Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140

RS 9/7/53
Sherwood DeForest (1921- )
Papers, 1926-[ongoing]

Descriptive summary

creator:	DeForest, Sherwood (1921- )
title:	Papers
dates:	1926-[ongoing]
extent:	4.41 linear feet (10 document boxes and 1 half-document box)
collection number:	RS 9/7/53
repository:	University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

Administrative information

access:	Open for research
publication rights:	Consult Head, Special Collections Department
preferred citation:	Sherwood DeForest Papers, RS 9/7/53, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

Biographical note

Sherwood Searle DeForest was born September 20, 1921 in Ames, Iowa to Frank Ray and Clara Maude Searle DeForest. He received his B.S. (1943) and his M.S. (1947) in agricultural engineering from Iowa State University.

DeForest joined the Army Air Corps, as a First Lieutenant (1942-1946) where he trained to be an engineering officer in charge of aircraft maintenance and a flight engineer on B-29 bombers. He became an Extension Agricultural Engineer (1947-1952) at Iowa State College (University), where he specialized in rural electrification and farm structures. DeForest left Iowa State to join the staff of Successful Farming magazine, as Engineering Editor (1952-1959). He also worked for the Agricultural Marketing department (1954-1977) of US Steel (USX) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and held the positions of Marketing Representative and Manager Marketing – Agricultural Equipment. After he retired from US Steel, DeForest started his own consulting service, DeForest Agri-Services (1977-1999). In addition, DeForest ran a farm (1960-1995) in Fredonia, Pennsylvania and was Vice President of Walt Montgomery Associates (1977-1997).

DeForest is a member of several professional and honor societies including Sigma Delta Chi, Society of Professional Journalists, Society for Engineering in Agricultural, Food and Biological Systems, and the American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE)(President, 1975-1976; Fellow, 1977). He also received the ASAE Metal Buildings Manufacturers Award (1964). In addition, he holds three patents.

DeForest married Virginia Mary Flynn on June 20, 1947. They have four children: David, Debra, Denise, and Kimberly.

Collection description

This collection (1926-2005) consists mostly of documents concerning DeForest's tenure as President (1975-1976) of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, including committee information and correspondence with many other groups and committees such as the American Society for Engineering Education, Engineers Council for Professional Development, Association for Cooperation in Engineering, and the National Academy of Engineering. The collection also includes a small amount of biographical information. In addition, there are memories of J.B. Davidson (Head,1905-1915, 1919-1946, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Iowa State University) that DeForest collected to present at the 2005 ASAE Annual International Meeting.

Organization

The collection is arranged with biographical information in front and alphabetically thereafter.

