Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140
MS 91
Pascal, Descartes (1870-1937)
Papers, 1890-1937, undated
creator: | Pascal, Descartes (1870-1937) |
title: | Papers |
dates: | 1890-1937, undated |
extent: | 12.04 linear feet (1 document box, 1 half-document box, 16 glass plate negative boxes, and 1 oversize box) |
collection number: | MS 91 |
repository: | Special Collections Department, Iowa State University. |
access: | Open for research |
publication rights: | Consult Head, Special Collections Department |
preferred citation: | Descartes Pascal Papers, MS 91, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library. |
Descartes Pascal (1870-1937) was a photographer, farmer, and pioneer seed corn breeder. Pascal was born in De Witt, Clinton County, Iowa, where he raised corn, shorthorn cattle, and Berkshire hogs. Pascal became interested in corn breeding after 1900 and developed the Grand Champion ear of pure bred Reid's Yellow Dent corn in 1907. He also wrote and published articles on corn breeding; spoke at colleges, farmers' institutes, and chautauquas; judged corn breeding contests in Iowa; and served as secretary to the Iowa Corn Growers Association. Pascal was also a practicing photographer. |
The collection (1890-1937, undated) includes a scrapbook of newspaper clippings, pamphlets, and memorabilia related to Pascal's achievements in corn breeding, and corn breeding in Iowa generally. Also included are 180 glass plate negatives and two tintypes made by Pascal, documenting rural Iowa from the 1890s through the 1910s. Included are family portraits (interior and exterior), family groups, school children, men and women with guns, acrobats, tight rope walkers, several people reenacting a duel, windmills, haystacks, barns, livestock, farmhouses, fields, small town streets, and construction of a school. Use copies are available in box 19. The 1907 Reid's Yellow Dent ear of corn, along with its display case, is included. |
The collection is arranged in two series: |
Series 1 |
Scrapbook |
1905-1937, undated |
extent: | 1.41 linear feet | |
description: | Scrapbook of newspaper clippings, pamphlets, and memorabilia related to Pascal's achievements in corn breeding, and corn breeding in Iowa generally. Includes the original and a duplicate photocopy. |
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
1 |
1 |
Scrapbook (original-- please use photocopy in box 19, folder 1) |
1905-1937, undated |
19 |
1 |
Scrapbook (photocopy) |
1905-1973, undated |
19 |
15 |
Loose photographs and postcard accompanying scrapbook (photocopies) |
1907, undated |
Series 2 |
Glass plate negatives and tintypes |
1890-1910, undated |
extent: | 10.63 linear feet | |
description: | The collection includes 180 glass plate negatives and two tintypes made by Pascal, documenting rural Iowa from the 1890s through the 1910s. Included are family portraits (interior and exterior), family groups, school children, men and women with guns, acrobats, tight rope walkers, several people reenacting a duel, windmills, haystacks, barns, livestock, farmhouses, fields, small town streets, and construction of a school. When noted, prints can be found in box 19. |
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
2 |
1 |
undated |
|
2 |
2 |
undated |
|
2 |
3 |
undated |
|
2 |
4 |
Large group (print available) (5x8 in.) |
undated |
2 |
5 |
Large group (5x8 in.) |
undated |
2 |
6 |
Large group (5x8 in.) |
undated |
2 |
7 |
undated |
|
2 |
8 |
undated |
|
2 |
9 |
Street scene of Grand Mound, Iowa (print available) (5x8 in.) |
1890-1900 |
2 |
10 |
Street scene of Grand Mound, Iowa (print available) (5x8 in.) |
1890-1900 |
2 |
11 |
undated |
|
2 |
12 |
Arcana Celestia (Lettie) Pascal (sister of Descartes) with horses (print available) (5x8 in.) |
undated |
2 |
13 |
Store front (print available – see box 7, #1) (8x5 in.) |
undated |
2 |
14 |
Stable yard in Grand Mound, Iowa (print available) (5x8 in.) |
1890-1900 |
2 |
15 |
Woman with sketch pad: Lucy Pascal (print available) (8x5 in.) |
