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Papers of James Curtis Booth

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Held at: Science History Institute Archives [Contact Us]315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Science History Institute Archives. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

James Curtis Booth was an analytical chemist and metallurgist who spent the bulk of his professional life as an employee of the U.S. Mint at Philadelphia, where he was Chief Melter and Refiner. He also taught chemistry and partnered with Matthew Boye and later with Thomas Garretson, ran a successful analytical laboratory-cum-training school for chemists, the first institution of its kind to be opened in the United States.

For a more detailed inventory, please view this record in our library catalog: https://othmerlib.sciencehistory.org/record=b1043273~S6

The collection falls naturally into three parts. The first and largest part concerns James Curtis Booth, his student days in Germany, and his long career at the U.S. Mint at Philadelphia. The second part contains writings, mostly letters, to and from Booth's wife and daughters. These are personal in nature. The final part contains writings by other members of Booth's family, including material by his father, George Booth, who published under the pen-name "Amyntor.".

This collection represents material created by several generations of the Booth Family. The material created by James Curtis Booth is professional in nature. Material by his daughters and other family members is more personal in nature. There are also literary works, some of them published by George ("Amyntor") Booth, the father of James.

Collection contains manuscript letters from Henry Carrington Bolton, Michael Faraday, Campbell Morfit, and Friederich Wöhler.

Purchased from Carmen D. Valentino, Book Dealer, from the former collection of Marion Sadtler Carson, collector and historian.

Science History Institute has digitized part or all of this collection.

Source of acquisition--Carmen D. Valentino. Method of acquisition--Purchase;; Date of acquisition--2005..

Publisher
Science History Institute Archives

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