Letters from James MacBride to Stephen Elliott, 1814 April 4-1817, undated Digital
Scope and Contents
Correspondence from physician and botanist James MacBride (1784-1817) of Princeville and Charleston, South Carolina, to Elliott, dated April 4, 1814 to 1817, and undated. Topics include classification, collection, and exchange of plant specimens and a voyage with his family to the mountains, where he hoped to but did not meet naturalist John Eatton Le Conte (1784-1860). MacBride describes meeting with a two Moravian clergymen and plant collectors, Jacob Van Vleck (1751-1831) and Lewis David von Schweinitz (1780-1834), and writes about the death of botanist John Lyon (1765-1814), which he attributed to improper medical care, and his observations of Lyon’s specimens and papers. He also references Elliott’s sketch on botany, offering his services as a transcriber for the publication, Elliot’s suggestion of establishing a medical school in Charleston, and a description of the plant and animal life of the calcareous region of St. John’s Parish.
Dates
- Creation: 1814 April 4-1817, undated
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is available by appointment for research. Researchers must register and provide one form of valid photo identification. Please contact botref@oeb.harvard.edu for additional information.
Extent
0.5 linear feet (2 flat boxes)Creator
- From the Collection: Elliott, Stephen, 1771-1830 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Botany Libraries, Gray Herbarium Library, Harvard University Repository
The Harvard University Herbaria houses five research libraries that are managed collectively as the Botany Libraries. The Gray Herbarium Library specializes in the identification and classification of New World plants with emphasis on North American plants. The Archives of the Gray Herbarium houses unique resources including personal papers, institutional records, field notes and plant lists, expedition records, photographs, original artwork, and objects from faculty, curators, staff, and affiliates of the Gray Herbarium.
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