Smithsonian Institution Archives

Frederick Vernon Coville Papers, 1888-1936 and undated

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU7272
Creators:
Coville, Frederick V. (Frederick Vernon), 1867-1937
Dates:
1888-1936 and undated
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
3 cu. ft. (6 document boxes)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Introduction

Introduction
These papers of Frederick Vernon Coville were part of a group of Smithsonian Department of Botany records which were originally deposited in 1971 at the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. In December 1977, the records were returned to the Smithsonian for maintenance in the Smithsonian Institution Archives.

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
These papers consist of a small amount of correspondence, 1888-1921; material concerning the Medicinal Plants Survey, 1897-1898; notes concerning the revision of Coville's work on Death Valley plants, 1933-1936; and a small group of manuscript notes on currants and gooseberries, undated. Events and items of special interest which are documented in the correspondence include the explorations of Per Axel Rydberg in the Black Hills; the artistic work of Frederick A. Walpole; the acquisition of the Greene Herbarium; the botany exhibits at the World's Columbian Exposition, 1893; and the Mearns collection from the Mexican Boundary Survey, 1893.
The Smithsonian Archives contains other Coville correspondence scattered throughout a number of collections. Most of this material can be found in the records of the Division of Plants, particularly Record Units 220, 221, 222, and 224. Other collections include Record Unit 201, Assistant Secretary in Charge of the United States National Museum, 1875-1902, and the records of the Office of the Secretary, Record Units 31, 34, 45, and 46. The main body of Coville's official correspondence is located in Record Group 54, Records of the Bureau of Plant Industry, at the National Archives.

Historical Note

Historical Note
Frederick Vernon Coville (1867-1937), botanist and blueberry breeder, was born in New York and educated at Cornell University (B. A., 1887). His important field work included the Geological Survey of Arkansas, 1888; the Death Valley Expedition, 1891; and the Harriman Alaska Expedition, 1899. Most of his career was spent at the United States Department of Agriculture, where he served as Assistant Botanist, 1888-1893, and Botanist, 1893-1937. He was also Honorary Curator of the United States National Herbarium, 1893-1937, and was instrumental in the establishment of the National Arboretum in 1927. More extensive biographical material can be found in Science, Volume 85, 280-281.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7272, Frederick Vernon Coville Papers

More Information

Notes

Personal Papers


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Coville, Frederick V. (Frederick Vernon), 1867-1937 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rydberg, Per Axel, 1860-1931 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Walpole, Frederick A., 1861-1904 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mearns, Edgar Alexander, 1856-1916 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Medicinal Plants Survey, 1897-1898 Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Edward L. Greene Herbarium Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States-Mexican International Boundary Survey, 1891-1894 Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cornell University Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Geological Survey of Arkansas Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Department of Agriculture Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Herbarium Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Arboretum (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Death Valley Expedition (1891) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Harriman Alaska Expedition (1899) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Botany Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Botanists Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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