The History of the Smithsonian: Letters and Documents From the First Three Heads of the Institution

In his will, James Smithson left his fortune of £100,000 to his nephew. In the event of the nephew’s death, Smithson stipulated, the estate would pass his children. But if his nephew died childless, he did “bequeath the whole of my property…to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an Establishment for the increase & diffusion of Knowledge among men.” This the U.S. did, and the institution opened in 1846.

The pieces below, signed by every head of the organization in the 19th century, were recently deaccessioned by a historical society, where they have been for over a century.

FIRST SECRETARY – JOSEPH HENRY

The first Smithsonian Secretary, Joseph Henry, served from 1846 to 1878. A professor at the College of New Jersey, he was a physicist who conducted pioneering research in electromagnetism and helped set the Smithsonian on its course.

Joseph Henry handles the accounts of the Smithsonian with the museum’s banker

Autograph letter signed, January 24, 1872, to W.S. Huntington, Cashier, 1st National Bank.  “My dear sir, I wrote to request that in the Bank Book of the Smithsonian account you enter the number of each check in the appropriate column which will facilitate the examination of the vouchers.  Truly yours, Joseph Henry.”  Henry’s letters are not common, the last appearing to have come up at public sale having been sold in the 1980s.

Joseph Henry Prepares for the Institution’s First Major Annual Report

1854 marked the first year that the Smithsonian sent to scholars articles of general and scholarly interest, beyond simply a report of the previous year’s activities.  In a Smithsonian publication of 1867, it was written, “Up to the year 1854 these reports were published in a pamphlet form, and contained merely an account of the operations of the Institution for the year; but since that date an appendix has been added, principally consisting of translations, from foreign journals, of articles not accessible to the English reader, but of interest to our meteorological observers, and to persons generally who are interested in the progress of knowledge. With the addition of this appendix each report forms a volume of between 400 and 500 pages, bound in boards, with a cloth cover. The first volume of this series contains a reprint of all the previous reports of the Secretary, the will of Smithson, and the enactments of Congress in regard to the bequest, and hence in the full set of these reports a continuous history of the Institution is given from its organization to the present time.”

Printed document, being the document sent to offer that original publication, signed in print by Joseph Henry on Smithsonian Institution letterhead, April 4, 1854. “The Smithsonian Institution is now making preparations to send copies of its publications to different Libraries and Societies in Europe and other parts of the world, with which it is in correspondence.  As in previous years, it will undertake the transmission and safe delivery of the publications of other American Institutions [the document then goes on to list the conditions under which such documents would be forwarded]…. Very respecfully, Joseph Henry [signed in print.]”

SECOND SECRETARY – SPENCER BAIRD

The second Smithsonian Secretary, Spencer Fullerton Baird, served from 1878 to 1887. A naturalist, ornithologist, ichthyologist, and renowned collector, Baird dedicated his career to creating a strong U.S. National Museum at the Smithsonian. By the time Baird began work at the Smithsonian Institution in 1850, he was recognized as one of the world’s most distinguished naturalists.

Second Smithsonian Secretary Spencer Baird Wants an Indian Relic Donated to the Institution

Letter signed, Smithsonian Institution letterhead, Washington DC, November 25, 1878, to Frank Andrews of Vineland NJ.  “Dear Sir, we are duly in receipt of your letter of the 22nd, acknowledging the arrival of the Smithsonian Report, as also turning some notice in regard to a find of Indian relics.  May I suggest that specifics of these will be interesting to the National Museum? Yours Truly, Spencer Baird.”  Accompanying this is a copied letter from Thomas Wilson, Curator of the Department of Prehistoric Anthropology, requesting any information on the nature of an Indian relic in the National Museum.

THIRD SECRETARY – SAMUEL PIERPONT LANGLEY

Langley was an American astronomer, physicist, inventor, and pioneer of aviation. He became the third Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in 1887 and founded the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. He also established the standard U.S. time zone system to facilitate train travel, in part to support his research endeavors, and attempted to develop the first flying machine.

The Langley Aerodrome was a pioneering but unsuccessful manned, powered flying machine designed by Langley at the close of the 19th century. The U.S. Army paid $50,000 for the project in 1898 after Langley’s successful flights with small-scale unmanned models two years earlier.  It was not however a success, and after his competitors the Wright Brothers succeeded, was nick-named “Langley’s folly.”

Three Rare Letters of Samuel Pierpont Langley On the Business of the Smithsonian Institution

Letter signed, Smithsonian Institution letterhead, February 9, 1888, to the Secretary of the Vineland Historical Society.  “Your communication of the 8th inst. has been received. You can supply the Library of the Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society with the following of our publications – Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge volumes 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, Miscellaneous Collections volumes 13, 14, 15,… 30, Proceedings National Museum volumes 2…9, Annual Reports for the years 1878, ’79, ’81, and ’82. These will be forward by mail at an early date.  Very respectfully, S.P. Langley.”

Letter signed, Smithsonian Institution letterhead, February 24, 1890, to the Librarian of the Vineland Historical Society. “Dear Sir, Replying to your letter of Feb. 21, I have to say that the Historical and Antiquarian Society of Vineland has received all the Smithsonian Reports, excepting those for 1886 and 1887, which will soon be forwarded.  The Report for 1888 is not yet published.  Of the other publications mentioned the Society has received all as yet published.  Yours very respectfully, S.P. Langley.”

Letter signed, Smithsonian Institution letterhead, February 4, 1891, to William Austin in Vineland, NJ. “Dear Sir, In reply to your letter of Jan. 31, having no special information as to the deposit of the early map of the world in the British Museum, I would refer you to the US Coast and Geoditic Survey (of which Professory Bache was the Superintendent) as the only place likely to have any record bearing on the subject.  Yours very respectfully, S.P. Langley.”

An Original Photograph of the Hangar of Langley’s Folly, Signed by a Mechanic on the Project

Original photograph of the Hangar for Langley’s folly, on the verso of which is a note in the hand of a mechanic who worked on the project.  “View of the hangar for Langley’s first machine to attempt crossing of the Atlantic; called Langley’s Folly.  Assembled at this hangar; part of the engine given to the Vineland Historical Society.”