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A Guide to the Roy Jay Holden Papers, 1904-1945 Holden, Roy Jay, Papers Ms1982-014

A Guide to the Roy Jay Holden Papers, 1904-1945

A Collection in
Special Collections
Collection Number Ms1982-014


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Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

© 2011 By Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. All rights reserved.

Processed by: Special Collections Staff

Repository
Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va.
Collection Number
Ms1982-014
Title
Roy Jay Holden Papers, 1904-1945
Physical Characteristics
6.0 cu. ft. 6 boxes
Creator
Holden, Roy Jay, 1870-1945
Location
Please note: This collection is in off-site storage and requires 2-3 days notice for retrieval. Please contact Special Collections for more information.
Language
English
Abstract
Papers include field notes, charts and maps, and geological surveys and research results, covering the history of mineralogy and geology, especially in Virginia.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from the Roy Jay Holden Papers must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Roy Jay Holden Papers, Ms1982-014, Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va.

Acquisition Information

The Roy Jay Holden Papers were donated to Special Collections prior to 1982.

Processing Information

An inventory of the Roy Jay Holden Papers was completed after their donation. Additional description was completed in January 2011, when the finding aid was created.

Biographical Note

Professor of Geology and Mineralogy (1905-42) at Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

Scope and Content

Papers include field notes, charts and maps, and geological surveys and research results, covering the history of mineralogy and geology, especially in Virginia, including work at the VPI Engineering Experiment Station. In addition to detailed materials on iron ores in Virginia, especially west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, there are reports on mines and furnaces in twenty-five counties of the state. The collection also contains Holden's notebooks, copies of addresses and speeches he made, and records from the VPI Geology Department.

Arrangement

Materials are organized into three series: Professional Papers, which include notes, manuscripts, Geology Department records, and a CV; Subject Files, which include materials collected on various topics relating to geology and mines, particularly in Virginia; and General Files, which includes correspondence, notes, and information on individuals and companies. Wherever possible, detailed lists of the file contents are provided in the "Contents List" below.

Related Material

Addition records from the Geological Sciences Department are available in Record Group 15/12. A brief description of these materials is available on the University Archives website: http://spec.lib.vt.edu/archives/guide/rg15.htm .

Index Terms

    Subjects:

  • Faculty
  • Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
  • Science and Technology
  • University Archives
  • Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute
  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

  • Holden, Roy Jay, 1870-1945
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Contents List

Professional Papers.
  • Box 1
    Curriculum Vitae; Bibliography.
  • Box 1
    History of Geology; Geology Department.
  • Box 4
    Addresses & Radio Talks.
    Scope and Content

    Africa
    "Aladdin Was a Piker"
    "Algonkian Formations in the Blue Ridge of Virginia"
    "Animals of the Past"
    "Appalachian Alluvial Diamonds"
    Aurora Borealis
    Automobile Touring--1930, 1936, 1937
    Canadian Northland, Tales of, 1938
    "Touring in Ontario" (Canada)
    Coal: "Origin of Coal"
    Coal: Coal Map of Virginia, Discussion of, for Virginia Planning Board
    Coal: "A Visit to a Coal Mine," 1931
    Coal: Underground trip--Pocahontas Fuel Co.
    Commencement address, 1945: "To Think or Not to Think"
    Colorado River, The
    Columbia Lavas, The, 1930
    "Conservation of Natural Resources," 1932
    "Dust" (Atmospheric), 1933
    "Earth, Looking into the," 1930
    Earth, Tales of the
    Fenstreams
    First Families of America
    F.F.V.
    Geology Recitations, 1933: What is geology? (Ja. 12): Piedmont Section of Virginia; (Mar. 9): General questions about geology; (May 11): "How do mountains grow?" etc.; (June 8): Geology trip.
    Gas Well, Virginia's First (4 pp.), 1932
    Gems
    Genesis vs. Geology
    Glacier National Park, 1930
    Gold, 1935, 1938
    Helictites in Virginia
    Imperial Valley, The (Southern California) (3 pp.)
    Iron in Virginia, Mining & Manufacturing of (4 pp.), 1931, 1944
    Iron Gate Gap (4 pp.), 1932
    Inorganic Resources of Virginia, Utilization of, in Chemical Manufacture (Arsenopyrite; Portland & Natural Cements; Lime; Gypsum; Salt; Sulphuric Acid; Manganese; Ceramic Materials; Nitrate; Copper; Lead & Zinc) (5 pp.)
    Magmatic Carbonation - Carbothermal Metamorphism
    Metallic Resources of Virginia
    Natural Bridge National Forest, 1931
    National Resources, Conservation of, 1932
    Narrows, The (3 pp.), 1931
    New River ("Our Oldest River"), 1931
    Non-Ferrous Metals in Virginia, 1931
    "Origin of Life"
    Petroleum in Virginia, 1930
    Phi Kappa Phi, Talk before, 1936
    Piedmont, Virginia, Geology of (8 pp.), 1933
    "Plant Life Though the Ages" (8 pp.)
    Prehistory (13 pp.), "Measuring Prehistoric Time," 1937
    'Punch Jones' Sparkler
    Rocky Mountains, The
    "Sic Transit Gloria Mundi" (7 pp.), 1943, Phi Kappa Phi
    Stamp Collection, The Hobby of, 1936
    Starch Manufacture in Virginia, 1931
    Underground trip--see Coal (above)
    Water (& chlorine)
    Water Power, Virginia (4 pp.), 1932
    Water, Yellow Sulphur Spring, Origin of the Sulphate
    Miscellaneous

