Charles C. Deam papers, 1881-1983
A Guide to the Papers at the Indiana University Archives
Electronic finding aid encoded by Ryan K. Lee
Indiana University Archives
© 2006
Summary Information
Repository:
Indiana University Office of University Archives and Records Management
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Fax: 812-855-8104
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives
Creator:
Deam, Charles Clemon,
1865-1953.
Title:
Charles C. Deam papers, 1881-1983, (bulk 1900-1953)
Collection no:
C22
Extent:
5.2 cubic ft.
Language:
Materials are in English.
Abstract:
Indiana's first state forester; Deam was
a taxonomic botanist known for his work on trees, plants, shrubs, and flowers of
Indiana. Collection consists of diaries, correspondence, copies of published books,
library records, financial records, notations on specimens, records of sale of Deam's
library and herbarium to Indiana University, articles about him, information about his
family, and a paper by Deam on the pharmacy business. Includes correspondence from
Charles A. Weatherby, curator of Gray Herbarium at Harvard University.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions:
This collection is open for research.
Advance notice is required.
Usage Restrictions:
Copyright interests for this collection have not been transferred to the Trustees of
Indiana University. For more information, contact the Indiana University
Archivist.
Preferred Citation:
[Item], Charles C. Deam papers, Collection C22, Office of University Archives and
Records Management, Indiana University, Bloomington.
Processing Information:
Processed by Kathryn Fuller; revised by Dina Kellams and Rebecca Smith
Completed in 2006.
Biographical Note:
Charles C. Deam was a taxonomic botanist known for his work on plants, trees,
flowers, and shrubs of Indiana. He was born on August 30, 1865 on a farm in Wells
County, Indiana. He graduated from Bluffton High School in 1884, taught school for a
year, and attended DePauw University between 1885 and 1887. Forced to drop out due to
a lack of funds, Deam went on to work at odd jobs, including that of drug store
apprentice. In 1891 he started a drug store business which he operated on his own
until he sold a part interest to J. Spivey in 1910. At the time of his death in 1953,
he still held a one third interest in the business.
Deam began collecting plants sometime in the 1890s when, as he frequently recounted,
his doctor ordered long walks to counteract ill effects of his job. From then on he
devoted most of his time to botanical interests. At first he considered the whole
world his subject and made some trips to Central America at the turn of the century
to collect plants there. Soon after, though, he decided to concentrate on Indiana and
by the end of his career claimed that he had been in and collected plants from every
township of the state. By the time he gave his herbarium to Indiana University it
contained at least 63,000 specimens, some of which he was first to identify. Although
he never earned a degree in botany, he did receive honorary degrees from Wabash
College, DePauw University, and Indiana University.
Deam held government positions related to his interests: State Forester, 1909-1913;
Acting State Forester, 1917-1918; State Forester, 1919 to 1928; and State Forestry
Researcher, 1928-1940. In 1921, he wrote and pushed through House Bill 77 which
protected woodlands and reduced the taxes on them.
Deam published many articles and four books, each in several editions: Trees of
Indiana (1912); Shrubs of Indiana (1924); Grasses of Indiana (1929); and Flora of
Indiana (1940).
In 1893, Deam married Stella Mullin (1870-1953). She taught school at that time and
later became active in community and women's groups in Bluffton. They had two
children: Robert Mullin Deam (1896-1898) and Roberta Deam Ortenburger (1900-1961).
For more information on Charles Deam, consult the following:
- Kriebel, Robert.
Plain Ol' Charlies Deam: Pioneer
Hoosier Botanist.
West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press,
1987.
- Weatherwax, Paul.
Charles C. Deam: Hoosier
Botanist.
Indiana Magazine of History 67 (1971):
197-267.
Scope and Content Note
This collection contains material created and collected by Charles C. Deam, an Indiana
taxonomic botantist, forestry official, and businessman. The Charles C. Deam Papers
comprise 5.4 cubic feet and span the period from 1881 to 1983 with the bulk of the
records created between 1900 and 1953. The collection is divided into five series:
Personal information; Journals; Publications by Charles Deam; Correspondence; and
Subject files. The Subject files series is divided into four sub-series: Administrative
files; Botany and science; General files; and Unpublished works and notes.
