MSS 741 John M. Wheaton Papers

              H I S T O R Y MSS 741
John M. Wheaton Papers
1 / 4 cubic f o o t
Standard inventory
Collection Synopsis
Provenance: The Ohio H i s t o r i c a l Society acquired the John M.
Wheaton Papers as a g i f t of Robert Wheaton, h i s son, Columbus,
Ohio, i n September 1955. Marjorie J. Myers processed the
c o l l e c t i o n i n March 1981.
Property r i g h t s : The Ohio H i s t o r i c a l Society owns the property
r i g h t s t o t h i s c o l l e c t i o n .
Copyrights: Copyrights have n- ot been dedicated t o the public.
Consideration of the requirements o f copyright is the responsi-b
i l i t y of t h e author and publisher.
Access: This c o l l e c t i o n is open under t h e r u l e s and r e g u l a t i o n s
of the Ohio H i s t o r i c a l Society.
C i t a t i o n : Researchers are requested t o c i t e c o l l e c t i o n name,
c o l l e c t i o n number, and the Ohio H i s t o r i c a l Society i n a l l foot-note
and bibliographic references.
Transfer: Ornithology magazines and r e p r i n t s were t r a n s f e r r e d t o
the Library Department i n February 1981.
Biographical sketch: John Maynard Wheaton was born i n May 1840
i n Columbus, Ohio. Educated a t Central High School, Wheaton
entered Denison University i n 1857 and received h i s B. A. i n
1860. Wheaton returned t o Columbus and began h i s medical s t u d i e s
under D r . S t a r l i n g Loving. During the C i v i l War, Wheaton clerked
i n the o f f i c e of the Adjutant- General of Ohio u n t i l receiving h i s
medical degree from S t a r l i n g Medical College. He then ( March
1865) entered the 188th O . V . I . as an a s s i s t a n t surgeon. After
the war he opened h i s medical p r a c t i c e in Columbus and a l s o taught
anatomy a t S t a r l i n g Medical College.
Wheaton married Lida Daniels i n 1876; they had one son, Robert.
Wheaton's connection with S t a r l i n g Medical College a l s o included
terms as t r e a s u r e r of the c o l l e g e , as member of the board of
t r u s t e e s , and as s e c r e t a r y of the board. Wheaton a l s o served as
a t r u s t e e of the F i r s t Baptist Church of Columbus, a congregation
h i s parents helped e s t a b l i s h . Wheaton died of t u b e r c u l o s i s on
January 28, 1887.
Wheaton's national prominence came through h i s avocation as
o r n i t h o l o g i s t and n a t u r a l i s t . He c o l l e c t e d b i r d s , b u t t e r f l i e s ,
and various animal s p e c i e s , and wrote numerous a r t i c l e s which
f o r years remained t h e a u t h o r i t y i n t h e i r f i e l d . Most notable
is h i s " Report on Ohio Birds" which became p a r t of t h e 1882
Geological Survey of Ohio. H e was a l s o a founding member of
the American O r n i t h o l o g i s t s ' Union. In h i s hcnor, t h e Wheaton
Club of Columbus was organized a t Ohio State University in 1921.
0x10 HISTORICAL SOCIETY
1982 Velma Avenue. Colunlilui. Ohio f63211~ 2497 jph: 614297.2300 fx: 614,2972411
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