Gerow D. Brill papers, 1884-1924.
Collection Number: 1379

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
Gerow D. Brill papers, 1884-1924.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Collection Number:
1379
Abstract:
Correspondence, diaries, accounts, and manuscript articles and reports, pertaining chiefly to Brill's work in Wuchang, China, as head of the Hupeh Agricultural College and Experimental Farm and as a scientific explorer for the United States Department of Agriculture (1897-1901) and later in a similar capacity with the Department of Public Instruction on the Philippine Islands (1901-1902).
Creator:
Brill, Gerow D., 1864-1931.
Quanitities:
3.4 cubic feet.
Language:
Collection material in English

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Agricultural economist.
Cornell University Class of 1888.
Restrictions on Use:

Restricted use of map due to fragile state

INFORMATION FOR USERS

Cite As:

Gerow D. Brill papers, #1379. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.

Scope and content

Correspondence, diaries, accounts, and manuscript articles and reports, pertaining chiefly to Brill's work in Wuchang, China, as head of the Hupeh Agricultural College and Experimental Farm and as a scientific explorer for the United States Department of Agriculture (1897-1901) and later in a similar capacity with the Department of Public Instruction on the Philippine Islands (1901-1902); includes a diary-cash account book (1899) kept by Brill while he was head of the Hupeh Agricultural College and Experiment Farm containing comments on agricultural and industrial education in China, the presence of Japanese and German influence, and the punishment of criminals, and a detailed description of a visit to Wuchang by a Chinese prince; correspondence, including a few letters to Brill regarding agricultural education and poultry raising and mounting for shipment in China, Brill's proposed trip to explore the Upper Yangtze Valley, his safety and activities during the Boxer Rebellion, Hong Kong in 1900, life in the Philippines and Portugese West Africa as witnessed by two missionaries, and literature available in the United States on practical agricultural schools (1902); and miscellaneous papers. Also included are lecture notebooks from Cornell (1884-1888); pamphlets, newspapers, and other printed materials, many of which are in Chinese; Chinese grammar notebooks; 409 glass negatives (4 x 5" and 5 x 7") of China and the Philippines, b/w prints; and other items.

Scope and content

Correspondence is with or about Fred W. Atkinson, Liberty Hyde Bailey, W. C. Bell, George M. Brill, William Addison Brown, Chang Chi Tung, T. T. Chang, Frederick V. Coville, John C. Ferguson, Cyrus David Foss, John Gilmore, E. W. Hilgard, George N. Lauman, Frank Lamson-Scribner, Albert R. Mann, Sidney C. Partridge, George T. Powell, Gilbert Reid, Isaac P. Roberts, Jacob Gould Schurman, John L. Stone, William Howard Taft, James Wilson, American Rights League, Briarcliff Manor School of Practical Agriculture and Horticulture, Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the Philafrican League.
Boxes 12-22 are closed for digitization project.
Processing Information

Glass plate negatives in boxes 12-22 were assigned sequential numbers beginning at 1 in box 12 and ending at 995 in box 22 for digitization purposes. These numbers are in pencil, and as much as possible, are located on the bottom right corner of the envelopes. These numbers are different from the numbers that Gerow Brill assigned to the negatives.

SUBJECTS

Names:
Atkinson, Fred W.
Bailey, L. H. (Liberty Hyde), 1858-1954.
Bell, W. C.
Brill, George M.
Brown, William Addison.
Chang, Chi Tung, 1837-1909.
Chang, T. T.
Coville, Frederick V.
Ferguson, John C. (John Calvin), 1866-1945.
Foss, Cyrus David.
Gilmore, John.
Hilgard, E. W.
Lauman, George N.
Lamson-Scribner, F.
Mann, Albert Russell, 1880-1947.
Partridge, Sidney C.
Powell, George T.
Reid, Gilbert.
Roberts, Isaac P.
Schurman, Jacob Gould, 1854-1942.
Stone, John L.
Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930.
Wilson, James.
American Rights League
Briarcliff Manor School of Practical Agriculture and Horticulture
Cornell University
Hupeh Agricultural College and Experimental Farm
New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Philafrican League
Philippines. Department of Public Instruction
United States. Department of Agriculture
Places:
Yangtze Valley (China)
Wuchang (China).
Philippines.
Hong Kong.
China -- History -- Boxer Rebellion, 1899-1901.
China.
Africa, West.
Subjects:
Agricultural economists.
Agriculture -- Philippines.
Agriculture -- China.
Agriculture -- Economic aspects.
Agricultural colleges.
Form and Genre Terms:
Photographs.
Diaries.