The first series is Biographical information. It contains materials from the years
1884-1983. The series consists primarily of articles written about Deam and published in
newspapers, magazines, and newsletters. Included in this series are one of his father's
patents, a letter to Deam’s daughter, Roberta Deam Ortenburger, from Gene Stratton
Porter, and information about his wife, Stella Mullin Deam. The series also includes a
folder of speeches about Deam that were delivered by Harriet Winch.
Journals is the second series and spans the years 1900-1953. The series includes Deam's
personal professional journals, dating from 1900 to 1953, with those written after
October 1913 containing entries for almost every day. These journals read almost like
diary entries and include personal as well as professional information. Some also
include newspaper clippings taped to the pages.
The next series covers the years 1912-1953 and is entitled Publications by Charles Deam.
This series contains copies of Deam's texts including
Shrubs of
Indiana
,
Trees of Indiana,
Grasses of Indiana, and
Flora of
Indiana
. The files include handwritten notes and corrections made by Deam.
The series also includes a folder of newspaper articles written by Deam dating from
1914-1919.
The next series is Correspondence, 1896-1953, and includes letters Deam wrote and
received as well as special bound collections of letters he received honoring him on
special occasions. Especially noteworthy is correspondence from Charles A. Weatherby,
curator of the Gray Herbarium at Harvard University, a good part of which includes
notations and messages by Deam. There is also much correspondence between Deam and
Harriet Winch, Paul Weatherwax, T.E. Shaw, and Ray Friesener. This series is arranged
alphabetically by surname.
The last series is Subject files. This series is divided into four sub-series:
Administration; Botany and science; General files; and Unpublished works and notes. The
sub-series are arranged alphabetically as are the folders within them. The material in
this series dates from 1881-1953.
The first sub-series is Administration. It spans the years 1881-1953. This sub-series
contains financial records of both personal and professional nature. It also includes
Deam’s labor record from 1909-1913 and lists of magazine subscriptions and library
transactions, which Deam meticulously recorded in two bound volumes.
The second sub-series spans the years 1885-1952 and is entitled Botany and science. It
includes brochures and information about botanical gardens that Deam had visited, a leaf
specimen that he had collected, and an article written by Elmore Barce that caught
Deam’s attention. It also contains the minutes of the Spenser Club, which are mostly
written by Deam’s wife, Stella. The Spenser Club was a botany club run by Deam and his
wife on the Indiana University campus.
General files is the third sub-series and contains materials from the years 1884-1953.
Of particular interest is House Bill No. 77 which was proposed by Deam during his time
as state forester. The awards file contains cards of recognition from Deam’s time as a
primary school student as well as certificates of travel in South America from later
times in his life. There is also a folder of articles written by Roland M. Harper. The
folder also contains an article about Harper himself, but offers no explanation of how
his articles found their way into this collection. The articles are of a mostly
political character, and it is presumed that Deam was either interested in these topics
or a friend of the author.
The last sub-series is Unpublished works and notes. The material in this sub-series
spans 1883-1952. The bulk of the material is comprised of Deam’s notes on different
plant specimens, some of which is found in spiral bound notebooks. The series also
contains some of Deam’s high school assignments, such as the Latin exercise book and the
school essays and drawings. The photo record is a list of photos taken by Deam on his
expeditions.
Arrangement
Arranged in five series: Biographical information; Journals; Publications;
Correspondence; and Subject files. The Subject files series is divided into four
sub-series: Administration, Botany and science, General files and Unpublished works and
notes.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
IUCAT , the IU Libraries' online
catalog. Materials about related topics, persons or places can be found by searching the
catalog using these terms.
Names
Topics
Separated Material
- Seed samples from box 6.
- A collection of oversized certificates that is stored upstairs.
- Series: Created by Deam, discarded 27 old textbooks and approximately 25
envelopes.
