Main content

James Cloyd Downs Papers

Notifications

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

Call Number:
016
Repository:
Science History Institute Archives
Extent:
3.5 linear feet (2 record boxes and 1 hollinger box.)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, James Cloyd Downs Papers, 1902-2018, Science History Institute Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Date:
1902-2018 (inclusive) and 1923-1957 (inclusive)
Creator:
Downs, James C. (Cloyd), 1885-1957
Form:
Archival materials, Blueprints (reprographic copies), Photographs, Diaries, and Engineering drawings
Abstract:
Diaries, correspondence, printed materials, and photographs of American chemical engineer James Cloyd Downs.

James Cloyd Downs (1885-1957) was an American chemical engineer. Born in Newark, New Jersey on November 6, 1885, Downs earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (1904). After earning his degree, he worked for New York Edison Company and Acker Process Company.

In 1907, Downs was hired by Niagara Electro Chemical Company, which soon merged with Roessler & Hasslacher Chemical Company. At Roessler & Hasslacher, Downs conducted research on McNitt sodium cells. He also served as Plant Manager of the firm's sodium plant in St. Albans, West Virginia for a time.

At Roessler & Hasslacher, Downs was best known for his invention of the Downs Cell. Invented in 1922, the Downs Cell is an apparatus used for the electrolytic production of metallic sodium and chlorine from molten salt (NaCl). The Downs Cell replaced the less efficient Castner Process and allowed for production of larger quantities of sodium. The sodium obtained through this apparatus is used for numerous applications, including the production of sodium cyanide, sodium peroxide, dyes, and pharmaceuticals. Downs was awarded a United States patent for the Downs Cell in 1924 and the rights to this patent were initially assigned to Roessler & Hasslacher. The patent rights for the Downs Cell later passed to E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (DuPont), which purchased Roessler & Hasslacher in 1930.

Downs was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1923, which ultimately forced his early retirement from Roessler & Hasslacher in 1926. From 1926 to 1956, he lived in Saranac Lake, New York and served as a consultant for several chemical firms, including DuPont and National Distillers Chemical Corporation. Downs was awarded the Jacob F. Schoellkopf Medal by the Western New York Section of the American Chemical Society in 1934. He was also noted for being the father of Wilbur G. Downs (1913-1991), a well-known virologist and naturalist.

James Cloyd Downs passed away in Eugene, Oregon on December 18, 1957.

Sources

James Cloyd Downs Papers, Science History Institute Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

"Originator of the 'Downs Cell' Dies in Eugene Wednesday," Eugene Register-Guard, December 18, 1957.

The James Cloyd Papers contain the personal and professional papers of American chemical engineer James Cloyd Downs. The collection is arranged into the following six series:

  1. Diaries
  2. Correspondence Files
  3. Downs Cell Files
  4. Miscellaneous
  5. Printed Materials
  6. Photographs

The James Cloyd Downs Papers were donated to the Science History Institute by Helen Downs Haller in June 2018.

The James Cloyd Downs Papers were processed by Kenton G. Jaehnig in April 2022.

There are no other known archival collections created by James Cloyd Downs preserved at the date of processing.

The Wilbur G. Downs Papers are preserved at the Rockefeller Archives Center in Sleepy Hollow, New York.

People
Organization
Subject

Publisher
Science History Institute Archives
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid created and encoded into EAD by Kenton G. Jaehnig.
Finding Aid Date
2022
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes and the collection is open to the public.

Use Restrictions

The Science History Institute holds copyright to the James Cloyd Downs Papers. The researcher assumes full responsibility for all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Collection Inventory

Series Description

Arranged chronologically by date, this series contains an incomplete set of personal diaries kept by James Cloyd Downs between 1914 and his death in 1957. These diaries mainly document his everyday activities during his retirement in Saranac Lake, New York. The diaries from 1914 and 1923 provide some documentation of Downs' work at Roessler & Hasslacher Chemical Company. A small amount of information regarding Downs' consultant work for various clients, including DuPont and National Distillers Chemical Corporation, is also found in these diaries. Downs' observations of historical events of his time, including United States presidential elections and World War II, are also recorded here.

The actual diaries make up the bulk of the materials in this series. An index compiled by Downs' granddaughter Helen Downs Haller, which lists notable entries in the diaries is also found in this series. Small amounts of miscellaneous accompanying materials found inside of the diaries, including, but not limited to, photocopied newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, notes, and business cards are preserved here as well.

