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Scrapbooks documenting the dental and medical professions in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century compiled by Samuel C.G. Watkins in the 1920s and ‘30s.
History and Biography
Dentist. Samuel Charles Goldsmith Watkins was born on March 27, 1853 in Ashgrove near Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the son of Dr. Charles W. and Harriet Beckwith Watkins. He came to the U.S. at age 14 when his family moved to Detroit. In 1871 Watkins apprenticed himself to a Boston dentist and four years later received his degree from the Boston Dental College. In 1876 he moved to Montclair, N.J, where he became the town’s first dentist and built a prosperous practice.
Watkins served as president of the New Jersey State Dental Society in 1889-90; held several offices in the American Dental Association; and was an active member of the First District Dental Society of New York. He invented a sectional headrest for dental chairs that was the standard for many years. He was also the author of Reminiscences of Montclair from 1876 (New York: Barnes, 1929).
Watkins died at his home in Montclair on March 11, 1942.
Organization
Scrapbooks documenting the dental and medical professions in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century compiled by Samuel C.G. Watkins in the 1920s and ‘30s. These are only a small remnant of what was originally a set of at least 29 volumes. There are only seven volumes in this collection: four bound and three unbound.
The two volumes devoted to physicians and the medical profession are almost entirely newspaper and magazine clippings, usually obituaries, and are contemporaneous with the time Watkins compiled them.
The contents of the five dental scrapbooks vary considerably and include newspaper clippings, journal and magazine articles, meeting programs, menus, photographs, and correspondence. While there are many obituaries, the clippings also cover professional meetings, scientific developments, and dental education. The dental volumes include material dating back to 1864, though Watkins compiled them in 1928-1930.
Volume List
Titles transcribed from cover or title page if still present.
v.19 “Scrapbook composed of pictures & articles concerning deceased & living physicians; also many very important operations & medical cases. Compiled by Samuel C.G. Watkins, D.D.S., Montclair, N.J. 1934-35-36.” With index at rear.
v.22 “Scrapbook no. 22. This medical scrapbook contains pictures – articles concerning many deceased physicians also pictures of – articles by a great many prominent living physicians-surgeons also other matter of medical historical interest. Compiled by S.C.G. Watkins, D.D.S. in 1937.” With index at rear.
v.6 “No. 6 dental scrapbook. Letters from and pictures of old dental friends; also autographed menus of dental dinners. Compiled by S.C.G. Watkins for the Dental Library of Columbia University, March 1930.”
v.7 “Dental scrap book no. 7. Pictures, speeches and articles of living dentists; pictures of dental organizations and ancient dental pictures compiled by S.C.G. Watkins in 1930.”
Box List (disbound volumes)
Box 1 “Volume number 1 and index v.1-3, pictures, memorials and obituary notices of deceased dentists compiled by S.C.G. Watkins, D.D.S., Montclair, N.J. February 1929.”
Box 2 [Volume 2, dental scrapbook; covers missing]
Box 3 “Volume number 3. Pictures of dentists, society groups, officers of dental organization and others compiled by S.C.G. Watkins, Montclair, N.J. February 1928.”
Subject Headings and Related Records
Administrative Information
Accession information is missing. Internal evidence shows that volumes 1-3 of the dental volumes were donated by Watkins to the First District Dental Society of New York (Manhattan) and at some later date were transferred to the New York Academy of Medicine. Dental scrapbooks 6 and 7 were donated by Watkins to the Dental Library of Columbia University at the time of compilation. At some unknown later date they were transferred to the Health Sciences Library. The two medical scrapbooks were donated by Watkins to the New York Academy of Medicine at the time they were created. These volumes and the three dental volumes were donated by the Academy to the Health Sciences Library in June 1965.