- Series: About Deam, discarded duplicates of articles about Deam and magazines and
newspapers from which articles about him had been cut.
| |
Series:
Biographical information, 1884-1983
|
| Box 1 |
|
Teaching license, 1884
|
| |
Certificates from honorary societies, programs from events at which
Deam was honored, etc., 1905-1934
|
| |
Articles about Charles Deam,
|
| |
1924-1974
|
| |
1941-1983
(oversize)
|
| |
1912-1953
(newspaper)
|
| |
Information on the Deam Family, 1885-1954
|
| |
Winch, Harriet: speeches re: Deam, 1936, 1979
|
| |
Series:
Journals, 1900-1953
|
| Box 1 |
|
June 18-July 18, 1900
|
| |
1910
|
| |
1911
|
| |
1912
|
| |
1913
|
| |
Nov. 1, 1913-Dec. 12, 1917
|
| |
Dec. 12, 1917-Sept. 11, 1921
|
| |
Sept. 21, 1921-May 19, 1925
|
| |
May 20, 1925-June 5, 1925
|
| |
June 6, 1929-Sept. 17, 1934
|
| |
Sept. 18, 1934-June 25, 1939
|
| |
June 26, 1939-Apr. 8, 1945
|
| |
Apr. 10, 1945-Aug. 29, 1950
|
| |
Aug. 30, 1950-March 29, 1953
|
| |
Series:
Publications, 1912-1953
|
| Box 2 |
|
State Board of Forestry. Eleventh Annual Report, 1911
|
| |
Contains
Trees of Indiana, pp. 86-357, 1912
|
| |
Trees of Indiana,
|
| |
pp. 86-357 of State Board of Forestry Eleventh Annual Report bound
with extra papers on which Deam has written notes, 1912
|
| |
2d ed, 1919
|
| |
1st rev. ed.,
|
| |
1921
|
| |
(includes handwritten corrections), 1921
|
| |
2d rev. ed. (4th ed. bound with extra papers on which Deam has
written notes), 1931
|
| |
3d rev. ed. (5th ed.), 1953
|
| |
Grasses of Indiana,
1929
|
| |
Shrubs of Indiana,
|
| |
1924
|
| |
(bound with extra papers on which Deam has written notes), 1924
|
| |
2d ed., 1932
|
| |
Flora of Indiana,
|
| |
1940
|
| |
(bound with extra papers on which Deam has written notes), 1940
|
| |
Newspaper articles by Deam, 1914-1919
|
| |
Series:
Correspondence, 1896-1983
|
| Box 3 |
|
"A", 1913-1953
|
| |
Abbe, Ernst C., 1951
|
| |
Adair, E. Ross, 1952-1953
|
| |
Aellen, Paul, 1932,
1946
|
| |
Ammons, Nelle, 1951
|
| |
Anderson, Edgar, 1929-1958
|
| |
Andrew, Margaret, 1950
|
| |
Andrews, Abe E., 1950
|
| |
Andrews, F. M., 1929
|
| |
Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University, 1921,
1951
|
| |
Arthur, J. C., 1938
|
| |
“B", 1935-1953
|
| |
Bailey, L. H., 1949-1952
|
| |
Bailey, William M., 1951
|
| |
Baldwin, S. Glidden, 1950
|
| |
Ball, Carleton R., 1921-1946
|
| |
Banta, Edna, 1950
|
| |
Barger, N. R., 1951
|
| |
Barnes, William B., 1943-1951
|
| |
Barnhart, John Hendley, 1932,
1938
|
| |
Bartlett, H. H., 1924,
1950,
1953
|
| |
Beadell, H. A., 1952-1953
|
| |
Bechtel, A. R., 1936-1953
|
| |
Becker, Elmer, 1950
|
| |
Benson, Lyman, 1939-1941
