Herman F. Becker Records (RG4)
Archives, The LuEsther T. Mertz Library
The New York Botanical Garden
200th Street and Kazimiroff Boulevard
Bronx, New York 10458-5126
Phone: 718-817-8604
URL: http://library.nybg.org/
The New York Botanical Garden. All rights reserved. © 2005; 2006.
This finding aid was produced inEnglish.
Finding aid produced using NoteTab Pro
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Collectors: |
Becker, Herman F. (Herman Frederick) 1907-1985. |
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Title: |
Herman F. Becker Records (RG4) |
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Dates: |
1948-1983 |
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Quantity: |
2.5 linear feet; 3 boxes |
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Call Phrase: |
Becker (RG4) |
Herman F. Becker (1907-1985) was a reknown paleobotanist whose specialty was the Tertiary paleobotany of southwest Montana.
He was employed by the NYBG from 1958 to 1974 and served as Curator of Paleobotany from 1965.
Born in Dusseldorf, Dr. Becker studied horticulture at the Berlin Botanical Gardens and emigrated to the United States in
1930. He was initially employed as a horticultural assistant and eventually became Superintendent of the Conservatory for
the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. He attended Brooklyn College from 1939 to 1947 when he received his BA. He went on to study botany
at Columbia University and received his MA in 1952. He then went to the University of Michigan to study paleobotany with Chester
Arnold and received his PhD in 1956.
From 1947 to 1968, Dr. Becker made a total of ten summer expeditions to the Ruby River basin of southwestern Montana. These
shale deposits provided him with the research material he needed to complete his dissertation and he continued to write extensively
about the deposits of this area. He also was known for his work in clarifying the structure of the controversial Sanmiguelia
from the Triassic deposits of Colorado.
Dr. Becker received many honors during his lifetime. He was a member of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists, the Cactus
and Succulent Society of America and the New York Academy of Sciences. He served as a fellow of the Geological Society of
America and as president and vice-president of the Torrey Botanical Club. In 1977 he received a Distinguished Service Award
from the Botanical Society of America. In 1981 he received a Distinguished Achievement Award from the Brooklyn College Alumni
Association and in 1985 a symposium was held in his honor entitled "Evolution of the Modern Vegetation of the Northern Rocky
Mountains. The symposium was jointly held by the Botanical Society of America and the American Association for the Advancement
of Science.
This collection consists entirely of the correspondence related to Dr. Becker's professional life. It is divided into two
series and was organized by Dr. Becker himself. Although Dr. Becker was employed by the NYBG only from 1958 to 1974, all correspondence
related to his professional life is included herewith and many correspondents began their relationships with Dr. Becker before
he came to the NYBG and continued to correspond with him until his death. There are several groups of fossil photographs with
their related correspondence attached. Dr. Becker's existing field notebooks are located in the Collectors' Field Notebooks
Series. Notebook number 626 covers the Bronx, Upper Manhattan, Edgewater, New Jersey/the Palisades and Prospect Park in Brooklyn.
Notebook number 627 covers Montana's Ruby River basin and Washington, D.C.
Bracketed numbers [] indicate unofficial Box and Folder numbers.
Access restrictions
This collection is open for research with permission from Mertz
Library staff.
Copyright
Requests for permission to publish material from the collection should
be submitted in writing to the LuEsther T. Mertz Library of the New York
Botanical Garden.
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The following terms have been used to index the description of this
collection in the library's online public access catalog.
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Subjects |
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Arnold, Chester A. (Chester Arthur), 1901- |
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Becker, Herman F. (Herman Frederick), 1907-1985 -- Archives. |
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New York Botanical Garden Archives. |
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New York Botanical Garden. Herbarium -- Records and correspondence. |
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Paleobotanists. |
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Paleobotany -- Montana -- Ruby River Watershed. |
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Paleobotany -- Research. |
New York Botanical Garden
PP--The Herman F. Becker Papers
RG4--The Charles Arthur Hollick Records
CFN--Collectors' Field Notebooks
Yale University
In 1983, the NYBG Paleobotanical Collections were transferred to Yale University's Peabody Museum of Natural History on long
term loan where they are maintained as a discrete collection.
Becker (RG4), Archives, The New York
Botanical Garden.
