Summary Information

Repository
California Academy of Sciences Archives
Creator
Slevin, Joseph Richard, 1881-1957
Title
Slevin (Joseph Richard) papers
ID
MSS.429
Date
undated
Extent
3.9 Cubic feet 1 archives box, 6 legal archives boxes, 1 half-size archives box, 1 flat archives box, wrapped items
Location note
AR6/I/1-AR6/K/3 and PR6/B/5
Language
English
Language of materials:
Materials are in English.
Abstract
The collection consists of papers and materials relating to Joseph R. Slevin’s life, primarily surrounding his research of the history of the Galapagos Islands. The collection includes manuscripts, correspondence and photographs. The collection also contains numerous research materials relating to Slevin's work as the curator of the herpetology department at the California Academy of Sciences.

Preferred citation

[Item], Joseph Richard Slevin papers, Special Collections, California Academy of Sciences Library, San Francisco, CA.

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Chronology

Chronology
1881 Born in San Francisco, September 13, 1881.
1904 Hired by the California Academy of Sciences in preparation for the Galapagos Islands Expedition.
1905 Sails for the Galapagos Islands onboard the schooner, Academy.
1906 Returns to San Francisco and helps to rebuild Academy after 1906 earthquake and fire. Becomes the assistant curator of the herpetology department.
1928 Becomes curator of the herpetology department.
1954 Elected Honorary Member by the California Academy of Sciences.
1956 Last bibliography of scientific publications is published.
1957 Dies in San Francisco on February 17th.

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Biographical note

Joseph Richard Slevin was born in San Francisco on September 13, 1881. He attended St. Ignatius College, San Francisco and completed his studies in Humanities at St. Mary’s College in Kansas. His mother was an avid philatelist, one brother was an ornithologist, another brother was an entomologist, and his father, Thomas E. Slevin, was a member of the California Academy of Sciences as well as an amateur ornithologist.

Inevitably, after serving in the United States Navy and completing 20 voyages with the Oceanic Steamship Company, Joseph R. Slevin accepted a position at the California Academy of Sciences in 1904. At this time, the Academy was preparing for a Galapagos expedition and Slevin was found to be uniquely qualified for the trip. Prior to his departure, he was given extensive training by Dr. John Van Denburgh, curator of the Herpetology Department. On June 28, 1905, Slevin and the crew of the schooner, Academy, set sail for the Galapagos Islands.

While the expedition was taking place, most of the Academy’s collection was destroyed in the San Francisco 1906 earthquake. The expedition returned November 29, 1906, and its collection of the flora and fauna of the Galapagos served as the new building blocks for the Academy collection.

After the expedition, Slevin continued to work for the Academy as Dr. Van Denburgh’s assistant. Dr. Van Denburgh died in 1928 and Slevin assumed the curatorship for the herpetology department. In addition to his specialty in the Galapagos Islands, Slevin collected in Mexico, the Gulf of California, Australia, Guatemala, and elsewhere.

After 53 years of service to the California Academy of Sciences, Slevin died on February 15, 1957. At the time of his death, he had two books in manuscripts; a history of explorations in the Galapagos Islands, and a popular handbook of reptiles.

Sources Consulted: Academy News Letter, No. 207, March, 1957.

Academy News Letter, No. 164, August, 1953.

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Scope and content

The collection consists of papers and materials relating to Joseph R. Slevin’s life, primarily surrounding his research of the history of the Galapagos Islands. The collection includes manuscripts, correspondence and photographs. The collection also contains numerous research materials relating to Slevin's work as the curator of the herpetology department at the California Academy of Sciences.

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Administrative Information

Conditions governing access:

Access is unrestricted.

Reproduction:

All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction.

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Related Materials

Related materials

The Smithsonian Institution holds the Schmitt/Slevin Correspondence collection.

Rollo Howard and Ida Menzies Beck papers, California Academy of Sciences Library, San Francisco, CA.

Francis Xavier Williams papers,California Academy of Sciences Library, San Francisco, CA.

Edward Winslow Gifford Galápagos expedition photographs,California Academy of Sciences Library, San Francisco, CA.

Alban Stewart papers,California Academy of Sciences Library, San Francisco, CA.

Galapagos Islands collection,California Academy of Sciences Library, San Francisco, CA.

Ornithology and Mammalogy Department field note collection,California Academy of Sciences Library, San Francisco, CA.

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

  • Academy (Schooner).
  • California Academy of Sciences. Dept. of Herpetology.

Genre(s)

  • Photographs

Geographic Name(s)

  • Galapagos Islands.

Personal Name(s)

  • Cowan, John S., Lt.
  • Hancock, Allan, 1875-
  • Lindsay, George E., (George Edmund), 1916-
  • Leviton, Alan E.

