http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8251qnf Online items available

Finding aid to the Charles Russell Orcutt Papers LA.1994.0415

Finding aid prepared by Marie Myers San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library 2018-05-30 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park San Diego, CA 92101 [email protected] URL: http://sdnhm.org/science/research-library

Finding aid to the Charles Russell LA.1994.0415 1 Orcutt Papers LA.1994.0415 Language of Material: English Contributing Institution: San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library Title: Charles Russell Orcutt Papers creator: Orcutt, Charles Russell, 1864-1929 Identifier/Call Number: LA.1994.0415 Physical Description: 3.75 Linear Feet Date (bulk): 1877-1929 Abstract: The papers consist of correspondence, field notes, and publications of the botanist Charles Russell Orcutt. It also includes biographical material and lists related to Orcutt's natural history collections, library, research, and travels. Language of Material: English Scope and Contents The papers consist of eight boxes of material related to Orcutt's life, collecting trips, and publications. The collection also contains correspondence, field notes, and collecting lists. Material in four series, as follows. I. Biographical material and field notes, 1878-1929; II. Research; III. Orcutt Library, 1918-1939; IV. Publications. Biographical / Historical Charles Russell Orcutt was a naturalist who specialized in botany and malacology. Born on April 27, 1864 in Hartland, Vermont, he moved with his family to San Diego in 1879, where his father established a small horticultural nursery near the ruins of the Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Orcutt married Olive E. Eddy in 1892; her medical practice provided financial support for the family while Orcutt traveled extensively on collecting trips in both southern California and Baja California. He was a prolific writer and editor, publishing multiple journals and magazines including West American Scientist (1884-1919). An early member of the Board of Directors of the San Diego Society of Natural History (the parent organization of the San Diego Natural History Museum), he collected many specimens now currently held in the botany, paleontology, and marine invertebrate departments of that museum. Orcutt collected at least 45 new taxa, including 15 plant species and even one genus that were named in his honor. Many plant names exist today with the specific epithet of orcuttii as testament to his collecting skills. His botanical specimens are found in the collections of the American Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution Natural History Museum, in addition to the San Diego Natural History Museum. He died on August 25, 1929 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Conditions Governing Access The collection is open to researchers by appointment. Contact the Research Library Director, San Diego Natural History Museum. Conditions Governing Use Copyright may be reserved. Consult the San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library Director for more information. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Charles Russell Orcutt Papers. Research Library, San Diego Natural History Museum. Subjects and Indexing Terms Botanists -- California -- Correspondence Botany -- California Botany -- Mexico -- Baja California (Peninsula) Cactus Malacology Mollusks Plants -- California

Series I - Biographical material and field notes 1878-1929

Finding aid to the Charles Russell LA.1994.0415 2 Orcutt Papers LA.1994.0415 Series I - Biographical material and field notes 1878-1929

Box 304 Field Notes Journal 1879-1897 Scope and Contents Journal and list of plants, shells and other natural history material collected by Orcutt; items numbered consecutively from 1 to 2893, some with location and date. Includes autobiographical sketch, Orcutt family genealogies, and collecting notes. Localities include San Diego and Imperial counties, Baja California, Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Mexico City, and Guadalajara. Includes notes re Asa Gray and C. C. Parry, some drawings.

Box 304, Folder 1 Biographical data and notes 1886-1929 Scope and Contents Articles, news clippings, and correspondence regarding Orcutt. Includes San Diego Union obituary published 29 Aug 1929 and Eugene Coan, "Charles Russell Orcutt, Pioneer Californian Malacologist and the West American Scientist," Transactions of the San Diego Society of Natural History, vol. 14, no. 8 (1966); typescript of Orcutt essay "In Baja California" re 1886 trip; typescript "Grasses Collected in Baja California" by C. R. Orcutt. Correspondence re Orcutt includes timeline of Orcutt collecting trips 1882-1919, prepared by Reid Moran.