  • Box 5
    Manuscripts of original work on iron ores.
    Scope and Content

    History of the Iron Ore Industry of the United States (typescript of Holden's doctoral dissertation for the University of Wisconsin, 1915; 506 pp.)

  • Box 5
    Field Notes, 1905-1929.
    Scope and Content


    30 small notebooks, many dealing with Virginia Geological Survey, including:

    1905: #1-3, 5
    1906: #4, 6, x
    1907: #7, x, Carnegie work
    1908: #1
    1909: #3-7, 7a, x
    1910: #8, 10-11
    1912: Zinc
    1914: #12
    1919: #13
    1929: "Red notebook"
    History notes 1-3
    Ore & furnaces
    Historical notes

  • Box 5
    Duplicates of field notes (see list of folder above).
  • Box 6
    Miscellaneous typescripts and manuscripts.
  • Box 6
    Geology Departmental Records.
    Scope and Content

    Before 1920
    1920-1923
    1924-1928
    Requisitions, 1926
    1929
    Requisitions, 1934
    Requisitions, 1939
    Requisitions, 1943
    Appropriations & Budgets, 1909-1936
    Appropriations & Budgets, 1938-1945
    Payrolls, 1909-1945
    Expense Accounts

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Subject Files.
  • Box 1
    Iron Ores in Virginia.
  • Box 1
    History of Development of Oriskany Iron Ore.
  • Box 2-3 (2 boxes)
    Iron Ore.
    Scope and Content

    Box 2
    Alleghany Ore & Iron Company
    Analyses--List of samples tested
    Analyses--Penniman & Brown
    Appalachian Iron Company, Big Stone Gap
    Bibliography of Virginia Iron Ores
    Cacapon Sandstone as an Iron Ore
    Catalog of State Reports
    Chemistry of Virginia Iron Ores
    Douthat Survey
    Field note, VGS 1906-1911 (Virginia Geological Survey)
    Geological Survey letters--Bevan, McGill, Giles, Nelson, Warwick
    Iron Ores (Virginia)
    Iron Ores in Virginia & Iron Ores West of the Blue Ridge
    Iron Sulphate

    Box 3
    Manganese Ore in Virginia & West Virginia
    Manganese
    Metallic Mineral Resources of Virginia
    Methods of Analyses
    Norfolk & Western Railway
    Oriskany Ore and Iron Company
    Pulaski Iron Company
    Reports
    Robinson, Heath
    Solution of the Iron
    Specular Ores (Historical)
    Virginia Railway
    Walker Mountain--Pulaski (Caldwell, J. E.)

  • Box 3
    Lime.
    Scope and Content

    Tests on Burning Limestone
    Laws on Lime (Agriculture)
    Letters, miscellaneous
    Samples, list of contributors
    Marl
    Methods
    National Lime Association
    Reports
    Riverton
    Sample Numbers
    Sizing Tests
    Temperature Test
    White Rock Quarry Company
    Analyses
    Bags
    Weight Experiment
    Weights of Lime in Storage

  • Box 3
    Mines in Virginia, A-F.
    Scope and Content

    Andis
    Arcadia
    Austinville
    Australia
    Back Valley
    Bailey Crockett
    Barber
    Bare Bank/Crozier/Blue Bank/Red Mountain
    Barren Springs and Bertha
    Bess
    Big Hill
    Black Rock
    Boyer
    Bozoo Well Samples
    Callie
    Camp Prospect
    Carter Bank
    Charter Oak
    Chestnut Knob (Henry County)
    Circle
    Clarke Bank
    Clayton (Pulaski County)
    Coffee
    Columbia and Liberty
    Crawford
    Crescent
    Crimora
    Dixie Limonite
    Dolly Ann
    Douthat Survey (Haynes & Moore tract, Alleghany County)
    Estelline
    Eva
    Farris
    Fenwick
    Ferrol
    Foster Falls