1890s |
3 |
1 |
undated |
|
3 |
2 |
undated |
|
3 |
3 |
undated |
|
3 |
4 |
undated |
|
3 |
5 |
undated |
|
3 |
6 |
undated |
|
3 |
7 |
undated |
|
3 |
8 |
undated |
|
3 |
9 |
Descartes Pascal's boyhood home near Grand Mound, Iowa (print available) (6.5x8.5 in.) |
undated |
3 |
10 |
undated |
|
3 |
11 |
undated |
|
3 |
12 |
undated |
|
3 |
13 |
undated |
|
3 |
14 |
undated |
|
3 |
15 |
undated |
|
4 |
1 |
School group (print available – see box 4, #10) (5x8 in.) |
1894 |
4 |
2 |
undated |
|
4 |
3 |
undated |
|
4 |
4 |
Descartes Pascal and Pedro the dog (print available) (5x8 in.) |
undated |
4 |
5 |
Later street scene of Grand Mound, Iowa (print available) (5x8 in.) |
1900-1910 |
4 |
6 |
School group (5x8 in.) |
undated |
4 |
7 |
undated |
|
4 |
8 |
1890-1900 |
|
4 |
9 |
undated |
|
4 |
10 |
1894 |
|
4 |
11 |
Three children on porch (5x8 in.) |
undated |
4 |
12 |
Horse (5x8 in.) |
undated |
4 |
13 |
School group (5x8 in.) |
undated |
4 |
14 |
Duel reenactment (5x8 in.) |
undated |
4 |
15 |
Group (5x8 in.) |
undated |
5 |
1 |
River and farm (5x8 in.) |
undated |
5 |
2 |
Group (5x8 in.) |
undated |
5 |
3 |
John Pascal and threshing machine (5x8 in.) |
undated |
5 |
4 |
Man and woman on horseback (5x8 in.) |
undated |
5 |
5 |
Letty playing croquet (5x8 in.) |
undated |
5 |
6 |
Binder (5x8 in.) |
undated |
5 |
7 |
Cutting oats with binder (5x8 in.) |
undated |
5 |
8 |
Pascal homestead (from back) (5x8 in.) |
undated |
5 |
9 |
Grand Mound, Iowa (5x8 in.) |
undated |
5 |
10 |
Man balancing table (8x5 in.) |
undated |
5 |
11 |
Man balancing another man (8x5 in.) |
undated |
5 |
12 |
Large group (5x8 in.) |
undated |
5 |
13 |
Family (5x8 in.) |
undated |
5 |
14 |
Man (8x5 in.) |
undated |
5 |
15 |
undated |
|
6 |
1 |
Talitha Cumi Pascal (8.5x6.5 in.) |
undated |
6 |
2 |
Talitha Cumi Pascal (8.5x6.5 in.) |
undated |
6 |
3 |
Aylett Pascal (8.5x6.5 in.) |
undated |
6 |
4 |
Portrait of a man (8.5x6.5 in.) |
undated |
6 |
5 |
River scene (5x8 in.) |
undated |
6 |
6 |
House (5x8 in.) |
undated |
6 |
7 |
River scene (5x8 in.) |
undated |
6 |
8 |
Tornado damage in Grand Mound, Iowa (print available) (5x8 in.) |
undated |
6 |
9 |
undated |
|
6 |
10 |
undated |
|
6 |
11 |
House with small group (5x8 in.) |
undated |
6 |
12 |
Group at edge of woods (5x8 in.) |
undated |
6 |
13 |
Boy in coonskin cap with gun (5x7 in.) |
undated |
6 |
14 |
Boy on horse (5x8 in.) |
undated |
6 |
15 |
George Pascal II with team of horses (print available) (5x8 in.) |
1893-1894 |
7 |
1 |
Store front of M. E. Burckhalter Manufacturing Co. in Pocahontas, Iowa (print available) |
undated |
7 |
2 |
undated |
|
7 |
3 |
undated |
|
7 |
4 |
undated |
|
7 |
5 |
Pascal homestead (tintype) (4x6 in.) |
undated |
7 |
6 |
Woman with child, portrait (tintype) (6x8 in.) |
undated |
8 |
1 |
Young man, portrait (5x7 in.) |
undated |
8 |
2 |
Homestead of George W. and Talitha Pascal (print available) (4.25x6.5 in.) |
undated |
8 |
3 |
undated |
|
8 |
4 |
Two gentlemen (7x5 in.) |
undated |
8 |
5 |
William H. Hunting, Civil War service certificate (7x5 in.) |
1890 |
8 |
6 |
Grace Cotton's graduation presents (7x5 in.) |
1891 |
8 |
7 |
Bossen's place (May) – bought by Descartes Pascal in the 1900s (5x7 in.) |
1895 |
8 |
8 |
undated |
|
8 |
9 |
Descartes' sisters' graduation from Cornell College (print available) (7x5 in.) |
undated |
9 |
1 |
undated |
|
9 |
2 |
1900-1910 |
|
9 |
3 |
undated |
|
9 |
4 |
undated |
|
9 |
5 |
undated |
|
9 |
6 |
undated |
|
9 |
7 |
undated |
|
9 |
8 |
undated |
|
9 |
9 |
School group (5x8 in.) |
undated |
9 |
10 |
undated |
|
9 |
11 |
undated |
|
9 |
12 |
Two women and a child |
undated |
9 |
13 |
John Pascal with crew of men and horse drawn road grader (print available) (5x8 in.) |
undated |
9 |
14 |
undated |
|
9 |
15 |
undated |
|
10 |
1 |
Small group (4x5 in.) |
undated |
10 |
2 |
Crowd watching acrobat (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
3 |
Dog on steps (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
4 |
Standing man (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
