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Archival Descriptions
Texas A&M University, Libraries, Cushing Memorial Library & Archives Botany English
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Pennybacker's Herbarium

  • US TxAM-C 322
  • Collection
  • 1881

This collection contains 26 botany samples and information compiled by Julian Pennybacker, a student at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. The herbarium was a class project for a Texas A&M College botany class project in 1881 and the samples were collected in the Brazos Valley.

In November 2003, the herbarium was examined by M. D. Reed of the Texas A&M University Biology Department. She made the following note which is attached to the herbarium:

This was a student collection made for a botany class. Pennybacker appears on student rolls of the era.
The book used to identify the plants was probably something by Asa Gray and not meant to cover Texas. Since there was no complete treatment of the Texas flora at the time, this cannot be considered a fault.
When examined in 2003, the specimens were found to be fragmentary, mixed together, and separated from their sheets. To the extent possible, they were identified, remounted, and databased by Monique Dubrule Reed of the Biology Department Herbarium.

Pennybacker, Julian

E. W. Carter Herbarium

  • US TxAM-C 1295
  • Collection
  • 1890

This collection consists of 26 plant sample sheets (not all containing plants) with descriptions that had been collected from the area surrounding the Texas A&M campus in Brazos Valley County. The samples were gathered from April 14 to May 28, 1890, by Eugene W. Carter.

In November 2003, M. D. Reed of the Texas A&M University Biology Department repaired and curated the herbarium's botany samples leaving the following note: This collection may have been used as a teaching aid in a Botany class, since E. W. Carter does not appear in student rolls from the period.
These are common plants of the Brazos Co. spring flora. The "analysis" on each sheet is correct and painstakingly thorough. The book used to identify the plants was probably one by Asa Gray not meant for Texas. But since there was no complete treatment for Texas in 1890, this is hardly a fault.

Carter, Eugene W.

Ellen Schulz Quillin Manuscripts

  • US TxAM-C 95
  • Collection
  • 1928-1964

This collection contains two manuscripts written by Ellen D. Schulz Quillin. The first, "Texas Wild Flowers. a Popular Account of the Common Wild Flowers of Texas.", was published in 1928 by Laidlaw Brothers (Chicago, IL), and the second, "Texas Cacti: A Popular and Scientific Account of the Cacti Native to Texas", was published in 1930 by the Texas Academy of Science and written with Robert Runyon.

The manuscript for "Texas Wild Flowers. a Popular Account of the Common Wild Flowers of Texas." consists of two bound volumes, typed with handwritten edits and notes, and both contain a title page handwritten in graphite, dated and initialed by Ellen (December 23, 1955). The inscription in Part I reads, "Original Texas Wild Flowers manuscript. Of no value to anyone else. Kept for reference to revision, if I should get to it". and in Part II, the inscription slightly changes with the last sentence reading "Kept for reference in case of revision".

The first volume, Part I (pages 1-337), has a second note by Ellen handwritten in ink, dated October 20, 1963, in which she talks about the book being published, the revisions she wanted to make after it becoming know the book was out of bring in 1959 [Part 2 state 1939], and never got around to due to her work in writing "History of the Museum" in 5 volumes and resigning in 1960.

The second volume, Part II (pages 338-640), also has a handwritten ink note from October 20, 1963, however, the inscription reads "Presented to Peggy C. Owens, College Station, Texas to use in any way she can as Texas Wildflowers has not been replaced since it became out of print in 1939 [Part I states 1959] - used copies are generally not available - and the last used copy I saw advertised in a California catalogue was $27.50 - a prohibitive price".

The second manuscript in this collection, "Texas Cacti: A Popular and Scientific Account of the Cacti Native to Texas", is held within a Weston Paper box with an address label for Mrs. Peggy C. Owens affixed to the outside. The manuscript itself is bound, typed with handwritten edits and notes, and original photographs (95 pages total). Also found within are a few publications that were used for reference.

Contained within the front cover are four documents, two are keys for illustrations, one for illustrations from "Succulents" by van Laren from paintings made in Amsterdam by Messrs. C. Rol, J. Voerman and H. Rol, and the second unidentified. The third is an announcement for the release of "Texas Wild Flowers: A Popular Account of the Common Wild Flowers of Texas by Ellen D. Schulz Quillin, M. S." with an overall description of the book, an excerpt from the book on the origin of Texas bluebonnets and two reprints from Texas newspapers of articles announcing Ellen's new book in June and July of 1928. The fourth document is a note handwritten in ink, originally paper clipped to the front cover, dated April 21, 1964, reading "To Peggy Owens - One of my most Precious possessions. Ellen S. Quillin". Also noted in graphite below the original note is "send vols 1 & 2" by Ellen, May 12, 1964. On the first page in the top right corner is another handwritten note in ink by Ellen dating April 21, 1964, "To Peggy Owens - Compliments of the author".

Quillin, Ellen Schulz, 1892-1970