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Aven Nelson papers, 1870-1983

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Nelson, Aven, 1859-1952
Title
Aven Nelson papers
Dates
1870-1983 (inclusive)
Quantity
12.75 cubic ft. (30 boxes)
Collection Number
400013
Summary
Aven Nelson was an internationally known botanist and an original faculty member and president at the University of Wyoming.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
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Historical Note

Aven Nelson (1859-1952), a noted botanist of the Rocky Mountain states, was one of the first faculty members of the University of Wyoming. He was hired in 1886 and continued with the University until 1942. Nelson took a leave of absence from the University in 1892 to receive botanical training at Harvard University. He received a Ph.D from the University of Denver in 1904. In addition to serving as professor of Biology and professor of Botany, Nelson was Curator of the Rocky Mountain Herbarium (1894-1942), which he developed through a specimen exchange program he started after a collecting trip to Yellowstone National Park in 1899. He was also botanist of the University of Wyoming Experiment Station. In 1912 Nelson was appointed acting President of the University. He was confirmed as President in 1917 and served until 1922. Nelson authored more than 150 articles and books, including the 1909 revision of "Manual of the Botany of the Rocky Mountain Region" and "First Report on the Flora of Wyoming." Nelson married Cecilia Alice Calhoun in 1885 and they had two daughters. Cecilia died in 1929 and Nelson married Ruth Ashton (1891-1987) in 1931. Ruth Ashton Nelson, also a botanist, served as an assistant with the Rocky Mountain Herbarium. They conducted fieldwork together and issued joint publications.

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Content Description

Collection contains biographical information; personal and professional correspondence, especially with the Botanical Society of America and the Wyoming State Board of Horticulture (1880-1949); miscellaneous correspondence files relating to Nelson's tenure as University of Wyoming President and the Rocky Mountain Herbarium (1890s-1950); manuscripts of Nelson's writings including speeches and short papers (1893-1945); manuscripts of papers, photographs, slides, and negatives, and correspondence for Ashton Nelson (1928-1980); photographs and glass slides of the Nelson family, landscapes and the University of Wyoming (1887-1983); copies of Aven Nelson's publications (1884-1952); and artifacts.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Restrictions on Use

Statement on Potentially Harmful Language and Images Found in Collections

The American Heritage Center aspires to approach all areas of our work in ways that are respectful to those who create, use, and are represented in our collections. For a variety of reasons, however, users may encounter offensive or harmful language or images in some of our finding aids, catalogs, and collection materials.

Note that the AHC does not censor or alter contents of the collections as they provide context and evidence of a time, people, place, or event. Therefore, we encourage users to bring questions and concerns about descriptions in our finding aids to our attention via email or anonymous web-form. For more information, read our full statement.

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number (if applicable), Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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Administrative Information

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by Aven Nelson at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

The Aven Nelson Papers were donated to the American Heritage Center by Ruth Nelson in 1950; by the University of Wyoming Department of Botany and the Rocky Mountain Herbarium in 1971; by Alice Ellen Cherbeneau, Ruth Ashton Nelson, and Roger L. Williams in 1985; by Ruth Nelson in 1986; by Roger Williams in 1986 and 1991; by an unidentified donor in 1987; by Sue Gentle and Sue Sweet in 1991; by Gregory Brown, Head of the Department of Botany in 2010; and by Stephen T. Jackson in 2021.

Processing Note

The collection was processed by Ginny Kilander in 1998, revised by D. Claudia Thompson in 1999 and updated by MaKayla Garnica in 2018 and Jamie Greene in January 2023.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Container List

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Botany -- West (U.S.)
  • Botany -- Wyoming
  • College presidents -- Wyoming

Corporate Names

  • Botanical Society of America
  • Rocky Mountain Herbarium
  • University of Wyoming -- Department of Botany
  • University of Wyoming -- History
  • University of Wyoming -- Presidents
  • Wyoming State Board of Horticulture

Geographical Names

  • Laramie (Wyo.) -- History
  • Wyoming -- History -- 1890-1918
  • Wyoming -- History -- 1919-1945
  • Wyoming -- History -- 1946-1999
  • Wyoming -- History -- To 1889

Form or Genre Terms

  • Artifacts
  • Certificates
  • Legal documents
  • Photographs

Occupations

  • Botanists

Other Creators

  • Personal Names

    • Coulter, John Merle, 1851-1952. Botany of the central Rocky Mountains (Vascular plants)
    • Nelson, Aven, 1859-1952. Flora of Wyoming
    • Nelson, Ruth Ashton, 1896-1987
    • Nelson, Ruth Ashton, 1896-1987. Handbook of Rocky Mountain plants

Processed by Ginny Kilander
1998;2007

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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