Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the Reuben Moffat Papers, 1852

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.1101
Creators:
Moffat, Reuben
Dates:
1852
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.15 Cubic feet
1 box
Repository:
The collection documents personal correspondence between Reuben Moffat and his father, John Little Moffat. The materials consist primarily of letters written during the year 1852 and detail Reuben Moffat's attempts to obtain a patent for his electric gold washer and magnetic separator invention.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Personal correspondence with Moffat's family members on the subject of family matters and of his invention of an electric and magnetic gold amalgamator and washer.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Collection is arranged into one series.
Series 1, Correspondence, 1852

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Reuben Moffat of Brooklyn, New York, was an inventor seeking to obtain a patent for an "electric gold washer and magnetic separator", which he developed in the years following the Gold Rush. Whether this patent was ever obtained is not discernable from the papers in the collection.

Administration

Author
Kendra Ciccone
Custodial History
Collection transferred from the Division of Engineering and Industry (now called the Division of Work and Industry) to the Archives Center in 2007. Previous provenance unknown.
Processing Information
Processed by Kendra Ciccone (intern), April 2010; supervised by Alison Oswald, archivist.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Source of acquisition unknown.
Collected for the National Museum of American History, Division of Engineering and Industry (now called the Division of Work and Industry.) Transferred to the Archives Center in 2007.

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Reuben Moffat Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Correspondence -- 19th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gold mines and mining Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Inventors -- 19th century Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Inventions -- 19th century Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-3270
Fax Number: Fax: 202-786-2453
archivescenter@si.edu