5 |
Seated man (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
6 |
Man and cats in front of building (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
7 |
Juggler (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
8 |
Man smoking pipe (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
9 |
Two seated people (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
10 |
Little girl seated on wagon (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
11 |
Group of four children (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
12 |
Group of three people – one with bicycle (4x5 in.) |
undated |
10 |
13 |
Tightrope walker (4x5 in.) |
undated |
10 |
14 |
Small group (4x5 in.) |
undated |
10 |
15 |
Woman with hat (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
16 |
Group of four children (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
17 |
Man with two horses (4x5 in.) |
undated |
10 |
18 |
Two women (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
19 |
undated |
|
10 |
20 |
Baby and bath (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
21 |
Baby in wash tub: George Pascal III (print available) (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
22 |
George Pascal III as a baby (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
23 |
Man holding small table (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
24 |
George W. Pascal II and Descartes Pascal (4x5 in.) |
undated |
10 |
25 |
George W. Pascal II and Descartes Pascal |
undated |
10 |
26 |
George Pascal II as a baby (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
27 |
Chapel, Cornell College (lantern slide) (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
28 |
George Pascal II as a baby (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
29 |
Bowman Hall, Cornell College (lantern slide) (4x5 in.) |
undated |
10 |
30 |
George Pascal II as a baby (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
31 |
George Pascal II as a baby (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
32 |
Man and dog (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
33 |
undated |
|
10 |
34 |
undated |
|
10 |
35 |
Unidentified man (print available) (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
36 |
undated |
|
10 |
37 |
Baby in wash tub: George Pascal III (print available) (5x4 in.) |
undated |
10 |
38 |
Lee Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
1890 |
10 |
39 |
Lee and Percy Pascal with Pedro the dog (4.25x3.25 in.) |
1890 |
10 |
40 |
Laura Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
1890 |
10 |
41 |
Pedro the dog (4.25x3.25 in.) |
1890 |
10 | 42 | Unidentified baby (5x4 in.) | undated |
11 |
1 |
undated |
|
11 |
2 |
undated |
|
11 |
3 |
1900-1910 |
|
11 |
4 |
undated |
|
11 |
5 |
1895 |
|
11 |
6 |
undated |
|
11 |
7 |
An entertainer demonstrating self defense: Professor Carter (print available) (8x5 in.) |
1895 |
11 |
8 |
Man balancing chair: Professor Carter (print available) (8x5 in.) |
undated |
11 |
9 |
undated |
|
11 |
10 |
undated |
|
11 |
11 |
undated |
|
11 |
12 |
undated |
|
11 |
13 |
undated |
|
11 |
14 |
Railroad track at cliffs near DeWitt (print available) (5x8 in.) |
undated |
11 |
15 |
undated |
|
12 |
1 |
Percy Pascal and Pedro the dog (4.25x3.25 in.) |
1890 |
12 |
2 |
John Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
3 |
Aylett Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
4 |
Portrait of an unidentified man (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
5 |
Laura Talitha Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
6 |
Descartes Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
7 |
Descartes Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
8 |
Laura Talitha Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
9 |
John Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
10 |
Descartes Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
11 |
Arcana Celestia Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
12 |
Aylett Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