CONTAINER LIST
Container
Description
Date
Series I. Writings
Box 1 Folder 1
Correspondence
May 1891, Oct. 1892
Box 1 Folder 2
Correspondence
Mar.-Aug. 1897
Box 1 Folder 3
Letters to Molly
Aug.-Sept. 1897
Box 1 Folder 4
Correspondence
Sept.-Dec. 1897
Box 1 Folder 5
Letters to Molly
Oct.-Dec. 1987-Jan. 1898
Box 1 Folder 6
Correspondence
Jan.-Feb. 1898
Box 1 Folder 7
Letters to Molly
May-Aug. 1898
Box 1 Folder 8
Correspondence
Mar. 1898
Box 1 Folder 10
Letters to Molly
May-Aug. 1898
Box 1 Folder 11
Correspondence
May 1898
Box 1 Folder 12
Correspondence
June 1898
Box 1 Folder 13
Correspondence
July-Aug. 1898
Box 1 Folder 14
Letters to Molly
Sept.-Dec. 1898
Box 1 Folder 15
Correspondence
Sept.-Oct. 1898
Box 1 Folder 16
Correspondence
Nov.-Dec. 1898
Box 1 Folder 17
Correspondence
Jan.-Mar. 1899
Box 1 Folder 18
Letters to Molly
Jan.-Apr. 1899
Box 1 Folder 19
Correspondence
Apr.-June 1899
Box 1 Folder 20
Letters to Molly
May-Sept. 1899
Box 1 Folder 21
Correspondence
July-Sept. 1899
Box 1 Folder 22
Correspondence
Oct.-Nov. 1899
Box 1 Folder 23
Letters to Molly
Oct.-Dec. 1899
Box 2 Folder 1
Letters to Molly
Jan.-May 1900
Box 2 Folder 2
Correspondence
Mar.-June 1900
Box 2 Folder 3
Letters to Molly
June-Dec. 1900
Box 2 Folder 4
Correspondence
July 1900
Box 2 Folder 5
Correspondence
Aug.-Dec. 1900
Box 2 Folder 6
Letters to Molly
Jan.-May 1901
Box 2 Folder 7
Letters to Molly
June-Oct. 1901
Box 2 Folder 8
Correspondence
Jan.-Dec. 1901
Box 2 Folder 9
Correspondence
Jan.-May 1902
Box 2 Folder 10
Letters to Molly
Jan.-July 1902
Box 2 Folder 11
Correspondence
July-Dec. 1902
Box 2 Folder 12
Letters to Molly
Aug.-Dec. 1902
Box 2 Folder 13
Letters to Molly
1903, 1905, n.d.
Box 2 Folder 14
Correspondence
Sept. 1903-Dec. 1904
Box 2 Folder 15
Correspondence
n.d.
Box 2 Folder 16
Correspondence
n.d.
Box 2 Folder 17
Correspondence
n.d.
Box 2 Folder 18
9 paintings (fragile) depicting "justice"/torture
Box 2 Folder 19
Photographs
Box 2 Folder 20
The Spirit of Missions (cover only)
July 1901
Box 3
English and Chinese diary and Almanac include topographical maps and a few botanical specimens
1898, 1899, 1900
Cornell Course Work - lecture notes, etc.
1884-1888
Box 4
Cornell Course Work - lecture notes, etc.
Box 5
Cornell Course Work - lecture notes, etc.
Box 6
Cornell Course Work - lecture notes, etc.
Box 7
Travel Journals and Accounts
1898-1901
Box 8
English and Chinese Diary and Almanac
1898, 1899, 1900
Box 9
Travel Journals - Agricultural Notes on China
1898-1902
Box 10
Booklet - Anglican Church (Wu-chang?) dedication ceremony
1897
Box 10
Calling cards, Laundry lists, Leave slips, Receipts
Box 10
Governor of province announcement of college for industrial school (12-16)
Box 10
Announcement for ag. college
Box 10
Anti-Opium League in China - printed material
1899
Series II. Modern prints and copy film negatives
Scope and Contents
Modern prints. Glass negatives for these photographs in Box 12.
Box 11 Folder 1-3
Peking, China
Box 11 Photo #1
A view of the Forbidden City from the wall
Box 11 Photo #2
Gate House, Forbidden City
Box 11 Photo #3
Island inside Forbidden City
Box 11 Photo #4
Walk in Forbidden City
Box 11 Photo #5a
Inner Gateway, Imperial City
Box 11 Photo #5b
Gate to Forbidden City
Box 11 Photo #6
Empress' Palace, Forbidden City
Box 11 Photo #7
Lion in front of palace
Box 11 Photo #8
Inside Imperial Palace
Box 11 Photo #9
Eunuchs in the grounds of the Forbidden City
Box 11 Photo #10
Water clock in palace