Originally processed by Stephen Sinon, Assistant Archivist, April 1999. Converted to EAD 2002 in December 2006 by Kathleene
Konkle under a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH-PA 50678-04).
Series 1. Domestic Correspondence.
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Scope and Content:
Materials in this series include correspondence concerning Dr. Becker's publications, professional memberships, field work,
grant applications, student recommendations and requests for reprints. This series also includes inter-office correspondence
within the NYBG Herbarium. A brief history of the NYBG Paleobotany Collections is also found herein. Many correspondents are
listed under the institution they are affiliated with rather than by their personal name. Dr. Becker maintained a close personal
correspondence with many colleagues, especially Chester Arnold, Roland W. Brown, Harry D. MacGinitie, John A. Dorr and Joseph
Wood.
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Folder |
Title |
Date |
[1.1] |
American Museum of Natural History |
1958-1971 |
[1.2] |
American Philosophical Society |
1973-1977 |
[1.3] |
Arnold, Chester |
1948-1977 |
[1.4] |
Abbott, Maxine |
1959-1961 |
[1.5] |
Andrews, Henry N. |
1963-1974 |
[1.6] |
American Journal of Botany |
1973 |
[1.7] |
Ash, Sidney |
1968-1976 |
[1.8] |
Banks, Harlan P. |
1959-1970, 1980 |
[1.9] |
Bartoo, Hariette |
1962-1971 |
[1.10] |
Barghoorn, Elso |
1959-1973 |
[1.11] |
Billings Geological Society |
1960 |
[1.12] |
Black, Craig C. |
1970 |
[1.13] |
Bock, Wilhelm |
1971 |
[1.14] |
Boneham, Roger F. |
1964-1973 |
[1.15] |
Brack, Sheila D. |
1970, 1972 |
[1.16] |
Briggs, Elizabeth |
1969-1971 |
[1.17] |
Broadwater, Helen |
1971 |
[1.18] |
California Axelrod, Daniel, 1959-1973 Chaney, Ralph, 1947-1969 Fry, Wayne, 1966-1967 Hoyt, Robert, 1971 Fossil Insects, 1965 MacGinitie, Harry, 1957-1980 Orr, Philip, 1969 Schorn, Howard, 1964-1968, 1974 Stebbins, G. L., 1971-1973
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[1.19] |
Canadian Botanical Association meeting |
1971 |
[1.20] |
Canright James E. |
1967-1969 |
[1.21] |
Carmichael Dorothy P. |
1980 |
[1.22] |
Carnegie Museum 2 |
1956-196 |
[1.23] |
Carnegie Institution |
1958-1959 |
[1.24] |
Cavender Ted |
1967-1969 |
[1.25] |
Chicago Natural History Museum |
1959 |
[1.26] |
Colorado |
1970-1975 |
[1.27] |
Cottam Walter P. |
1953 |
[1.28] |
Cronquist Arthur |
1972-1977 |
[1.29] |
Cridland Arthur A. |
1969 |
[1.30] |
Daily Fay Kenoyer |
1971-1981 |
[1.31] |
Darrah William C. |
1969-1973 |
[1.32] |
Davis Robert F. |
1964 |
[1.33] |
Dean Soria |
1969 |
[1.34] |
Delevoryas Ted |
1958-1971 |
[1.35] |
Dickinson William C. |
1970 |
[1.36] |
Dilcher David |
1961-1979 |
[1.37] |
Dorf Erling |
1956-1983 |
[1.38] |
Doyle James A. |
1967 |
[1.39] |
Eardley A.J. |
1961 |
[1.40] |
Florissant Fossil Beds |
1979 |
[1.41] |
Fossil fishes |
1958-1971 |
[1.42] |
Garden Journal |
1974 |
[1.43] |
General paleobotanical |
1968-1971 |
[1.44] |
Geological Society of America |
1974-1975 |
[1.45] |
Gould C.J. |
1976 |
[1.46] |
Graham Alan |
1961-1974 |
[1.47] |
Gray Jane |
1957 |
[1.48] |
Hammond David |
1976 |
[1.49] |
Hershey Gardens |
1969 |
[1.50] |
Holmgren Noel |
1979 |
[1.51] |
International Botanical Congress |
