Scope and Content Note
The papers of Simon Newcomb (1835-1909) span the years 1813-1949, but the greater part of the material is dated between 1865 and 1909. The collection consists of nine series: Diaries and Commonplace Books ; Letterbooks ; Letter Registers ; Family Correspondence ; General Correspondence ; Subject File ; Speech, Article, and Book File ; Miscellany , and Oversize .
The General Correspondence is organized into alphabetical and chronological files, with the alphabetical file consisting primarily of letters received and the chronological file of letters sent and received. Treated are professional and scientific interests, including Newcomb’s work as president of the International Congress of Arts and Sciences which met at St. Louis in 1904. The Subject File contains additional materials relating to the International Congress of Arts and Science as well as files pertaining to the Newcomb family genealogy, Simon’s work in mathematics and astronomy, and to his writing and editing of articles for encyclopedias.
Contained in the Speech, Article, and Book File are drafts and printed copies of speeches, lectures, articles, books, essays, editorials, and reviews by Newcomb on personal and professional topics of interest.
Also in the collection are Diaries and Commonplace Books compiled by Newcomb, his wife, Mary Hassler Newcomb, and numerous family letters dated between 1858 and 1936. The largest portion of the Family Correspondence consists of letters exchanged between Newcomb and his wife reflecting on his personal, family, and professional life.
Rounding out the papers are financial records, biographical matter, computations, material on occultations, photographs, and printed material.
Prominent correspondents include Edward Emerson Barnard, Alexander Graham Bell, Lewis Boss, S.W. Burnham, William Wallace Campbell, James McKeen Cattell, George Davidson, David Gill, Daniel C. Gilman, Benjamin Apthorp Gould, George Ellery Hale, Asaph Hall, George William Hill, Edward S. Holden, S.P. Langley, Othniel Charles Marsh, Benjamin Peirce, Edward C. Pickering, T.J.J. See, Otto Struve, Charles D. Walcott, and Carroll D. Wright. There is also correspondence with the Carnegie Institute of Washington, Alvan H. Clark & Sons, National Academy of Sciences, Science magazine, and the Smithsonian Institution.