Box 304, Folder 2 Collections in Texas 1913, 1926 Scope and Contents Plant lists for localities in Texas, including Laredo (Mar-Apr 1913) and Corpus Christi (1913). Also includes list of specimens collected by Orcutt at Cloudcroft, New Mexico, 23-26 Jul 1926.

Box 304, Folder 3 Field notes 1884 Scope and Contents One handwritten half-page size list, with 4 typescript copies; published list of Gastropoda.

Box 304, Folder 4 List of donated books n.d. Scope and Contents Memoranda pad with list of journal titles donated to the "Scientific Library" of the San Diego Society of Natural History.

Box 304, Folder 5 Orcutt essay "By Wagon to Baja" 1886 Scope and Contents "By Wagon to Baja" Orcutt essay of 1886 trip, prepared as article for Environment Southwest. Typescript, 5 pp. Includes brief (1 p.) biography of Orcutt by Reid Moran.

Box 304, Folder 6 Letters 1878-1924 Scope and Contents Letters from Orcutt to his parents, 1900-1903. Also includes one letter to his cousin, Lydia Gray, 1878, and five letters to his son Heman, 1922-1924.

Box 304, Folder 7 Letters 1882-1883; 1910 Scope and Contents Photocopies of letters to George Engelmann (1882-1883) and J. M. Greenman (1910) of Missouri Botanical Garden regarding cacti.

Box 304, Folder 8 Letters 1883-1894 Scope and Contents Letters from Orcutt to his parents, 1883-1894.

Finding aid to the Charles Russell LA.1994.0415 3 Orcutt Papers LA.1994.0415 Series I - Biographical material and field notes 1878-1929

Box 304, Folder 9 Letters 1890-1894 Scope and Contents Letters from Orcutt to his parents. Includes one letter from San Diego Natural History Museum director Clinton G. Abbott to Orcutt regarding donation.

Box 304, Letters 1927-1929 Folder 10 Scope and Contents Two letters. Letter dated 1927 from Laurence M. Klauber regarding Orcutt donation to the San Diego Society of Natural History. Letter dated June 1929 from Orcutt to his daughter Eunice.

Box 304, folder 11 Biographical notes Scope and Contents Biographical notes prepared by museum staff; includes Orcutt's U.S, passport, issued 1919.

Box 304, Family reminiscences and other biographical material Folder 12 Scope and Contents Reminiscences of Orcutt's daughter Mary Orcutt Bisbee; note to Orcutt granddaughter Barbara Bisbee with news clipping re Grantville and Orcutt post office. Also includes obituary of Maryette Foster Eddy (Orcutt's mother-in-law), d. 1903.

Box 304, Photos Folder 13 Scope and Contents 5 b/w photographs. (1) Flower of Pachycereus Orcuttii, taken 10 Jun 1905 (copy of San Diego Natural History Society's type photograph); 4 x 5 in. (2) Orcutt portrait; 8 x 10 in. (3) Orcutt with cactus; 5 x 7 in. (4 and 5) Museum staff inspecting Orcutt Library at Old Town, August 1927; 4 x 5 in.

Box 304, Clippings 1867 Folder 14 Box 304, Shell lists Folder 15 Scope and Contents Handwritten lists of shells for sale and exchange. Includes some names of collectors to whom Orcutt sent shells.

Box 304, Item 1 Orcutt essay "A Lost Mine" 1879 Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from Orcutt, published in the San Diego Daily Union, 21 Dec 1879 as "A Lost Mine." Includes transcription.

Box 305 Series II - Research Material Scope and Contents Series consists of four notebooks, two envelopes, and seven folders of research material about Orcutt and his collecting activities, including Ethel Bailey Higgins notes about Orcutt. Includes three folders of Orcutt's own handwritten technical notes on cacti. Includes handwritten Orcutt manuscript (circa. 1919) entitled "Historical Review of Scientific Activity in San Diego." Includes envelope of information collected by Orcutt (circa 1919) on the early history of the San Diego Natural History Museum. This envelope includes biographical notes by Orcutt of Fred Baker and W. C. Crandall. Also includes archival photocopies of Review of the Cactaceae.

