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Lorenzo A. Richards papers, 1914-1999
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Richards, Lorenzo A., 1904-1993
- Title
- Lorenzo A. Richards papers
- Dates
- 1914-1999 (inclusive)19141999
- Quantity
- 10.25 linear feet
- Collection Number
- ACCN 2338
- Summary
- The Lorenzo A. Richards papers (1914-1999) contain the personal and family materials of Lorenzo Adolph Richards (1904-1993), a physicist who specialized in agronomy.
- Repository
-
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860
Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Lorenzo Adolph Richards (1904-1993) was born to Calvin Willard and Louisa Madsen Richards in Fielding, Utah. He graduated from Utah State University with his B.S. (1926) and M.A. (1927). He received his Ph.D. from Cornell University (1931). Richards was an instructor and professor at various institutions throughout his career. He worked for the United States Department of Agriculture as chief physicist until 1966 when he formed his own company, Lark Instruments. He served in various other capacities and received many awards for his advancements in soil science.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Lorenzo A. Richards papers (1914-1999) contain the personal and family materials of Lorenzo Adolph Richards, a physicist who specialized in agronomy. Included are correspondence, notes, drawings and diagrams, articles, certificates, patents, and notebooks, among other papers.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.
Preferred Citation
Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Acquisition Information
Gift of Mary L. Luch, L. Willard Richards, and Paul L. Richards in 2007.
Processing Note
Processed by Lisa DeMille in 2007.
Separated Materials
Photographs and audio-visual materials were transferred to the Multimedia Division of Special Collections (P1419 and A0915).
Related Materials
See also the Mary Hooper Blood Linford papers (ACCN 2337); the Zilla Linford Richards papers (ACCN 2373); and the James Henry Linford Jr. papers (ACCN 2344).
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Correspondence and Personal FilesReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | |||
| 1 | Correspondence |
1945-1975 | |
| Folder | |||
| 2 | 1-5 | Correspondence |
1976-1987 |
| 2 | 6-10 | Articles by Lorenzo A. Richards |
1928-1966 |
| 3 | 1 | Biographical Information |
|
| 3 | 2 | Calendars |
1968-1980 |
| 3 | 3 | Certificates |
1919-1985 |
| 3 | 4-7 | Civil Service papers
Folders 6-7 contain correspondence, orders, reports, and receipts concerning Richards' Southwest Pacific area trip.
|
1938-1966 |
| 3 | 8 | Gifts and Donations
Notes, correspondence, and receipts.
|
1979-1983 |
| 3 | 9 | Greeting Cards |
1960s-1980s |
| 4 | 1 | Instrument Drawings |
1950s-1970s |
| 4 | 2 | Invitations |
1968-1980 |
| 4 | 3 | Lark Trademark
Correspondence, notes, instrument information, and legal documents.
|
1956-1979 |
| 4 | 4 | News Articles |
1956-1983 |
| 4 | 5 | Newsletters |
1967-1990 |
| 4 | 6 | Notes and Diagrams |
|
| 4 | 7 | Personal Library Loan Book |
1930s-1970s |
| 4 | 8 | Postcards |
1960s-1980s |
| 4 | 9 | Programs and Announcements |
1970s-1990s |
| 5 | 1-3 | Retirement Scrapbook |
1966 |
| 5 | 4 | Sensor Circuit, Notes and Diagrams |
1978-1984 |
| 5 | 5 | Soil Physics, Correspondence Lists |
1978, 1982 |
| 5 | 6 | Talks by Lorenzo A. Richards |
1965-1966 |
| 5 | 7 | Trip Reports |
1946-1963 |
| 5 | 8 | Utah State University
Correspondence, notes, articles, newsletters, and commencement materials.
|
1949-1999 |
| 6 | 1 | Writings by Others |
1939-1984 |
| 6 | 2 | Miscellaneous |
|
| 7 | Patents
This box contains notes, correspondence, forms, drawings, receipts, and other papers regarding Richards' patents on various instruments. The actual patents are also included.
|
1935-1985 | |
| 8 | Notebooks |
1939-1974 | |
| 9 | Notebooks and Workbooks
The workbooks are numbered and include notes and drawings. This box contains workbooks #1-4.
|
1945-1985 | |
| 10 | Workbooks
This box holds workbooks #5-12.
