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Dr. James H. Armsby

Dr. James H. Armsby, a physician, was born in Sutton, Massachusetts, December 31, 1809, and died in Albany, New York on December 3, 1875. His early years were spent on his father's farm and in the common school, with a short time in the Worcester and Monson academies. He studied with his brother-in-law, Dr. Alden March at the Vermont academy of medicine, Castleton, Vt. , graduating in 1833. He taught for a year in a private medical school, and from 1834 to 1839 was professor of anatomy and physiology in the Vermont academy. In 1839 he and March moved to Albany to co-found the Albany Medical College.

Armsby delivered there what has been described as "the first American course of medical lectures illustrated with dissections of the human body." In addition to teaching, he served as a surgeon at the Albany Hospital, which he helped found in 1849, and in private practice. He made two visits to Europe, one in 1839 and one in 1845, for the purpose of inspecting the principal medical schools of the old world. He went to Naples in 1861 as U.S. consul, and in the following years helped organize U.S. medical services during the Civil War. He was also one of the originators of the Young Men's Christian Association.

In 1851 -1852, Dr. Armsby led a group of leading Albany citizens in the creation of the Dudley Observatory. In 1855, he negotiated an agreement with the U.S. Coast Survey that led to the purchase of telescopes and other equipment, and the launching of the Dudley Observatory's first program of astronomical research. During the Dudley Observatory controversy of 1858-1860, he was a leader of the majority group of trustees that successfully withstood challenges from the observatory's scientific council and retained control of the institution. He continued to serve on the Dudley Observatory Board of Trustees until his death in 1875.

The contents of several letterbooks belonging to; Dr. Armsby can be found in the Dudley Observatory Archives.;

The Papers of James H. Armsby

Restrictions: None. Manuscripts cannot be used for publication without regard for common law literary rights, copyright laws, and laws pertaining to libel.

Content Note

The papers of Dr. James H. Armsby contain incoming correspondence, newspapers and a few pamphlets that were included in five letterbooks. Dr. Armsby was Secretary of the Dudley Observatory Board of Trustees and kept incoming correspondence addressed to other members of the Board, including Thomas Olcott and Robert H. Pruyn. The contents of the letterbooks were removed from the acidic and deteriorating bindings and placed in acid-free folders. Before removal, each item was numbered in pencil on the verso. These numbers appear in the notes field of the container listing.

The first book (Box # 1 Folders #1-20) held incoming correspondence regarding a bazaar that was held in Albany in 1865 to raise money to support the United States Sanitary Fund which provided aid for sick and wounded Union soldiers. Various photographs, autographs and works of art were sold or raffled off. One item included in the sale was a draft of the Emancipation Proclamation in Abraham Lincoln's handwriting. Most of the correspondence is comprised of simple requests for raffle tickets. There is a small number of requests for donations and replies from donors.

The second letterbook (Box # 1 Folders # 21-30) was labeled "University Letters" and contained incoming correspondence (1850 -1856) from Ormsby M. Mitchell about the directorship of Dudley Observatory. Other correspondence in this letterbook concerns the meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the establishment of a National University in Albany. The selection of foreign guests and the solicitation of free transportation for them filled one section of the letterbook.

The third letterbook (Box # 1 Folders #31-48) contained correspondence addressed to several members of the Dudley Observatory Board of Trustees in 1856 and 1857.

The fourth letterbook (Box #1 Folders #49-66) contained correspondence about the establishment in Albany, NY of a National University, 1851-1853.

The last letterbook (Box # 2) contained correspondence from Benjamin Apthrop Gould, Jr. to Dr. Armsby and Thomas Olcott about the Dudley Observatory, 1855 to 1858; from Benjamin Pierce, 1858; from A.D. Bache, 1856 to 1857; and from Joseph Henry, 1857.