1964-1969 |
[1.52] |
Jepson. Glen L. |
1959-1973 |
[1.53] |
Kapp Ronald O. |
1966-1980 |
[1.54] |
Kasper Andrew E. |
1972 |
[1.55] |
Kosanke Robert M. |
1973 |
[1.56] |
Langenheim Jean H. |
1968 |
[1.57] |
Leopold Estella |
1958, 1969 |
[1.58] |
Leppik E. E. Manuscript for Fossil Evidence for Floral Evolution
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1960-1970 |
[1.59] |
Long Charles R. |
1979 |
[1.60] |
Lowther Stewart |
1954-1960 |
[1.61] |
Maguire Bassett |
1959-1974 |
[1.62] |
Mahan Alfred T. |
1969 |
[1.63] |
Michigan |
1970 |
[1.64] |
Mead Judson Taggart, Ralph, 1972-1976 Cross, Aureal T., 1965, 1973 Wood, Gordon, 1973 Beck, Charles, 1961-1968 Benninghoff, W. S., 1959-1970 Dorr, John A., 1953-1975 University of Michigan, 1976 Zoology, Edmunds & Moore, 1965-1969
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[1.65] |
Millay, Michael A |
1973 |
[1.66] |
Mobil Oil Foundation |
1973 |
[1.67] |
Moldenke, Harold N. |
1970-1971 |
[1.68] |
Montana Miller, Charles N., 1962-1980 Montagne, John, 1959-1975 Orr, James, 1961-1968
State University, 1960-1964 University, 1970-1972 USDA/USDC, 1956-1962 Alley, John A., 1964-1969 Wulf, John, 1965-1971
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[1.69] |
Nassau County Museum |
1965 |
[1.70] |
New Jersey |
1960-1977 |
[1.71] |
NYBG Paleobotanical Division History |
n.d. |
[1.72] |
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |
n.d. |
[1.73] |
Niklas, Karl |
1973-1978 |
[1.74] |
Oregon State |
1966-1975 |
[1.75] |
Pabst, Marie B. |
1961 |
[1.76] |
Pacific Science Association |
1965 |
[1.77] |
Paddock, Elton F. |
1968 |
[1.78] |
Paleobotanical Section |
1949-1972 |
[1.79] |
Peck, Raymond, E. |
1970-1971 |
[1.80] |
Pfefferkorn, Hermann |
1973, 1979 |
[1.81] |
Photographs |
1966 |
[1.82] |
Porter/Love |
1956, 1961 |
[2.1] |
Queens College |
1963-1974 |
[2.2] |
Raven, Peter B. |
1973 |
[2.3] |
Read, Robert W. |
1973 |
[2.4] |
Recommendation for L. W. May |
1976 |
[2.5] |
Reccommendation for Michael R. Seidel |
1970 |
[2.6] |
Reccommended Reading |
1976 |
[2.7] |
Reprints mailed/requested |
1963-1978 |
[2.8] |
Reynolds, Howard C. |
1967, 1969 |
[2.9] |
Riepe, Ronald |
1970-1976 |
[2.10] |
Roper, Paul J. |
1959-1973 |
[2.11] |
Rose Petals |
1966 |
[2.12] |
Scheckler, S. E. |
1975 |
[2.13] |
Schopf, James M. |
1972-1973, 1979 |
[2.14] |
Scott, Richard A. |
1960-1961 |
[2.15] |
Shoemaker, Robert E. |
1966-1967 |
[2.16] |
Smiley, Charles J. |
1969, 1978 |
[2.17] |
Smith, Geraldine |
1964 |
[2.18] |
Smithsonian |
1965-1973 |
[2.19] |
St. Clair, Pennsylvania fossil site |
1975 |
[2.20] |
Steere, William C. |
1958-1979 |
[2.21] |
Taylor, Thomas N. |
1961, 1972 |
[2.22] |
Tennessee University/Sharp, Jack |
1962-1973 |
[2.23] |
Texas University/DeFord |
1961 |
[2.24] |
Thompson, James L. |
1974-1975 |
[2.25] |
Ting, F.T.C. |
1971 |
[2.26] |
Torreya |
1973, 1977 |
[2.27] |
Traverse, Alfred |
1957-1959 |
[2.28] |
USGS |
1959-1962 |
[2.29] |
Utah Tidwell, W. D. |
1969-1975 |
[2.30] |
Westing, Arthur |
1964 |
[2.31] |
Wheeler, Elisabeth |
1978 |
[2.32] |
Wilson, S. R. |
1958 |
[2.33] |
Wolfe, Jack A. |
1962-1967 |
[2.34] |
Wood, Joseph |
1956-1977 |
[2.35] |
Yale |
1960, 1974 |
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Series 2. International Correspondence.
