Alvan Clark & Sons Business and Family Papers, 1850-1934 (bulk 1850 1918) Finding Aid Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum Webster Institute for the History of Astronomy Chicago, Illinois 2013 Contact Information: Webster Institute for the History of Astronomy Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum 1300 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60605 Phone: (312) 322-0594 E-mail: astrohistory@adlerplanetarium.org URL: www.adlerplanetarium.org/history - 1 -
Descriptive Summary of the Collection Title: Alvan Clark & Sons Business and Family Papers Creator: Alvan Clark, Alvan G. Clark, George Basset Clark, and Mary P. Clark Dates: 1850 1934 (bulk of collection 1850 1918) Extent: 4 linear feet (4 boxes) Language(s): Materials predominantly in English, two documents in French Repository: Webster Institute for the History of Astronomy, Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum, Chicago Abstract: Alvan Clark was an American born astronomer and telescope maker. His firm, Alvan Clark & Sons made lenses for refracting telescopes, including the largest in the world at the time. The firm included Alvan Clark and his sons, Alvan Graham Clark and George Bassett Clark. The Alvan Clark & Sons Business and Family Papers include correspondence, invoices and receipts, publications, and photographs, dating from 1850 to 1934 (bulk 1850 1918). The materials relate to the telescope business as well as personal correspondence from other Clark family members. Administrative Information Cite As: Alvan Clark & Sons Business and Family Papers, Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum, Chicago. Provenance: Papers descended from Alvan Graham Clark through the estate of a Mrs. Eastman. According to researcher Kenneth J. Launie, Mrs. Eastman was most likely Caroline Clark Eastman, the granddaughter of Alvan Clark. After the death of Mrs. Eastman in the 1980 s, the papers went to a Boston area antique dealer. The items were separated and sent to auction. Mr. Launie purchased part of the collection and the Webster Institute purchased the balance of the items for the Adler in 1988. Mr. Launie originally catalogued and transcribed the Adler s part of the collection in 1994. Processed by: Pamela R. Ruos, 2013 Access: Obtained by completing a Research Request Form. Contact the Webster Institute for the History of Astronomy at (312) 322-0594 or astrohistory@adlerplanetarium.org. Ownership: The Alvan Clark & Sons Business and Family Papers is the physical property of the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce materials from this - 2 -
collection, contact the Webster Institute for the History of Astronomy at (312) 322-0594 or astrohistory@adlerplanetarium.org. [PAGE BREAK] - 3 -
Historical Background Alvan Clark (1804 1887) was born in Ashfield, Massachusetts. He married Maria Pease (b. 1808) on March 25, 1826. They had four children, George Basset (1827 1891), Maria Louisa (1829 1887), Alvan Graham (1832 1897) and Caroline Amelia (1835 1863). Alvan Clark and his sons, Alvan Graham and George Bassett, began a telescope making business in the mid - 1800s. Their company, Alvan Clark & Sons, earned a worldwide reputation for manufacturing high quality lenses and telescopes including the largest lens at the time, the 18.5-inch refractor for the Dearborn Observatory, which is still in use at Northwestern University in Chicago. Alvan Clark began his career as an artist specializing in painting portrait miniatures. He was quite successful and some of his portraits are still displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Clark also had interests in science and astronomy. In 1844 he helped his son George Basset construct a small telescope. Alvan then taught himself to grind and polish glass for telescope lenses. He and his sons gradually increased their knowledge of optics and refined their technique until they became the preeminent manufacturers of telescopes. They built and sold telescopes worldwide including those for the United States Naval Observatory, Pulkovo Observatory in Russia, Lick Observatory, Lowell Observatory, Harvard University, and the Yerkes Observatory, which remains the largest refracting telescope in the world. The firm produced numerous smaller, yet still highly prized, telescopes as well. Clark and his sons contributed to observational astronomy by documenting many double stars. They experimented with measuring the brightness of the Sun and Moon and later photographed solar eclipses. Alvan Graham Clark discovered the companion to the star Sirius while testing the Dearborn Observatory telescope. Alvan Clark received many accolades for his contributions to astronomy. He has had craters on the Moon and Mars named in his honor. He received numerous honorary degrees including one from Amherst College and another from Princeton University, both included in the collection. [PAGE BREAK] - 4 -
