ms060 Abbe (Cleveland) 1838-1916Papers 1851-1952MS 60 Joan Grattan Special CollectionsThe Milton S. Eisenhower LibraryThe Johns Hopkins University

3400 N. Charles StreetBaltimore, MD21218USAPhone: (410) 516-8348

April 21, 2008 Machine-readable finding aid encoded by Margaret Burri Finding aid written in English Abbe (Cleveland) 1838-1916Papers 1851-1952MS 60 Special CollectionsThe Milton S. Eisenhower LibraryThe Johns Hopkins University Contact Information Special Collections The Milton S. Eisenhower Library The Johns Hopkins University 3400 North Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21218 (410) 516-8348 Processed by: Joan Grattan Date completed: July 1990 Encoded by: Margaret Burri

Descriptive Summary ms060 Abbe (Cleveland) 1838-1916 Papers 1851-1952 Abbe, Cleveland, 1838-1916 Johns Hopkins University. Special Collections. 4.4 linear feet English. The collection consists of correspondence, manuscript notes, reports, meteorological observations, reprints, drawings, and lecture notes of astronomer and meterologist, Cleveland Abbe. Administrative Information Provenance

The papers were removed to Special Collections from storage in 1972. In 1898, Abbe gave a meteorological collection of 2500 volumes and serial publications to Hopkis, which was known as the Abbee Meteorological Library. The Meteorological Pamphlest (29 volumes) are cataloged at QC852.M5. Since Abbe's association with the university was well established, it is likely that his papers were later given as a gift to the university.

Use Restrictions

Access to the collection is unrestricted.

Preferred Citation

Cleveland Abbe Papers, MS 60

Special Collections,

Milton S. Eisenhower Library,

The Johns Hopkins University

Biographical Note

Cleveland Abbe was born in New York City in 1838. He became the first regular, official weather forecaster of the US Government, and was a fervent supporter of research in atmospheric physics. He graduated from the City College of New Ork in 1857 and alter studied under Franz Brühnow at the University of Michigan. From 1860 to 1964, he worked with B.A. Gould in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the Nautical Almanac office in Cambridge, Abbe met American meteorologist, William Ferrel. Abbe spent two years, 1864-1866, at Pulkovo, Russia, working under astronomer, Otto Struve.

Returning to America, Abbe hoped to establish in New York an observatory modeled on Pulkovo. The project may have proved too ambitious for the nineteenth century, and in 1868 Abbe went to Cincinnati as director of the Observatory there. In 1870, an Act of Congress authorized a national weather service under the direction of the Signal Corps of the Army. (This was the predecessor of the present Weather Bureau.) Abbe organized the forecast work and inaugurated and contributed to the Monthly Weather Review. Under his direction, the Corps established a laboratory and a center for basic research.

Abbe was known to pay close attention to new developments in the physical sciences. Under the auspices of the Signal Office, he visited research laboratories and prepared reports on the progress in geophysical experiments. He was interested in the work of Johns Hopkins professor, Henry A. Rowland, whose research in 1884 centered on atmospheric electricity. As a result of a report by Abbe, Rowland was given a sum of $200.00 from the Signal Corps to assist with his laboratory expenses.

Throughout his life, Abbe was committed to instruction and research in meteorology. In 1891, Abbe began negotiating with Johns Hopkins president, Daniel C. Gilman, to initiate a program of study in meteorology. Abbe offered to give his private library to the University in exchange for a commitment to teaching and experimentation in meteorology. Abbe's advocacy for the weather service combined with his connection to the University may have resulted in the organization in May, 1891 of the Maryland State Weather Service under the joint auspices of The Johns Hopkins University, the Maryland Agricultural College, and the United States Weather Bureau. In 1896, Abbe began giving lectures on climatology to the geology students at the University.

Abbe received the Symons Memorial Gold Medal from the Royal Meteorological Society in 1912. Cleveland Abbe died in Washington D.C. in 1916.