Box 11 Photo #11
Imperial throne (3 views)
Box 11 Photo #12
Temple of Heaven (3 views)
Box 11 Photo #13
Temple of Heaven
Box 11 Photo #14
Gateway to audience room (3 views)
Box 11 Photo #15
Marble platform, Temple of Heaven grounds
Box 11 Photo #16
Altar, Temple of Heaven, iron brazier
Box 11 Photo #17
Shrine in Temple of Heavens grounds
Box 11 Photo #18
Tablet in Temple of Heaven
Box 11 Photo #19
Summer Palace grounds, lake, etc., North of Peking
Box 11 Photo #20
Bridge in the grounds of the Summer Palace outside the city
Box 11 Photo #21
Photo of a painting of the Summer Palace near Peking
Box 11 Photo #22
Lake in the Forbidden City
Box 11 Photo #23
Temple on summit of hill at Summer Palace, colored tile
Box 11 Photo #24
Pavillion on stone boat in lake at Summer Palace near Peking
Box 11 Photo #25
Temple to God of Agriculture
Box 11 Photo #26
Old throne at Peking
Box 11 Photo #27
Peking - The Drum Tower
Box 11 Photo #28
Wall of Peking
Box 11 Photo #29a
Peking gate and camel in left foreground
Box 11 Photo #29b
One of city gates
Box 11 Photo #29c
Gate in wall, "A very unusual one." Wall to keep out evil spirits
Box 11 Photo #29d
Gate in city wall
Box 11 Photo #29e
One of city gates
Box 11 Photo #29f
One of gateways to city partially destroyed during the Boxer Rising
Box 11 Photo #29g
Gate house in wall of Peking after Boxer Rising
Box 11 Photo #30
Looking south on city wall where much fighting occured between Boxers and Americans
Box 11 Photo #31
Cannon on wall
Box 11 Photo #32
Cannon on city wall - iron barrel bound with iron bands over wooden staves to imitate bronze (3 views)
Box 11 Photo #33
Gate house
Box 11 Folder 4
Print of G.D. Brill
Photo #34
1930
Box 11 Folder 5
Chinese fruits and vegetables
Box 11 Folder 6
Adirondacks and Ausable Chasm
Series III. Glass negatives
Boxes 12-22 are closed for digitization project.
Box 12
Peking, China
Scope and Contents
Prints for these negatives in box 11.
Box 13
China (659 to 716), Egypt, India, Palestine
1900
Scope and Contents
Upper Yang Tse, Hong Kong, Macao, Tea processing, Pagodas
Box 14
Philippines (1 to 110)
Undated
Scope and Contents
Pekin, farming and daily life scenes
Box 15
Philippines (111 to 225)
Undated
Scope and Contents
Farming, varia
Box 16
Philippines (226-315)
Undated
Box 17
Holland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Java, Adirondacks
Undated
Scope and Contents
Modern prints of some negatives from the Adirondacks and Ausable Chasm in box 11.
Box 18
China (413 to 536)
1900
Box 19
China (537 to 639)
1900
Box 20
China (640 to 652), unnumbered negatives of fruits and vegetables, untitled negatives
1900
Scope and Contents
Modern prints of the negatives of fruits and vegetables in box 11.
Box 21
Philippines (not numbered)
Undated
Box 22
China, China Episcopal Mission, Phillipines
Undated
Series IV. Oversized items
Mapcase Folder 1
United States Department of Agriculture documents, one appointing Brill "an Honorary representative of the United States Department of Agriculture in the Empire of China," and one charging Brill with the "investigation of the useful plants of the Yangste Valley in the Empire of China"; and a government document and agreement establishing an agricultural school in Hubei Province
Mapcase Folder 2
"Passport" (safe-conduct) of G.D. Brill
Mapcase Folder 3
Large map - Hu-pei Province; Smaller map - Wu-chang, capital of Hy-pei
Mapcase Folder 4
Miscellaneous Chinese-related