Asa Gray papers

  1. Resources
  2. View Resource

ArchivalResource

Asa Gray papers

1830-1953

https://id.lib.harvard.edu/ead/gra00026/catalog

The distinction between the two groups of papers reflects both their provenance and the way the materials have been maintained by the Gray Herbarium over the years. "Manuscript case" materials comprise mostly Gray's writings, and originally were probably a part of the Herbarium's office files. "Green box" materials are largely personal in nature, including correspondence of Jane Loring Gray and were assembled and donated to the Herbarium by her. Related material from other donors, such as Walter Deane, have also been included in this collection. The manuscript collection contains drafts of works both published and unpublished which Gray wrote for scientific and general audiences; reviews by Gray; notes for Harvard, Lowell Institute and various club lectures; account books, 1838-1891, for personal accounts and accounts with the Herbarium; and certificates, degrees and awards. "Green box" materials contain biobraphical information such as an autobiographical manuscript, travel journals, 1838-1839, other individuals' reminiscences of Gray and clippings, correspondence with family members, colleagues and scientific societies and serveral notebooks containing descriptions of specimens in various herbaria, mostly in Europe. Correspondence documents the lifestyle of upperclass Bostonians, and provides insights into faculty activities at Harvard as well as describing certain events such as the Wilkes Expedition. The collection also contains Jane Gray's letters to her family while in Europe, her diaries, and materials pertaining to the book, Letters of Asa Gray, which she edited. In addition, the collection includes ten daguerreotype portraits of botanists.

8 linear feet (17 document boxes, 3 oversize boxes, 8 oversize folders in flat file, 1 scrapbook volume)

eng, Latn

Harvard University, Botany Libraries

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7431605

Harvard University, Botany Libraries

Related Entities

There are 24 Entities related to this resource.

Gray, Asa, 1810-1888

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w65f9k1r (person)

Often called the “Father of American Botany,” Asa Gray was instrumental in establishing systematic botany as a field of study at Harvard University and, to some extent, in the United States. His relationships with European and North American botanists and collectors enabled him to serve as a central clearing house for the identification of plants from newly explored areas of North America. He also served as a link between American and European botanical sciences. Gray regularly reviewed new Euro...

Gray, Alice Wirth

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w68d06m0 (person)

Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6x16x2w (person)

Joseph Henry (1797-1878, APS 1835), a physicist, was the first secretary and director of the Smithsonian Institution, a post he retained for over three decades. Henry was a leading experimental scientist whose contributions include several discoveries in the field of electromagnetics. He has been credited with the invention of the electromagnet and the telegraph, among other things. Henry was born in 1797 in Albany, New York, the son of William Henry, a teamster, and his wife An...

Fry, Edward, Sir, 1827-1918

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6gx4nj1 (person)

Judge and diplomatist. From the description of Autograph letter signed : Failand, to Prof. Knight, 1905 May 2. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270753008 ...

Gray, Jane Loring, 1821-1909

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6m335fg (person)

Jane Loring Gray was born in 1821. In 1847 she became engaged to Asa Gray and they were married on May 4, 1848. Jane accompanied her husband on most of his voyages and chronicled them in her letters to her family. After her husband's death in 1888 she devoted herself to memorializing him; she prepared an edition of Gray's letters and contributed funds toward the establishment of the Asa Gray Professorship. From the description of Papers of Jane Loring Gray, 183?-189? (inclusive). (Ha...

Canby, William Marriott, 1831-1904.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6d227ct (person)

Gray, Elsada.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6wh31d0 (person)

Hooker, Joseph Dalton, Sir, 1817-1911

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6pr7v3z (person)

Sir Joseph D. Hooker (1817-1911), botanist, director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, England. From the description of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker collection, 1828-1909. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 38477374 English botanist and traveler. From the description of Autograph letter signed, dated : [London] Mar. 25 1878, to an unidentified recipient at the Daily Telegraph, 1878 Mar. 25. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270666429 Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker was...

Eaton, Daniel Cady, 1834-1895

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6h99g17 (person)

Daniel Cady Eaton: botanist; studied botany at Yale University, 1853-1857, and at Harvard with Asa Gray; in 1864 became professor of botany at Yale until his death in 1895; author of several books. From the description of Daniel Cady Eaton (1834-1895) papers, 1854-1897 (inclusive). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 702167519 Daniel Cady Eaton: botanist; studied botany at Yale University, 1853-1857, and at Harvard with Asa Gray; in 1864 became professor of botany at...

United States exploring expedition (1838-1842)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w67d6m0v (corporateBody)

The United States Exploring Expedition under the command of Charles Wilkes left U.S.A. Aug. 1838, returning July 1842. The ships in the expedition were the Flying Fish, Oregon, Peacock, Porpoise, Relief, Seagull and Vincennes. The expedition visited the Antarctic, Sydney Harbour, Bay of Islands, N.Z., various islands in the Pacific and areas on the coast of South America and U.S.A. From the description of Records [microform]. (Libraries Australia). WorldCat record id: 225845806 ...

Lowell Institute

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xd52kp (corporateBody)

Englemann, George, 1809-1884.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6ws94q9 (person)

Howland, Joseph Emery, 1918-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6mg80wx (person)

Jackson, Charles L.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6sq99dq (person)

Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6q63cm5 (person)

Charles Robert Darwin was born on February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, England. His father, Robert Waring Darwin (1766-1848), was a physician, the son of Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802), a poet, philosopher, and naturalist. Robert established a successful medical practice in Shrewsbury where he was known for his kindness extended to the poor. He was financially quite successful and willing to support his sons in their various endeavors. Although not a prolific writer, he was elected to the Royal Society ...

Robinson, Benjamin Lincoln, 1864-1935

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6nk3rg3 (person)

Robinson (Harvard, A.B. 1887; Strassborg, Ph.D. 1889) became assistant to Sereno Watson at Gray Herbarium at Harvard, 1890-1892 and Curator after Watson's death in 1892. His published works include a revised edition of Asa Gray's Manual (1908), Flora of the Galapagos Islands (1902) and contributions to Gray's Synoptical Flora of North America (1895, 1897). From the description of Papers of Benjamin Lincoln Robinson, 1887-1934 (inclusive). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 177499102 ...

Candolle, Alphonse ˜deœ 1806-1893

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6rs1jpj (person)

Drayton, Joseph

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w61z4fwb (person)

Greene, Benjamin Daniel.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6pg22f8 (person)

Bentham, George, 1800-1884

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6x92nd9 (person)

English botanist; nephew of Jeremy Bentham, 1748-1832 From the guide to the George Bentham letter to Asa Gray, ., (The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.) Epithet: Captain; RN British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000001243.0x000263 ...

Sprague, Isaac, 1811-1895

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w69p3b6g (person)

Jackson, Susan Mary Loring.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6hr3hcb (person)

Redfield, John Howard, 1815-1895

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6b56vc6 (person)

Merchant and corresponding secretary of the Lyceum of Natural History, New York City. From the description of Letterbook, 1841 Nov. 16-1844 Oct. 16. (New York University, Group Batchload). WorldCat record id: 58774607 ...

Harvard University. Gray Herbarium

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6740zs8 (corporateBody)

The Gray Herbarium originated with the gift of Asa Gray's herbarium and library to Harvard in 1864. Early curators and directors were Sereno Watson (1874-1892); Benjamin Lincoln Robinson (1892-1935); and Merritt Lyndon Fernald (1935-1947). From the description of Administrative correspondence of the Gray Herbarium, 179?-1965 (inclusive), 1840-1955 (bulk) [microform]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 177500161 The Gray Herbarium originated with the gift of Asa Gray's herbarium ...