John Henry and Anna Botsford Comstock papers

Collection

Identifier: 21-23-25

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COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Includes personal correspondence of Anna Botsford and Henry John (later John Henry) Comstock, 1859-1923; professional correspondence (1878-1926) documenting John Henry Comstock's influence in the development of entomology departments in colleges throughout the United States; publications by or about the Comstocks; lecture and field notes; certificates and awards; typescript draft of an autobiography by Anna Comstock, published posthumously as THE COMSTOCKS OF CORNELL: JOHN HENRY AND ANNA BOTSFORD COMSTOCK edited by Glenn W. Herrick and Ruby Green Smith, 1953; Botsford and Comstock family photographs; Anna Botsford diaries (1870-71, 1874-75) and poem; a scrapbook relating to the Botsford family, Phebe Irish Botsford, and Anna Botsford Comstock; materials concerning wood engraving; photographs and sketches (pen and ink and pencil) of insects by Anna Comstock used in Comstock Press publications; glass lantern slides used in Anna Comstock's nature study classes; wood block; engraving tools; and wood engravings of plants, insects, and nature scenes by Anna Botsford Comstock.

NATURE SONGS AND STORIES, by Katherine Creighton, illustrated by Anna Comstock, Comstock Publishing Company, 1914, autographed by Creighton and Comstock.

Woodcuts and drawings by others, presented to the Comstocks.

Bound manuscript "Jottings - Spiders," probably written by John Henry Comstock for Jennie Bartlett. Also, samples of various printing and engraving techniques, probably collected by Anna Botsford Comstock.

Photocopy of typescript letter from Henry Comstock to Charles Darwin regarding Comstock's report on cotton insects (June 4, 1880).

Dates

1833-1955,-1874-1931 (bulk)

Creator

Comstock, Anna Botsford, 1854-1930. (Person)
Comstock, John Henry, 1849-1931. (Person)
Creighton, Katherine. (Title of work: Nature songs and stories..) (Person)
Herrick, Glenn W. (Glenn Washington), 1870-1965. (Person)

Language of Materials

Collection material in English

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

John Henry Comstock was a professor of entomology at Cornell University. Anna Botsford Comstock was a professor of nature studies and a wood engraver specializing in scientific illustration.

Extent

7 cubic feet. (7 cubic feet.)

Additional Description

Abstract

Includes personal correspondence of Anna Botsford and Henry John professional correspondence; publications by or about the Comstocks; lecture and field notes; certificates and awards; typescript draft of an autobiography by Anna Comstock, published posthumously as The Comstocks of Cornell: John Henry Comstock and Anna Botsford Comstock; Botsford and Comstock family photographs; Anna Botsford diaries and poem; a scrapbook relating to the Botsford family, Phebe Irish Botsford, and Anna Botsford Comstock; materials concerning wood engraving; photographs and sketches (pen and ink and pencil).

SERIES LIST

Series I. Correspondence

Series II. John Henry Comstock certificates and newspaper clippings

Series III. Anna Botsford Comstock materials

Series IV. Lecture and field notes

Series V. Anna Botsford Comstock autobiography

Series VI. Printed material

Series VII. Botsford and Comstock family photographs

Series VIII. Wood engravings, sketches, drawings, and photographs by Anna Botsford Comstock

Series IX. Microfilm

Physical Description

Correspondence, engravings, watercolors, photographs, slides, published materials, clippings, and notes.

General

Contact Information:: Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections 2B Carl A. Kroch Library Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853 (607) 255-3530 Fax: (607) 255-9524 rareref@cornell.edu http://rmc.library.cornell.edu
Compiled by:: RMC Staff
Date completed:: May 2018
EAD encoding:: Marcie Farwell, May 2018
Date modified:: RMC Staff, May 2018
Date modified:: Marcie Farwell, November 2018