Diary Index - "Pages in the Personal Diaries of James Cloyd Downs with Notes of Technical Interest", undated.
Box 1 Folder 1
Diary, 1914.
Box 1 Folder 2
Diary, 1923.
Box 1 Folder 3
Diary (Includes magazine clipping and newspaper clippings.), 1929.
Box 1 Folder 4
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings and magazine clippings.), 1930.
Box 1 Folder 5
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings.), 1931.
Box 1 Folder 6
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings, notes, and a price tag.), 1932.
Box 1 Folder 7
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings, a securities list, a business card, and notes.), 1933.
Box 1 Folder 8
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings, a securities list, and a hotel logo.), 1934.
Box 1 Folder 9
Diary (Includes postal stamps, a securities list, newspaper clippings, and notes.), 1935.
Box 1 Folder 10
Diary (Includes notes, newspaper clippings, a receipt, and a magazine clipping.), 1936.
Box 1 Folder 11
Diary (Includes postal stamps and newspaper clippings.), 1937.
Box 1 Folder 12
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings and a commission charge list.), 1938.
Box 1 Folder 13
Diary (Includes a business outlook list, newspaper clippings, notes, and Christmas seals.), 1939.
Box 1 Folder 14
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings, an election campaign sticker, and Christmas seals.), 1940.
Box 1 Folder 15
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings and business cards.), 1941.
Box 1 Folder 16
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings, a magazine clipping, a receipt, notes, and Christmas seals.), 1942.
Box 2 Folder 1
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings, a tax stamp, and a magazine clipping.), 1943.
Box 2 Folder 2
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, and notes.), 1944.
Box 2 Folder 3
Diary (Includes notes, a brochure, newspaper clippings, and a magazine clipping.), 1945.
Box 2 Folder 4
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings, notes, and typed transcript re: Wilbur G. Down's Bronze Star Award.), 1946.
Box 2 Folder 5
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings and notes.), 1947.
Box 2 Folder 6
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, notes, and a receipt.), 1948.
Box 2 Folder 7
Diary (Includes notes, newspapers clippings, magazine clippings, a receipt, a postcard, and a business card.), 1949.
Box 2 Folder 8
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings, a magazine clipping, notes, and a shopping list.), 1950.
Box 2 Folder 9
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings, notes, and shopping lists.), 1952.
Box 2 Folder 10
Diary (Includes a newspaper clipping, a magazine clipping, and notes.), 1953.
Box 2 Folder 11
Diary (Includes magazine clippings, newspaper clippings, an invitation, a business card, and 1 black and white photograph.), 1954.
Box 2 Folder 12
Diary (Includes notes, newspaper clippings, an invitation, and a business card.), 1955.
Box 2 Folder 13
Diary (Includes notes, a receipt, newspaper clippings, business cards, and a magazine clipping.), 1956.
Box 2 Folder 14
Diary (Includes newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, an automobile registration card, notes, and business cards.), 1957.
Box 2 Folder 15

Series Description

Arranged alphabetically by subject, this series contains James Cloyd Downs' correspondence files. The files in this series provide a very limited amount of information regarding Downs' personal and business affairs. Single files containing Downs' correspondence with Niagara Electro Chemical Company and Roessler & Hasslacher Chemical Company are found in this series. A file containing correspondence regarding Downs' being awarded the Jacob F. Schoellkopf Medal is also preserved here.

Anthony, William A., 1902-1904.
Box 3 Folder 1
Coopey, Walter, 1949.
Box 3 Folder 2
Downs, Wilbur G., 1934 July 17.
Box 3 Folder 3
E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, 1937.
Box 3 Folder 4
Hulse, Robert E., 1956.
Box 3 Folder 5
Jacob F. Schoellkopf Medal Lectures, 1934.
Box 3 Folder 6
National Distillers Chemical Corporation, 1949.
Box 3 Folder 7
Niagara Electro Chemical Company, 1909, 1911.
Box 3 Folder 8
Roessler & Hasslacher Chemical Company, 1926, 1928.
Box 3 Folder 9

Series Description

Arranged alphabetically by subject, this series contains James Cloyd Downs' files concerning the Downs Cell, which he invented in 1922 and for which he was awarded a United States patent in 1924. The files in this series contain a limited amount of technical information about the Downs Cell. A small amount of information regarding the use of the Downs Cell within the chemical industry (including by Roessler & Hasslacher Chemical Company and DuPont) is also preserved here.

The contents of the Downs Cell Files include, but are not limited to, blueprints, drawings, correspondence, notes, and a copy of the United States patent awarded to Downs.