 

Papers of Dr. James H. Armsby

Container list

 

Box # Fldr # Series Sub-series Contents Dates Notes

1

1

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864    

1

2

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864     

1

3

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

4

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

5

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

6

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

7

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

8

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

9

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

10

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

11

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

12

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

13

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

14

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

15

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

16

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

17

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

18

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

19

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

20

Armsby Army relief bazaar Correspondence 1864   

1

21

Armsby University letters (1 of 10)      

1

22

Armsby University letters (2 of 10)      

1

23

Armsby University letters (3 of 10)      

1

24

Armsby University letters (4 of 10)      

1

25

Armsby University letters (5 of 10)      

1

26

Armsby University letters (6 of 10)      

1

27

Armsby University letters (7 of 10)      

1

28

Armsby University letters (8 of 10)      

1

29

Armsby University letters (9 of 10)      

1

30

Armsby University letters (10 of 10)      

1

31

Armsby Correspondence (1 of 7) 1856 1-5

1

32

Armsby Correspondence (2 of 7) 1856 6-10

1

33

Armsby Correspondence (3 of 7) 1856 11-15

1

34

Armsby Correspondence (4 of 7) 1856 16-20

1

35

Armsby Correspondence (5 of 7) 1856 21-25

1

36

Armsby Correspondence (6 of 7) 1856 26-30

1

37

Armsby Correspondence (7 of 7) 1857 31-35

1

38

Armsby National University Association    1852-1855  

1

39

Armsby Working Plan for Foundation of a University    1856   

1

40

Armsby Dudley Observatory [letter from Scientific Council] 1856  

1

41

Armsby [letterbook boards]       

1

42

Armsby Letters [2]    1856-1857   

1

43

Armsby Letters [2]    1856-1857   

1

44

Armsby Letters [2]    1856-1857   

1

45

Armsby Letters [2]    1857   

1

46

Armsby Letters [2]    1856-1857   

1

47

Armsby Letters [2]    1856-1857   

1

48

Armsby Letters [2] [letterbook boards]      

1

49

Armsby Letters Received   1853 1-5

1

50

Armsby Letters Received   1853 6-10

1

51

Armsby Letters Received   1853 11

1

52

Armsby Letters Received   1853 12-14

1

53

Armsby Letters Received   1853 15-16

1

54

Armsby Letters Received   1853 17-18

1

55

Armsby Letters Received   1853 19.1-19.15

1

56

Armsby Letters Received   1853 19.16-19.27

1

57

Armsby Letters Received     20-23

1

58

Armsby Letters Received     24-25

1

59

Armsby Letters Received   1855 26-29

1

60

Armsby Letters Received   1851-1852 30-34

1

61

Armsby Letters Received     35-37

1

62

Armsby Letters Received   1851-1853 38-46

1

63

Armsby Letters Received   1852-1853 47-52

1

64

Armsby Letters Received [clippings Mitchel obit][1862]   53

1

65

Armsby Letters Received [index & clippings]    

1

66

Armsby Correspondence [Olcott to Nuggles] 1852  

1

67

Armsby reprint [Peters to Armsby] 1858  
Box # Fldr # Series Sub-series Contents Dates Collation #s

2

1

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1855 1-9

2

2

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1856 10-19

2

3

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1856 20-29

2

4

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1856 30-39

2

5

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1856 40-49

2

6

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1856 50-59

2

7

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1856 60-69

2

8

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1856 70-79

2

9

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1856 80-89

2

10

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1856 90-99

2

11

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1856 100-109

2

12

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1856 110-119

2

13

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1856 120-129

2

14

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1856 130-139

2

15

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1856-1857 140-149

2

16

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1857 150-159

2

17

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1857 160-169

2

18

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1857 170-179

2

19

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1857 180-189

2

20

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1857 190-199

2

21

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1857 200-209

2

22

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1857 210-219

2

23

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1857-1858 220-229

2

24

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1858 230-239

2

25

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr. 1858 240-249

2

26

Armsby Correspondence B.A. Gould, jr., Benjamin Pierce 1858, [1855?] 250-259

2

27

Armsby Correspondence A.D. Bache 1856 260-269

2

28

Armsby Correspondence A.D. Bache 1856 270-279

2

29

Armsby Correspondence A.D. Bache, Joseph Henry 1856-1857 280-289

2

30

Armsby Correspondence Joseph Henry 1857 290-295

2

31

Armsby Correspondence Index (blank)   [index]