|
| |
Bidgood, Hallie, 1952
|
| |
Billington, Cecil, 1950,
1952
|
| |
Birthday Letters to Deam, 1945
|
| |
Blatchley, W. S., 1896,
1938
|
| |
Braun, E. Lucy, 1951
|
| |
Brenckle, J. F., 1939,
1942
|
| |
Brook, Parker & Co. Ltd., 1951
|
| |
Brooks, Earl, 1951-1952
|
| |
Buckmaster, Mrs. Sidney M., 1950
|
| |
Butler, Amos W., 1929
|
| |
"C", 1913-1953
|
| |
Calvert, Mrs. Scott, 1952,
undated
|
| |
Camp, Wendell H., 1944-1952
|
| |
Chase, Agnes, 1940-1951
|
| |
Clausen, Robert T., 1937,
1942
|
| |
Cleland, Ralph E., 1939-1940
|
| |
Coats, Nellie, 1952
|
| |
Cook, James E., 1950,
1953
|
| |
Cook, Melville T., 1952
|
| |
Coopers, R. H., 1950
|
| |
Coulter, Deam, 1917-1928
|
| |
Craig, E. Lingle, 1951
|
| |
Craven, Crin, 1949
|
| |
Cummins, George B., 1930,
1952
|
| |
"D", 1913-1983
|
| |
Daily, William A., 1951
|
| |
Davidson, J. F., 1950
|
| |
Dayton, William A., 1942,
1949
|
| |
Dinner Honoring Deam, 1938
(bound volume)
|
| |
Denuyl, Daniel, 1931-1954
|
| |
Dietz, Harry F., 1950,
1953
|
| |
Dobbs, Ray, 1950-1952
|
| |
Duncan, Wilbur H., 1950
|
| |
Ek, Charles M., 1934,
1950-1954
|
| |
Enders, H. E., 1951
|
| |
Essig, Sanford F., 1950,
undated
|
| |
"F", 1910-1952
|
| |
Fassett, Norman C., 1942,
1951-1953
|
| |
Farwell, Oliver A., 1931,
1941
|
| |
Fately, Nolan W., 1950-1951
|
| |
Faught, Francis Ashley, 1927
|
| |
Fix, William L., 1951-1952
|
| |
Flora of Indiana: Reviews and Letters, 1940-1941
(bound volume)
|
| |
Fort, Russell, 1950-1951
|
| |
Fox, William B., 1950-1951
|
| |
Friesner, Ray C.,
|
| |
1931-1937
|
| |
1943-1945
|
| |
1946-1949
|
| |
1949-1956
|
| |
Fuller, Albert M., 1944,
1953
|
| |
"G", 1921-1952
|
| |
re: Deam’s collection of Galls, 1917
|
| |
Gates, F. C., 1952-1953
|
| |
Goodwin, Maurice C., 1951
|
| |
Goodwin, Mrs. M. C., 1951
|
| |
Gray Herbarium, 1925,
1950-1951
|
| |
Greene, Richard A., 1951
|
| |
Grepke, Eva, 1952
|
| |
Guthrie, W. A., 1913,
1917
|
| |
"H", 1909-1952
|
| |
Hamlet, Mr. & Mrs. Jack, 1951,
1953
|
| |
Hansen, Robert J., 1950
|
| |
Harper, Roland M., 1950-1953
|
| |
Hatt, Robert T., 1947-1952
|
| |
Hayes, Stanley W., 1942-1944,
1951
|
| |
Hebert, P. E., 1952
|
| |
Heiser, Charles B., 1944-1952
|
| |
Hedden, L. H., 1950
|
| |
Hermann, Fred, 1940-1952
|
| |
Hessler, Robert, 1914
|
| |
Hitchcock, A. S., 1920,
1925-1926
|
| |
Hobbs, C. M., 1913
|
| |
Hooten, Elliott R., 1912
|
| |
Howe, Thomas D., 1953
|
| |
Howell, A. V., 1951
|
| |
Huffman, Sue, 1951
|
| |
Hulten, Eric, 1952
|
| |
Hussey, Paul, 1938,
1940
(re: John Hussey)
|
| |
"I", 1926-1952
|
| |
International Friendship Gardens, 1951
|
| |
"J", 1933-1945
|
| |
Jackson, H. S., 1919-1920
|
| |
Jackson, Lida and Ed, 1913,
