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John Kunkel Small correspondence and photographs, 1902-1938.
Amount:
41.50 cubic ft.
Medium Included:
photographs glass plate
Organization/Arrangement:
Correspondence is chronological, then alphabetical. Photographs are numerical by photograph number.
Restrictions:
Terms Governing Use:
Biographical/Historical:
John Kunkel Small (1869-1938) was an American botanist renowned for his research on the flora of southeastern United States. He concentrated his efforts on the study of the flowers, bulbs, and herbs of Florida. His writings on botanical subjects included more than 450 books and papers.
After receiving his doctorate from Columbia University, Small became the curator of the herbarium of Columbia University. His doctoral thesis, "Flora of the Southeastern United States," won him the reputation as one of the foremost taxonomic botanists of the world. In 1898, he became curator of the newly founded New York Botanical Garden, where he devoted his life's work.
Small traveled to Florida for the first time in 1901. He explored and photographed the forests of tropical hardwood trees and the variety of tropical plants throughout the state. Through the patronage of Charles Deering, Small continued his Florida research for the next thirty-six years. His book, "From Eden to Sahara - Florida's Tragedy," received acclaim in 1929 for documenting the destruction of Florida's natural environment.
Summary:
This collection contains correspondence and photographs reflecting John Kunkel Small's career as a botanist and his frequent contacts with many leading botanists, scientists, explorers, and naturalists of his time including Oakes Ames, Roland M. Harper, Liberty Hyde Bailey, Lord Nathaniel Britton, David G. Fairchild, William Chambers Coker, Harold St. John, Thomas A. Edison, and fellow professionals at the New York Botanical Garden. The collection also includes several unpublished manuscripts and botanical notes on Small's discoveries.
The letters discuss requests for or offers of botanical specimens; comparative descriptions of similar botanical species; unique features of particular species; discovery of new species and discovery of known species in new geographic locations; determining the identity of questionable specimens; and specimen collection trips to several states including Florida.
The collection also contains over 3,000 photographic images, including prints and glass plate negatives. Although primarily a record of Small's botanical research, the photographs also document Florida's Seminole Indians, ancient Indian mounds, lighthouses, sugar cane grinding and boiling, a coontie (arrowroot starch) mill, the plant introduction station at Miami, and the Royal Palm Park (now the Everglades National Park). Of note are his photographs of Indian mounds and various views of hammocks before early development destroyed them.
Finding Aids:
Box listing and name index to correspondents are available for the correspondence. Numerical and subject index available for the photographic negatives. 0
Additional Physical Form:
Images from this collection have been digitied and are available on the Florida memory web site: https://www.floridamemory.com/discover/photographs/
Reproduction Note:
Location of Originals/Duplicates:
Associated Materials:
Language Notes:
Ownership/Custodial History:
The donors are the son and daughter-in-law of John Kunkel Small.
Agriculture Florida Botanists Florida Botany Florida Naturalists Florida Indians of North America Florida Seminole Indians.
Photographs. aat Negatives. aat
Everglades National Park (Fla.)
Added Entries
Edison, Thomas A. 1847-1931 (Thomas Alva),
Ames, Oakes, 1874-
Bailey, L.H. 1858-1954 (Liberty Hyde),
Britton, Nathaniel Lord, 1859-1934
Fairchild, David, 1869-1954
Coker, William Chambers, 1872-1953
St. John, Harold.
Harper, Roland McMillan, 1878-1966
for detailed listing.