THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY MANUSCRIPTS AND ARCHIVES SECTION CHARLES ALBERT BROWNE PAPERS, 1896-1947 Processed by: Valerie Wingfield May 1991 Main entry: Charles Albert Browne Title: Papers, 1896-1947 Size: 24 linear ft. (18 archival boxes, 69 vols). Source: Gift of Caroline Browne Furness, 1960 & 1963 Restrictions: The photographs in boxes 15-16 are in long tightly wound rolls; conservation treatment must be executed before handling. Biographical statement: Chemist, science writer, food technologist dealing with sugar. Description: The papers reflect Charles Albert Browne's career as an agricultural chemist. The papers consist of correspondence, journals, reprints of articles by Browne, photographs and some miscellaneous financial and printed material. The journals contain insertions of letters received, photographs, and news clippings describing Browne's travels in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and the South Pacific, and his social and business routines in Washington D.C., 1926-1945, and digests of chemical and engineering data. Special format: photographs; artifacts Contents Biography ........................p. 3 Note on Provenance................p. 3 Scope and Contents................p. 3 Series Descriptions...............p. 4-5 Container list....................p. 6-10 CHARLES ALBERT BROWNE PAPERS BIOGRAPHY Charles Albert Browne (1870-1947) was a chemist, science writer, and food technologist dealing with sugar. The son of the inventor Charles Albert Browne Sr., Browne developed his interest in chemistry early in life. Browne's education included a degree in chemistry from Williams College in Williamstown, Mass. (1888-1892) and a Phd. degree from the University of Göttingen. Browne also developed a life long interest in the Greek language and literature. Browne is remembered as an outstanding agricultural research chemist in the field of sugar chemistry and technology. Positions held by Brown included research chemist for the Louisiana Sugar Experiment Station (1902-1906); chief chemist, New York Sugar Trade Laboratory (1907-1923); acting chief and chief of the Bureau of Chemistry (1923-1926); assistant chief and principle chemist of the Bureau of Chemistry and Soil (1927-1940); and an advisor to the Bureau of Agriculture, Chemistry and Engineering (1940-1947). Browne also published numerous articles and monographs on the history of chemistry and related areas. Note on Provenance: The Charles Albert Browne papers were donated to the Research Libraries of the New York Public Library in 1960 and June, 1963 by his daughter Caroline Browne Furness. SCOPE AND CONTENTS The papers (1896-1945, 24 linear ft.), reflect Charles Albert Browne's work within the field of agricultural chemistry, especially with regard to sugar cane research. The papers contain correspondence, writings, journals, printed material and photographs. The journals contain writings on Browne's travels throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the South Pacific. One laboratory journal contains interviews written by Browne as chemist in charge of the New York Sugar Trade laboratory. The remainder of the material consist photographs, miscellaneous financial and printed material, ephemera and artifacts. ARRANGEMENT NOTE The Charles Albert Browne papers (1896-1947) which are contained in eighteen manuscript boxes and 69 volumes are arranged into five series: I Correspondence; II Writings; III Journals; IV Reprints; V Photographs. SERIES DESCRIPTION Series 1. Correspondence (Container no. 1.) The General Correspondence, 1900-1945 (.04 linear ft.) is chronological in its arrangement. It consists primarily of incoming letters to Browne in his capacity as an agricultural chemist. There are a few typescript replies. The correspondence also includes some references to Browne's monograph A Handbook of Sugar Analysis and his biography of the 18th-19th century German chemist Frederick Christian