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COLLECTION Identifier: HUG 1225 and HUG 1226

William Cranch Bond family collection, 1845-1872 and undated

Overview

This collection holds papers relating to the work and life of the William Cranch Bond family of Massachusetts, including several family chronicles written by Elizabeth L. Bond. William Cranch Bond (1789-1859), son of a clockmaker, was the proprietor of Willliam Bond & Son, makers of scientific instruments, particularly chronometers. Both William Cranch Bond and his son George Phillips Bond were directors of the Harvard College Observatory and held the title Phillips Professor of Astronomy.

Dates

  • Creation: 1845-1872 and undated

Creator

Access

Open for research.

Extent

0.5 cubic feet

Scope and Contents

This collection holds papers relating to the work and life of the William Cranch Bond family of Massachusetts. It includes several later family chronicles written by Elizabeth L. Bond.

Additional Description

History/Biographical Note

William Cranch Bond (1789-1859), son of a clockmaker, was the proprietor of Willliam Bond & Son, makers of scientific instruments, particularly chronometers. Both William Cranch Bond and his son George Phillips Bond (1925-1865) were directors of the Harvard College Observatory and held the title Phillips Professor of Astronomy.

William Cranch Bond was the first Director of the Harvard College Observatory (1845-1859) and his son was its second (1859-1865).

Acquisition information

Transfers from the Harvard College Observatory and donations.

Related Materials

Related archival and artifactual resources
  1. Records of the Harvard College Observatory in the Harvard University Archives
  2. Records of William Bond & Son and The Bond Family in the Harvard University Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments
  3. William Cranch Bond correspondence, 1840-1852 (21 letters) in the Houghton Library, Harvard University. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL.Hough:hou02402
Related writings
  1. Bond, William Cranch, 1789-1859. Observations of solar spots, 1847-1849.
  2. Holden, Edward S. Memorials of W. C. Bond and of His Son G. P. Bond.
  3. Jones, Bessie Zaban. Diary of the two Bonds, 1846-1849 : first directors of the Harvard College Observatory. Published in three parts in the Harvard Library Bulletin (Harvard Library Bulletin, Volume XV, Number 4, October 1967, pp. 368-386 http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL:423896; Harvard Library Bulletin, Volume XVI, Number 1, January 1968, pp. 49-71 http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL:423938; Harvard Library Bulletin, Volume XVI, Number 2, April 1968, pp. 178-207 http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL:423955)
  4. Harvard University Collection of Scientific Instruments. An inventory of documents relating to William Bond and Son and the Bond Family.
  5. Other books by our about William Cranch Bond, the Bond family, and the Harvard College Observatory may be found by searching the HOLLIS catalog: http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:hul.eresource:holliswb

Inventory update

This document last updated 2019 February 20.

Processing Information

Material was first described in the Harvard University Archives shelflist in the mid-20th century.

This inventory created by Kate Bowers in March 2014 from shelflist information. Material not examined.
Link to catalog

Related Names

Creator

Administrative Information

Title
Bond family. William Cranch Bond family collection, 1845-approximately 1940: an inventory
Language of description
und
EAD ID
hua08014

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Harvard University Archives Repository

http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:hul.ois:HUA

Holding nearly four centuries of materials, the Harvard University Archives is the principal repository for the institutional records of Harvard University and the personal archives of Harvard faculty, as well as collections related to students, alumni, Harvard-affiliates and other associated topics. The collections document the intellectual, cultural, administrative and social life of Harvard and the influence of the University as it emerged across the globe.

Contact:
Pusey Library
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