Archives and Manuscript Collections
Personal Papers
CHARLES FINNEY COX PAPERS (1772-1910)
20 linear feet (7 boxes)
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Charles
Finney Cox (1846-1912) was one of the incorporators of the NYBG as named
in its 1891 charter granted by the New York State Legislature. Subscription
to the guarantee fund required by this charter was successfully accomplished
largely through his efforts. An active advocate for the establishment of
the NYBG, he was appointed one of the original members of the Board of
Managers, and served as Treasurer of the Board from 1899 through his death.
Born on Staten Island, he attended the College of the City of New York
and received an A.B. degree from Oberlin College. He would later receive
honorary degrees from both Oberlin and Lafayette Colleges. Having no scientific
background, he had a keen interest in all areas of the natural sciences.
He was an active member of many scientific associations and societies.
He served as President of the New York Microscopical Society in 1888, the
Council of the Scientific Alliance of New York from 1891-1906 and of the
New York Academy of Sciences in 1908 and 1909. Greatly interested in microscopy
and microbiology, he served as Chairman of the Charity Organization Society's
Committee on the Prevention of Tuberculosis. He donated his collection
of microscopes and books to the NYBG.
Cox was also greatly interested in the life and work of Charles Darwin.
He formed one of the most complete collections of Darwiniana. Cox's brother
Jacob Dolson Cox served as Secretary of War under the Grant Administration
and later as Governor of Ohio.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The collection consists of books, pamphlets, photographs, research notes,
correspondence, transcriptions, journal articles, clippings, sketches,
microfilm, prints, commemorative memorabilia and a statue.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1: Darwin Published Articles
Series 2: Cox Collection Guides
Series 3: Darwin Centennial
Series 4: Cox Correspondence
Series 5: Articles about Darwin
Series 6: Cox Publications
Series 7: Research Notes
Series 8: Miscellaneous Cox Personal Papers
Series 9: Portraits
Series 10: Diatom Photomicrographs
Series 11: Books
Series 12: Extra Illustrated Editions
Series 13: Artworks
Series 14: Darwin Correspondence
Series 15: Miscellaneous Uncollected Darwin Writings
Series 1 Darwin published articles
2.5 linear inches
These clippings are from a variety of journals and they are all published
articles or letters by Darwin.
Series 2 Cox Collection guides
1 folder
Two published guides to the Cox Collection of Darwiniana.
Series 3 Darwin Centennial
3 linear inches
Commemorative materials from the Oxford University 1909 Darwin Centennial
Celebration which was attended by Cox.
Series 4 Cox correspondence
1 linear inch
Small eclectic collection of personal correspondence from 1873 to 1909.
Series 5 Articles about Darwin
2 linear inches
This collection of clippings concerns commentary on Darwin and his works
taken from a variety of journals.
Series 6 Cox publications
1 linear inch
Reprints of articles written by Cox as well as the 37 page manuscript
of an essay entitled Moral Influence of Charles Darwin.
Series 7 Research notes
1 linear inch
This series is divided between notes on botanical subjects and notes
on the writings of Darwin.
Series 8 Misc. Personal papers
1 folder
Included are a newspaper clipping about Cox's father (a Manhattan contractor),
desiderata lists, a Darwiniana sale catalog and travel souvineers.
Series 9 Portraits
4 linear inches
Two albums of 19th century notables found with a note "Numerous
plates have been removed for insertion in C. F. Cox's extra-illustrated
copy of Darwin's Life and Letters."
Series 10 Diatom photomicrographs
10 linear inches
These leather bound notebooks were donated to the NYBG in July of 1979
by the New York Microscopical Society. The 8 volumes of over 1700 images
are all labelled with scientific names, place of origin, date and dimensions.
One of them is the work of Jacob Dolson Cox.
Series 11 Books
16 lin. ft.
This series, numbering 111 titles, is part of the Cox Memorial Collection
which was purchased in 1912 by the Garden's Board of Managers from the
Cox estate. The collection was housed in a case in the library reading
room for a number of years and is now housed in the rare book room of the
LuEsther T. Mertz Library. The series is concerned with the published works
of Charles Darwin, his son Francis, and his grandfather Erasmus, as well
as related commentary written by others. There are foreign language editions
of many works as well multiple editions of the more important ones. One
of the volumes is autographed by Charles Darwin as a presentation copy.
One volume by Erasmus Darwin is extensively annotated in the margins. Most
have been rebound by Cox.
Series 12 Extra Illustrated Editions
1.65 lin. ft.
This series, consisting of three titles, is also part of the Cox Memorial
Collection purchased from the Cox estate in 1912. The first two titles,
The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin and More Letters of Charles
Darwin, are both edited by Francis Darwin (son of Charles). Cox has
tipped in numerous illustrations to these volumes himself. Many of the
portrait photographs used are from the studios of Maull & Fox and have
identifications and numbers written on the back of each. Additionally,
the first title has 23 original letters inserted by Cox. For transcripts
of these letters, see Series 14. The third title, Journal of
Researches into the Natural History and Geology of the Countries Visited
During the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle Round the World, was owned by Robert
Taylor Pritchett and was studied by him for illustrating a new edition.
It is filled with notes, letters, annotations, and original pencil sketches.
This series is kept in the rare book room of the LuEsther T. Mertz Library
along with Series 11.
Series 13 Artwork
Two framed prints and one bronze statue
This series consists of two Darwin portrait prints, one of which is
autographed, and a bronze statue of Darwin seated.
Series 14 Darwin Correspondence
10 lin. in.
This series consists of original Darwin correspondence, including 23
letters which have been tipped into the Cox extra illustrated editions
(Series 12). There are several major correspondents, including William
Bernhard Tegetmeier (136 letters from Darwin to Tegetmeier concerning the
breeding of fowl and pigeons with corresponding microfilm and copies of
Tegetmeier's correspondence with Darwin xeroxed from the collections of
Cambridge University); Professor J. S. Newberry (21 letters from various
correspondents); and Albany Hancock (11 letters concerning Cirripedia).
Also included is one letter from Erasmus Darwin to Sir Joseph Banks. Excepting
those addresessed to Newberry, each original letter has a corresponding
abstract, xerox copy and transcript.
Series 15 Miscellaneous Uncollected Darwin
Writings
5 lin. in. Arranged numerically.
This unpaginated manuscript consists of 118 published articles and pamphlets
written by Charles Darwin. They are unbound and pasted onto acid free sheets
where size permits. Included is a numbered list of each item with pencilled
numbers corresponding to the item number described in the printed catalog
of The Charles Finney Cox Collection of Darwiniana written by J.
H. Barnhart and published in the Journal of the New York Botanical
Garden, Volume XIV, pp. 1-29, January 1913. Items 34, 57, 98 and
107 are not included in Barnhart's catalog. Two items (numbers 130 and
158) listed in the Barnhart catalog are not in the manuscript but are unmounted
in envelopes accompanying the manuscript.
RELATED COLLECTIONS
NYBG
RBR Darwiniana Collection
Processed September 2000 by Stephen Sinon under a grant
from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) PA-23141-98 and a
grant from the Harriet Ford Dickenson Foundation.
For more information and a complete description contact
Susan Fraser, NYBG
Archivist
The LuEsther T. Mertz Library
The New York Botanical Garden
Bronx, NY 10458-5126
(718) 817-8879
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