Accum (1769-1838). The letters are written in English and German. The remainder of the correspondence contains a few miscellaneous letters to Mrs. Charles A. Browne. Series 2. Writings (Container nos. 2-8) The writings c.1921-1947 (2.02 linear ft.), consist of two subseries. Subseries 1 contains speeches, papers and book reviews by Browne relating to agricultural chemistry. The speeches, papers and reviews by Brown are arranged chronologically. Undated material is arranged by title. There are a few papers by others. Subseries 2 contains Browne's notes regarding Frederick Accum, ancient alchemy, Greek alchemy, American history, and notebooks. Series 3. Journals (69 volumes, Container 18) The journals, 1919-1945 (16 linear ft.), chronicle Browne's travels throughout the United States, Europe, the Middle East and the South Pacific. The journals are arranged into five continuous subseries. Subseries 1, Volumes 1-41, contains the original manuscripts of Browne's writings of his observations in the United States and abroad; these observations include visits to agricultural and chemical sites, the people and customs Browne encountered, and historical sites. The writings are supplemented by photographs and letters. The photographs include pictures of the south and northwestern United States, Great Britain, Egypt, Australia, New Zealand and Sweden. Subseries 2, Volumes 42-52, consists of typescripts extracted from volumes 1-41. Volume 52 is an index to volumes 42-51. Subseries 3, Volume 53 is Browne's account of visits to European agricultural museums, 1929-1938. Subseries 3, Volumes 54-58, contains journals of Browne's visit to Australia to attend the Congress of the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists held in Brisbane from August 27 to September 3, 1935. Volumes 57-58 are duplicate carbon typescripts. Subseries 4, Volumes 59-60, is a record of chemical and agricultural observations in Great Britain, France, Holland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark during 1938. Subseries 5, Volumes 61-69, is a miscellaneous assortment of material including duplicate chemical reprints of articles by Browne 1936-1945; a list of Browne's publications 1896-1945, an incomplete typescript of Browne's monograph, A Source Book of Agricultural Chemistry, and unpublished papers by Browne. The remaining material consists of Browne's "Laboratory Journal of Interviews" as chemist in charge of New York Sugar Trade Laboratory 1919-1923. The title is misleading; it is chiefly a diary in which are recorded Browne's conversations with chemists about sugar production. (Container no. 18). Series 4. Reprints (Containers nos. 9-11) The Reprints 1899-1947 (.10 linear ft.), are arranged chronologically. They contain reprints of Browne's articles which were published in scientific journals and serials regarding agricultural chemistry and alchemy. The remainder of the series consists of some reprints by other authors. Volume 69 is a duplicate volume of chemical reprints. Series 5. Photographs (Containers nos. 15-17; journals) The photographs C1920-1947 (2 linear ft.) are primarily pictures taken by Browne of his trips in the United States and abroad and conferences he attended. The photographs of cities, people and agricultural sites are interleaved in the journals. The other group of photographs are panoramic shots of groups of people at conferences or attending large banquets. The photographs in boxes 16-17 are restricted until they receive conservation treatment. The remainder of the papers are ephemera, miscellaneous printed material, miscellaneous financial documents and artifacts (dried maple leaves). CHARLES ALBERT BROWNE PAPERS CONTAINER LIST Correspondence General Correspondence Box 1 f.1 1900-1930 2 1931-1935 3 1936-1938 Jan.