Series I: Correspondence Series I: Correspondence, 1878-1907 2 document cases

Correspondence, 1878-1907, in this collection reveals Abbe's interest in the work of colleagues and his accumulation of information on climatology worldwide. He corresponded with weather service people in India, South Africa, Canada, and Australia. Other notable correspondents were William Bullock Clark, Henry Draper, William Ferrel, Henry Gannett, A. W. Greely, Edward C. Pickering, Charles A. Schott, and M. I. Pupin.

Arranged alphabetically by correspondent.

Box 1 Contents 1 Abbe Family 1 Alden, John B. 1 Allen, J. 1 American Book Company 1 Appel, T. Archibald, E.D. 1 Armstrong, S.C. 1 Ash, H.W. 1 Aughenbaugh, W. 1 Baird, S. F. 1 Baracchi, P. 1 Barnes, A. S. 1 Barrett, J.O. 1 Bellamy, J.C. 1 Benhamin, Marcus 1 Billwiler 1 Boorman, J. Marcus 1 Brait, Andrew 1 Buckingham, Edgar 1 Burnett, E. T. 1 Bynatcher, M. 1 Capello, J. 1 Carotheres, W. F. 1 Carpmalb, Charles 1 Cassino, S. E. 1 Cattell, J. McK 1 Chandler 1 Christie, Alex S. 1 Christie, W.H.M. 1 Clark, William Bullock 1 Claxton, J. F. 1 Cleve, Richard 1 Cloder, Richardson 1 Coffin, Seldon J. 1 Coffin, James H. 1 Compton, Alfred G. 1 Comstock, George C. 1 Cook, C. S. 1 Cook, J. R. 1 Cooke, W.E. 1 Cosmopolitan Magazine 1 Croskey 1 Curtis, G. E. 1 Davies, C. Langdon 1 Davis, W.M. 1 Diller, J.S. 1 Doberck, W. 1 Draper, Henry 1 Duffield, W.W. 1 Dupont, E.I. 1 Durand, W. I. 1 Eddy, [H.F.] 1 Egrnities, D. 1 Farrington, William H. 1 Fer 1 Fisher, Willard J. 1 Forney, M.N. 1 Ferrel, William 1 Ferrel lectures, 1886 1 Gannett, Henry 1 Garriott, E. B. 1 Gilbert, G. K. 1 Gilman, Daniel Coit 1 Ginn and Company 1 Goodale 1 Goode, G. Brown 1 Gould, B. A. 1 Greeley, General 1 Hall, A. 1 Hall, Maxwell 1 Harrington, Mark W. 1 Harris, W.J. 1 Hasselbrink, C. 1 Hastings, Charles S. 1 Hathaway, Arthur S. 1 Hazen 1 Hepites, S.N. 1 Hergesell 1 [Heyden], J. 1 Hitchings, E.F. 1 [Honsel] 1 Houston, Edwing 1 Jackson, S. 1 Jones, W. L. 1 King 1 Kirkwood, Daniel 1 Kirhl, W. H. 1 König, Walter 1 Konkoly, W.H.E. 1 Langley, S.P. 1 Lemon, J. S. 1 Littehales, George W. 1 McDonough, P.M. 1 MacFarland, W. M. 1 McLean, John J. 1 McKenzie, M. 1 [Mallery], Colonel 1 Marche, Luigi de 1 [Marvin] 1 Maury, M. F. 1 Mendenhall, T. C. 1 Mohn, H. 1 Moore, William L. 1 Murry, Nicholas Butter 1 Myers, Carl Box 2 Contents 2 Neal, J.C. 2 Neumayer 2 Nichols, Edward L. 2 Packard, A.S. 2 Paulsen, W. 2 Phillips, W. R. 2 Pickering, Edward C. 2 Powell, J. W. 2 Pugh 2 Pupin, [M.I.] 2 Raney, M.L. 2 Rees, J. K. 2 Richards, Mrs. Ellen H. 2 Rockwell 2 Rockwood, S.S. 2 Rodgers, J.F. 2 Rothrock 2 Rowland, Henry 2 Runkler, J. D. 2 Russell, B.M. 2 Sampson, C.L. 2 Schott, C.A. 2 Schiapparelli, J.V. 2 Schmidt, A. 2 Schreiber 2 Scott, Charles P.G. 2 Scott, R.B. 2 Silvado, A. 2 Sims, Alfred 2 Smith. C. Mitchie 2 Smith, E.H. 2 Suellen, M. 2 Starkweather, G. P. 2 Stevens, W. Leconte 2 Stewart, Charles 2 Stockbridge, F. B. 2 Van der Stok, J.P. 2 Stupert, R. F. 2 Symons, G. J. 2 Tabler, C.M. 2 Taylor, W. C. 2 Thomas, A. H. 2 Tillman, A. E. 2 Tinsley, G. W. 2 Todd, C. 2 Tower, Fred A. 2 Townsend, Adolph 2 Tuckerman 2 Uhl, E.F. 2 Upton, Winslow 2 Van Metre, R. F. 2 Vernow, R. E. 2 Very, F. W. 2 Wah, W. C. 2 Waldo, Frank 2 Willing, James C. 2 Whitney, Milton 2 Wiley & Sons 2 Windom, William 2 Woeikoff, A. 2 Wolff, Alfred R. 2 Woodrow 2 Wragge, C.L, 2 Weather Bureau 2 Printing Plates, Series II: Notes and Reference Material Series II: Notes and Reference Material, 1874-1900 4 document cases

