The Collection
The George B. Barbour collection at the University of Cincinnati consists of documents pertaining to the personal and professional aspects of the geologist and educator’s life.
His personal papers contain diaries kept during his service in World War I, as well as correspondence (1890-1975) between him and his wife, Dorothy (Dickenson) Barbour, his parents, children, and friends. Of the various correspondence, a portion were labeled “VIP” to distinguish their importance. Such “VIP” correspondence include 20th century figures as James Truslow Adams, Norman Angell, John Dewey, Albert Einstein, Jane Goodell, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Herbert Hoover, Theodore Roosevelt, Margaret Sanger, and George Bernard Shaw. Along with the correspondence, the collection includes newspaper clippings regarding the activities of the Barbour family as well as photographs and film of the family captured during their various travels.
Barbour’s professional papers contain a great deal of information regarding 20th century Geology curricula, development of the Geological profession, and some information regarding major geological and anthropological discoveries made during the 20th century. Included are reprints of professional articles, early diaries, field notebooks, lecture notebooks, grade books, teaching materials, professional association materials, research notes, and working papers for Barbour’s book, “In the Field with Teilhard de Chardin.”
As a result of the long-term friendship between George Barbour and Teilhard de Chardin, and a general interest the Barbour family shared in de Chardin’s life and work, the collection also includes correspondence between Barbour and de Chardin, bibliographies of de Chardin’s works, articles and books by and about de Chardin, and his personal copy of The South African Journal from 1951.
The George B. Barbour papers reflect a gifted scholar extremely dedicated to his profession as a geologist and teacher, and a man devoted to and beloved by his family and friends.
Contributors
Kevin Grace – Archives and Rare Books Library, project director and editor
Suzanne Reller – Archives and Rare Books Library
Michael Tipton – Library and Information Science intern
Website created by Michael Tipton.