Theodore B. Mitchell Papers
MC 00183
Special Collections Research Center
4.25 Linear feet
1918 - 2008
Theodore B. Mitchell (1890-1983) was a North Carolina State College professor of entomology for over thirty-five years. During his career, he researched "systematic entomology" and had a special focus on bees. The Theodore B. Mitchell Papers is comprised of professional and personal correspondence related to Mitchell's entomological interests as well as civic organization commitments.
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the
Special Collections Research Center Reference Staff.
8 archival storage boxes and 1 card box
Mitchell, Theodore B.
Restrictions to Access
This collection is open for research; access requires at least 24 hours advance notice.
Acquisitions Information
Transfer from Department of Entomology, School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, April 22, 1986, and July 2007. The last departmental transfer was Accession Number 2007-0231. In addition accessions made through the following donations: gift of Sam Droege, 2008 (Accession 2008-0068), and gift of Janet Mitchell, 2008 (Accession 2008-0272).
Preferred Citation
[Identification of Item], Theodore B. Mitchell Papers, MC 00183, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Copyright Notice
North Carolina State University does not own copyright to this collection. Individuals obtaining materials from the NCSU Libraries' Special Collections Research Center are responsible for using the works in conformance with United States copyright law as well as any donor restrictions accompanying the materials.
Biographical Note
Theodore B. Mitchell was born on October 26, 1890, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He attended Massachusetts Agricultural College (now University of Massachusetts, Amherst), from which he graduated with a B.S. degree in 1920. He also served in the U.S. Army as a Band Sargeant, spending one year in France during World War I. Mitchell was employed by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture in 1920 as an Assistant Entomologist. In that capacity he conducted extensive field surveys, and the focus on "systematic entomology" that was to dominate his future research came into being. Furthering his education, Mitchell obtained the M.S. degree from North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering (later North Carolina State University) in 1924, and completed his education with an S.D. degree from Harvard University in 1928.
Joining the NCSC faculty in 1925, Dr. Mitchell was promoted to associate professor in 1930, and achieved the rank of full professor in 1938, a position that he held until his retirement in 1961. Mitchell continued his research for many years after his retirement, and was a noted figure in the field of entomology. The special attention given to bees throughout his career culminated in the publication of
Bees of the Eastern United States, a two-volume manual of the entire bee fauna.
Dr. Mitchell was a memer of many honorary and professional fraternities and organizations, most notably Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Xi, Gamma Sigma Delta, the Entomological Society of America, and the North Carolina Academy of Science.
Dr. Mitchell was married to Miss Olivia Gowan of Raleigh in 1924, and they had one son, Richard. T.B. Mitchell died on February 10, 1983.
Scope and Content Note
The Theodore B. Mitchell Papers consists of correspondence, research notes, glass plate lantern slides, and newspaper clippings pertaining to Theodore B. Mitchell's career and his research on "systematic entomology," and in particular his study of bees (which culminated in the publication of the two-volume
Bees of the Eastern United States). The Professional Correspondence series contains letters to colleagues in the field of entomology and includes, among others, letters to and from the British Museum of Natural History, the California Academy of Sciences, the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the College of Tropical Agriculture. The Personal Correspondence series contains letters to friends and family members, as well as letters that document his involvement with various civic organizations.
Mitchell, Theodore B.
North Carolina State College. Dept. of Entomology.
Bees--East (U.S.)
Diaries
Entomology--Research--North Carolina
Lantern slides
Letters (correspondence)
Professional Correspondence
Series 001
2.75 Linear feet
6 archival storage boxes
By Individual
Alex, A.H.
1
1
Baker, James R.
1
2
Biol, Mario Sousa S.
1
3
Bohart, Richard M. and G.E. [Folder 1 of 2]
1
4
Bohart, Richard M. and G.E. [Folder 2 of 2]
1
5
Bradley, J. Chester
1
6
Covell, Charles V., Jr.
1
7
Evans, Howard E.
1
8
Krombein, Dr. Karl V. [Folder 1 of 3]
2
1
Krombein, Dr. Karl V. [Folder 2 of 3]
2
2
Krombein, Dr. Karl V. [Folder 3 of 3]
2
3
La Berge, Wallace E. [Folder 1 of 2]
2
4
La Berge, Wallace E. [Folder 2 of 2]
2
5
Lanham, U.N.
