Scope and Contents of the Collection

Biography 1903-1949

Correspondence 1906-1949

Correspondence - Bower, Frederick Orpen 1928-1931

Correspondence - Chamberlain, Charles Joseph 1927-1928

Correspondence - Freeman, George L. 1914-1928

Correspondence - to Mr. Degener 1942

Nature's Diary 1900-1901

Seminar in Ecology with Prof. William Ganong 1903

Photographs c.1893-c.1940

Pressed plant specimens contained in two books: Leaf and Flower Pictures and How to Make Them. New York: Anson D.F. Randolph, 1859. which had belonged to Mrs. C.H.M. Newell of Wilbraham, MA who died in 1908; Gall, Rev. James. An Easy Guide to the Constellations with a Miniature Atlas of the Stars and Key Maps. Edinburgh: Gall and Inglis, n.d. Belonged to Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka and includes notations by him on the stars charts. The plant material was collected by him on King William's Sand in the Arctic in 1878-1880 during his trip as commander of the American Franklin Search Party. Also a letter written by Schwatka to Professor Sereno Watson in Cambridge, MA explaining the book and plant material dated May 11, 1883. 1859-1883, n.d.

Publications 1901-1934

Frances Grace Smith Papers, 1899-1949

Finding Aid

Finding aid prepared by Anna Green, Karen Eberhart.

© 2006


Collection Overview
	Creator:	Smith, Frances Grace, b. 1871
	Title:	Frances Grace Smith Papers
	Dates:	1899-1949
	Dates:	1901-1949
	Abstract:	Professor of Botany. Contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, and photographs relating to the life and work of Frances Grace Smith.
	Extent:	1 box(.4 linear ft.)
	Language:	English
	Identification:	RG 42

Biographical Note

Frances Grace Smith was born in Springfield, MA on Dec. 27, 1870, the daughter of George B. Smith and Mary L. Stebbins. Her father was the City Assessor for Springfield, MA and she was raised in the Baptist faith. She graduated from Smith College with the Class of 1893. During her undergraduate career she focused her studies on the Classics and taught Latin at the high school in Warren, MA during 1895-1897. Frances redirected her life to Botany and returned to Smith College and received her M.A. in 1899. She continued her education at the University of Chicago and was granted her doctorate in 1906. While she was undertaking her doctoral study she also worked at Smith College in the botany department. She started as an assistant in 1900, was promoted to Instructor in 1905, to Associate Professor in 1911 and finally to full Professor in 1929. She retired from teaching in 1937 but she continued to do research until her death. Her research focused on ferns, Diellia in particular, about which she published several books and articles. Frances traveled frequently to tropical locations in search of ferns. She spent many winters in Honolulu, Hawaii where she was connected to the Bishop Museum. Frances died May 25, 1948 in Northampton, MA after a prolonged illness.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

Contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, and photographs relating to the life and work of Frances Grace Smith, 1906-1949. Of note is dried and pressed plant material collected by Frederick Schwatka on King William's Sand in 1878-1880 during his trip in the Arctic as commander of the American Franklin Search Party. The plant material is pressed inside a book titled Easy Guide to the Constellations with an Atlas of the Stars with notations made by Schwatka on the star charts. There is also a letter written by Schwatka to Professor Sereno Watson in Cambridge, MA explaining the book and plant material dated May 11 1883.