- June 4 1938 July-Dec. 5 1939-1942 6 1943-1945 Correspondence regarding A Handbook of Sugar Analysis f.7 1911-1912 8 1913 Correspondence regarding Frederick Accum f.9 1921 10 1924-1929 11 1930-1946 Mrs. Charles Albert Browne 12 1943-1955 Writings Speeches, papers and reviews by Browne Box 2 f.1 1921-1928 2 1929-1931 3 1931 4 1932 5 1933 6 1934 7 1935-1936 8 1937-1938 9 1939 10 1940 f.11 1941-1943 12 1944-1945 Speeches, papers and reviews by Browne (N.D.) Box 3 f.1 A 2 B-D 3 E-F 4 G-J 5 K-L 6-7 M 8 O 9 P 10 R CONTAINER LIST Writings Speeches, papers and reviews by Browne (N.D.) Box 3 f.11 T-V 12-13 Miscellaneous papers 14-15 Incomplete papers 16 Miscellaneous papers Speeches, papers and reviews by Browne (N.D.) Box 4 S Notes Box 5 f. 1-2 Notes regarding Frederick Accum 3-8 Notes regarding ancient alchemy 9-12 Notes regarding Greek alchemy Box 6 f. 1-8 Notes regarding American history 9 Notes regarding the chemical books in the library of Col. William Byrd. Box 7 f.1 Notes regarding salt, sugar and potash research in America 2-3 Notes regarding Stephanus of Alexandria. 4-9 Miscellaneous notes Box 8 f.1 Miscellaneous Notes 2-4 Notebooks 5 Index to record of chemical and agricultural observations. 6 List of book reviews and publications of Browne. 7 Miscellaneous Papers 8 Incomplete typescripts 9 Biographical data on Browne 10 Artifacts (maple leaves) Reprints of articles by Browne Box 9 f.1 1899-1909 2 1911-1920 3 1921-1924 4 1925 5 1926 6 1927-1928 7 1929-1930 8 1931-1933 CONTAINER LIST Reprints of articles by Browne Box 9 f.9 1934-1936 10 1937 11 1938 Reprints of articles by Browne Box 10 f.1 1939 2 1940 3 1941-1943 4 1944 5 1945 6 1946-1947 7 N.D. 8-9 Reprints by others Box 11 f.1-2 Reprints by others 3-11 ephemera; Printed Material Boxes 12-13 Printed Material; financial material. Box 14 Miscellaneous papers; prints Boxes 15-7 Photographs Box 18 Laboratory journal 1919-923 JOURNALS Charles Albert Browne's Journals 1926-945 are travel diaries of his trips in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and the South Pacific. Vol. 1. 1926 2. 1927 Jan. - June 3. 1927 July - Dec. 4. 1928 Jan. - June 5. 1928 July - Dec. 6. 1929 Jan. - June 7. 1929 July - Dec. 8. 1930 Jan. - Mar. 9. 1930 April- June 10. 1930 July - Dec. JOURNALS Vol. 11. 1931 12. 1932 Jan. - June 13. 1932 July - Dec. 14. 1933 Jan. - June 15. 1933 July - Dec. 16. 1934 Jan. - June 17. 1934 July - Aug. 18. 1934 Sept. - Dec. 19. 1935 Jan. - June 20. 1935 July - Aug. 21. 1935 Sept. - Dec. 22. 1936 Jan. - June 23. 1936 July - Sept. 24. 1936 Oct. - Dec. 25. 1937 Jan. - June 26. 1937 July - Dec. 27. 1938 Jan. - May 28. 1938 June - July 29. 1938 Aug. 30. 1938 Sept. - Dec. 31. 1939 Jan. - June 32. 1939 July - Sept. 33. 1939 Sept. - Dec. 34. 1940 Jan. - June 35. 1940 July - Dec. 36. 1941 Jan. - July 37. 1941 Aug. - Dec. 38. 1942 39. 1943 40. 1944 41. 1945 Journals volumes 42-51 are original typescripts excerpted from vols. 1-41. Vol. 42. Great Britain 1929 May-July 43. Belgium, Holland, Germany and Switzerland 1929 Aug.- Sept. 44. France and Spain 1929 Sept.- Dec. 45. Egypt 1930 46. Palestine, Syria and Turkey 1930 Feb. - Mar. 47. Greece 1930 Mar. 48. Italy 1930 Apr. Journals volumes 42-52 are original typescripts excerpted from vols. 1-41. Vol. 49. France 1930 May-June 50. France and Germany 1930 June-July 51. Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Switzerland, France, Belgium and Holland 1930 July-Oct. 52. Index to vols. 42-51. Vol. 53. Accounts of visits to European agricultural museums 1929-1938. Journals of Browne's visits to Australia to attend the Congress of the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists held in Brisbane from the Aug. 27 - Sept. 1935. [Vols. 54-56] Vol. 54. Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji Islands and New Zealand. 55. Australia 56. New Zealand, Fiji Islands, Samoa and Hawaii. 57-58. Duplicate carbon typescripts of vols. 54-56. 61-62. Chemical reprints. 1936-1945. 63. List of Browne's publications 1896-1945. 64-66. A Source Book of Agricultural Chemistry by Browne.[Vol. 1, chapters 1-7] 67-68. Unpublished papers of Browne 1917-1943. Vol. 69. Chemical reprints