Smithsonian Institution Archives

Henry Shaler Williams Papers, circa 1880-1916 and undated

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU7238
Creators:
Williams, Henry Shaler, 1847-1918
Dates:
circa 1880-1916 and undated
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
8 cu. ft. (16 document boxes)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Introduction

Introduction
This finding aid was digitized with funds generously provided by the Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
These papers consist of a small amount of Williams' professional correspondence; field, office, and laboratory notebooks; notes from International Geological Congresses, 1885 and 1891; faunal notes and lists; drafts of writings; and illustrations and plates with accompanying explanations used in his publications. Most of this material was used in the preparation of Williams' publications on the fossils of the Watkins Glen-Catatonk Quadrangle, New York, and the Eastport Quadrangle, Maine.

Historical Note

Historical Note
Henry Shaler Williams (1847-1918) was born in Ithaca, New York. He received degrees from Yale's Sheffield Scientific School, Ph.B., 1868, and Yale University, Ph.D., 1871.
In 1871, Williams went to Transylvania College, then known as Kentucky University, where he taught geology for a year. For the next several years he helped with his father's banking and mercantile enterprises in Ithaca. In 1879, Williams joined Cornell University as an assistant professor of geology. He was later promoted to professor of paleontology, 1884, and professor of paleontology and geology, 1886. Six years later Williams was selected by James Dwight Dana to succeed him as Silliman Professor of Geology at Yale where he remained until 1904. He returned to Cornell in 1904 as professor of geology and director of the Geological Museum, a position he held until his retirement in 1912. In addition to his academic appointments, Williams did research and field work for the United States Geological Survey.
Williams' paleontological interests were in the Devonian fossils of southern New York, Maine, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Besides his contributions to research, Williams was one of the founders of the Sigma Xi honorary society, 1886, and The Geological Society of America, 1888.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7238, Henry Shaler Williams Papers

More Information

Notes

Personal Papers


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Williams, Henry Shaler, 1847-1918 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dana, James Dwight, 1813-1895 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Yale University. Sheffield Scientific School Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Yale University Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Transylvania College Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cornell University Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Geological Survey (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Society of the Sigma Xi Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Geological Society of America Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
International Geological Congress (1885) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
International Geological Congress (1891) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Geology Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Paleontology Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Geologists Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Paleontologists Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Geology, Stratigraphic -- Devonian Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Eastport (Me.) Place Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Watkins Glen (N.Y.) Place Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scientific illustrations Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Field notes Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Laboratory notebooks Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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