Zaccheus Collins (1764-1831) was a plant collector and herbarium owner from Philadelphia. Collins was an esteemed botanist and was often consulted by a majority of botanical writers, though he never published anything himself. He was also an avid collector and his herbarium contained a nearly complete collection of the plants from the vicinity of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. His correspondents also sent him various specimens from their research in the southern states, particularly South Carolina and Georgia. The collection contains letters that are entirely botanical in nature, coming from 55 individuals, and presents a cross section of the botanists and their problems in the early 19th century. There is significant correspondence from Henry Muhlenberg (1753-1815), Frederick Augustus Hall Muhlenberg, Stephen Elliott (1771-1830) and Dr. Jacob Bigelow (1787-1879), as well as many other important botanists of the era.
Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]