Julius Nelson Papers

The Julius Nelson papers span the period 1876 to 1920, with a concentration from 1890 to 1915, and comprise two cubic feet of documents. The papers represent Nelson's work as a biology professor, his speeches and lectures, his day-to-day activities and concerns, and his research and writings. To a lesser extent, they provide insight into his personal and family life, together with a sense of his values and beliefs.

Although Nelson's chief area of expertise was oysters, the papers do not include much oyster experiment documentation or research material. The RESEARCH NOTES AND SKETCHES contain some loose notes and sketches from oyster experiments in 1903, two small notebooks documenting oyster work in 1908 and a notebook of 1910 with "freshening oysters" research. Thus, much significant primary material beginning in 1888 is absent from the collection.

The majority of the oyster culture material present is actually in the form of WRITINGS AND SPEECHES, which convey much factual information and exhibit the results of long-term research. Many of these items represent lectures given to groups with a commercial interest in oysters and shellfish, such as the Oyster Growers and Dealers Association of North America and the National Association of Shellfish Commissioners. They primarily describe studies being conducted in New Jersey, as well as the oyster's nutritional value and specific aspects of its development and life cycle.

One can trace the progress of Julius Nelson's work and interests through the WRITINGS AND SPEECHES that are dated (approximately half). Three lists of publications detail many of his published writings, not all of which are represented in the collection. The topics of his writings and speeches range from the oyster studies already noted to heredity, parasitism, bovine tuberculosis, sex hygiene and general biology subjects.

In addition to materials treating biological topics, the WRITINGS AND SPEECHES include quite a few speeches which document particular views and values from the turn of the twentieth century. Notable topics include 1) "A half-century of Darwinism," which reports on Darwinian theories and declares "no essential disharmony between Darwinism and the gospels" exists, and 2) "The relation of biology to theology," which outlines a "close, and sympathetic relation" between the two fields. Nelson was a devoutly religious man as well as a dedicated scientist; the meshing together of these aspects of his life in his writings provides much interesting material for the historian of cultural or intellectual history.

Nelson believed firmly in the teaching of sex education and proper sex hygiene and used the newspaper to air his views, as documented in his PRESS CLIPPINGS and professional CORRESPONDENCE. His speech of 1911, "Sex and health," is an extremely interesting combination of nineteenth century morality and scientific belief; the talk was delivered before the biological club at Rutgers and shows the progress of the study of sexual behavior during this period.

The Nelson papers contain a wealth of documentation pertaining to the study of biology at Rutgers College, 1888-1915, in the RUTGERS COLLEGE COURSE NOTES, comprised of twenty notebooks and additional loose papers in the form of lecture notes, laboratory manuals and quiz topics. The courses represented include biology, practical bacteriology, physiology, hygiene, sanitary science, botany and veterinary science.

A significant feature of the Julius Nelson papers is the CORRESPONDENCE, particularly the large quantity of drafts of letters that Nelson wrote from 1890 to 1899, mostly in a professional capacity, on New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station stationery. Nelson was a conscientious citizen in the sense that he frequently wrote to newspapers to educate the public about health matters (see also PRESS CLIPPINGS). In his letters, he also exchanged ideas with fellow scientists and dispensed information and advice (such as to shellfish or oyster growers). Many other letters pertain to the operation of the Agricultural Experiment Station, such as the ordering of supplies. In addition, the researcher can find much information in the letters Nelson wrote on the college-level study of biology, biological research and health concerns, information which supplements that found in the RUTGERS COLLEGE COURSE NOTES.

The DIARIES AND JOURNALS in the collection span about twenty years, from 1895 to 1915, with gaps. The entries in them are not extensive, but note day-to-day activities. Much of the information pertains to Nelson's research, including oyster experiments in Barnegat, New Jersey.

The file of PRESS CLIPPINGS is not large, considering the extent of Nelson's letters to the editor and the general acclaim he received. The clippings, which have been photocopied onto acid-free paper, include personal notices about Nelson and his family, reports on papers he presented (many to the New Brunswick-based New Jersey State Microscopical Society), his letters to the editor and general reports on his biological findings.

While a researcher can ascertain the wide breadth of Nelson's interests, as well as his moral beliefs and values, from his writings and letters, the collection does not contain many papers that provide insight into his personal life. The small BIOGRAPHICAL FILE primarily focuses on his professional activities. The CORRESPONDENCE lacks many personal letters received; for example, although Nelson evidently corresponded with his father and brother in Wisconsin, only a small portion of their letters survive in this collection. Nor is much reference made to Nelson's spouse and children throughout the collection, except for brief mentions in his DIARIES AND JOURNALS. The few PHOTOGRAPHS present, which apparently pertain in part to the family, are mostly unidentified. The several items of PERSONAL AND FAMILY MISCELLANY are similarly not very informative with regard to Nelson's personal activities.