Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Guide to the Rolla Kent Beattie Papers
1899-1956
Cage 318
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
- Creator
- Beattie, R. Kent (Rolla Kent), 1875-1960
- Title
- Rolla Kent Beattie Papers
- ID
- Cage 318
- Date [inclusive]
- 1899-1956
- Extent
- 8.5 Linear feet of shelf space, 16 Boxes, 56,500 items
- Language
- Collection materials are in English.
- Abstract
- Correspondence and other papers of Rolla Kent Beattie regarding taxonomic investigations of Pacific Northwest plants, notes and references to literature on Northwest flora, and historical and biographical aspects of Northwest botany.
Preferred Citation
[Item description]
Rolla Kent Beattie Papers, 1899-1956 (Cage 318)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
Biography/History
Rolla Kent Beattie was born in Ohio in 1875. He began his botanical career as a student of Charles Bessey at the University of Nebraska. He was an Instructor, then Professor of Botany, at Washington State University from 1899 to 1912, after which he joined the United States Department of Agriculture research staff at Washington, D. C. and remained there as a forest pathologist until retirement in 1946. During his retirement, he traveled extensively and began again the examinations of Northwest Flora which he had largely abandoned in 1912.
In his earlier years, Beattie’s position was mainly that of a collaborator of the more illustrious Charles Vancouver Piper. The work of the two tended to become so intermingled that the respective contributions could not be discerned. However, Beattie’s contribution appears to have been his knowledge of herbaria and literature resources, while Piper had a greater familiarity with field botany and theory. In later years, as Beattie began to see himself as Piper’s successor, his approach continued to follow the line of herbarium and library research. In fact, he took up the line suggested by the "American Rule" school to a much greater degree than had Piper. During this time Beattie amassed a vast compilation of notes on the development of Northwest botany, in which he examined virtually every treatment of all Northwest species from the initial "discovery," through any and all revisions. He also collected much biographical material relative to the various botanists concerned with Northwest Flora.
Beattie spent most of his retirement years collecting this material. His death in 1960 in Bethesda, Maryland followed four years of failing health.
Scope and Content
The papers of Rolla Kent Beattie fall into two main area, his correspondence and his notes. His correspondence is relative to Northwest botany, and includes correspondence with C. E. Bessey, L. F. Henderson, Aven Nelson, C. V. Piper, Harold St. John, W. N. Suksdorf, and A. R. Sweetser. The major portion of this collection is a compilation of his notes and references to literature on Northwest flora and historical and biographical aspects of Northwest botany. Included in his letter-books are drafts of articles about the spread of introduced plants, as well as considerable correspondence about plants sent to Washington State University by the public for identification.
Arrangement
The first series, Correspondence, is arranged in chronological sequence. The second series, Notes, is divided into foldered materials, arranged in an alphabetical sequence of biographical subjects, and a card file which contains four parts. First, a section on Northwest flora, arranged according to a standard botanical classification arrangement, with species ordered alphabetically within each genus. A second section consists of biographical information arranged alphabetically by the names of Northwest botanists. A third section consists of extensive notes on David Douglas. Fourth is a partial geographic index of Northwest plants, arranged according to region.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections © 2021
https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc/
Terrell Library
P.O. Box 645610
Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA
509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Restrictions on Access
This collection is open and available for research use.
Restrictions on Use
Copyright restrictions may apply.
Custodial History
The papers of R. Kent Beattie, 1875-1960, were donated to the Washington State University Herbarium during the period from 1956 through 1960 by Mr. Beattie.
Acquisition Information
The papers, along with those of four other Pacific Northwest botanists, were transferred to the Washington State Library in 1975 by the Marion Ownbey Herbarium on the Washington State Campus.
Related Materials
Related Material
Northwest Botanical Manuscripts : an Indexed Register of the Papers, 1867-1957, of Wilhelm Nikolaus Suksdorf, William Conklin Cusick, Charles Vancouver Piper, Rolla Kent Beattie, and Harold St. John in the Washington State University Library. Washington State University; 1976.
Washington State University Botanical Papers, 1881-1973 (Cage 53)
Wilhelm Nikolaus Suksdorf Papers, 1867-1935 (Cage 315)
William Conklin Cusick Papers, 1906-1924 (Cage 316)
Charles Vancouver Piper Papers, 1888-1926 (Cage 317)
Harold St. John Papers, 1912-1957 (Cage 319)
Names and Subjects
Personal Name(s)
Subject(s) :
- Beattie, R. Kent (Rolla Kent), 1875-1960 -- Archives.