When the papers were received in Special Collections in 1972, some of the material was separated in envelopes and folders with numerical/subject designations. Apparently, this was Abbe's method for filing notes and reference material specific to a point of interest. An example of this is Envelope 11 which he titled "Thermodynamics Applied to Atmosphere." This system has been retained where possible. Abbe's arrangement of the material provides an overview of the beginnings of the science of meteorology and the development of weather forecasting. Subjects include barometric observations (1874), weather forecasts (1893), regulations for preparation of forecasts, and work of the Warner Observatory (1883-1886). Specific meteorological events are noted: a solar eclipse of 1900, a meteor of 1873, and a hurricane in Cuba, 1888. Some oversize material which includes drawings by Abbe, James Page, W.K. Sligh, and solar eclipse observations from 1900 were removed to the oversize case in the Manuscripts workroom.

Arranged by envelope number and/or topic

Box Contents 3 "Barometric observations," 1874 3 "Sergeant F. Meyer's formula for reducing barometric observations to sea level," 1874 3 "Solar Computations," 1875 3 "Project report #4435, Mis 1884. Signal Office," 1884 3 "Practice forecasts and verifications. Notes, methods of observations," June 1891 3 "Weather Bureau, Weather Forecasts," August 1893 3 "Rules and Regulation for preparation of forecasts," 1894 3 Psychrometer 3 Notes, n.d. 3 Notes; "Wm. M. Storm's patent (cloud engine)," 1851-1893 3 Notes, 1904-1905 3 "Report on bibliographic search--meterological literature," 3 Personal conference, recommendations, notes on Prof. Rowland's laboratory, 1884 3 Notes, Patent Literature 3 Lecture notes on meteorology Box 4 Contents Envelope 4 Graphic and Mechanical, 1892- Envelope 5 Motion affect by rotation of Earth Folder 7 Fluid motion, soaring flying, 1886-1893 Envelope 8 Special Studies Envelope 10 Hydrodynamics Envelope 11 Thermodynamics applied to atmosphere Envelope 12 Mathematics and music Envelope 14 Hydrodynamics. Fluid Motion Folder 15 Meteorological stations in Alaska and adjacent territory, Envelope 16 Japan current. California weather. Envelope 17 Apparatus Box 5 Contents Envelope 18 Capillarity Envelope 18 Fluid motions, phtograph of fire, 1893 Envelope 18 Report to the American Meterorological Society, 1882-1883 Envelope 23 Dr. Schuster [Sir Albert Schuster, 1851-1934] Envelope 24 Fluids and fluid motion, Envelope 25 Apparatus and methods, 1903-1904 Folder 26 Diurnal variation of atmospheric pressure, 1894 Folder 26 Motions and fluids; Air and wind; Cuban hurricane, 1888 Folder 27 Winds Envelope 28 Motion on rotating earth, Envelope 30 Philadelphia Company, 1898-1899 Envelope 31 Hammon and Alaska, 1899 Envelope 33 Harvard College Observatory Astronomical Bulletin, Folder 34 Woeikoff Manuscript, Box 6 Contents Folder 35 Max Margules, Atmospheric Pressure, 1904 Folder 36 Miscellaneous notes, reprints and reports, Envelope 37 U.S. Expedition ot West Africa, 1899 Envelope 38 Short meteorological memoirs, 1878 Folder 39 O.T. Crosby: Experimental Study of Atmospheric Resistance, May 1890 Envelope 40 Notebook, 1886 Folder Notes, 1887-1888 Folder Notes, n.d. Folder List of accession numbers for Abbe book collection, Series III: Lectures and Writings Series III: Lectures and Writings, 1865-1900 6 boxes

