Charles M. Ek papers
Collection
Identifier: L255
Scope and Contents
This collection consists primarily of correspondence from Charles C. Deam and Dr. Ray Friesner to Charles Ek from 1933 to 1950 regarding Indiana botanical research and new plant specimen discoveries. The remaining materials consist of letters sent to Ek from different universities and government agencies dated from 1900 to 1944.
Dates
- 1900-1950
Creator
- Deam, Charles Clemon, 1865-1953 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Charles Clemon Deam was born August 30, 1865 in Wells County, Indiana to John Henry and Marth Marsh Deam. He married Stella Mullin (1870-1953) on June 11, 1893. He became Indiana's first forester in 1909 and held the position until 1913. He held the position again from 1917-1928 and then continued to work for the state as a forestry reearcher. Deam collected more than 78,000 plant specimens, identified 25 new ones, and had more than 40 plants named after him. Deam Lake State Recreation Area is also named in honor of him. He published several books about Indiana botany, including Trees of Indiana (1911), Shrubs of Indiana (1924), Grasses of Indiana (1929), and Flora of Indiana (1940). Deam died at the age of 87 on May 29, 1953.
Sources:
State of Indiana. "Charles Clemon Deam, 1865-1953." Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Accessed September 1, 2015. http://www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/files/deam.pdf
"Kokomo Botonist Pays Tribute to Dr. C.C. Deam and Dr. Friesner." The Kokomo Tribune, June 8, 1953, 4. Accessed September 1, 2015. http://access.newspaperarchive.com/
Kriebel, Robert C. Plain Ol' Charlie Deam: Pioneer Hoosier Botanist. West Lafayette, IN: Pudue University Press, 1987.
Charles Marion Ek was born in Cassville, Howard County, Indiana to Hans and Sarah Ek on June 20, 1873. He married Elsie Mills (1874-1957) on May 17, 1903. They had five children: Ralph (1906-1908), Lois (1908-1999), Ruby (1912-1914), Ruth (1912-2005), and Max (1916-1986). Ek died on January 31, 1960.
Ek graduated from Indiana University in 1900 and worked as a teacher for nine years. He also worked for Pittsburgh Glass Co. until 1937. After retirement, he devoted much of his time to the botany of Indiana. He was a member of the Indiana Academy of Science and he was considered one of Indiana's best known botanists. He classified 875 plants in Howard County and gave lectures and wrote many articles on botany for the Kokomo Tribune.
Sources:
Ancestry.com. "Charles M. Eli." 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed September 1, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
"Charles M. Ek, Well Known Botanist, Dead at Spencer." The Kokomo Tribune, February 2, 1960, 2.
FindaGrave.com. "Charles Marion Ek." Find a Grave Index. Accessed September 1, 2015. http://www.findagrave.com.
Dr. Ray Friesner was born in Bremen, Ohio on February 8, 1894. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1916 and received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1919. He married Gladys Miller (1895-1994) on June 20, 1922. Friesner was a professor at Butler University and served as the head of the Department of Botany. Dr. Friesner was a prolific collector who spent summers traveling the state looking for botanical specimens. The Friesner Herbarium at Butler University was created from his personal collection. He died at the age of 58 on December 1, 1952.
Sources:
Ancestry.com. "Ray C. Friesner." Indiana Marriage Collection, 1800-1941. Accessed September 3, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
"Kokomo Botonist Pays Tribute to Dr. C.C. Deam and Dr. Friesner." The Kokomo Tribune, June 8, 1953, 4. Accessed September 1, 2015. http://access.newspaperarchive.com.
Butler University. "Ray C. Friesner." Friesner Herbarium. Accessed September 1, 2015. http://legacy.butler.edu/herbarium/about/friesner.
Sources:
State of Indiana. "Charles Clemon Deam, 1865-1953." Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Accessed September 1, 2015. http://www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/files/deam.pdf
"Kokomo Botonist Pays Tribute to Dr. C.C. Deam and Dr. Friesner." The Kokomo Tribune, June 8, 1953, 4. Accessed September 1, 2015. http://access.newspaperarchive.com/
Kriebel, Robert C. Plain Ol' Charlie Deam: Pioneer Hoosier Botanist. West Lafayette, IN: Pudue University Press, 1987.
Charles Marion Ek was born in Cassville, Howard County, Indiana to Hans and Sarah Ek on June 20, 1873. He married Elsie Mills (1874-1957) on May 17, 1903. They had five children: Ralph (1906-1908), Lois (1908-1999), Ruby (1912-1914), Ruth (1912-2005), and Max (1916-1986). Ek died on January 31, 1960.
Ek graduated from Indiana University in 1900 and worked as a teacher for nine years. He also worked for Pittsburgh Glass Co. until 1937. After retirement, he devoted much of his time to the botany of Indiana. He was a member of the Indiana Academy of Science and he was considered one of Indiana's best known botanists. He classified 875 plants in Howard County and gave lectures and wrote many articles on botany for the Kokomo Tribune.
Sources:
Ancestry.com. "Charles M. Eli." 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed September 1, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
"Charles M. Ek, Well Known Botanist, Dead at Spencer." The Kokomo Tribune, February 2, 1960, 2.
FindaGrave.com. "Charles Marion Ek." Find a Grave Index. Accessed September 1, 2015. http://www.findagrave.com.
Dr. Ray Friesner was born in Bremen, Ohio on February 8, 1894. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1916 and received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1919. He married Gladys Miller (1895-1994) on June 20, 1922. Friesner was a professor at Butler University and served as the head of the Department of Botany. Dr. Friesner was a prolific collector who spent summers traveling the state looking for botanical specimens. The Friesner Herbarium at Butler University was created from his personal collection. He died at the age of 58 on December 1, 1952.
Sources:
Ancestry.com. "Ray C. Friesner." Indiana Marriage Collection, 1800-1941. Accessed September 3, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
"Kokomo Botonist Pays Tribute to Dr. C.C. Deam and Dr. Friesner." The Kokomo Tribune, June 8, 1953, 4. Accessed September 1, 2015. http://access.newspaperarchive.com.
Butler University. "Ray C. Friesner." Friesner Herbarium. Accessed September 1, 2015. http://legacy.butler.edu/herbarium/about/friesner.
Extent
0.3 Cubic Feet (1 manuscript box)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from W.A. Dailey on 1949/11 and 1957/10/1.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2015/09/03 by Laura Eliason. EAD finding aid created 2015/09/03 by Laura Eliason.
Creator
- Deam, Charles Clemon, 1865-1953 (Person)
- Ek, Charles M. (Person)
- Friesner, Ray C. (Person)
- Title
- Charles M. Ek papers
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