- Bessey, Charles E. (Charles Edwin), 1845-1915.
- Henderson, L. F. (Louis Fourniquet), 1853-1942.
- Piper, Charles V. (Charles Vancouver), 1867-1926.
- St. John, Harold.
- Sweetser, Albert R. (Albert Raddin), 1861-1940.
- Suksdorf, Wilhelm, 1850-1932.
- Nelson, Aven, 1859-1952.
Subject(s)
- Botanists -- United States -- Correspondence.
- Botany -- Research -- Northwest, Pacific.
- Science
- Colleges and Universities
- Washington (State)
Other Finding Aids
Northwest Botanical Manuscripts : an Indexed Register of the Papers, 1867-1957, of Wilhelm Nikolaus Suksdorf, William Conklin Cusick, Charles Vancouver Piper, Rolla Kent Beattie, and Harold St. John in the Washington State University Library. Washington State University; 1976.
Detailed Description of Collection
Series 1: Correspondence 1899-1956 |
||||
box | folder | |||
1899-1906 175 items. |
1 | 1 | ||
1907-1910 225 items. |
1 | 2 | ||
1911-1915 180 items. |
1 | 3 | ||
1915-1956 150 items. |
1 | 4 | ||
Letterbook 1904 May-1905 July 1 volume. |
2 | 5 | ||
Letterbook 1906 April-1907 January 1 volume. |
2 | 6 | ||
|
||||
Series 2: Northwest Botany Notes |
||||
box | ||||
Abbot, E. K. |
3 | |||
Abrams, LeRoy |
3 | |||
Agassiz, Alexander |
3 | |||
Agricultural History |
3 | |||
Allen, Miss A. J. |
3 | |||
Anderson, A. C. |
3 | |||
Applegate, Elmer J. |
3 | |||
Austin, Mrs. R. M. |
3 | |||
Bailey, Liberty Hyde |
3 | |||
Ball, John |
3 | |||
Banks, Sir Joseph |
3 | |||
Barclay, George |
3 | |||
Barett, Mrs. P. G. |
3 | |||
Barnhart, John Hendley (biographies) |
3 | |||
Baronoff, A. A. |
3 | |||
Bartram, William |
3 | |||
Baumgarten, Hermann |
3 | |||
Bebb, M. S. |
3 | |||
Beechey, F. W. |
3 | |||
Belcher, Capt. Sir Edward |
3 | |||
Benson, Lyman |
3 | |||
Bentham, George |
3 | |||
Berthand, E. L. |
3 | |||
Bessey, Charles |
3 | |||
Bethel, Ellsworth |
3 | |||
Bigelow, Jacob |
3 | |||
Billings |
3 | |||
Blake, William P. |
3 | |||
Blasdale, W. C. |
3 | |||
Bloodgood, C. Delavan (Sitka) |
3 | |||
Bolander, Hendry N. |
3 | |||
Bolton, H. E. (ANZA) |
3 | |||
Bongard (at Nootka) |
3 | |||
Bonneville, B. L. E. |
3 | |||
Brackenridge, W. D. |
3 | |||
Bradbury, John |
3 | |||
Brainerd, Ezra |
3 | |||
Brandegee, T. S. and Brandegee, Katherine |
3 | |||
Brandel, Joseph |
3 | |||
Brewer, William H. |
3 | |||
Britton, Nathaniel Lord |
3 | |||
Brodie, David |
3 | |||
Brown, Jennie Broughton |
3 | |||
Brown, Robert, of Campster |
3 | |||
Brown, Robert, of Campster |
4 | |||
Burke, Joseph |
4 | |||
Butters, Frederick King |
4 | |||
Caldwell, Joseph |
4 | |||
Cannon, Evalina |
4 | |||
Carruth, W. W. |
4 | |||
Chamissot de Boncourt, Adlebertus |
4 | |||
Christ, J. H. |
4 | |||
Christensen, Carl |
4 | |||
Clayton, John |
4 | |||
Collins, J. Franklin |
4 | |||
Collinson, Peter |
4 | |||
Coltman-Rogers, Charles |
4 | |||
Compton, T. B. |
4 | |||
Cook, Capt. James |
4 | |||
Cooley, J. G. |
4 | |||
Cooper, J. G. |