1950
|
| |
Jones, G. Neville, 1942,
1952
|
| |
Jotter, E. V., 1948-1953
|
| |
"K", 1950-1952
|
| |
Keefe, Anselm M., 1951
|
| |
Kinkead, Ludie J., 1945
|
| |
Kinsey, Alfred C., 1950
|
| |
Kriebel, Ralph M.,
|
| |
1932-1938
|
| |
1939-1940
|
| |
Kunkel, Kenneth M., 1913,
1950-1952
|
| Box 4 |
|
"L", 1926,
1950-1953
|
| |
Leatherman, Anna D., 1952
|
| |
Ledin, R. Bruce, 1952
|
| |
Liming, A. N., 1951
|
| |
Lion’s Club, 1952
|
| |
Logue, Everett G., 1948-1953
|
| |
“Mac-Mc”, 1913-1951
|
| |
McAbee, Margaret, 1952-1953
|
| |
McAtee, Waldo L., 1952
|
| |
McCoy, William A., 1950
|
| |
McFarland, Frank T., 1950-1953
|
| |
"M", 1929-1952
|
| |
Markle, Millard S., 1950
|
| |
Marshall, Thomas R., 14 Jul 1913
(United States Vice President)
|
| |
Men’s Garden Club (Fort Wayne), 1951
|
| |
Miller, Helen, 1952
|
| |
Moldenke, Harold N., 1942,
1952-1953
|
| |
Mottier, David M., 1913-1933
|
| |
Munz, Philip A., 1936,
1945
|
| |
"N", 1951,
1953
|
| |
Neff, Ivy J., 1950-1953
|
| |
Nelson, James E., 1918
|
| |
Nielsen, P. Chr., 1950
|
| |
Nordine, Roy, 1951
|
| |
"O", 1926-1951
|
| |
Ortenburger, Robert, 1950-1951
(grandson)
|
| |
Ortenburger, Roberta D., 1951,
1953
(daughter)
|
| |
Ownbey, Gerald B., 1950
|
| |
"P", 1941-1952
|
| |
Palmer, Ernest J., 1938-1953
|
| |
Palmer, T. S., 1951
|
| |
Patton, Will A., 1950
|
| |
Pauley, Scott S., 1951-1952
|
| |
Phinney, A. J., 1931-1932,
1938
|
| |
Pleiss, Griffin A., 1945
|
| |
Potzger, John E., 1946-1953
|
| |
"R", 1909-1952
|
| |
Rickett, H. W., 1934,
1948
|
| |
Rinear, Ralph W., 1950
|
| |
Rollins, Reed C., 1952
|
| |
Rosendahl, C. O., 1949-1951
|
| |
"S", 1933-1953
|
| |
Sark, Elmer J., 1950-1951
|
| |
Sauers, Charles G., 1951,
1953
|
| |
Saufley, William E., 1951
|
| |
Science Press Printing Company, 1939
|
| |
Segal, Simon, 1951
|
| |
Seybert, John E., 1950-1952
|
| |
Shaw, Thomas E.,
|
| |
1949-1951
|
| |
1952-1953
|
| |
Shinners, Lloyd H., 1942,
1945
|
| |
Steele, Edward S., 1916-1917
|
| |
Steyermark, J. A., 1950-1951
|
| |
Storrs & Bement Company, 1952
|
| |
Swallen, Jason R., 1943,
1949
|
| |
Swink, Floyd A., 1950-1951
|
| |
Svenson, Henry K., 1932-1951
|
| |
"T", 1913-1952
|
| |
Tehon, Louis O., 1951-1953
|
| |
Totten, H. R., 1951-1952
|
| |
Troop, J., 1928
|
| |
Tucker, Mack, 1953
|
| |
"U", 1945,
1950
|
| |
Utter, L. Gordon, 1932
|
| |
VanCamp, J.L., 1949-1952
|
| |
Visher, S. S., 1945
|
| |
"W", 1913-1953
|
| |
Wadmond, Samuel C., 1950-1952
|
| |
Weatherby, Charles A., 1930-1952
|
| |
Weatherwax, Paul,
|
| |
1916-1929
|
| |
1930-1938
|
| |
1939-1953
|
| |
Welch, Winona H., 1939,
1950-1953
|
| |
Wells, B. W., 1918-1952
|
| |
Wells, Herman B, 1939
