Smithsonian Institution Archives

George Suckley Papers, 1849-1861

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU7191
Creators:
Suckley, George, 1830-1869
Dates:
1849-1861
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
0.75 cu. ft. (1 document box) (1 half document box)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
The papers of George Suckley mostly concern his work on the Pacific Railroad Survey of the 47th and 49th parallels, 1853, and on the collections of the Northwest Boundary Survey of 1857. They include incoming and outgoing correspondence, mostly copies; journals, field books, notes, and related materials concerning the progress of the Railroad Survey, the canoe trip from Fort Owen to Fort Vancouver, Suckley's Panama trip with Cooper, and natural history observations and collecting work; fiscal matters; translation of Indian vocabulary; Suckley's monograph, The Natural History of Washington Territory, co-authored with Cooper; and manuscripts of Suckley's reports on the mammals and salmonidae collected on the Northwest Boundary Survey of 1857.

Historical Note

Historical Note
George Suckley (1830-1869) was born in New York City and graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons (now a part of Columbia University) in September 1851. In April 1853 Suckley was appointed assistant surgeon and naturalist to the Pacific Railroad Survey of the 47th and 49th parallels between St. Paul, Minnesota, and Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory, under the command of Isaac I. Stevens. His work on the survey included a 1,049 mile, 53-day canoe trip down the Bitter Root, Clark's Fork, and Columbia Rivers to Fort Vancouver, during which he made extensive natural history collections. On December 2, 1853, Suckley was commissioned Assistant Surgeon, United States Army. He was ordered to duty at Fort Steilacoom, Washington Territory, where he remained until June 12, 1854, when he was transferred to Fort Dalles, Oregon Territory. In July 1854, Suckley obtained leave of absence for six months, which he partially spent collecting natural history specimens in Panama with James G. Cooper. Suckley resigned from the Army on October 3, 1856, and for the next five years pursued his interest in natural history. During this period, Suckley was assigned to write the reports on the mammals and salmonidae collected by the Northwest Boundary Survey of 1857. In 1859 he co-authored with James G. Cooper, The Natural History of Washington Territory, which was based primarily on data and observations made while serving with the Pacific Railroad Survey. On the outbreak of the Civil War, Suckley rejoined the Army and was commissioned Surgeon of Volunteers. He served for the duration of the war, resigning April 22, 1865. Suckley died July 30, 1869, in New York City.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7191, George Suckley Papers

More Information

Notes

Personal Papers


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Suckley, George, 1830-1869 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cooper, J. G. (James Graham), 1830-1902 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Stevens, Isaac I. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Northwest Boundary Survey, 1857-1861 Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pacific Railroad Survey of the 47th and 49th Parallels Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
College of Physicians and Surgeons in the City of New York Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Army Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Anthropology Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Herpetology Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mammalogy Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Natural history Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scientific expeditions Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Naturalists Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Surgeons Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Anthropologists Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Herpetologists Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mammalogists Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States -- History$yCivil War, 1861-1865 Place Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Panama Place Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Field notes Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Diaries Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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