4 | |||
Coulter, John Merle |
4 | |||
Coville, Frederick |
4 | |||
Curtis' Botanical Magazine |
4 | |||
Cusick, William Conklin |
4 | |||
Dachnowski-Stokes, A. O. |
4 | |||
Damon, Samuel |
4 | |||
Dana, James D. |
4 | |||
Darlington, H. T. |
4 | |||
David, Abbe |
4 | |||
Davis, Mrs. N. J. |
4 | |||
Dayton, William a. |
4 | |||
Delacour, Jean |
4 | |||
Delano, Amasa |
4 | |||
Demofras, Duflot |
4 | |||
Dewey, Chester |
4 | |||
Dietz, H. F. |
4 | |||
Diller, J. S. |
4 | |||
Douglas, David 4 Folders |
5 | |||
Douglas, Sir James |
6 | |||
Douglas, Robert |
6 | |||
Douglas, William O. |
6 | |||
Donaldson, A. B. |
6 | |||
Drake, Capt. Francis |
6 | |||
Drummond, Thomas |
6 | |||
Eastwood, Alice |
6 | |||
Eaton, Amos |
6 | |||
Eaton, Walter P. |
6 | |||
Edwards' Botanical Register |
6 | |||
Eggleston, Willard W. |
6 | |||
Elmer, A. P. E. |
6 | |||
Englemann, George |
6 | |||
Epling, Carl |
6 | |||
Ermantinger, Edward |
6 | |||
Eschscholtz, Johan |
6 | |||
Espinoza y Tello, Jose |
6 | |||
Etches, Jon |
6 | |||
Evans, John |
6 | |||
Fernald, M. L. |
6 | |||
Findler, Augustus |
6 | |||
Flett, J. B. |
6 | |||
Forbes, Charles |
6 | |||
Franchere, Gabriel |
6 | |||
Fraser, Simon |
6 | |||
Fremont, John C. |
6 | |||
Frye, Else M. |
6 | |||
Fuller, George W. |
6 | |||
Gabrielson, Ira N. |
6 | |||
Gairdner, Meredith |
6 | |||
Gambel, William |
6 | |||
Gannett |
6 | |||
Gardners' Magazine (London) |
6 | |||
Garry, Nicholas |
6 | |||
Geiser, Samuel Wood |
6 | |||
Geology of the Pacific Northwest |
6 | |||
Geyer, Karl Andreas |
6 | |||
Ghent, W. J. |
6 | |||
Gibbs, George |
6 | |||
Golder, Frank A. |
6 | |||
Good |
6 | |||
Gorman, M. W. |
6 | |||
Gould, Dorothy Fay |
6 | |||
Gray, Asa |
6 | |||
Gray, Capt. Robert |
6 | |||
Gray Herbarium |
6 | |||
Greene, E. L. |
7 | |||
Griffith, David |
7 | |||
Haenke, Thaddaeus |
7 | |||
Hancock, Samuel |
7 | |||
Harshberger, John William |
7 | |||
Hartwig, Theodor |
7 | |||
Hatch, W. R. |
7 | |||
Hayden, F. V. |
7 | |||
Hecata, Bruno |
7 | |||
Heller, Amos Arthur |
7 | |||
Hemenway, Ansel |
7 | |||
Henderson, L. F. |
7 | |||
Henky, Alexander |
7 | |||
Hilgard, Eugene Waldemar |
7 | |||
Hitchcock, A. S. |
7 | |||
Holway, E. W. D. |
7 | |||
Hone, D. S. |
7 | |||
Hooker, Joseph Dalton |
7 | |||
Hooker, William Jackson |
7 | |||
Horsford, F. H. |
7 | |||
Hough, J. B. |
7 | |||
House, Homer D. |
7 | |||
Howard, L. O. |
7 | |||
Howell, John T. |
7 | |||
Howell, Thomas and Howell, Joseph |
7 | |||
Hudson's Bay Company |
7 | |||
Hulten, Eric |
7 | |||
Ingram, D. C. |
7 | |||
James, Edwin |
7 | |||
Jefferson, Thomas |
7 | |||
Jennings, O. E. |
7 | |||
Jepson, Willis Linn |
7 | |||
Jewitt, S. |
7 | |||
Johnson, J. E. |
7 | |||
Jones, George Neville |
7 | |||
Jones, Marcus E. |
7 | |||
Juan de Fuca |
7 | |||
Judson, Katherine |
7 | |||
Kalm, Peter |
7 | |||
Kauffman, Karl F. |
7 | |||
Kelley, Hall J. |
7 | |||
Kellogg, Albert |