Downs Cell - Articles About, 1931-1946.
Box 3 Folder 10
Downs Cell - Blueprints, 1924, 1926, undated.
Box 3 Folder 11
Downs Cell - Correspondence, 1926-1956.
Box 3 Folder 12
Downs Cell - Drawings, 1927, 1929, undated.
Box 3 Folder 13
Downs Cell - Notes, 1926, undated.
Box 3 Folder 14
Downs Cell - United States Patent #1,501,756, 1924.
Box 3 Folder 15

Series Description

Arranged alphabetically by subject, this series contains miscellaneous files collected by James Cloyd Downs and his granddaughter Helen Downs Haller. Four of the files in this series contain information concerning James Cloyd Downs himself. Three files concerning Clarkson College of Technology's "Fundamentals of Radio," an Engineering, Science, and Management War Training course completed by Downs during World War II, are also present in this series. A single file containing a college chemical engineering class paper written by Helen Downs Haller is also preserved here.

The contents of the files in this series consist of a variety of materials, including, but not limited to, class handouts, notes, certificates, photocopied newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, webpage printouts, and a college class paper.

Clarkson College of Technology - Fundamentals of Radio - Part I & II - Certificate, 1943.
Box 3 Folder 16
Clarkson College of Technology - Fundamentals of Radio - Part I & II - Class Materials (Article reprint, problems, lab worksheets, syllabi, and tests.), 1942-1943.
Box 3 Folder 17
Clarkson College of Technology - Fundamentals of Radio - Part I & II - Class Notes, 1942-1943.
Box 3 Folder 18
Downs, James Cloyd - Biographical Information (Gathered by Helen Downs Haller.), 2018, undated.
Box 3 Folder 19
Downs, James Cloyd - Certificate of Social Insurance Award, 1950 December 12.
Box 3 Folder 20
Downs, James Cloyd - Financial Ledger - Securities and Investments, 1929-1953.
Box 3 Folder 21
Downs, James Cloyd - Miscellaneous, 1927-1928.
Box 3 Folder 22
Haller, Helen Downs (Formerly Helen H. Downs.) - "The Electrolytic Production of Sodium" (Report for fourth-year chemical engineering class at Cornell University.), 1962 May 26.
Box 3 Folder 23

Series Description

Arranged alphabetically by subject, this series contains printed materials collected by James Cloyd Downs. A majority of the materials in this series concern sodium production and chemical companies for whom he was an employee or consultant (including Roessler & Hasslacher Chemical Company, DuPont, and National Distillers Chemical Corporation). A small amount of materials regarding miscellaneous subjects Downs had a personal interest in are also preserved here.

The contents of the Printed Materials series consist of photocopied newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, publications, an article reprint, and a table of contents.

E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company - Articles About, 1941-1950, undated.
Box 3 Folder 24
Miscellaneous Articles, 1943-1951, undated.
Box 3 Folder 25
National Distillers Chemical Corporation - Sodium, 1949.
Box 3 Folder 26
National Distillers Chemical Corporation - Sodium Plant, Ashtabula, Ohio - Articles About, 1949-1953.
Box 3 Folder 27
Radios - Articles About, 1945-1951.
Box 3 Folder 28
Roessler & Hasslacher Chemical Company - "Roessler & Hasslacher - Partners," Reprinted from Industrial Engineering, 1929 October.
Box 3 Folder 29
Snell, Foster Dee and Frank M. Biffin, Commercial Methods of Analysis - Table of Contents, circa 1944.
Box 3 Folder 30
Sodium - Articles About, 1937-1953.
Box 3 Folder 31
U.S. Industrial Chemical Company - Handling Metallic Sodium on a Plant Scale, 1956.
Box 3 Folder 32

Series Description

This series contains photographs collected by James Cloyd Downs. The contents of this series include images of Downs himself, National Distillers Chemical Corporation's sodium plant in Ashtabula, Ohio, and Downs Cells used at Roessler & Hasslacher Chemical Company's plant in Niagara Falls, New York.

Note - Item level cataloging may be available, consult Image Archives.

Downs, James Cloyd and Others, circa 1939.
Box 3 Folder 33
General Note

Contains 1 black and white image.

Downs, James Cloyd with Unidentified Man and Apparatus, undated.
Box 3 Folder 34
General Note

Contains 1 black and white image.

E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company - James Cloyd Downs' DuPont Pensioners Pin, undated.
Box 3 Folder 35
General Note

Contains 1 color image.

National Distillers Chemical Corporation - Sodium Plant, Ashtabula, Ohio, circa 1949-1950.
Box 3 Folder 36
General Note

Contains 7 black and white images.

Roessler & Hasslacher Chemical Company - Downs Cells at Niagara Falls, New York Plant, 1925.
Box 3 Folder 37
General Note

Contains 5 black and white images.

Unidentified Children (Possibly James Cloyd Downs' grandchildren.), undated.
Box 3 Folder 38
General Note

Contains 2 black and white images.

Unidentified Group, 1943 April 9.
Box 3 Folder 39
General Note

Contains 1 black and white image.

Print, Suggest