|
| |
Wheeler, Lawrence, 1951
|
| |
Wilcox, Ralph, 1949-1953
|
| |
Winch, Harriet,
|
| |
1936
|
| |
1937
|
| |
1938
|
| |
1939
|
| |
1940
|
| |
1941-1949
|
| |
1950
|
| Box 5 |
|
1951-1953
|
| |
Winchell, John H., 1950
|
| |
Witmer, S. W., 1951-1952
|
| |
Wood, Elmo S., 1952
|
| |
Woolen, William Watson, 1913,
1916
|
| |
Young, Catherine M. E., 1942
|
| |
Yuncker, Truman G., 1951,
1953
|
| |
Zyon, Rolla, 1953
|
| |
Fragments & Unknown, 1934,
1947,
undated
|
| |
Series:
Subject files, 1881-1953
|
| |
Subseries:
Administration, 1881-1953
|
| |
Financial records,
|
| Box 5 |
|
Expense book, 1881-1882
|
| |
Household furniture, 1893
|
| |
Cost of residence, 1902-1907
|
| |
Specimen purchases, 1912-1950
|
| |
Labor Record: Total hours worked, 1909-1913
|
| |
Library record,
|
| |
Books loaned, 1903-1951
|
| |
Catalogue of books, 1893-1953
|
| |
Magazine subscriptions and dues to organizations, 1926-1950
(notebook)
|
| |
Subseries:
Botany and science, 1885-1952
|
| Box 5 |
|
Barce, Elmore- Article, 1930
|
| |
Brookville Society Natural History bulletin, 1885-1886
|
| |
Changes in nomenclature since Gray, 1935
|
| |
Leaf Specimens- Deam Oak (outside Bluffton, Indiana), undated
|
| |
“A Letter Mostly About Oaks and Plums”, 1952
|
| |
Missouri Botanical Garden, 1914
|
| |
Spenser club minutes, 1902-1907
|
| |
Wells County Atlas, 1938
|
| |
Subseries:
General files, 1884-1953
|
| Box 5 |
|
Address book, 1912-1952
|
| |
Autograph book, 1884-1891
|
| |
Awards, certificates, resolutions, 1887-1952
|
| |
Classified owners list- Indiana counties, 1933
|
| |
Guestbook: Deam’s arboretum,
|
| |
1925-1941,
1947
|
| |
1941-1953
|
| |
Harper, R.: Articles sent to Deam, 1939-1953
|
| |
House Bill no.77- Authored by Deam, 1921
|
| |
Information on other botanists, 1920’s-30’s,
undated
|
| |
Indiana counties information, undated
|
| |
Letters of recommendation re: Deam, 1885-1946
|
| |
Subseries:
Unpublished works and notes, 1983-1952
|
| Box 5 |
|
Bolle: Geum notes, undated
|
| |
Botany workbook, 1884-1896
|
| |
Early botanical collections, undated
|
| |
Exercise book: Latin translations, 1883-1886
|
| |
Hibiscus Palusris Linn notes, undated
|
| |
Flora notes,
|
| |
Florida, 1938-1949
|
| |
Indiana, 1941-1952
|
| |
Kentucky, 1940
|
| Box 6 |
|
List of plants in cultivation, undated
|
| |
List of Indiana Collectors, 1936,
undated
|
| |
Notebooks,
|
| |
Miscellaneous Information, 1910-1922
|
| |
Pharmaceuticals and Household products, 1910
|
| |
Notes, Misc., undated
|
| |
Photo record, 1913-1938
|
| |
School essay speech and drawing, 1880’s
|
| |
Specimens loaned, 1937-1950
|
| |
Willows of Indiana notes, 1919
|