Subject(s)

  • Natural history museum curators
  • California Academy of Sciences--Curators
  • Scientific expeditions--Galapagos Islands.
  • California Academy of Sciences--History
  • Herpetology
  • Herpetologists
  • California Academy of Sciences--Scientists

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Collection Inventory

Series 1: Biographical and personal materials 
Box Folder

Obituaries of Joseph R. Slevin 1957 

 1 2

In Memoriam - Thomas Edwards Slevin, The Magnetic Pole, Geographical Society of the Pacific: Constitution 

 1 3

Photographs, Herpetologists League certificate, newspaper clippings, obituaries 

 1 4

CAS Constitution and By-laws 1915 and 1925 

 1 5

Passports 1855-1952 

 1 1
1 2
1 3
1 4
1 5
1 6
1 7
1 8

Slevin's CAS membership cards 

 1 10
1 11

Vaccination cards 

 1 13
1 14

Slevin's journal containing research notes 

 3 1

Miscellaneous personal documents including maps, passport instructions, and various publications undated 

 6 3

Scrapbook of newspaper clippings 

 8 1
Oversize

Framed portraits of relatives and ancestors 

 1

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Series 2: Correspondence 
Box Folder

 Leviton, Alan E. Al Leviton replies to correspondence addressed to Slevin after Slevin's death 

 1 7

Correspondence regarding the search for Cowan's grave, St. James Island, and other Galapagos research 

 3 3

Correspondence - Request for information on the grave of Lt. Cowan 

 3 4

Photos of the Officers of the Hassler, letter by J. Henry Blake, and map tracing route of the Heller 

 3 5

Correspondence regarding search for ships to the Galapagos 1940's 

 3 8

Correspondence regarding search for ships to the Galapagos 1950's 

 3 9

Correspondence and research into the "Beagle" and other captains and vessels 

 3 10

Correspondence - Search for information on Fray Tomas de Berlanga 

 3 11

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Series 3: Manuscripts and publications (non Galapagos) 
Box Folder

Manuscript, "Las Islas Encantadas" 

 1 1

Manuscript, "Extracts From a Report of the Sea" (in Slevin's History) 

 2 3

Mounted photos taken in Bogurte, Panama 

 2 4

Manuscript of Handbook of California Reptiles 1950 

Scope and Contents note

A. Leviton notation stating "An un published Slevin manuscript"

 2 6

Instructions of the Revillagigedo Islands Expedition of the California Academy of Sciences 1925 

 2 7

Assorted papers including manuscripts, correspondence and trip reports 1925 

 2 8

Assorted manuscripts by Slevin undated 

 6 2

Newspaper clippings and publications by Slevin 

 6 4

Manuscript of Slevin's "The Academy in the Field" 

 6 6

Academy publications, correspondence and information regarding snakes 

 6 8

Graphic time table, Outing Bureau trip report, and publications regarding the Miwok tribe 

 6 9

Publications and works by Slevin and CAS Newsletters referencing Slevin 

 7 1

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Series 4: Galapagos papers and research 
Box Folder

5x7 photographs of Hancock's 1927 Galapagos Expedition onboard the Oaxaca 1927 

 1 6

Galapagos photographs, assorted photographers 1905-1906 

 2 1

D.H. Bates letter and photographs of the Galapagos 1905-1906 

 2 2

Assorted magazines and articles referencing the Galapagos Islands 

Scope and content

Stamps Magazine article referencing Slevin, E.A. Agazziz's A Cruise Through the Galapagos for the Atlantic Monthly, and Uni's Nature with letter from Slevin.

 2 5

Rear Admiral Francisco Benito Perera, "Historia del Archipielago de Las Islas Galapagos" 

 2 9

Map of 1921 California Academy of Sciences Gulf of California expedition route 

 2 10

Slevin's Galapagos history notes, bibliography. Dimensions,services and log excerpts of the H.M.S. Beagle 

 3 1

Photos of Galapagos Islands, and Berlanga, Spain 

 3 2

Galapagos Research notes 

 3 6

Photos of Galapagos charts and maps 

 3 7

Galapagos histories and memoirs written by various authors 

 4 1

Manuscripts for The Galapagos Islands / A History of their Exploration 

 4 1
4 2
4 3

The Galapagos Islands / A History of their Exploration 1959 

 2 1
4 1

Galapagos histories and memoirs written by various authors 

 4 4
4 5

Research and manuscript for the "The Galapagos Islands / A History of Their Exploration" undated 

 4 6

Correspondence, research notes and bibliography for "The Galapagos / A History of Their Exploration" undated 

 4 7

Draft of "The Galapagos Islands / A History of Their Exploration" bibliography undated 

 4 8

Correspondence and research materials for "The Galapagos / A History of Their Exploration" undated 

 4 9

Various reference materials regarding the Galapagos Islands, bibliographic index cards and photographs. 

 5

Manuscripts and articles by Slevin 

 6 1

Photographs - Botanical negatives/photos and indications of landings carved in rock, Darwin and the Beagle 

 7 2

Photographs - Galapagos early landings and charts and graphs 

 7 3

Copy of the Captain's log of the Beagle 

 8 1

Portfolio of photographs from the Hancock expedition 

 8 2

20 pages of the diary of Fletus, of the USS ESSEX, and Slevin correspondence 

 8 3

Photographs from Hancock's expedition 

 8 6

Publications regarding the Galapagos Islands 

 8 8
Oversize

Photograph album of mostly Galapagos photos and few Sierra photos 

 2

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Series 5: Miscellaneous papers, magazine clippings, and notes 
Box Object

3x5 cataloging cards 

 1 9

Miscellaneous notes 

 1 12

Newspaper clippings 

 6 5

Glassware price lists, photographs and other miscellaneous documents 

 6 7

Envelope of newspaper clippings and photos 

 8 4

Film of eclipse 

 8 5

Newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence 

 8 7

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