US-RPB-ms1UF.U1 Guide to the Winslow Upton Paperscirca 1876-1969 (bulk 1876-1914) Finding aid prepared by Brown University Library staff. Processing funded by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Brown University Archives
John Hay Library Box A Brown University Providence, RI, 02912 (401) 863-2148 email:archives@brown.edu
2012 August 31 This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2013 February 1 English Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) Winslow Upton papers MS-1UF-U1 John Hay Library Special Collections
Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Tel: 401-863-2146 email: hay@brown.edu
English circa 1876-1969 The collection comprises diaries, astonomical observation notebooks, scrapbooks, lecture notes, peronal and professional correspondence, as well as photographs, various tributes to Professor Upton, and a memoir written by his daughters. Upton, Winslow, 1853-1914 Upton (Winslow) papers Biographical/Historical note

Winslow Upton (born in Salem, Massachusetts, 12 October 1853; died Providence, Rhode Island, 8 January 1914) was a United States astronomer. He graduated from Brown University. He was an assistant at the Harvard Observatory for several years, then assistant engineer of the Army Engineer Corps' Lake Survey. Upton became a computer at the Naval Observatory in Washington in 1880. He worked with the United States Signal Office from 1881 to 1883. In May of 1883 he accompanied a group of scientists to Carolina Island in the Pacific to view a solar eclipse, an event which resulted in his writing The Carolina Island Opera. He was appointed professor of astronomy at Brown in 1883 and became director of Ladd Observatory when it opened in 1891. He was a member of the U. S. government eclipse expeditions of 1878 and 1883, also of two private expeditions sent out in 1887 and 1889, and in 1896-1897 was attached to the southern station of Harvard University at Arequipa, Peru. He was appointed the first dean of the University in 1900, but resigned that position a year later. In December 1913, after directing the Christmas music performed by his church choir, he became ill with pneumonia and died on January 8, 1914.

 Diaries and notebooks Series I 1877-1910 Diaries 1 1881-1905 Notebooks and scrapbooks 2-3 1877-1910 Scope and Contents note

Notebooks on astronomical observations including lunar eclipses, sunspots, Haley's Comet (1909-1910), and a scrapbook on balloon flights.

 Lecture notes Series II Lecture notes 4 Correspondence Series III circa 1875-1914 Professional correspondence 5 circa 1875-1914 Family correspondence 6 circa 1876-1913 Scope and Contents note

Chiefly correspondence from Winslow Upton addressed to his wife, Cornelia August Upton. Additional correspondents include Mary Babcock, Eleanor Upton, and Grace Upton, among others.

 Personal papers Series IV circa 1877-1969 Photographs 6 An earthbound astronomer: Winslow Upton, a memoir by his daughters Eleanor S. Upton and Margaret F. Upton 6 1969 Assorted notes, correspondence, and tributes to Upton 7 1877-1879 Scope and Contents note

Includes Upton's notebook of Lectures upon the differential and integral calculus, given at Harvard College during the years 1877, 1878, 1879 by Prof. Wm. E. Byerly.

 Collection information

The collection is organized in four series: I. Diaries and notebooks, 1877-1910 II. Lecture notes III. Correspondence, circa 1875-1914 IV. Personal papers, circa 1877-1969 .

There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.

Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.

Winslow Upton Papers, MS-1UF-U1, Brown University Archives.

 Administrative information

Additional information

Names Brown University. Brown University. Dept. of Astronomy. Ladd Observatory. Subjects Astronomy--Study and teaching (Higher) Occupations Astronomers Types of Materials Correspondence Diaries Lecture notes Notebooks Photographs RIAMCO Browsing Term Education