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Rosa Smith Eigenmann papers, 1880-1927

A Guide to her Papers at the Indiana University Archives

Processed by Portia Vescio.
Electronic finding aid encoded by Beth Benda.

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
Eigenmann, Rosa Smith, 1858-1947.

Title
Rosa Smith Eigenmann papers,1880-1927

Collection No.
C59

Extent
.2 cubic feet

Language
Materials are in English.

Abstract
The Rosa Smith Eigenmann papers comprise 0.2 cubic feet spanning 1880-1927. The collection of the internationally known ichthyologist includes some of her correspondence, memorabilia, and research.

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Advance notice is required.

Biographical Note

Rosa Smith Eigenmann was an internationally known ichthyologist and the first librarian of the San Diego Society of Natural History. She wrote numerous articles of her studies and was considered an authority on fish.

Rosa Smith was born in Monmouth, Illinois in 1858. She was invited to study at Indiana University by David Starr Jordan and was a student from 1880-1882. Through Jordan she met her future husband, Carl H. Eigenmann and the two married in 1887. Before going to Harvard to study the Agassiz fish collections, the couple were curators at the California Academy of Sciences at San Francisco. They also spent much time in South America collecting and studying fresh water fish. Eigenmann did not let her gender prevent her from accomplishing anything she set out to do. Some sources indicate she was the first woman to enter Harvard; the first woman to be the president of the I.U. chapter of Sigma Xi, an honorary science society; and the first woman to determine a new species of fish.

Eigenmann died in 1947 after being ill for several months following a series of operations on her eyes.

Arrangement

Organized in three series: Correspondence, Memorabilia, and Research.

Scope and Content Note

This collection is divided into three series: Correspondence, 1880-1927; Memorabilia, 1880-1886; and Research, 1880.

The Correspondence series is arranged alphabetically and consists mainly of the correspondence of David Starr Jordan to Rosa Smith Eigenmann about professional and personal interests. Also included are a letter from Carl H. Eigenmann and several letters from family and friends.

The Memorabilia series contains items collected by Rosa Smith Eigenmann, including an invitation to the IU Commencement in 1886.

The Research series contains two short articles written by Rosa Smith Eigenmann and photographs of fish.

Separated Material

Photographs transferred to Archives Photograph Collection.

Related Material

For the papers of Rosa's husband, Carl Eigenmann, see IU Archives Collection C63.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information
Accession 9297.
Usage Restrictions
The donor(s) of this collection have not transferred their copyrights for the materials to the Trustees of Indiana University. For more information, please contact the Indiana University Archives staff.

The Indiana University Archives respects the intellectual property rights of others and does not claim any copyrights for non-university records, materials in the public domain, or materials for which we do not hold a Deed of Gift. Responsibility for the determination of the copyright status of these materials rests with those persons wishing to reuse the materials. Researchers are responsible for securing permission from copyright owners and any other rights holders for any reuse of these materials that extends beyond fair use or other statutory limitations.

Digital reproductions of archival materials from the Indiana University Archives are made available for noncommercial educational and research purposes only. If you are the copyright holder for any of the digitized materials and have questions about its inclusion on our site, please contact the Indiana University Archivist.

Preferred Citation
[Item], Rosa Smith Eigenmann papers, Collection C59, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.
Processing Information
Processed by Portia Vescio.

Completed in 2000.


Series: Correspondence, 1880-1927 

Box 1 Bursar Office at Indiana University1927  [image]View item(s)

Bryan, William Lowe, 1912-1926  [image]View item(s)

Chamness, Ivy undated  [image]View item(s)

Cleveland, Daniel, 1881  [image]View item(s)

Eigenmann, Carl H., 1885,   undated  [image]View item(s)

Gilbert, Charles H., 1880-1883  [image]View item(s)

Huntington High School (R.I. Hamilton), 1898  [image]View item(s)

Jordan, David Starr,

February-April 1880  [image]View item(s)

May 1880-1882  [image]View item(s)

1883-1884  [image]View item(s)

1885-1886  [image]View item(s)

undated, circa 1880-1885  [image]View item(s)

McCalla, Mary B., 1881  [image]View item(s)

McIndoo, Norman Eugene, 1910  [image]View item(s)

Sessions, Kate, 1881  [image]View item(s)

Smith, Charles Kendall, December 16, 1883 [image]View item(s)

Smith, John Russell, 1881-1882 [image]View item(s)

Smith, Ulysses Howe, 1908, 1910 [image]View item(s)

Smithsonian Institution (Goodall Perkins, Sherman Baird),1880-1886  [image]View item(s)

Unidentified, 1880,   undated  [image]View item(s)

Series: Memorabilia, 1880-1886 

Box 1 Athenian Society Anniversary Invitation, 1881  [image]View item(s)

Commencement Invitation, 1886  [image]View item(s)

Flowers, undated  [image]View item(s)

Pacific Coast Steamship Company, Timetable, 1880  [image]View item(s)

Series: Research,1880,   undated 

"Description of a scaly Blemmy found in algae lined tide pools, Pacific ocean, San Diego Co., CA," March 6, 1880 

[image]View item(s)


"On the Occurrence of a Species of Cremnobates at San Diego, CA," April 1880?  [image]View item(s)

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