obtained by the Free Library of Philadelphia from various donations. The majority of the collection was donated by Philadelphia book collectors, Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Gimbel and William McIntire Elkins. The collection has an even mix of American and European authors. Although the majority of the authors are represented with only a few pieces of work, eight authors are better represented. These include: American authors James Branch Cabell (1879-1958), Ezra P...

Wagner, Louisa Binney, 1814-1898

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6rk97b9 (person)

Graham, John

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w67d5sfc (person)

Epithet: of Add MS 36156 British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000839.0x00018e Title: 1st Viscount of Dundee British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000839.0x000194 Title: Viscount Dundee British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000839.0x00019a Title: 6th Earl of M...

Westbrook, Richard B. (Richard Brodhead)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w60m2p2z (person)

Epithet: of Philadelphia British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000001086.0x00005c ...

Wagner Free Institute of Science

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6g222qv (corporateBody)

William Wagner was a gentleman scientist and avid collector of natural history specimens. After retiring from business as a merchant in 1840, he devoted himself to science. Believing that education in the sciences should be available to everyone, Wagner began offering free lectures on science at his home, Elm Grove, in 1847. Finding that interest in these lectures was strong, in 1855 Wagner founded the Wagner Free Institute of Science and moved the lectures to Spring Garden Hall. In 1859 constru...

Rothermel, John

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6wc002k (person)

Lennoxville Steam and Saw Mill.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w61m2n1d (corporateBody)

Skidmore, Sydney Tuthill, 1844-1928

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6j24s3v (person)

Montgomery, Thomas Lynch, 1862-1929

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6dv1kn3 (person)

Thomas Lynch Montgomery was born on March 4, 1862. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1884, where he had his first experience with library work at a local Sunday school. Montgomery was hired at the Wagner as actuary in 1886, and later assumed responsibilities of librarian. Over the course of his 17-year career at the Wagner, his duties ranged from collecting rents from tenants on properties owned by the Institute and obtaining estimates for work to be done on the bu...

Chambers, Robert

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w63g4g71 (person)

Epithet: of Stowe MS 636 British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000001196.0x0002fc Epithet: of the British Museum British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000560.0x000386 Epithet: late Tide- surveyor of Great Yarmouth British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000001196.0x0002f9 ...

Boyer, Carl

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w63s5gpb (person)

Wagner, William, 1796-1885

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6111s45 (person)

Snowden & Wagner.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6wz0txk (corporateBody)

Academy and Charitable School of Philadelphia in the Province of Pennsylvania

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6006d59 (corporateBody)