Series III - Orcutt Library 1918-1939

Finding aid to the Charles Russell LA.1994.0415 4 Orcutt Papers LA.1994.0415 Series III - Orcutt Library 1918-1939

Box 79, Orcutt Papers 1918-1921 Item Envelope Scope and Contents Papers relating to the formation of the San Diego Scientific Library.

Box 197 Orcutt Library - Museum Administration documents 1918-1929 Scope and Contents Approximately one inch of documents, bulk originals of material included in Box 79. Includes correspondence and legal documents regarding donation of Orcutt's Library to the San Diego Society of Natural History. Correspondents include Clinton G. Abbott, Fred Baker, Howard H. Cleaves, J. C. Harper, Laurence M. Klauber, Charles Russell Orcutt, Olive L. Eddy Orcutt, Joseph W. Sefton, Jr.

Box 79, Folder 1 Deed of Trust Correspondence 1920-1923 Scope and Contents Photocopies of correspondence. Correspondents include Clinton G. Abbott, Fred Baker, Howard H. Cleaves, J. C. Harper, Charles Russell Orcutt, Joseph W. Sefton, Jr. Bulk of material copies of material in Museum Administration Box 197.

Box 79, Folder 2 Letters - Orcutt Library 1927-1933 Scope and Contents Letters relating to Orcutt's Library. Correspondents include Clinton G. Abbott, Laurence M. Klauber, Frank Stephens, U. S. Grant, IV, Ralph E. Jenney.

Box 79, Folder 3 Natural History Museum early holdings 1938 Scope and Contents List of books donated by Orcutt to the San Diego Society of Natural History; 1 bound volume (6 x 8").

Box 79, Orcutt Library inventory 1939 Item Bundle Scope and Contents Handwritten inventory of Orcutt library, prepared as part of WPA project. Includes Manuscript Depository Form of Works Project Administration, Division of Women's and Professional Projects Historical Records Survey, 1937.

Series IV - Publications

Various publications, A-M Physical Description: 0.5 Linear Feet Scope and Contents Twelve folders; bulk consists of of published material. Includes issues of Orcutt publications The Semi-Tropical Planter, San Diego Magazine, Golden Hints for California, and For San Diego.

Box 306, Folder 1 Letter 1886 Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from Orcutt to Robert Manning regarding publishing schedule and issue numbers for the West American Scientist.

Box 306, Folder 2 Publication lists Scope and Contents Various lists of Orcutt publications, prepared by museum staff. Includes correspondence regarding issue duplicates for sale and exchange.

Finding aid to the Charles Russell LA.1994.0415 5 Orcutt Papers LA.1994.0415 Series IV - Publications Various publications, A-M

Box 306, Folder 3 Alegria 1905 Scope and Contents One issue: Vol. 1, no. 1 (May 1905); advertising pages only.

Box 306, Folder 4 The American Botanist 1898-1900 Scope and Contents Two issues: Vol. 1, no. 1 (15 Sep 1898) and Vol. 1, no. 2 (Jan 1900).

Box 306, Folder 5 American Plants (vol. 1) 1907-1908 Box 306, Folder 6 Botany of San Diego 1900 Box 306, Folder 7 Botany of Southern California 1901-1903 Box 306, Folder 8 California Art and Nature 1901 Box 306, Folder 9 California Botanical Garden 1903 Scope and Contents Bulletin 1, July 1903. No page numbers (16 pages).

Box 306, California Garden 1906 Folder 10 Box 306, California Trees and Flowers 1891-1892 Folder 11 Box 306, For San Diego 1907 Folder 12 Box 306, Fruits All the Year Round 1892 Folder 13 Box 306, Golden Hints 1900-1920 Folder 14 Box 306, Golden Hints for California 1891 Folder 15 Box 306, The Horticulturist 1889 Folder 16 Scope and Contents "Christmas Number." No. 1, Dec 1889. Contents and advertisements identical to Manzanita, no. 1.