Container list

Box	Folder	Title	Dates
1	1	Biographical information – vita, biography, and news clippings (3- 3.5x5 b/w photographs)	1926-2004, undated
1	2	ASAE – Ad Hoc Committee, Nominating Procedures and Structure - correspondence	1976
1	3	ASAE – Ad Hoc Committee, Programs for Managers – correspondence	1975-1976
1	4	ASAE – Administrative Council – correspondence	1974-1977
1	5	ASAE – American Association for the Advancement of Science – correspondence	1975-1976
7	6	ASAE – American Society for Engineering Education – newsletters	1975
1	6	ASAE – appointments to committees – correspondence	1974-1976
1	7 - 9	ASAE – Association for Cooperation in Engineering – correspondence	1975-1977
1	10	ASAE – Butt, J.L. – correspondence	1975-1976
1	11	ASAE – Congressional Fellowship Program – correspondence	1974-1975
2	1	ASAE – continuing education – correspondence	1975-1976
2	2	ASAE – Department Chair Committee	1975
2	3	ASAE – editorial board – correspondence	1973-1975
2	4	ASAE – editorials – correspondence	1975-1976
2	5	ASAE – Engineers Council for Professional Development – correspondence	1975-1977
7	7 – 8	ASAE – Engineers Joint Council – correspondence and meeting minutes	1976
2	6 - 7	ASAE – Executive Committee Board of Directors – correspondence	1976-1977
2	8	ASAE – Farm and Industrial Equipment Institute – correspondence	1975
2	9	ASAE – Finance Committee – correspondence	1974-1976
2	10	ASAE – Forward Planning Committee – correspondence	1974
2	11	ASAE – general correspondence (1 of 4)	1974-1976
3	1	ASAE – general correspondence (2 of 4)	1974-1976
3	2	ASAE – general correspondence (3 of 4)	1974-1976
3	3	ASAE – general correspondence (4 of 4)	1974-1976
3	4	ASAE – geographic area program meeting – correspondence	1975-1976
3	5 - 6	ASAE – Government Affairs Committee – correspondence	1975-1977
3	7	ASAE – historic landmarks – correspondence	1975
4	1 - 2	ASAE – International Congress of Agricultural Engineering (CIGR) – correspondence	1966-1975
7	10	ASAE – International Congress on Engineering and Food – correspondence and proposal	1976
4	3 - 4	ASAE – International Relations Committee	1974-1977
7	9	ASAE – League for International Food Education – correspondence and newsletter	1975
4	5	ASAE – Meetings Committee – correspondence	1974-1975
4	6	ASAE – National Academy of Engineering – correspondence	1976-1978
4	7	ASAE – National Council of Engineering Examiners – correspondence and yearbook	1974
4	8	ASAE – National Research Council – correspondence	1975-1976
4	9	ASAE – National Society of Professional Engineers – correspondence (1 of 2)	1973-1976
5	1	ASAE – National Society of Professional Engineers – correspondence (2 of 2)	1973-1976
8	5	ASAE – "Now the Rest of the Story" – writings and correspondence regarding the election of agricultural engineers to the National Academy of Engineering	2007
5	2 - 4	ASAE – Polish Exchange Program – correspondence	1974-1977
5	5 - 7	ASAE – President Elect – correspondence as	1975
5	8	ASAE – President Elect – correspondence as	1976
6	1	ASAE – Public Relations Committee – correspondence	1975-1976
6	2	ASAE – publications – correspondence	1974-1796
6	3	ASAE – recruitment – correspondence	1975
6	4 - 5	ASAE – Regional Council – correspondence	1974-1976
6	6	ASAE – report, "Heritage and Horizons in Agricultural Engineering"	1976
6	7	ASAE – special editorial about ASAE – correspondence	1975-1976
6	8 - 9	ASAE – standards	1975-1976
7	1	ASAE – student programs – correspondence	1975-1976
7	2 - 3	ASAE – talks – correspondence and typescripts	1975-1976
7	4	ASAE – technical problems – correspondence	1974-1976
7	5	ASAE – World Food Conference – correspondence	1975
8	8	Correspondence – James Ebbinghaus regarding "A 100-Year March of Progress: AEM & ASABE"	2005-2007
8	1-4	J. B. Davidson tribute materials collected for presentation at the 2005 ASAE Annual International Meeting	2004-2007
8	6-7	J. B. Davidson tribute booklet – correspondence	2003-2007
9	1	J. B. Davidson biography – correspondence and notes on publishers and image use agreements	2006-2007
9	2	J. B. Davidson biography – correspondence and reference materials	2005-2008
9	3	J. B. Davidson biography – correspondence with ASABE staff regarding publication of book	2006-2007
9	4	J. B. Davidson biography – correspondence with Wes Buchele regarding Davidson dynamometer, E. V. Collins, and agricultural engineering in China	2005-2006
9	5	J. B. Davidson biography – correspondence with Jimmy Butt	2006-2007
9	6	J. B. Davidson biography – correspondence with Howard Johnson	2004-2005
9	7-9	J. B. Davidson biography – correspondence with Becky Jordan, ISU University Archives	2005-2007
9	10	J. B. Davidson biography – correspondence with Rameshwar Kanwar and other Iowa State employees	2005-2006
10	1	J. B. Davidson biography – correspondence with Melissa Miller, editor	2007
10	2	J. B. Davidson biography – correspondence with Charles Sukup	2006-2007
10	3	J. B. Davidson biography – correspondence with proofreaders and publishers	2006-2007
10	4	J. B. Davidson biography – drafts	2005-2006
10	5	J. B. Davidson biography – notes on the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service	2006
10	6	J. B. Davidson biography – notes on Iowa State Agricultural Engineering graduates	2005
10	7	J. B. Davidson biography – notes and reference materials	2005 circa
10	8	J. B. Davidson biography – reference materials	1950-2005, undated
11	1-2	J. B. Davidson biography – reference materials	2005-2006
11	3	J. B. Davidson biography – testimonials	2007