  • Box 4
    Mines in Virginia, G-R; References; Reports.
    Scope and Content

    Gannaway
    Garrison
    Given
    Hannah Forrer
    Hematite
    Henderson
    Henrietta
    Hepler
    Hiden
    Home Bank (Musser Bank, Buchanan, Wynne)
    Hurst of Buckeye
    Indian Camp
    Iron Mountain
    Ivanhoe
    Jackson
    William Jackson
    Johnson
    Kennedy
    Kimball
    Kunkle (Augusta County)
    Liberty (Shennandoah County)
    Lignite
    Little Wythe
    Locust Hill
    Longdale Iron Co. (houses Low Moor)
    Low Moor
    Martin Bank
    McCormick
    Merica
    Merrimac (Montgomery County)
    Mills Bank
    Mine Run (Shennandoah County)
    Morris
    Mount Torry
    Norma
    Oriskany
    Patterson
    Percival
    Pit Spring
    Poplar Camp
    Porter Bank
    Porter
    Posey
    Princess Furnace Co. (Glen Wilton)
    Pulaski
    Red Hill
    Red Mountain
    Reed Island
    Rich Hill
    Rich Patch
    Rileyville
    Roaring Run
    Rumsey

  • Box 4
    Mines in Virginia, S-W.
    Scope and Content

    Sanders
    Simmerman
    Smyth
    Spec
    Stack
    Swecker
    Tipton
    Under Rock
    Van Buren
    Vaughn (Shennandoah County)
    Walton
    White Rock
    Wilton

  • Box 4
    Minerology.
  • Box 4
    Minerals in Virginia.
    Scope and Content

    Basalt; Bauxite; Clays; Copper; Dufrenite; Feldspar; Franklinite; Gold; Ilemite; Pegmatite-Moorefield; Pheancite in Amelia County; Platinum; Potash; Quartz; Spessarite; Staurolite-Fairy Stone; Tantalite; Titanium; Vanadium; Viviante; Waverlite; Zinc.

  • Box 4
    Mineral Statistics.
  • Box 4
    Oil Shale.
  • Box 5
    Geographic distribution (3 folders).
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General Files.
  • Box 1
    A-C.
    Scope and Content

    Anderson, William A.
    Appalachian Geology
    Augusta Mill & Merchantile Co.
    Blacksburg, Town of
    Bockee, John J.
    Bomb (to test the stability of natural silicates in iron furnaces)
    Brown, J. Wilcox
    Calcite & Aragmite Experiements
    Campbell, M. R.
    Caves
    Cement
    Cement--thesis
    Charts & Maps
    Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co.
    Cline, W. S.
    Clippings (newspaper) re: cement, lime mortar
    Curd, William C.
    Curve (results of carbonation of limestone)

  • Box 1
    D-L.
    Scope and Content

    Daily, D. T.
    Dams, Damsites & Reservoirs
    Dillon's Sons, E.
    Echols, W. M.
    Engineering Experiment Station
    Experimental Results (Lime)
    Field notes
    Firmstone, H.
    Fischer, Alfred George
    Forrer, Samuel
    Fossils
    Geological Survey (Virginia) letters
    Goshen Iron Co.
    Graham, David
    Harvey, A. W.
    Index to manuscript--Industrial Development
    Jones, Catesby (chief chemist, state)
    Jordan, S. H.
    Jung, E. L.
    Kimbalton Lime Co.
    Letters, miscellaneous
    Letters from outside the state of Virginia
    Low Moor Iron Co.

  • Box 2
    M-R.
    Scope and Content

    Manuscript--cutlines for figures
    Matthews, A. L.
    Meteorites
    Miscellaneous
    Newport News Ship & Dry Dock Co.
    Patents
    Pechin, Edmund C., report
    Persinger, A. W.
    Pulaski Fault
    Punch Jones Diamond
    Raymond, R. W.
    Riley Bill 1943
    Roanoke Cinder Block Co.
    Rocks

  • Box 2
    S-W.
    Scope and Content

    Sinking Creek
    Skyline Parkway
    Soils & Soil Conservation
    Springs (mineral)
    State Planning Board--discussion of map
    Stratigraphy
    Virginia Elements of Natural Environment
    VPI&SU
    Vulcanism
    Water (Springs & wells)
    Watson, Dr. T. L.

  • Box 2
    Counties.
    Scope and Content

    Alleghany
    Augusta
    Bath & Bedford
    Botetourt
    Bland
    Buchanan & Dickerson
    Clarke
    Craig
    Frederick
    Giles
    Highland
    Lee
    Montgomery
    Page
    Pulaski
    Roanoke
    Rockbridge
    Rockingham
    Russell
    Scott
    Shennandoah (& Warren)
    Smyth
    Tazewell
    Washington
    Wise
    Wythe

  • Box 2
    Furnaces, Data on.
    Scope and Content

    Grace Furnace
    Princess Furnace Co.--Botetourt County
    Van Buren Furnace
    Vernon Furnace (Grottoes Iron Co.)
    Virginia Iron & Coal Co.

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