Frederick Bedell papers, 1891-1984.
Collection Number: 14-22-2190

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
Frederick Bedell papers, 1891-1984.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Collection Number:
14-22-2190
Abstract:
Correspondence, notes, and drawings relating to hearing and devices for the deaf; files on the oscilloscope; files relating to his student work at Yale, his teaching career at Cornell, and his subsequent research at California Institute of Technology.
Creator:
Bedell, Frederick, 1868-1958.
Quanitities:
4.2 cubic feet.
Language:
Collection material in English

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Professor of physics.
Frederick Bedell received an A.B. degree from Yale University in 1890 and a Ph.D degree from Cornell in 1892. He was appointed Assistant Professor of Physics at Cornell in 1893, and, in 1904, Professor of Applied Electricity. His most important contributions in electrical engineering were his experimental investigations and theoretical studies delaing with alternating currents. In 1917, he was appointed as an advisor in the establishment at Cornell of one of the United States Army Schools of Military Aeronautics which led to his work in the investigation of airplane performance and design. He also worked on the development of devices to aid the deaf by utilizing the phenomenon of sound conduction through the bones. For twenty-nine years he served as editor of the Physical Review. After his retirement, he did research at California Institute of Technology. Frederick Bedell died in 1958.

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Correspondence, notes, and drawings relating to hearing and devices for the deaf; files on the oscilloscope; files relating to his student work at Yale, his teaching career at Cornell, and his subsequent research at California Institute of Technology; correspondence files; personal and family papers; and bound volumes including biographical papers, reprints, news clippings, and patents. Also Modern Gypsies, by Mary Crehore Bedell.
Bibliography of publications by Bedell including papers, theses, and charts.

INFORMATION FOR USERS

Cite As:

Frederick Bedell papers, #14-22-2190. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.

SUBJECTS

Names:
Cornell University. Department of Physics
Yale University -- : Students.
California Institute of Technology
Subjects:
Electric currents, alternating.
Electricity -- Experiments.
Electric measurements.
Oscilloscopes.
Bone conduction.
Hearing aids.
Hearing.
Physics -- Study and teaching.

