Title: George W. Melville Scrapbooks
Inclusive Dates: 1881-1903

Creator:

• Melville, George W. (George Wallace), 1841-1912

Call Number: AGSL Manuscript Collection 7

Quantity: 1.4 cubic ft. (3 boxes)
Repository:

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, American Geographical Society Library

Archival Location:

UW-Milwaukee Libraries, American Geographical Society Library (Map)

Abstract:

This collection includes four scrapbooks from the library of George W. Melville. Three scrapbooks focus on Arctic exploration, including one on the Jeannette Expedition, and another on the "Drift Casks Project" for determining Arctic currents. A fourth scrapbook contains Melville's personal correspondence.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-agsl-agslmss0007

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George W. Melville was born in New York City in 1841. He joined the Navy in 1861 and served aboard a number of ships. In 1873 he was the chief engineer of the steamer Tigress during an Arctic cruise searching for survivors of the exploration ship Polaris. He returned to the Arctic in 1879 aboard the steamer Jeannette and assumed leadership of the survivors of the ill-fated expedition after they landed in Siberia in 1881. Melville again went to the Arctic in 1884 aboard the USS Thetis. Melville left active duty in 1903 and died in Philadelphia in 1912.

Scope and content notes for each scrapbook are included in the contents list.

Citation Guide for Primary Sources

• American Geographical Society Library Photograph Collection.

• American Geographical Society of New York Records. AGSNY Archival Collection 1.

• Edmund Mills Scrapbooks. AGSL Manuscript Collection 16.

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

Custodial History

The American Geographical Society (AGS) received these scrapbooks in August 1922 as a bequest from Edmund Mills.

Acquisition Information

The American Geographical Society (AGS) donated these scrapbooks to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries in 1978 as part of its entire map and library collections.

Processing Information

Christel Maass, in the UWM Libraries' Archives Dept., began processing this collection in October 2009. Denise Gergetz (supervised by Christel Maass) added some additional materials in January 2010.

	Scrapbooks
Box   1	Arctic Exploration, 1884-1902 Scope and Content Note: This scrapbook focuses generally on Arctic exploration and mainly contains newspaper clippings of various expeditions. The clippings are primarily from The New York Sun and The New York Herald. Subjects include The Peary Expedition, The Nansen Expedition, and Siberia.
Box   3	Correspondence, 1882-1900 Scope and Content Note: This scrapbook contains Melville's correspondence and includes letters, journal facsimiles, invitations, magazine clippings, maps, photographs, and a biography written by William Ledyard Cathcart. Edmund Mills compiled this scrapbook with papers from Melville's library, and included is a list of materials from Melville's library given to Mills by Melville's executor.
Box   1	Drift Casks Project, 1897-1903 Scope and Content Note: This scrapbook contains correspondence, drawings, photographs, articles, and news clippings concerning the "draft casks project."
Box   2	Jeannette Expedition, 1881-1882 Scope and Content Note: This scrapbook focuses heavily on the Jeannette Expedition and consists of clippings from various newspapers including The New York Herald, The New York Times, and Harper's Weekly. This scrapbook begins with clippings compiled by Melville, and was completed by Edmund Mills using Melville's clippings.