2
6
McClay, A.T.
2
7
Medler, J.T.
2
8
Michner, Charles D. [Folder 1 of 3]
2
9
Michner, Charles D. [Folder 2 of 3]
2
10
Michner, Charles D. [Folder 3 of 3]
2
11
Milliron, Herbert
2
12
Moldenke, Andrew R.
3
1
Montgomery, B. Elwood
3
2
Morse, Roger A.
3
3
Moure, P.J.
3
4
Muesebeck, C.F.W.
3
5
Osychniuk, A.Z.
3
6
Parker, Frank
3
7
Pasteels, J.J.
3
8
Ponomareva, Anna A.
3
9
Ribble, D.W.
3
10
Ribble, D.W.
3
11
Roberts, Radclyffe B.
3
12
Rodeck, Hugo G.
3
13
Rozen, Jerome G.
3
14
Scullen, H.A.
3
15
Snelling, Roy
3
16
Stephen, William P. [Folder 1 of 2]
3
17
Stephen, William P. [Folder 2 of 2]
3
18
Timberlake, P.H. [Folder 1 of 3]
4
1
Timberlake, P.H. [Folder 2 of 3]
4
2
Timberlake, P.H. [Folder 3 of 3]
4
3
Toro, Harold
4
4
Townes, Henry
4
5
Weems, Howard V., Jr. [Folder 1 of 3]
4
6
Weems, Howard V., Jr. [Folder 2 of 3]
4
7
Weems, Howard V., Jr. [Folder 3 of 3]
4
8
Multiple-Entry Files
Atyeo; Bennett; Dietrich; Eickwort
4
9
Boucek; Macek; Pulawski
4
10
Butler; Werner
4
11
Chandler; Comeau; Cooper
4
12
Hedicke; Hill; Hiroshima; Hubbell
4
13
Lieftinck; Ordway; Schlinger
4
14
By Subject Letter Heading
G
5
1
H
5
2
I - J
5
3
K [Folder 1 of 2]
5
4
K [Folder 2 of 2]
5
5
L
5
6
M [Folder 1 of 2]
5
7
M [Folder 2 of 2]
5
8
N
5
9
P - Q [Folder 1 of 2]
5
10
P - Q [Folder 2 of 2]
5
11
R
5
12
S [Folder 1 of 2]
6
1
S [Folder 2 of 2]
6
2
T
6
3
U - V
6
4
W
6
5
X - Z
6
6
By Topic
British Museum of Natural History
6
7
California Academy of Sciences
6
8
Editorial Notes
6
9
Illinois Natural History Survey
6
10
Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
6
11
Rockefeller Foundation, Imp. College of Tropical Ag.
6
12
Types of Collections
6
13
Misc. Professional Correspondence
6
14
Personal Correspondence
Series 002
0.2 Linear feet
1 archival storage box
Perez Simmons
7
1
Political
7
2
Undated
7
3
Dated
7
4
Glass Plate Lantern Slides
Series 003
0.5 Linear feet
1920 - 1939
75 glass plate lantern slides
Scope and Contents note
Contained here are glass plate lantern slides of insects (including but not exclusively bees), index cards (possibly to slides), and mounted dragonflies. These item had been discovered in the offices or labs of the Department of Entomology, and they were transferred to Special Collections in July 2007. These materials have not been archivally processed.
Slides
Accession no. 2007-0231
8
Travel Diaries and Field Notes
Series 004
0.05 Linear feet
1920-1963
Scope and Contents note
Diaries and notes from research trips and personal travel.
Travel Diaries and Field Notes
Accession no. 2008-0068
7
5
1920-1963
Unprocessed Materials
Series 099
0.05 Linear feet
1941-2008
Scope and Contents note
Addition donated by Janet Mitchell, daughter-in-law of Theodore B. Mitchell: 1 small box of photographic slides and 1 notebook of memoirs, correspondence, newsclippings, interview transcript, and other documents.
Notebook and Slides
Accession no. 2008-0272
9
1941-2008
Entomology Club Newsletter (dedicated to Dr. Mitchell)
Accession 2012.0014
9
1963