L. Floyd Clarke family papers, 1906-2017

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Clarke, L. Floyd family
Title
L. Floyd Clarke family papers
Dates
1906-2017 (inclusive)
Quantity
3.18 cubic ft. (6 boxes) + 1.37GB
Collection Number
400135
Summary
The L. Floyd Clarke family was prominent in Laramie and the University of Wyoming. This collection contains material related to the family's history as well as their respective times 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
Sponsor
The creation of the EAD-version of this finding aid was made possible through a grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Lemuel Floyd Clarke was a prominent zoologist and academic administrator who significantly contributed to the field of zoology and higher education. Born on June 21, 1906, in Newton, Utah, Clarke earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Utah State Agricultural College in 1927 and 1931, respectively, and received a Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Chicago in 1935. He joined the University of Wyoming's zoology faculty in 1935, eventually serving as department head from 1942 to 1968. Clarke founded the Jackson Hole Biological Research Station in Moran, Wyoming, and directed it from 1953 to 1972. In 1968, he became the associate dean of the University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences until his retirement in 1976. Clarke was honored with the George Duke Humphrey Distinguished Faculty Award in 1965 and the Outstanding Former Faculty Award for the College of Arts and Sciences in 1996. He was married to Nina Robinson, with whom he had three children. Lemuel Floyd Clarke passed away on November 12, 1981.

Nina Evelyn Robinson Clarke, born on April 30, 1908, in Laketown, Utah, was an active supporter of her husband’s career and an advocate for education. After attending Brigham Young College, she moved to Laramie, Wyoming, in 1935, where she worked as the librarian at the University of Wyoming's Science Library. In 1993, Nina established the L. Floyd Clarke Fund in Zoology and Physiology at the University of Wyoming. She passed away on March 7, 1998.

Lucille Clarke Dumbrill, born May 16, 1928, in Laketown, Utah, graduated from University High School in Laramie, Wyoming, in 1945. She earned a bachelor's degree in 1949 and a master's degree in 1951, both in mathematics from the University of Wyoming. Lucille and her husband Richard became active in the Wyoming State Historical Society, leading to her long career in historic preservation at UW and statewide. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan appointed her to the President’s Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. She received the UW Alumni Association’s Medallion Service Award in 2001. Lucille married Richard S. Dumbrill on June 20, 1949, and they had two children.

Evelyn Clarke Skordas, born March 2, 1931, in Logan, Utah, attended public schools in Laramie and the University of Wyoming. A talented flute player, she married James Skordas on June 17, 1950, and moved to Rawlins, Wyoming, where they raised four children. Evelyn passed away on March 3, 1972.

David Robinson Clarke, M.D., born November 23, 1943, in Laramie, Wyoming, graduated with honors from the University of Wyoming in 1965 and earned his Doctor of Medicine degree Magna Cum Laude from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in 1969. He specialized in pediatric heart surgery, training in London before returning to Denver to serve as assistant director of the thoracic surgery residency program. He became chief of cardiothoracic surgery at the Health Sciences Center in 1980 and at Children’s Hospital in 1984. He was named a University of Wyoming Distinguished Alumnus in 1985. David married Deborah E. Makush in May 1980.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The L. Floyd Clarke Family papers contain family records and photographs of the Clarke, Robinson, Dumbrill, and Cooley families. This collection contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, articles, publications, photographs, and audio-visual material related to these families.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

Any and all of the donor’s copyrights in the materials have been assigned to the University of Wyoming. 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, L. Floyd Clarke family papers, 1906-1999, Collection Number 400135, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Related Materials

Lucille Clarke Dumbrill, 10480, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Acquisition Information

Lucille Clarke Dumbrill donated her family’s papers to the American Heritage Center from 1998-2021.

