University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
The University of Montana—Missoula
Missoula, MT 59812
406-243-2053
http://www.lib.umt.edu/asc
library.archives@umontana.edu
Mss
705
The Life and Letters
of Finlay Simmons, 1895-1955
2005
0.75 linear feet
This collection consists of a partial manuscript of copied
letters, journals, maps, articles and photos that begin in 1923 with George
Finlay Simmons' Blossom South Atlantic Expedition and continue through his work
at Western Reserve University and the beginning of his career at Montana State
University (now The University of Montana-Missoula) in Missoula, Montana. The
material was organized with brief explanatory notes by Simmons' son of the same
name.
Materials are in
English
George Finlay Simmons was born in 1895. His education included a B.A.,
University of Texas, 1921; an M.A., University of Texas, 1922; and a Ph.D.,
University of Chicago, 1934. He married Armede Hatcher and by 1930 they had two
sons, George and Bob.
After receiving his doctorate, Simmons became a professor of zoology
at the University of Chicago. In 1924 he published
Birds of the Austin Region. He led the Blossom South
Atlantic Expedition in association with the Cleveland Museum in 1925 and was a
lecturer in the field of biological sciences at Western Reserve University. In
1934, Sisson moved to the University of Montana in Missoula as the Assistant
Professor of Zoology. The Board of Education appointed him University President
in 1936. During the Simmons administration several buildings on the UM campus
were either erected or renovated. Simmons restructured the academic curricula
to improve the quality of education and reduce expenses. Simmons retired from
the presidency in 1941 and returned to his passionate studies in zoology. He
died in 1955 after publishing several more books and articles regarding his
biological discoveries.
This collection consists of 13 spiral bound notebooks making up a
partial copy (volumes 4-18) of George F. Simmon's manuscript about his father
entitled "The Life and Letters of Finlay Simmons, 1895-1955." The
copied materials were organized with brief explanatory notes by the author. The
manuscript begins in 1923 with copies of journals, letters, maps, and articles
related to Simmons' 2 1/2 year Blossom South Atlantic Expedition. The notebooks
continue with extensive correspondence, photos and other records of his
relationship with his family, professional contacts, experience in graduate
school, and first term, 1934-1935, as a professor of zoology at Montana State
University (now The University of Montana-Missoula). Simmons' correspondence
with his wife, Armede Hatcher Simmons, is particularly substantial through the
graduate school years (1931-1934) as she remained in Cleveland with their
children while he was in Chicago.
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of
Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and
The University of Montana-Missoula.
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and
any other applicable statutes.
"The Life and Letters of Finlay Simmons, 1895-1955", Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike
Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.
Donated by the author, George F. Simmons, in 2008
A biographical article about George Finlay Simmons entitled "Ornithologist, Expedition Leader, Museum Curator and Educator" by Stanley D. Castro was published in the December 2018 Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society vol. 51, no 1-2.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Simmons,
Armede Hatcher--Correspondence
Simmons,
George Finlay, 1895-1955
University
of Chicago--Graduate students--Correspondence.
University
of Chicago--Graduate students--Family relationships
Montana State University
(Missoula)--Faculty
Montana State University
(Missoula)--Presidents
Natural history--South
Atlantic Ocean Region
Scientific
expeditions--South Atlantic Ocean Region
Zoologists--South Atlantic
Ocean Region
Zoology--Study and
teaching--Montana--Missoula.
Zoology
teachers--Montana--Missoula
Missoula
Expeditions and Adventure
Colleges and Universities
Home
and Family
1/1
"The Life and Letters of Finley Simmons," Part
4a
1923-1924
1/2
"The Life and Letters of Finley Simmons," Part
4b
1923-1924
1/3
"The Life and Letters of Finley Simmons," Parts
5,6,7
1924-1925
1/4
"The Life and Letters of Finley Simmons," Parts 8 and
9
1925
1/5
"The Life and Letters of Finley Simmons," Parts 10 and
11
1925
1/6
"The Life and Letters of Finley Simmons," Part
12
1925
1/7
"The Life and Letters of Finley Simmons," Part
13a
1926-1931
2/1
"The Life and Letters of Finley Simmons," Part
13b
1926-1931
2/2
"The Life and Letters of Finley Simmons," Part
14
1931
2/3
"The Life and Letters of Finley Simmons," Part
15
1931-1932
2/4
"The Life and Letters of Finley Simmons," Part
16
1932
2/5
"The Life and Letters of Finley Simmons," Part
17
1932
2/6
"The Life and Letters of Finley Simmons," Part
18
1932-1935