7 | |||
Kew Collections |
7 | |||
Kimmel, Edward |
7 | |||
Kin, Mattias |
7 | |||
Kip, Lawrence |
7 | |||
Kleeberger, George R. |
7 | |||
Kotzebue, Otto von |
7 | |||
La Gasca y Segura, Mariano |
7 | |||
La Perouse |
7 | |||
Lake and Hull |
7 | |||
Lamson-Scribner, F. |
7 | |||
Laut, Agnes |
7 | |||
Leiberg, John B. |
7 | |||
Lemmon, J. G. |
8 | |||
Lesquereux, Leo |
8 | |||
Lewis, Meriwether (and Clark, William) |
8 | |||
Lindley, John |
8 | |||
Linnean Society of London |
8 | |||
Linnaeus, Carolus |
8 | |||
Lobb, William |
8 | |||
Luders, F. G. J. |
8 | |||
Lutke, Frederic |
8 | |||
Lyall, David |
8 | |||
Lyman, W. D. |
8 | |||
Lyons, Maj. H. G. |
8 | |||
Mackenzie, Alexander |
8 | |||
McKenzie, Donald |
8 | |||
Macoun, John |
8 | |||
Malispina Expedition |
8 | |||
Mayne, R. N. |
8 | |||
Marcy, Oliver |
8 | |||
Maxon, William R. |
8 | |||
Meader, James |
8 | |||
Meany, Edmond S. |
8 | |||
Meares, John |
8 | |||
Meehan, Thomas |
8 | |||
Meinecke, E. P. |
8 | |||
Menzies, Archibald |
8 | |||
Merriam, C. Hart |
8 | |||
Merrille, C. D. |
8 | |||
Mertens, Henry |
8 | |||
Meyer, Frank N. |
8 | |||
Michaux, Andre |
8 | |||
Michaux, Francois Andre |
8 | |||
Miyabe, Kingo |
8 | |||
Mocino, D. Jose Mariano |
8 | |||
Mourelle, Don Francisco Antonio |
8 | |||
Munro, William |
8 | |||
Murchison, Sir Roberick |
8 | |||
Murray, Andrew |
8 | |||
National Herbarium |
8 | |||
Nautical Magazine |
8 | |||
Nee, Luis |
8 | |||
Neilson, Thomas G. |
8 | |||
Nelson, Aven |
8 | |||
Nelson, David |
8 | |||
Nevius, Reuben Denton |
8 | |||
Newberry, J. S. |
8 | |||
Newcombe, C. F. |
8 | |||
Nordhorr, Charles |
8 | |||
Northwest Passage (by K. Roberts) |
8 | |||
Nuttall, Thomas |
8 | |||
Page, Elizabeth |
8 | |||
Pallas, P. S. |
8 | |||
Palliser, John |
8 | |||
Palmer, Edward |
8 | |||
Parish, S. B. |
8 | |||
Parker, Rev. Samuel |
9 | |||
Parry, C. C. |
9 | |||
Paullin, Charles O. |
9 | |||
Paxton, Sir Joseph |
9 | |||
Peck, Morton E. |
9 | |||
Pennell, Francis W. |
9 | |||
Perez Expedition |
9 | |||
Pickering, Charles |
9 | |||
Pinch, Jeremy |
9 | |||
Piper, Charles V. (General Information) |
9 | |||
Piper, Charles V. (Index to Flora of Washington) |
9 | |||
Piper, Charles V. (Herbarium) 4 Folders |
9 | |||
Piper, Charles V. (Herbarium) 2 Folders |
10 | |||
Piper, Charles V. (Index to notes, pp. 1-1131) |
10 | |||
Plant introduction into America |
10 | |||
Portlock, Capt. Nathaniel |
10 | |||
Postels, Alexander |
10 | |||
Pringle, Cyrus G. |
10 | |||
Pursh, Frederick |
10 | |||
Rafinesque, C. S. |
10 | |||
Ramsbottom, John |
10 | |||
Rees, Abraham |
10 | |||
Rich, William (Hutton) |
10 | |||
Richards, C. Audrey |
10 | |||
Rigg, George B. |
10 | |||
Rogers, H. Thomas |
10 | |||
Roll, Julius |
10 | |||
Rosendahl, C. O. |
10 | |||
Rugel, Ferdinand |
10 | |||
Ruiz, Hipolito |
10 | |||
Rusby, H. H. |
10 | |||
St. John, Harold |
10 | |||
Sandberg, J. H. |
10 | |||
