Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation

Historical Note

This collection is an arrangement of letters, postcards and other materials relating to botanists and naturalists throughout the 20th century. The material was received by the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation on 18 January 1968 from Professor William Winfield Ray (1909–1995). According to our correspondence from the time, the materials were sent to us as part of a larger collection amalgamated from various sources by Professor Ray, including materials given to him by Thomas J. Fitzpatrick (1868–1952) and Charles E. Bessey (1845–1915). The materials presented here were isolated from their original collection around July 1968 and put into their current organization by our founding director, George H. M. Lawrence (1910–1978; director, 1960–1970). It is expected that these items may be used both for their historical interest and as a sampling of handwriting for the botanists represented within.

Scope and Contents

This collection includes roughly 900 letters, postcards and related items from botanists and their correspondents who were active in the 20th century. The materials themselves range in creation date from the late 19th through the 20th centuries. The collection includes both handwritten and typed letters, almost all of which are signed by their authors. There are few items in the collection that are not accompanying letters (roughly 20), including manuscripts, checks, receipts and other miscellaneous documents.

Finding Aid

A finding aid for this collection is available online.

Other Resources

For information about biographical citations for and portraits of the subject, see the Hunt Institute Archives Biographical Records database.