A project which absorbed Abbe's attention between 1886 and 1907 involved a book written in Russia by the meteorologist, Alexander J. Woeikoff, a professor and astronomer at the University of St. Petersburg. In 1884, Woeikoff published the original Climates of the Earth, and Abbe hoped to have a translation published in the United States. Abbe engaged Alexander Ziwet, a University of Michigan professor of Mathematics to translate the volume into English, and Abbe intended to add observations of his own. Circumstances of time and distance as well as some recession in the publishing business prevented the eventual publication of the project. The holographic manuscript of "Climates of the Earth" is included in this collection.

This series also contains reprints of Abbe's own work, and lectures by Abbe and others.

Final items in the collection include lecture notes of John Park Finley who attended lectures given by Abbe in Washington D.C., 1885-1886 and a notebook giving comparative barometric readings, 1899-1952. Apparently, an associate of Abbe's continued the entries after Abbe's death in 1916.

Box 7 Contents Articles by Abbe and I.A. Latham in The Bureau, 1869-1870 Notes, 1898 Box 8 Contents Manuscript, "Climates of the Earth," Chapter 9?, "Influence of Snow-Covered Surface on Climate" Manuscript, "Climates of the Earth," Chapter 23?, "Distribution of Pressure, Wind, Temperature and Precipitation" Box 9 Contents Manuscript with titlepage: "Recent Advancement in Meteorology," by William Ferrel; 2 chapters, Box 10 Contents Notes, reprints, correspondence, observations of temperatures, 1875-1876 Meteor of 1873, 1875-1876 "Meteorology", 1875-1876 Bulletin of the Philosophical Society of Washington, 1874 Notes, correspondence, observations on streamers during solar eclipse, May 28, 1900 Notes, history and work of the Warner Observatory, 1883-1886 Solar eclipse observation lecture, May 28, 1900 Total eclipse of the sun, 1900 Clippings re: eclipse, 1900 Notebook and notes, 1899-1952 Box 11 Contents Monthly Weather Review, 1873 Finley, J.P. Lecture notes on courses delivered by Cleveland Abbe at the Office of Chief Signal Officer, Washington, DC, 1885-1886 Notes, n.d. Box 12 Contents Notebooks from lectures given by Sir William Thomson on Molecular Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University, October 1884 Oversize Drawer Contents Drawings by Abbe of suns and poles, 6 sheets, Drawing and statement by James Page re: the solar eclipse of May 28, 1900, observed in Newberry, South Caroling, c. May 28, 1900 Drawing, the sun as seen through telescope, by W.K. Sligh, Drawing, W. S. Harshman, Newberry, South Carolina, c. May 28, 1900 Drawing, E. S. Whaley, 3 miles east of Lancaster, May 28, 1900