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A Guide to the Collection at the Indiana University Archives

Electronic finding aid encoded by Dina M. Kellams

Summary Information

Repository
Indiana University Archives
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives

Creator
Owen family.

Title
Owen family collection, 1826-1967,  bulk 1830-1890

Collection No.
C89

Extent
.6 cubic feet
1 box

Language
Materials are in English.

Abstract
Indiana family headed by Robert Owen, who purchased Harmony from the Rappites in Posey County, Indiana, with the intention of establishing a utopian society, New Harmony. Owen's three sons were major players in the introduction of geology, biology, and psychology in Indiana and the United States. Collection includes correspondence, speeches, and publications of Robert Owen and his descendants. Most prominently featured in the collection are Owen's sons David Dale, Richard, and Robert Dale. Some materials are photocopies of manuscripts held by other repositories.

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Advance notice is required.

Biographical Note

Born in Newton, Montgomeryshire, North Wales, March 14, 1771, Robert Owen first introduced important social reforms as a cotton manufacturer in New Lanark, Scotland. In January, 1825, Owen purchased Harmony from the Rappites in Posey County, Indiana, with the intention of establishing a utopian society - New Harmony. Although this venture eventually failed, Owen's three sons - Robert Dale, Richard Dale, and David Dale - were major players in the introduction of geology, biology, and psychology in Indiana and the United States (a fourth son, William Dale, died just as he was becoming known). Individually, Robert Dale and David Dale were largely responsible for the creation of the Smithsonian Institute and the organization of the United States Geological Survey.

Robert Dale Owen, the eldest son, was born in Glasgow, November 7, 1801 and educated at Fellensberg College near Berne, Switzerland. He came to the United States with his father to assist him in his efforts of founding New Harmony. In 1832, Owen married Mary Jane Robinson of New York. They settled in New Harmony, where he was elected a member of the Legislature 1835- 1838. Owen's political career continued throughout his life: from 1843 to 1847, he represented the First District of Indiana in Congress, where he took an active part in settling the northwest boundary question and introduced the bill organizing the Smithsonian Institution. In 1850, he was a member of the Indiana Constitutional Convention; he traveled to Naples, Italy, in 1853, as U.S. Charge d'affaires, and from 1855 to 1858, he held the position as minister. Owen published many works on several topics, including "Outlines of System of Education at New Lanark," "Discussion with Origen Bachelor on the Personality of God and the Authenticity of the Bible," and his autobiography, "Threading my Way."

David Dale Owen was born in New Lanark in 1807. He too accompanied his father to New Harmony, though he returned to Europe to study chemistry and geology at the University of London. After only a year, he returned to the United States to enter the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati, from which he received a M.D. degree in 1835. In 1837, David Dale became the the first State Geologist of Indiana, assigned to conduct a geological reconnaissance of the state. Indiana Governor James Whitcomb was so impressed with Owen's work that when he became commissioner of the Federal Land Office in Washington, he selected Owen to lead a mineral survey of nearly 11,000 sq. miles of the Northwest Territory. From 1847-1852, Owen lead the geological survey of more of the Northwest Territory, chiefly the area now comprising Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and parts of Illinois and Nebraska, with his brother Richard Dale assisting. From 1854-1858 David Dale served as the first State Geologist of Kentucky; 1858- 1859 State Geologist of Arkansas, and in 1859 he was reappointed State Geologist in Indiana. David Dale Owen died November 13, 1860. After his death, his Richard Dale succeeded him as State Geologist.

Richard Owen, born January 6, 1810 in New Lanark, Scotland, also traveled to New Harmony with his father in 1827. After serving in the Mexican War, he returned to New Harmony to assist his brother David in the geological survey of parts of the Northwest Territory. In 1849, Richard accepted a position as chair of natural science at the Western Military Institute of Kentucky, a position he held for 8 years. In 1858, Owen received his M.D. at the Nashville (Tennessee) Medical College. After his brother David's death in 1860, Richard became the State Geologist of Indiana and in 1861, a member of the Indiana University faculty. Dr. Owen was called from this position, however, at the outbreak of the Civil War. He returned to his duties as professor at the University in 1864, a position he held until 1879. After his retirement, Owen continued his scientific studies in New Harmony. It was in New Harmony that he died on March 24, 1890, after mistakenly drinking embalming fluid.

Arrangement

Organized into five series: Robert Owen; David Dale Owen; Richard Owen; Robert Dale Owen; and Owen family descendants.

Scope and Content Note

Organized into five series, the Owen family collection consists of correspondence, speeches, and publications of the descendants of Robert Owen.

The Robert Owen series, 1826-1850, consists of correspondence and a single publication of patriarch Robert Owen. The correspondence subseries consists entirely of photocopies of correspondence held by a repository in England. The most frequent correspondent is Robert Peel about negotiations between Britain and the United States over the Oregon Territory.

The second series, David Dale Owen, 1844-1859, includes three reports and reproductions of his geological drawings. The reports include "Geological Reconnoissance of the State of Indiana made in the year 1837, in Conformity to an Order of the Legislature" (known also as the first geological survey of Indiana), "Geological Report on the Marble Hill Quarry" (1853), and an 1844 "Report of a Geological Exploration of Part of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois."

The Richard Owen series consists of correspondence, publications, speeches. Within the correspondence subseries, there is a mix of originals and photocopies of originals held by another repository.

The Robert Dale Owen series consists almost entirely of photocopies of original correspondence and speeches from 1830 to 1865. Prominently featured in the correspondence subseries is RDO's father, Robert Owen. The speeches subseries includes copies of addresses made to the House of Representatives.

The fifth and final series, Owen family descendants, includes correspondence of Caroline Dale Owen Snedeker and Malcolm Dale Owen, grandniece and grandson of Richard Dale Owen, with Indiana University officials about the Owen family.

• Indexing Terms

• The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in IUCAT, the IU Libraries' online catalog. Materials about related topics, persons or places can be found by searching the catalog using these terms.

• • Names
  • Indiana University --Faculty --History --19th century --Sources.
  • Owen family --Archives.
  • Owen, Robert, 1771-1858 --Correspondence.
  • Owen, Robert, 1771-1858 --Archives.
  • Owen, Richard, 1810-1890 --Correspondence.
  • Owen, Richard, 1810-1890 --Archives.
  • Owen, David Dale, 1807-1860 --Archives.
  • Owen, Robert Dale, 1801-1877 --Correspondence.
  • Owen, Robert Dale, 1801-1877 --Archives.
  • Owen, Robert, 1771-1858. Correspondence. Selections.
  • Owen, Richard, 1810-1890. Correspondence. Selections.
  • Owen, Robert Dale, 1801-1877. Correspondence. Selections.
• • Topics
  • Family archives --Indiana.
  • Politicians --Indiana --Archives.
  • Politicians --Indiana --Correspondence.
  • Geologists --Indiana --Archives.
  • Geologists --Indiana --Correspondence.
• • Places
  • Indiana --History --Sources.
  • New Harmony (Ind.) --History --Sources.

Administrative Information

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