Michael A. Spencer Collection on Theodore Mead
Scope and Contents
Series I: Writings, 1887-1934 contains correspondence written or received by the Mead family. Transcripts of the letters were created by Julian Nally, but he apparently had access to letters that Mr. Spencer did not acquire because there are transcripts for letters that are not in this collection. Series II: Printed Matter, 1938-1939 holds a brochure and news clipping about establishing the Mead Garden.
Dates
- created: 1887-1939
Creator
- Spencer, Michael A. (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The entire collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Unpublished records are protected by copyright. Permission to publish quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
Biographical or Historical Information
Theodore Mead was born on 23rd February 1852 at Fishkill, New York to Samuel H. and Mary C. Luqueer. He graduated from Cornell University in 1877, and he worked at Cornell after graduation doing research in natural history. His first interest was in butterflies, and he published Report upon the collections of diurnal Lepidoptera made in portions of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona, during the Years 1871, 1872, 1873, and 1874, with notes upon all species known to inhabit Colorado in 1875. Mead first visited Florida in 1869 and moved to Eustis, Florida in 1881 where he spent five years developing an orange grove. He then purchased eighty-five acres of land in Oviedo, Florida where he hybridized orchids and amaryllis and later, caladiums. Mead worked with Cornell University in studying orchids. He died on 4th May 1936. The Mead Gardens in Winter Park, Florida are dedicated to his memory.
Extent
0.25 Linear Feet (1 Box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Theodore Mead was a horticulturist who owned an orange grove in Eustis, Florida and developed a property in Oviedo, Florida to research and hybridize plants. The collection contains Mead's notebook and family correspondence, together with a brochure and news clipping about the founding of Mead Gardens in Winter Park, Florida.
Method of Acquisition
Michael A. Spencer donated these materials to the University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives Department in 2006 (CFM2006_08b).
Processing Information
Processed by Judith Beale; finding aid prepared by Judith Beale. Materials were placed in pH neutral folders and boxes and fragile items were sleeved in polyester. Loose sheets in the notebook were interleaved with pH neutral tissue to protect the book.
Subject
- Title
- Michael A. Spencer Collection on Theodore Mead
- Author
- Judith Beale
- Date
- 00/00/2006
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the UCF Special Collections Repository
Special Collections & University Archives
University of Central Florida Libraries
P.O. Box 162666
Orlando Florida 32816-2666 US
(407) 823-2576
speccoll@ucf.edu