Sargent, Charles Sprague |
11 | |||
Schafer, Joseph |
11 | |||
Scouler, John |
11 | |||
Scribner, Frank (see Lamson-Scribner) |
11 | |||
Seeman, Berthold |
11 | |||
Seese, Martin |
11 | |||
Shinn, Charles H. |
11 | |||
Simpson, George |
11 | |||
Smet, P. J. de |
11 | |||
Smith, Alexander |
11 | |||
Smith, Charles Piper |
11 | |||
Smith, Jedediah |
11 | |||
Sorel, Henry Andrew |
11 | |||
Spalding, Rev. H. H. |
11 | |||
Spaulding, Perley |
11 | |||
Sperlin, O. B. |
11 | |||
Spillman, W. J. |
11 | |||
Sperlin, O. B. |
11 | |||
Spillman, W. J. |
11 | |||
Stacey, J. W. |
11 | |||
Stevens, Isaac I. |
11 | |||
Stevens, Neil E. |
11 | |||
Stevens, O. A. |
11 | |||
Stewart, Sir William G. P. |
11 | |||
Strange, James |
11 | |||
Sudworth, George B. |
11 | |||
Suksdorf, Wilhelm |
11 | |||
Swallen, Jason R. |
11 | |||
Swallow, Prof. |
11 | |||
Swan, James |
11 | |||
Sweetser, A. R. |
11 | |||
Thompson, David |
11 | |||
Thorington, J. Monroe |
11 | |||
Tidestrom, Ivar T. |
11 | |||
Tolmie, W. F. |
11 | |||
Torrey, John |
11 | |||
Tuckerman, Edward |
11 | |||
Tweedy, Frank |
11 | |||
Vancouver, George |
11 | |||
Vancouver Island |
11 | |||
Vasey, George and George R. Vizcaino |
11 | |||
Wagner, Henry R. |
11 | |||
Whetzel, Herbert H. |
11 | |||
Wildox, E. T. |
11 | |||
Whited, Kirk |
11 | |||
Wilkes, Expedition |
11 | |||
Wilks, W. |
11 | |||
Willson, Beckles |
11 | |||
Wilson, Ernest |
11 | |||
Winsor, Justin |
11 | |||
Wood, Alonzo |
11 | |||
Wood, C. B. |
11 | |||
Wood, C. W. |
11 | |||
Work, John |
11 | |||
Wright, Charles |
11 | |||
Wyeth, Nathaniel |
11 | |||
Wynd, F. Lyle |
11 | |||
Young Naturalists Society of Seattle |
11 | |||
Zeller, S. M. |
11 | |||
Type Localities 4 Folders |
12 | |||
Geographic Notes: |
||||
box | ||||
Washington State |
13 | |||
Oregon |
13 | |||
Idaho |
13 | |||
Wyoming |
13 | |||
British Columbia (Nootka) |
13 | |||
California |
13 | |||
Northwest America localities |
13 | |||
Personal Notes |
||||
box | ||||
British Museum (South Kensington) |
14 | |||
Washington State University Herbarium |
14 | |||
University of Idaho, Southern Branch, Herbarium |
14 | |||
University of Oregon |
14 | |||
Texas |
14 | |||
Rusby Herbarium |
14 | |||
California Academy of Sciences |
14 | |||
Colorado Agriculutural and Mechanical College Herbarium |
14 | |||
Collection in the Pacific Northwest, 1946 |
14 | |||
Miscellaneous notes of Northwest botany |
14 | |||
Notes for Piper and Beattie's Floras, 1914-1915 |
14 | |||
box | ||||
Berberidaceae |
15 | |||
Circaea |
15 | |||
Fagacaea |
15 | |||
Impatiens |
15 | |||
Mimulus |
15 | |||
Tobacco |
15 | |||
Plants to be looked for in the Siskiyou Mountains |
15 | |||
Card File |
||||
box | drawer | |||
Northwest Flora |
16 | 1-6 | ||
Biographical Notes |
16 | 6-7 | ||
David Douglas Notes |
16 | 7 | ||
Geographic Notes |
16 | 7-8 | ||
|
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