Alexander (Annie M.) Papers

Summary

Title:

Annie Montague Alexander Papers

Creators:

Alexander, Annie Montague, 1867-1950

Language:

English.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Annie Montague Alexander Papers, Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection contains correspondence between Annie M. Alexander and key figures in the Museum and Department of Paleontology from 1901 to 1949. Much of this correspondence consists of information about paleontological research in the field, of Miss Alexander and others. Further correspondence is with the President's Office and Museum and Department directors regarding personnel and organizational issues. Letters also cover financial information about Miss Alexander's support for individual researchers, and ultimately the endowment of the Museum of Paleontology.

Other correspondence of Miss Alexander can be found in collections of John C. Merriam and those relating to the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. Also included in the collection are Annual Reports and Budgets of the Department and Museum of Paleontology for the years 1906-1948, often with a letter to Miss Alexander accompanying the report.

A scrapbook documenting the 1905 Saurian expedition to the Humbolt Range, Nevada is included, with text by Miss Alexander and captioned photographs.

Important correspondents include David Barrows, Charles Camp, William Wallace Campbell, Ralph Chaney, Bruce Clark, Eustace Furlong, William Matthew, John C. Merriam, Robert Sproul, Ruben Stirton, Chester Stock, Samuel Welles, and Benjamin Wheeler. The collection is not complete.

The papers are primarily professional in nature, although since Miss Alexander was personally involved with the workings of the Museum and Department of Paleontology, the correspondence includes personal matters as well.

Biographical / historical:

Annie Montague Alexander became interested in paleontological work while attending John C. Merriam's lectures at the University of California in 1900. From then on, she was closely associated with the Department and Museum of Paleontology, as well as the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. She supported and participated in many field expeditions up until the year of her death, and advised museum directors on financial matters, policies, and personnel decisions.

Date	Event
December 29, 1867	Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the third of four children born to Samuel Thomas and Martha Cook Alexander
1882	Alexander family moves to Oakland, CA
1886	AMA enrolls in La Salle Seminary for girls in Auburn, MA
Summer, 1888	Alexander family travels abroad, AMA remains to study art and music in Paris. She abandons her studies due to headaches caused by eye strain
189?	AMA enters Fabiola Hospital as student nurse, again leaves due to eyestrain and headaches
1896	Travels to South Pacific, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Canton
Fall 1900	Attends lectures at University of California, including paleontology class taught by John C. Merriam, becomes fascinated with paleontology and vertebrates.
Summer 1901	Finances and participates in Merriam's fossil collecting expedition to Fossil Lake, OR
Summer 1902	Finances and participates in Merriam's fossil collecting expedition to Shasta County, CA
Summer 1903	Finances and participates in Merriam's fossil collecting expedition to Shasta County, CA
Summer 1905	Finances and participates in Merriam's "Saurian expedition" to Humbolt Range, NV, which reveals great Triassic ichthyosaur skeleton deposits
1906	Begins monthly contributions to support research in paleontology at the University of California
Summers 1906-8	Hunting and collecting expeditions to Alaska
1908	Provides funds to establish the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at the University of California
1919	Establishes an endowment fund for the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology
1921	Provides funds to establish the Museum of Paleontology as a separate unit of the University of California
1934	Establishes an endowment fund for the Museum of Paleontology to "safeguard for the future the care of collections on which I have already expended many thousands of dollars." Continues to be active in her own fieldwork.
1948	Provides funds for student research fellowships in the Museum of Paleontology and the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology
September 10, 1950	Death, following illness and a cerebral hemorrhage

Custodial history:

The Alexander Papers were given to the University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, by Miss Alexander and/or her heirs in 19xx.

Processing information:

Funding for processing provided by the University of California Museum of Paleontology.

Physical description:

Number of containers: 3 boxes, 2 volumes Linear feet: 1.2

Related resources

Related material:

Researchers should be aware that the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, holds other papers of Miss Alexander (Banc MSS 67/121C; CU-120; C-B 1003) as well as a Biographical sketch of Miss Alexander (Banc MSS 69/15c)

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:

Processed by Helen E. Fox; machine-readable finding aid created by Gabriela A. Montoya

Date Prepared:

© 1999

Date Encoded:

Machine-readable finding aid derived from MS Word. Date of source: August 1998.

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