]> ms.66 Brooks (William Keith) 1848-1908 Papers 1880-1906 Ms. 66 Margaret N. Burri Special Collections, The Milton S. Eisenhower Library, The Johns Hopkins University
3400 N. Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21218 USA Phone: (410) 516-8323
Machine-readable finding aid encoded by Diwakar Bhandari Finding aid written in English Brooks (William Keith) 1848-1908 Papers 1880-1906 Ms. 66 Special CollectionsThe Milton S. Eisenhower Library The Johns Hopkins University Contact Information Special Collections The Milton S. Eisenhower Library The Johns Hopkins University 3400 North Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21218 (410) 516-8323 Margaret N. Burri December 1987 Diwakar Bhandari

©2003 The Johns Hopkins University

 Descriptive Summary Ms. 66 Brooks (William Keith) 1848-1908 Papers 1880-1906 Brooks, William Keith, 1848-1908 Johns Hopkins University. Special Collections 1 document box, 1 flat box, 8 oversize boxes, 1 oversize drawer. (5 linear feet) English The collection consists of three series: research notes, reprints and drawings. The research notes cover the genus Modera, Eucopidae, Lucifer, and vesiculated medusae. The reprint series consists of one article, "The Life History of Epenthesis McCradyi." The drawings form the bulk of the collection and illustrate Brooks morphological studies from 1880-1906. Most of the sketches are of the tunicates Salpa and coelenterates hydromedusae and Physalia. Brooks's best known work is The Genus Salpa, and the series contains both original sketches for and photolithographic plates from the volume. The drawings underscore Brooks's talent as both artist and scientist. Working with the naked eye and with the aid of a microscope, he produced accurate and beautiful representations. Morphological studies and their relationship to evolutionary theory were an important part of late nineteenth century biological studies, since embryological developments served to confirm Darwin's theses. Brook's studies had important implications for the theory of the origin of vertebrates and the origin of pelagic life, because the drawings confirm the reality of individual development and focus attention on the texture of the embryo. Three other collections in the Manuscripts Division provide insight into the life of William Keith Brooks. The Daniel Coit Gilman Papers (Ms. 1) and the Herbert Baxter Adams Papers (Ms. 4) both contain letters from Brooks. The correspondence in the Gilman Papers recounts Brooks's activities at the marine laboratory, discuss negotiations with John Work Garrett to build an aquarium in Druid Hill Park, and document the ill-fated Jamaica expedition of 1897. The Johns Hopkins University Collection (Ms. 137) contains letters to Dr. E. A. Andrews from some of Brooks's colleagues. Andrews edited a memorial volume, and the letters relate anecdotes about Brooks. Administrative Information Provenance

The drawings and notes remained in the Biology Department library after Brooks's death. A few sketches of Lucifer were lent to James S. Gutshell in 1931, and returned to the department in 1947. The departmental holdings were transferred to the Milton S. Eisenhower Library upon its completion.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from this collection must be requested in writing from the Manuscripts Librarian, Milton S. Eisenhower Library, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Md. 21218.

 Preferred Citation

William Keith Brooks Papers Ms. 66 Special Collections Milton S. Eisenhower Library The Johns Hopkins University

Biographical Note

(This sketch is drawn from Keith Rodney Benson's doctoral dissertation, "William Keith Brooks (1848- 1908): A Case Study in Morphology and the Development of American Biology," Oregon State University, 1979.)

William Keith Brooks was born in Cleveland, Ohio on March 25, 1848, the son of Oliver Allen and Ellenora Bradbury Brooks. He early developed an interest in natural history, sparked by his home's country setting and friendships with neighbors who were geologists.

In 1866 he left Cleveland to enroll in Hobart College. He remained there for only two years, leaving in 1868 to finish his degree at Williams. Brooks graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1870. After graduation, he joined his father's wholesale business in Cleveland. After a year it was clear that Brooks lacked interest in becoming an entrepreneur. He instead joined the faculty at DeVeaux College, Niagara, New York. The money he earned teaching allowed him to continue his education.

Brooks attended a summer scientific lab at Nantucket, instructed by Louis Agassiz. After the session, he applied to work on his Ph.D under Agassiz at Harvard. Although Agassiz died before Brooks was formally enrolled, Brooks nevertheless commenced graduate studies and received his Ph.D in 1875.

In 1876, Daniel Coit Gilman offered Brooks one of the first fellowships for advanced studies in biology at Hopkins. Brooks accepted, and remained on the faculty as professor of zoology until his death in 1908. While at Hopkins, Brooks established the first full-fledged marine biological station, first at Fort Wool, Virginia and later moved to Beaufort, North Carolina, for the training of students in morphological studies. The Chesapeake Zoological Lab continued its peripatetic existence, migrating from Beaufort to Hampton, Virginia (1883), Green Turtle Key, Bahamas (1886), Nassau, Bahamas (1887), Woods Hole (1888- 1890), Kingston, Jamaica (1891, 1893, 1896), Alice Town, North Bimini, Bahamas (1892), and Port Antonio, Jamaica (1897).

Brooks married Amelia Katharine Schultz (d. 1901) of Baltimore on June 13, 1878. They had two children, Charles Ernest (1879-1935) and Menetta White (1881-1972).

William Keith Brooks's morphological studies of tunicates (especially Salpa) and coelenterates were his outstanding contribution to biology. He published numerous articles on the morphology of these invertebrates, and his research drawings form the bulk of the collection.

Brooks died at his home in Baltimore on November 12, 1908, following cardiac and renal failure.

 Description of Series/Container List Container List Container List 10 boxes

Boxes 1-2 are located in the Manuscripts Stacks; Boxes 3- 10 are located in Carrel A-17

 Box Contents 1 Provenance material, 1 folder 1 The Life History of Epenthesis McCradyi,reprint, 1 folder 1 Research Notes, 5 folders (includes 1 folder of drawings by Joseph Leidy, possibly used by Brooks in his work) 1 Drawings, 12 folders 2 Drawings, hydromedusae and Salpa, 3 folders 3-5 Photolithographic plates for Brooks's work, The Genus Salpa, 1893 6 Drawings of coelenterates Physalia, hydroids, and medusae 7 Drawings of Salpa, medusae and hydroids, some Sachyphomedusae and Dactylmedusae 8 Salpa photolithographic plates; drawings of hydroids and medusae 9 Crustacea; drawings made at Tortuga, 1906 9 Salpa plates and Peneid larvae 10 Medusae and hydroids Oversize drawer Coelenterata, hydroids and medusae