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Henry Augustus Ward papers

 Collection
Identifier: A.W23

Biographical / Historical note

Henry Augustus Ward, scientist, explorer, museum builder and founder of the Ward's Natural Science Establishment, was born in Rochester, New York in 1834. He studied at Middlebury Academy, Williams College, Temple Hill Academy and Paris School of Mines. In 1860 he returned to Rochester after many years of collecting geological specimens in Europe and Africa. From 1861 to 1875 he taught natural science at the University of Rochester, although he was not actively teaching throughout that period. In 1862, he began to supply colleges and universities with geological cabinets. This work was the beginning of the Ward's Natural Science Establishment. Ward later became interested in meteorites and built up a large collection before his death in 1906.

Scope and Contents

The Henry Augustus Ward Papers contain indexed correspondence from many famous contemporary scientists, and letters from P. T. Barnum, for whom Ward did much work including the stuffing of Jumbo the elephant. There are also family letters, travel diaries, photographs, catalogs from the Science Establishment and material relating to Ward's meteorite collections.

Creator

Dates

  • Creation: 1840-1933

Language of Materials

English

Extent

28 box(es) (21 boxes of correspondence, 7 boxes of photographs)

Access

The Henry Augustus Ward Papers is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact the Rare Books Special Collections & Preservation Department prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.

Use

In consultation with a curator, reproductions may be made upon request. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from a curator. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Papers were the gift of Roswell Ward, 1938.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, item date], Henry Augustus Ward Papers, A.W23, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Processing Information

Boxes 8-10 were processed by Naomi Ruetz in 2016. Boxes 22-24 were processed by Kristen Watson and Brandon Zimmerman in 2016.

Related Archival Materials

  • Charles H. Ward Papers: Charles was Henry's son who in the 1890's started his own business. The Charles Ward Anatomical Laboratories supplied osteological specimens. Charles was interested in comparative osteology.


  • Roswell H. Ward Papers: Roswell was Charles' son and Henry's grandson who donated the Henry A. Ward Papers to the University. He was the biographer of his grandfather.


  • Ward (Frank Hawley) Family Papers: Hawley, as he was known, was the son of Frank A. Ward (cousin to Henry A. Ward). Hawley was the Vice-President of Ward's Natural Science Establishment under his father , and later was Chairman of the Board during the early Dean L. Gamble years.


  • Henry L. Ward Papers: Henry L. was Henry A.'s other son who was the director of the Milwaukee Public Museum and natural scientist in his own right.


  • Ward's Natural Science Establishment Papers (1876-1988): This collection continues the history of Ward's Natural Science Establishment, Rochester, New York, as started in the Henry Augustus Ward Papers. The collection was donated by William C. Gamble, president of the firm between 1962 and 1980. The Ward's Addition is a continuation of this original Ward's collection.


  • Ward's Natural Science Establishment Papers, Addition: This collection continues the history of Ward's Natural Science Establishment as started in the Henry Augustus Ward Papers (call number A.W23) and continued in the Ward's Natural Science Establishment Papers (call number D.231). While the first collection of the Establishment (D.231) concentrates on the history of Ward's from the 1950s through the 1980s, covering mostly the financial and business aspects of the company, particularly from the time when William C. Gamble was president of Ward's (1962 through 1980), this newest addition to the collection, while smaller in volume, is much broader in scope. It encompasses the history of Ward's from its earliest beginnings with Henry A. Ward in 1862 through the sale of the company in 1998. It also includes many historical materials on the extended Henry A. Ward Family.


  • Ward's Natural Science Establishment Catalog Collection. This collection consists of approximately 200 catalogs published by Ward's between 1863 and 1993. The catalogs describe the items that Ward's had available for sale including skeletons, mounted birds and animals, geological specimens, fossils, meteorites, scientific equipment, and models.


  • University of Rochester Archives, Public Relations File on Ward's. No call number. This file is crucial to understanding the circumstances surrounding the 1928 donation of the Establishment to the University, and the shift in emphasis led by Dean Gamble.
  • Title
    Henry Augustus Ward papers
    Author
    Finding aid prepared by RBSCP staff
    Date
    undated
    Description rules
    Describing Archives: A Content Standard
    Language of description
    English
    Script of description
    Latin

    Library Details

    Part of the Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation Library

    Contact:
    Rochester NY 14627-0055 USA