Contents and Arrangement Collection View
Description:

Consists of correspondence, documents, ledgers, photographs of the Meteor Crater (Ariz.) site, and printed matter of Barringer (Princeton University Class of 1879). The correspondence contains letters which deal with scientific and business activities in mining and meteorology, including those of several companies which Barringer founded or developed, such as the Hanover Bessemer Iron and Copper Company, El Palmarito Leasing Company, the Texas Iron Association, and the Meteor Crater Exploration & Mining Company (general manager, George M. Calvocorresses, a major correspondent). The collection reflects Barringer's accomplishment in being the first to advance the theory that Meteor Crater was caused by the fall of a meteoric cluster, probably a small comet. There are a number of photographs, including over 100 cyanotypes and 6 lantern slides, mainly concerned with illustrating various craters and aspects of meteor study, mining equipment, and aerial surveys. There are also letters by fellow college classmate Woodrow Wilson, whose correspondence indicates that Barringer was not only a friend but also a personal adviser on mining and geological matters. In addition, the correspondence includes letters by Theodore Roosevelt, Owen Wister, General Leonard Wood, and Elihu Thomson.

Arranged in the order that it was collected.

Description:

The collection covers a period primarily from 1817 to 1979, and includes a large amount of business and personal correspondence from Brandon Barringer's life and career, along with financial reports, memoranda, minutes of meetings, and copies of legal documents; plus clippings, periodicals and other printed materials compiled by Barringer regarding his associations with various businesses and scientific and medical organizations (up to 1979). Other materials in the collection such as field notes, maps, manuscripts and clippings reflect Brandon Barringer's various scientific interests, including archaeology. Research materials and correspondence for a book of family history he co-authored with his cousin, L. Wethered Barroll, The Whethered Book is included, along with correspondence, reports, orders and other papers regarding his military career in the Army Air Force Office of Statistical Control (1942-1948). Photographs, newspaper clippings, and other miscellaneous items regarding Brandon Barringer's personal and family matters add to the significant amount of personal correspondence.

Material has been organized into 14 subseries, 2A-2N.

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of material from Daniel Moreau Barringer (Princeton University Class of 1879) and his son, Brandon Barringer (Princeton University Class of 1921). Material regarding the careers of the two men includes correspondence, documents, ledgers, photographs, maps, and printed matter. A large section of the material focuses on the Arizona Meteor Crater, the studying of which Daniel Moreau Barringer devoted much of his time and career. The collection also contains material relating to Brandon Barringer's careers both in finance and in the Army Air Force Office of Statistical Control. In addition to providing insight into their careers, the collection documents their personal lives through correspondence with family and friends, as well as their shared interests in science through organizational and institutional activities.

Collection Creator Biography:

Barringer, Daniel Moreau, 1860-1928

Daniel Moreau Barringer (1860-1928) is perhaps best known for his work with the Meteor Crater in Arizona. After graduating from Princeton University in 1879 and then from law school at University of Pennsylvania in 1882, Barringer began to study geology and minerology, first at Harvard University and then at the University of Virginia. In the early 1890s Barringer put his geology and minerology skills to work as he entered the mining business. It was after his mining career took off that he became aware of the crater in Arizona that would later make him famous. Before Barringer stepped in, the Meteor Crater was known as "Coon Mountain." Barringer proposed the theory that Coon Mountain was actually caused by the collision of meteoric material, most likely a small comet, with the earth. After proposing his theory Barringer founded a variety of mining, exploration, and iron companies in order to further explore the crater, which he studied in depth for a large portion of his remaining career. His theory has proven to be correct.

Brandon Barringer (1899-1991) led a busy career as an investment advisor and Chartered Financial Analyst, working for many corporations and institutions. After graduating from Princeton University in 1921, he joined the First Pennsylvania Company for Banking and Trusts, serving as Vice President for Trust Investments from 1933 to his departure from the company in 1949. He then began a more concentrated association with the Curtis Publishing Company, publishers of The Saturday Evening Post and other magazines. Barringer worked for Curtis until 1962, having served as a Director and Treasurer. He also served as President of the Barringer Crater Company and the East Texas Iron Company, in addition to acting as a director of the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company, Bantam Books, and the New York and Pennsylvania Company. He was a longtime member of the Finance Committee of the Wellington Fund.

Brandon Barringer was also active in many civic and scientific institutions, often serving as a financial advisor, trustee or manager. These organizations include the University of Pennsylvania Museum, Jefferson Medical College, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Franklin Institute, the Nature Conservancy, The National Mental Health Association, the United Fund, and the Meteoritical Society, among others. He participated in archaeological expeditions to Ireland and Libya, and maintained active interests in such subjects as economics, politics, geology, meteoritics, and anthropology.

Acquisition:

The Daniel Moreau Barringer material was given by Brandon Barringer over a number of years, 1961-1973 .

The Brandon Barringer material was given by the University of Wyoming in 2008 .

Other accessions have been added to this collection over the years.

Appraisal

No appraisal information is available.

Processing Information

For the most part, the collection is arranged as it was received: unprocessed. The finding aid was written by Christine Call in December 2008.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

Barringer Family Papers; Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/2z10wq28b
Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
Storage Note:
  • ReCAP (scarcpxm): Boxes 1-2; 1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 1.4; 1.5; 1.6; 1.7; 1.8; 1.9; 1.10; 1.11; 1.12; 1.13; 1.14; 1.15; 1.16; 1.17; 1.18; 1.19; 1.20; 1.21; 1.22; 1.23; 1.23a; 1.24; 1.25; 1.26; 1.27; 1.28; 1.29; 1.30; 1.31; 1.32; 1.33; 1.34; 1.35; 1.36; 1.37; 1.38; 1.39; 1.40; 1.41; 1.42; 1.43; 1.44; 1.45; 1.46; 1.47; 1.48; 1.49; 1.50; 1.51; 1.52; 1.53; 1.54; 1.55; 1.56; 1.57; 1.58; 1.59; 1.60; 1.61; 1.62; 1.63; 1.64; 1.65; 1.66; 1.67; 1.68; 1.69; 1.70; 1.71; 1.72; 1.73; 1.74; 1.75; 1.76; 1.77; 1.78; 1.79; 2.1; 2.2; 2.3; 2.4; 2.5; 2.6; 2.7; 2.8; 2.9; 2.10; 2.11; 2.12; 2.13; 2.14; 2.15; 2.16; 2.17; 2.18; 2.19; 2.20; 2.21; 2.22; 2.23; 2.24; 2.25; 2.26; 2.27; 2.28; 2.29; 2.30; 2.31; 2.32; 2.33