|
1939-1984 | |
| 11 | Oversize Certificates
Contains a Hebrew certificate, a certificate from Utah State University, a high school diploma, bachelor's certificate, master's certificate, doctorate certificate, honorary doctorate certificate, and a certificate from Sigma Xi.
|
1923-1974 | |
Personal and Family FilesReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 12 | 1-2 | Correspondence |
1922-1989 |
| 12 | 3 | Account Book
For the family and patent business.
|
1953-1968 |
| 12 | 4 | Address Book |
|
| 12 | 5 | Art Reproductions |
|
| 12 | 6 | Awards and Honors |
1959-1965 |
| 12 | 7 | Biographical Information |
|
| 12 | 8 | Christmas Letter Samples |
1940s-1970s |
| 12 | 9 | Code Scheme
Richards' system for teaching Morse code.
|
|
| 12 | 10 | College Materials
Commencement program, news article, and Utah Agricultural College symbol and letters.
|
1926 |
| 13 | 1 | Family History |
1981 |
| 13 | 2 | Fishing
Correspondence, pamphlets, supply lists, and news clippings on fishing trips taken by Richards and fishing in general.
|
1947-1985 |
| 13 | 3 | Health
Weight charts, notes, and a benefits flier.
|
1950s-1982 |
| 13 | 4 | Home Building
House addition notes, drawings, an agreement, and a work outline for the construction of a home for Mrs. B. K. Marvin.
|
1932-1940 |
| 13 | 5 | Japanese Invasion Money |
1940s |
| 13 | 6-7 | Madsen Family Information
The contents from both of these folders were originally in binders. Folder 6 contains notes, financial information, correspondence, and other papers. The binder was originally labeled "Estates CWR Sr and MMR." Folder 7 contains mainly correspondence. The binder for these materials was originally labeled "Brigham City, UT."
|
1920s-1960s |
| 13 | 8 | News Clippings |
1940-1984 |
| 13 | 9 | Notebook |
1939 |
| 14 | 1 | Personal Business Materials
These materials were removed from a binder and include notes and correspondence.
|
1976-1983 |
| 14 | 2 | Radio Scripts
Two scripts for "Bill Moyer's Journal" titled "A Conversation with Mortimer Adler" and "Reflections on a Revolution."
|
1976 |
| 14 | 3 | Riverside House
Receipts, notes, and paint samples.
|
1967-1972 |
| Volume | |||
| 14 | 1 | Scrapbook
Contains news clippings, certificates, articles, trip logs, stories, and quotations centered around Lorenzo A. Richards, his schooling, and his contributions to science.
|
1920s-1960s |
| Folder | |||
| 14 | 4 | Stock Certificates and Agreement |
1914-1952 |
| 14 | 5 | Miscellaneous |
|
| 15 | 1-3 | Cards and Letters |
1980 |
| 15 | 4 | Index Cards
Contains names and addresses.
|
1980 |
| 15 | 5 | Invitation |
1980 |
| 15 | 6 | Mementos
Card and napkins.
|
1980 |
| 15 | 7 | Planning Book and Notes |
1980 |
Science MaterialsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 16 | 1 | Articles by Lorenzo A. Richards |
1928-1966 |
| 16 | 2 | Articles by Others |
1946-1984 |
| 16 | 3 | Glosseries of Technical Terms |
1962-1970 |
| 16 | 4 | Patents
Correspondence, patents, notes, and information on patent law.
|
1937-1974 |
| 16 | 5-6 | Rockets and Missiles
California Institute of Technology manuals, correspondence, illustrations, and program.
|
1942-1968 |
| 16 | 7 | Scientific Instrument Instruction Cards |
|
| 17 | 1 | Sensor Patent and Sale
Correspondence, notes, and financial statements.
|
1982-1996 |
| 17 | 2 | Soilmoisture Equipment Corporation
Correspondence, notes, bulletins, invoices, and other papers.
|
1966-1977 |
| 17 | 3 | U.S. Salinity Laboratory, List of Publications |
1965; 1968 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Agriculturists--United States--Sources
- Physicists--United States--Sources
Personal Names
- Richards, Lorenzo A., 1904-1993--Archives
Form or Genre Terms
- Articles
- Certificates
- Correspondence
- Drawings
- Notebooks
- Notes
- Patents
Finding aid created by Lisa DeMille
2007 (last modified: 2020)