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Scope and Content:
Correspondents in this series are arranged geographically. Dr. Becker maintained a close personal correspondence with Julius
Nagele of Stuttgart, Germany and Toshimasa Tanai of Sapporo, Japan. Germany, Poland and Japan are the countries most represented
in this series.
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Folder |
Title |
Date |
[2.36] |
Argentina |
1963-1977 |
[2.37] |
Australia |
1971-1972 |
[2.38] |
Belgium |
1971-1974 |
[2.39] |
Brazil |
1973-1976 |
[2.40] |
Bulgaria |
1973 |
[2.41] |
Canada |
1958-1978 |
[2.42] |
Chile |
1967-1968 |
[2.43] |
Colombia |
1975 |
[2.44] |
China |
1972 |
[2.45] |
Czechoslovakia |
1969-1977 |
[2.46] |
Denmark Koch, B. Eske, 1962-1974
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1967-1981 |
[2.47] |
England Chaloner, William G., 1959-1980
Corner, John, 1970-1974 Schove, Justin, 1960-1964 Scotland, 1962-1972
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1959-1980 |
[2.48] |
France Science Progres paper, 1965
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1959-1973 |
[2.49] |
Germany Jahnichen, H., 1969-1979 Kilper, Karl, 1967, 1969 Kirchheimer, F., 1959-1960
Magdefrau, Karl, 1963-1974 Nagele, Julius, 1958-1973 Ruffle, L., 1964-1975 Schaarschmidt, F., 1965-1974
Schweitzer, H. J., 1970-1975 Straus, Adolf, 1970-1971 Walther, H., 1965-1973 Weyland, M., 1959-1969
Various, 1959, 1964
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[2.50] |
Holland |
1962, 1975 |
[2.51] |
Hungary |
1959-1973 |
[2.52] |
India |
1959-1974 |
[2.53] |
Israel Lorch, Jacob, 1959-1965
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1959-1965 |
[2.54] |
Japan Kimura, T., 1968-1980 Matsuoka, K., 1976-1979 Tanai, T., 1961-1980 Various, 1963-1976
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1961-1980 |
[2.55] |
Korea |
1976 |
[2.56] |
Lebanon Basson, Philip W., 1974
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[2.57] |
Poland Kozlowski, Riman, 1959-1966 Skirgiello, 1960-1962 Srodoniowa, M. 1964 Szafer, W. 1959-1962
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1968-1979 |
[2.58] |
Portugal Teixiera, C., 1960
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[2.59] |
Romania |
1961-1972 |
[2.60] |
Singapore Keng, H., 1966, 1972
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[2.61] |
Sweden |
1959-1973 |
[2.62] |
USSR |
1965-1975 |
[2.63] |
USSR/Leningrad XII International Botanical Congress |
1975 |
[2.64] |
Yugoslavia Sercelj, 1973
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Series 3. Herbarium Records.
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Scope and Content:
These files relate to the storage, display, identification, acquisition and loaning of the NYBG fossil collections. Included
are lists of unidentified specimens, Dr. Hollick's numbering system (Becker's predecessor), requests for illustration material,
field work expense reports and budget planning. These files were found among Dr. Becker's personal papers and have been transferred
to the Herbarium Records Group.
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Folder |
Title |
Date |
[3.1] |
Budget |
1967 |
[3.2] |
Fossil Shipments |
1966-1967 |
[3.3] |
Illustration Requests |
1965-1970 |
[3.4] |
Field Work Expenses |
1962-1966 |
[3.5] |
NYBG Research Funding |
1972-1975 |
[3.6] |
Unidentified Fossils |
1974 |
[3.7] |
Loans |
1959-1980 |
[3.8] |
Hollick Numbers |
n.d. |
[3.9] |
Acquisitions |
1920-1972 |
[3.10] |
Display & Storage Records 3 files
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n.d. |
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