Processing Note

The collection was processed by Ronda Frazier in November 2005 and updated by Jamie J. Greene in June 2018 and September 2022. This collection was re-processed by Erin Shadrick in July 2024.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. Family PapersReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1
Clarke, David Robert and Martha Jane Cooley
1951-1968
1
Clarke Family Genealogy
1958-1969
1
Clarke, Hannah
1997, undated
1
Cooley Family Genealogy
1942-1966
David Robinson Clarke, M.D.:
Box Folder
1
Biographical Information
1948-1969
1
"Congenital Heart Surgery: A Five Year Study"
January/February 1983
1
Correspondence
1954-1961
1
Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Wyoming Alumni Association
1985
1
Miscellaneous
1989, undated
1
Newspaper Clippings and Articles
1954-1996
1
"Patent Ductus Arteriosus Ligation and Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Premature Infants"
August 1976
1
"Studies on Cardiac Valve Transplantation", submitted for M.D. degree
May 1969
1
Western County Memorial Hospital Foundation- Speaker at Annual Fundraising Dinner
1991
L. Floyd Clarke:
Box Folder
1
American Association of Anatomists
1974
1
Biographical Information
1906-1981
5
Certificates
1924-1959
1
Chicago University
1931-1935
1
Clarke Memorial Fund- Lectures and Scholarships
1994-2017
1
Correspondence- General
1927-1976
1
Correspondence- Postcards
1953-1957
1
"Directory of Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Higher Education and School Administration"
September 1955
1
"The Early Embryology of the Chick" by Bradley M. Patten, annotated by Clarke
1929
1
Family of the Year, University of Wyoming
1998
1
Humphrey Distinguished Faculty Award
June 1965
1
Jackson Hole Biological Research Station
1954-1986
1
Miscellaneous
1957-1980
1
Newspaper Clippings and Articles
1950-1996
1
Notebook of Experiments Performed in Rochester, N.Y.
undated
1, 5
Outstanding Former Faculty Award
May 1996
1
"Preliminary Study on Establishing a Two-Year Medical School at the University of Wyoming"
April 1962
1
"Regional Differences in Eye-Forming Capacity of the Early Chick Blastoderm as Studied in Chorio-Allantoic Grafts"
1935-1936
1
Reports to UW President on Status of Zoology and Physiology Department
1964, 1968
2
Retirement
1976
2
Rotary Club
1945-1955
2
School Notebook for Embyology Class, University of Chicago
1931-1935
2
Scott, John W., Dr.
1951, undated
2
Speeches
1956, undated
2
"The Tarnished Plant-Bug, Lygus Pratensis (L) and its Relation to the Setting of Alfalfa Seed"
September 1931
2
University of Utah
1938-1940
2
Utah State Agricultural College
1925-1934
2
Zoology and Physiology
1986-1995
Lucille Clarke Dumbrill:
Box Folder
2
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation: Report to the President and Congress of the United States
1991
2
Biographical Information
1934-1974
Digital ahcdm_400135_001
"Celebrating the Life of Richard "Dick" Dumbrill"
2009
2
Christmas Cards
December 1991
2
Conrad Schwiering- Correspondence, Newspapers, and Film
1988-1995
2
Correspondence
1964-1999
2
Historical Boards
undated
2
Newspaper Clippings
1974-1990
2
Nomination of Dr. William Owen for the Outstanding Former Faculty Award
1996
Nina Evelyn Robinson Clarke:
Box Folder
2
Biographical Information
1908-1998
2
Case Report in Digestive Surgery
1988
2
Cassette Tape of Clarke Luncheon Honoring Nina Clarke
April 1993
2
Correspondence
1927-1997
2
"Mother's Memories"
1993-1998
2
Memorial Essay by Lucille Clarke Dumbrill
undated
2
Newspaper Clippings
1975-1997
2
Scrapbook about Nina Clarke Establishing the L. Floyd Clarke Fund
1993
Box Folder
2
Robinson Family Genealogy
1927-1974
2
Robinson, Heber Craven and Jane Ann Lamborn Robinson
1949-1964
2
Skordos, Evelyn Clarke
1931-1972
University of Wyoming:
Box Folder
4
The Division of Adult Education and Community Service
undated
4
Football Program- Wyoming vs. Montana
October 1997
Digital ahcdm_400135_002
"Living with Loss- The Families of the UW8" a WYDOT production
undated
4
Newspaper Articles about UW
1997-2006
4
Program- Inauguration of the President of the University of Wyoming
December 1964
4
Program- Installation Ceremony, Philip L. Dubois
October 1997
4
Programs, Newsletters, Reports Relating to L. Floyd Clarke
1995-2016
4
University of Wyoming Lecture Series
1964-1965

Series II. PhotographsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
6
AHC BOA Mtg. Jackson, WY
2009
3
Alpha Epsilon Delta
1942, 1969
3
American Association of Anatomists Meeting & Dinner
April 1956
3
Barker House and Grain Elevators in Utah
undated
3
Clarke House, Newton, Utah
undated
3
Clarke Children
1932-1945
3
Clarke, David Robinson, M.D.
1944-1985
3
Clarke, L. Floyd
1908-1980
3
Clarke, L. Floyd and Nina
1928-1970
3
Clarke, L. Floyd Funeral
November 1981
3
Clarke, Nina Evelyn Robinson
1925-1990
6
Color Photo Slides- Miscellaneous
undated
3
Dedication of L. Floyd Clarke Seminar Room
May 1984
3
Dumbrill, Debbie
1950-1965
3
Dumbrill, Lucille Clarke
1929-1999
3
Ft. Phil Kearney- Alan Simpson Speaker
May 1987
3
Homes and Cabins
1960-1982
3
Jackson Hole Biological Research Station
1957-1960
3, 5
Miscellaneous
1905-1993, undated
3
Robinson Family
1925-1930
3
Skordas, Alice Ann
1950-1975
4
Skordas, Evelyn Clarke
1936-1970
4
Slides of Grand Teton National Park
1954-1960
4
Snowy Range
undated