Box 306, International Seedsman and Plantsman 1895 Folder 17 Box 306, Jamaica Naturalist 1927 Folder 18 Box 306, Magazine San Diego 1914-1915 Folder 19 Scope and Contents Vol. 1, no. 1 (May 1914), pp. 1-16. No. 1 (Jan 1915), pp. 1-4; price list of cactus only.

Box 306, Manzanita 1889-1890 Folder 20 Scope and Contents Subtitle: "The Lower California Magazine." Includes No. 1 (Dec 1889) and No. 2 (Jan 1890). Contents and advertisements identical to Horticulturist, no. 1 (Dec 1889).

Box 306, Mexican Magazine 1910 Folder 21 Box 306, Mineral Kingdom 1899 Folder 22 Box 306, Miscellaneous publications 1885-1909 Folder 23 Scope and Contents Orcutt publications including checklists, price lists, and issues of magazines. Includes Cacti Illustrated (1892), Flora of South and Lower California (1885), Southern and Lower California Flora (188?), Southwest News (1892), and The Texas Garden (1909).

Finding aid to the Charles Russell LA.1994.0415 6 Orcutt Papers LA.1994.0415 Series IV - Publications Various publications, A-M

Various publications N-S 1867-1927 Physical Description: 1 Linear Feet

Box 307, Folder 1 The National 1903 Box 307, Folder 2 Orange Blossom 1891 Box 307, Folder 3 Orcutt's Mexico 1913 Box 307, Folder 4 Out of Doors for Women 1893 Box 307, Folder 5 Price list, California flowers 1907 Scope and Contents Orcutt Seed and Plant Company. Includes advertisements.

Box 307, Folder 6 Riverside Orange 1891 Box 307, Folder 7 San Diego Magazine 1888 Box 307, Folder 8 San Diego Natural History Series 1891 Box 307, Folder 9 Science and Horticulture 1891 Box 307, The Semi-Tropical Planter 1887-1888 Folder 10 Box 307, The Semi-Tropical Planter 1889 Folder 11 Box 307, The Semi-Tropical Planter 1890-1891 Folder 12 Scope and Contents Nine issues. September 1891 issue (Vol. VII, no. 37) includes "Women in Science" essay by Rosa Smith Eigenmann, "read before the Pacific Coast Women's Press Association."

Various publications W-Y

Box 308, Folder 1 The West American 1906 (?) Box 308, Folder 2 West American Mollusca 1900 Scope and Contents Includes Mollusca no. 2 (Jan 1900).

Box 308, Folder 3 West American Scientist 1886-1913 Scope and Contents Various issues. Include 1913 material not issued. Also includes subscriptions receipt book and correspondence of Clinton G. Abbott with institutional libraries regarding issues for exchange.

Box 308, Folder 4 The Young Men's Journal 1887 Box 308, Folder 5 The Young Men's Journal 1888 Box 308, Folder 6 The Young Men's Journal 1889 Box 308, Folder 7 The Young Men's Journal 1890 Box 308, Folder 8 The Young Men's Journal 1892

Various publications 1884-1915 Scope and Contents Box contains issues of six publications, all approximately 6 x 9 inches; some loose leaves, some bound as pamphlets.

Box 309, folder 1 Botanical Study of Mexico ca. 1913 Box 309, Folder 2 Cactography 1906 Box 309, Folder 3 Molluscan World 1915

Finding aid to the Charles Russell LA.1994.0415 7 Orcutt Papers LA.1994.0415 Series IV - Publications Various publications 1884-1915

Box 309, Folder 4 Orcutt 1898 Box 309, Folder 5 Review of the Cactaceae Box 309, Folder 6 West American Scientist 1884-1893

Box 320 The Great Southwest (magazine) 1889-1894 Scope and Contents Issues of The Great Southwest, beginning with Vol. 2, no. 1 (Jan 1889); through Vol. VI, whole no. 55 (Oct 1894).

Finding aid to the Charles Russell LA.1994.0415 8 Orcutt Papers LA.1994.0415