Skip to main content

Samuel Robinson Williams Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MA.00138

Scope and Contents

Handwritten and typewritten drafts of manuscripts, reprints, bound volumes, printers' proofs, publishers' prospecti, correspondence, research notes, photographs, drawings, plans, and reports relating to Williams' teaching and research in physics, as well as a small amount of personal papers documenting his private life. His extensive correspondents are listed in the appendix, and included Arthur Stanley Pease and Stanley King (Presidents of Amherst College), Walter Crabtree Jr., Ray T. Bayless (American Society for Metals), M.F. Behar (Ed., Instruments), and David Landau (Nitralloy Corporation and Société des Amis d'Andre-Marie Ampere).

Dates

  • Creation: 1877-1956
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1904-1955

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

There is no restriction on access to the Samuel Robinson Williams Papers for research use. Particularly fragile items may be restricted for preservation purposes.

Conditions Governing Use

Requests for permission to publish material from the Samuel Robinson Williams Papers should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.

Biographical / Historical

1879 March 2
Born Marengo, Iowa to John Dockray and Alma (Davis) Williams
1897
Graduated Marengo High School
1901
Grinnell College Ph. B
1903
University of Nebraska M.A.
1904-1905
University of Berlin. Studied under Warburg and Planck. Also Research Physicist, Imperial Bureau of Weights and Measures of Germany, Optical Department
1906
Columbia University Ph.D. Research assistant to E.F. Nichols
1906-1907
Barnard College, Lecturer in Physics
1908-1924
Oberlin College, Professor of Physics
1918
Signal Corps, Science and Research Division, Physicist
1922-1923
California Institute of Technology, Research Associate (Leave of absence, Oberlin College)
1924-1947
Amherst College, Professor of Physics
1934
Honorary M.A. Amherst College
1942
Honorary Doctor of Science, Oberlin College
1947-1955
Professor Emeritus, Amherst College
1949-1950
General Motors Research Laboratories, Consultant in Magnetism
1951-1952
Duke University, Researcher for Navy in Low Temperature Physics
1955 February 19
Died, Hartford Hospital, Hartford Connecticut

Extent

2.25 Linear feet (1 records storage box, 2 archives boxes, 1 half archives box)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Physicist, professor. Includes drafts of manuscripts, reprints, bound volumes, printers' proofs, publishers' prospecti, correspondence, research notes, photographs, drawings, plans, and reports relating to his teaching and research in physics, as well as a small amount of personal papers documenting his private life. His extensive correspondents are listed in the appendix.

Arrangement

This collection is organized into six series:

  1. Series 1: Published Writings, 1904-1956
  2. Series 2: Unpublished Writings, 1942-1954
  3. Series 3: General Correspondence, 1915-1955, undated
  4. Series 4: House-Building Records, Lincoln Avenue, Amherst
  5. Series 5: Signal Corps Records, Science and Research Division
  6. Series 6: Miscellaneous Materials

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The papers of Samuel Robinson Williams (1879-1955), Professor of Physics at Oberlin College 1908-1924 and at Amherst College 1924-1947, were given to the Amherst College Archives by his wife Mabel Morris Bennett Williams between 1955 and 1963, and by his granddaughters Lois D.W. Arnold and Hannah R.W. Boulton in 1975.

Related Materials

Books:

  1. Magnetic Phenomena, An Elementary Treatise, International Series in Physics. New York and London: McGraw-Hill, 1931
  2. Foundations of College Physics, Boston: Ginn and Company, 1937
  3. Experimental Physics, Boston: Ginn and Company, 1937
  4. Hardness and Hardness Measurements, American Society for Metals, Cleveland, 1942

Articles:

  1. For a list of Williams' many articles, see his files in the Non-Alumni Biographical Files.

Processing Information

Finding Aid:
1980 March
Prepared by:
Linda Seidman
Prepared for web:
2003 June
By:
Graham Leach-Krouse '05, Student Encoding Assistant
Status
Completed
Author
Linda Seidman
Date
2003
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Sponsor
Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Repository Details

Part of the Amherst College Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Amherst College Archives & Special Collections
Robert Frost Library
61 Quadrangle Drive
Amherst MA 01002-5000
(413) 542-2299