American Entomological Society correspondence

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: ANSP-Coll-0150

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The American Entomogical Society Correspondence collection contains letters from approximately 946 individuals to leaders of the Society discussing entomology, the Society and the Entomological section of the Academy. Specific topics include: society affairs, working funds, publications and scientific courtesies, and exchanges with other museums and entomologists. The recipients appear to be primarily the secretaries and recorders of the Society and the Entomological section. The correspondence are organized alphabetically by last name of the correspondent.

Dates

1867-1951

Biographical / Historical

The American Entomological Society was proposed in the home of Ezra T. Cresson on February 14, 1859 by James Riding, George Newman and Ezra T. Cresson. The three men invited more men to a meeting on February 22 to formally establish The Entomological Society of Philadelphia. In 1865 the society began the publication The Practical Entomologist. By December of 1859 the Society had committed to forming a collection of insects for use of the members and a library of entomological literature. In 1861 the society began publishing their Proceedings “containing extracts from the minutes of the meetings, and also any papers on entomological science that may be received from contributors, and directed to be published.” (pg. 19) In April 1862 the Society was incorporated. After some temporary quarters the Society took up residence in a two story brick building constructed specifically for their use between 1862-1876. In 1867 the Society changed its name to The American Entomological Society. At the same time the Proceedings became the “Transactions of the American Entomological Society.” In 1867 the Society also established the position of librarian. In 1875 the Society began seeking a more secure location and worked out a deal with the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia to occupy space in the newly completed Academy building. The first meeting at the Academy took place on February 13, 1876. In May of the same year “application was made to the Academy for admission as an Entomological Section, in accordance with the agreement, which was granted by the Academy, and at a special meeting held May 12, 1876, the Section was duly organized and officers elected.” (pg. 26)

E. T. Cresson in 1909 on the AES's 50th anniversary - A history of the American Entomological Society Philadelphia 1859-1909.

Extent

5.5 linear feet (7121 items)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Historical file supervised by E. T. Cresson, Sr. and continued by his son of the same name were transfered to the library of the Academy in 1948 for safe-keeping. Another series of letters belonging to the Society but preserved in the Department was referred to the Academy's library in 1960 by S. So Roback, corresponding secretary. The third group was removed from an old scrapbook of the Society and contains much of the earlier correspondence included here. A large number of carbon answers and manuscript transcriptions of replies have been included but not counted in the series.

Collections received at three different times from the Department of Insects are combined and treated as a unit.