Scope and Content of the Collection The items in this collection include business correspondence for Alvan Clark & Sons as well as personal correspondence for Mr. Clark and his family. The collection contains mostly handwritten letters, invoices, and other business materials relating to the manufacture and delivery of their telescopes. There are also personal letters between family members and friends. Additionally, there are letters and documents relating to astronomy and science publications relating to Mr. Clark. The collection includes photographs. The Alvan Clark & Sons Business and Family Papers fill 4 boxes and span the years 1850 1934 (bulk 1850 1918). The materials are organized in the following groupings: Series 1 Business and Professional Papers, 1854 1908 Series 2 Family Papers, 1850-1934 Series 3 Photographs, n.d. Container List Series 1: Business and Professional Papers, 1854 1908 This series contains correspondence pertaining to the building and purchasing of Alvan Clark and Sons telescopes and lenses. There are price quotes, invoices, and receipts. There is correspondence from well-known astronomers including discussions of new astronomical objects observed with telescopes. Additionally, there are business records that include licenses, articles, and honorary degrees. The series is organized by Incoming Correspondence and Outgoing Correspondence and then alphabetically by creator of the item. The remaining materials are arranged alphabetically. Box Folder Contents 1 1 Incoming Correspondence, Arland, Henry, 1860 1 2 Incoming Correspondence, Bond, W.C. 1858 1 3 Incoming Correspondence, Burnham, S.W., 1892 1 4 Incoming Correspondence, Chance Bros., 1860 1862 1 5 Incoming Correspondence, Clark, W.S., 1865 1 6 Incoming Correspondence, Cowan, Frank, 1868 1 7 Incoming Correspondence, Facy, Joseph, 1861 1862, n.d. 1 8 Incoming Correspondence, Farrar, Charles, 1863 1 9 Incoming Correspondence, Fitz, Henry 1858 1863 1 10 Incoming Correspondence, Flanders, J.J., 1860 1 11 Incoming Correspondence, Forbes, S.S., n.d. 1 12 Incoming Correspondence, Hale, G.E., 1892 1 13 Incoming Correspondence, Hall, Asaph, 1884 1886-5 -
1 14 Incoming Correspondence, Hemenway, Mary, n.d. 1 15 Incoming Correspondence, Hoyne, Thomas, 1863 1 16 Incoming Correspondence, Mantois, 1889 1 17 Incoming Correspondence, McCormick, L.J., 1875 18 Incoming Correspondence, Newcomb, Simon, 1865 1891 1 19 Incoming Correspondence, Struve, Otto, 1887-1889 1 20 Incoming Correspondence, University of Chicago, n.d. 1 21 Incoming Correspondence, Vassar, Matthew, 1862 22 Outgoing Correspondence, 1860 1877 1 23 Business Licenses, 1862 1866 1 24 Business Meetings and Invitations, 1860 1908 1 25 American Journal of Science Articles, 1858 1879 26 Diagrams and articles, 1863, n.d. 1 27 New England Historical Autobiography, 1889 1 28 Royal Astronomical Society, 1859 1860 Oversized A 29 Honorary Degree, Amherst College, 1854 1 30 Honorary Degree, Princeton, 1867 1 31 U.S. Naval Observatory Correspondence, 1870 1892, n.d. Series 2: Personal and Family Papers, 1850 1934 (bulk 1850 1918) This series includes correspondence of a more personal nature among Clark family members and friends. There are many letters written to and from Mary P. Clark and her children describing her travels. This series also includes some deeds, checks, and newspaper clippings. There is an additional folder with addressed and stamped envelopes. The series is organized by Incoming Correspondence and Outgoing Correspondence and then alphabetically by creator of the item. Miscellaneous items follow. Box Folder Contents 2 1 Incoming Correspondence, Clark, Alvan, 1859 1888, n.d. 2 2 Outgoing Correspondence, Clark, Alvan, 1863-1886 2 3 Incoming Correspondence, Clark, Mary, Clark Nye, 1888 1897 2 4 Outgoing Correspondence, Clark, Mary, 1867 1891 2 5 Miscellaneous letters, Clark, Dora Mitchell, Maria, 1850 1918, unknown 2 6 Miscellaneous Items, 1889 1895, n.d. Oversized A 7 Miscellaneous Items, Chronometer reading, 1882 2 8 Miscellaneous Envelopes, 1870 1934-6 -
Series 3: Photographs, n.d. This series consists of photographs of items related to astronomy and telescopes. There are also photographs of Alvan Clark, other family members, and unidentified persons. These items are undated. The photographs are organized alphabetically by subject matter. Box Folder Contents 3 1 Astronomy 3 2 Equipment for telescopes 3 3 People and portraits 3 4 People and portraits 3 5 Places and landscapes 3 6 Telescopes and observatories - 7 -