CONTAINER LIST
Container
Description
Date
Box 1 Folder 1
Report of part of the Short Electric Railway System, Rochester, 1891 (book)
1891
Box 1 Folder 2
An Electric Elevator (Bedell's first invention)
Box 1 Folder 3
Mechanism of the ear (model)
Box 1 Folder 4
Hearing
Box 1 Folder 5
The Mechanism of Hearing
Box 1 Folder 6
Memo on hearing
Box 1 Folder 7
Hearing, original drawings
Box 1 Folder 8
Hearing notes; Talk given at Cornell, CIT, others
Box 1 Folder 9
Hearing in animals
Box 1 Folder 10
Hearing in birds
Box 1 Folder 11
Cat's ear
Box 1 Folder 12
Bone conduction dictograph
Box 1 Folder 13
Bone conductor hearing aid, photos
Box 1 Folder 14
News clippings on "Deaf Speaker" bone conduction hearing aid
Box 1 Folder 15
Bone conduction patent-assignment to Dictograph
Box 1 Folder 16
Letters to the Burts re Dictograph,
Oct. 3, 1930-Feb. 27, 1936
Box 1 Folder 17
Dictograph - decisions, settlements, contract,
1938
Box 1 Folder 18
Bibliography, 1892-1900 (see accession folder for detailed list)
1892-1900
Box 2 Folder 1
Oscilloscope and voltage-regulating auto-transformer
Box 2 Folder 2
Correspondence,
1926-1928
Box 2 Folder 3
Reprints
Box 2 Folder 4
Orders,
1929-1930
Box 2 Folder 5
Sales
Box 2 Folder 6
Correspondence re General Radio purchase of oscilloscope and transformer patents
Box 2 Folder 7
Patent infringement suit of General Radio against DuMont Lab
Box 2 Folder 8
Court cases - press clippings
Box 2 Folder 9
T.V. gift oscilloscope
Box 2 Folder 10
DuMont recommended for Edison Medal,
1955
Box 2 Folder 11
Miscellaneous, including alternating current dictionary, "unit" book contracts
Box 3 Folder 1
AAAS - American Association for the Advancement of Science
Box 3 Folder 2
AIEE - American Institute of Electric Engineers
Box 3 Folder 3
AIEE - Vancouver paper,
1942
Box 3 Folder 4
American Institute of Physics
Box 3 Folder 5
Eta Kappa Nu Association
Box 3 Folder 6
Physical Society
Box 3 Folder 7
Societies
Box 3 Folder 8
Thomas Alva Edison Foundation
Box 3 Folder 9
Papers by Bedell fellow workers
Box 3 Folder 10
Papers by Bedell (reprints)
Box 3 Folder 11
Special reprints by friends I
Box 3 Folder 12
Special reprints by friends II
Box 3 Folder 13
Miscellaneous science articles
Box 3 Folder 14
Letters re Bedell's books
Box 4 Folder 1
Caltech - General
Box 4 Folder 2
Caltech - Mt. Wilson, Palomar, news clips
Box 4 Folder 3
Caltech - Millikan news clips
Box 4 Folder 4
Cornell University - Official, appointments and retirement, thesis
Box 4 Folder 5
Cornell University - History of physics, founding of AAAS and Physical Society, Ernest Merritt letters
Box 4 Folder 6
Cornell in Pictures, 1868-1954 (book)
1868-1954
Box 4 Folder 7
Yale University - General
Box 4 Folder 8
Yale University - Early professors, biographical sketches of Nichols, Merritt, Moler
Box 5 Folder 1
Correspondence, A-C
Scope and Contents
Allen, Frank; Bailey, W.B.; Ballard, William C.; Baitsell, G.A.; Baver, L.D.; Berry, Romeyn; Blaker, Adelaide; Blair, William L.; Brandow, Baird; Buckley, Oliver; Cal. Inst. Tech. (Bacher, R); Cal. Inst. Tech.; Caroline (Thomas), Crehore, Albert
Box 5 Folder 2
Correspondence, F-Joh
Scope and Contents
Fact and Publication; FBI; Fite, William B.; Ford, Henry (1929 letters); Goldsmith, Norris; Goldsmith, Thomas; Grantham (prof.); Hartman, Paul; Holmes, George; Horne, Harley; Johnson, J. Kelly
Box 5 Folder 3
Correspondence, J
Scope and Contents
Joslin, Elliot
Box 5 Folder 4
Correspondence, K-M
Scope and Contents
King, A.A.; Kirkpatrick, Paul; Kuhn, Jack; Lahens; Lennox, William; Lohman, Ralph; Librarian, Cornell U.; Lyons, Helen; Marshall; Matey, George; Maxstadt, Francais; Maerritt Family; Millikan, Robert; Morey, Dan; Mueller, George; Murdock Carlton
Box 5 Folder 5
Correspondence
Scope and Contents
Lorentz, H.A.
Box 5 Folder 6
Correspondence, N-R
Scope and Contents
Needham, J.C.; Neher, Victor; Noyes, Bradford; Overal, Edward A.; Pasadena; Pasadena Presbyterian Church; Piersan, Albert; Reich, Herbert J.; Richards, Lorenzo; Ries, Donald; Ries, Heinrich; Rivers, Ruth and Tom
Box 5 Folder 7
Correspondence, S-Z
Scope and Contents
Scott, Merit; Strong, John; Swann, W.F.G.; Utereiner, Ray; Who's Who in America; White, William; Wilcox, W.F.; Zeiger, Franklin
Box 5 Folder 8
Pensions
Box 5 Folder 9
Income Tax Returns,
1847-1951
Box 5 Folder 10
Annuities
Box 5 Folder 11
Photographs
Box 5 Folder 12
Photographs
Box 6 Folder 1
Award, "Modern Pioneer of the American Frontiers of Industry,"
Feb. 16, 1940
Box 6 Folder 2
Bibliography
Box 6 Folder 3
Biography - F. Bedell and Mary Crehore Bedell, includes genealogy
Box 6 Folder 4
Correspondence re move to Pasadena,
1937
Box 6 Folder 5
Early recollections, school records
Box 6 Folder 6
80th birthday, acknowledgements, ode by F.B. Hirsch
Box 6 Folder 7
Family miscellaneous
Box 6 Folder 8
Graduate students
Box 6 Folder 9
Health and exercise
Box 6 Folder 10
Integrals - early notes
Box 6 Folder 11
Memorabilia
Box 7 Folder 1
Miscellaneous - some fun, some wisdom
Box 7 Folder 2
Papers re estate of Edwin F. Bedell (father)
Box 7 Folder 3
Personal miscellaneous
Box 7 Folder 4
Personal miscellaneous, guest and address books
Box 7 Folder 5
1938 wedding announcement
1938
Box 7 Folder 6
School compositions,
1877-1883
Box 7 Folder 7
Correspondence,
1880-1886
Box 7 Folder 8
Correspondence,
1887-1890
Box 7 Folder 9
Correspondence,
1891-1896
Box 7 Folder 10
Correspondence,
1896-1897
Box 7 Folder 11
Correspondence,
1897-1907
Box 7 Folder 12
Correspondence,
1810-1952
Box 8 Folder 1
Vols. 1-7, Biographical papers, reprints, news clippings, patents, etc. of Frederick Bedell (see accession folder for detailed list)
Box 8 Folder 2
Modern Gypsies, by Mary Crehore Bedell
Box 8 Folder 3
"Magnetism of Iron and the Magnetic Circuit," a collection of notes,
1894
Box 9 Folder 1
Publications mainly by F. Bedell, 1892-1949 (see accession folder for detailed list)
1892-1949