13 |
John Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
14 |
John Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
15 |
Celestia Cotton Packard (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
16 |
One of the Cotton family (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
17 |
Lucy Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
18 |
Descartes Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
12 |
19 |
Descartes Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
1 |
Uncle Aylett Pascal (4.125x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
2 |
Uncle Aylett Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
3 |
Talitha Cumi Pascal and Diophantes (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
4 |
John Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
5 |
John Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
6 |
John Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
7 |
Arcana Celestia Pascal ("Letty") (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
8 |
Aunt Celestia Packard (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
9 |
Cousin Kate Cox (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
10 |
Talitha Cumi Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
11 |
John Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
12 |
Talitha Cumi Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
13 |
Talitha Cumi Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
14 |
Arcana Celestia Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
15 |
Lucy Pascal (4.125x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
16 |
Lucy Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
13 |
17 |
Aylett Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
14 |
1 |
Aylett Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
14 |
2 |
John Pascal (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
14 |
3 |
Uncle Aylett Cotton (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
14 |
4 |
Uncle Aylett Cotton (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
14 |
5 |
Uncle Aylett Cotton (4.25x3.25 in.) |
undated |
14 |
6 |
Man in buggy drawn by two horses (print available) (4x5 in.) |
undated |
14 |
7 |
undated |
|
14 |
8 |
undated |
|
14 |
9 |
undated |
|
15 |
1 |
Teacher's Institute group photo (10x12 in.) |
undated |
15 |
2 |
Teacher's Institute (Pocahontas) (10x12 in.) |
undated |
15 |
3 |
Farmyard scene (10x12 in.) |
undated |
15 |
4 |
Costume ball (10x12 in.) |
undated |
16 |
1 |
John Pascal farm in Pocahontas, Iowa (10x12 in.) |
undated |
16 |
2 |
Possibly church group (12x10 in.) |
undated |
16 |
3 |
School group (Dewitt, Iowa) (12x10 in.) |
undated |
16 |
4 |
School group (10x12 in.) |
undated |
17 |
1 |
Large group (10x12 in.) |
undated |
17 |
2 |
Large group (10x12 in.) |
undated |
17 |
3 |
School group (10x12 in.) |
undated |
17 |
4 |
Farm (10x12 in.) |
undated |
18 |
1 |
Group (10x12 in.) |
undated |
18 |
2 |
Bouquets (12x10 in.) |
undated |
18 |
3 |
Family farm (10x12 in.) |
undated |
18 |
4 |
Farm (10x12 in.) |
undated |
18 |
5 |
Farm (10x12 in.) |
undated |
19 |
2 |
Reference copies of images in box 2 (12- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
1890-1900, undated |
19 |
3 |
Reference copies of images in box 3 (18- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
undated |
19 |
4 |
Reference copies of images in box 4 (8- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
1890-1910, undated |
19 |
5 |
Reference copies of images in box 5 (1- 8x10 b/w photograph) |
undated |
19 |
6 |
Reference copies of images in box 6 (8- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
1893-1894, undated |
19 |
7 |
Reference copies of images in box 7 (8- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
undated |
19 |
8 |
Reference copies of images in box 8 (1- 5x7 b/w, 7- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
undated |
19 |
9 |
Reference copies of images in box 9 (22- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
1900-1910, undated |
19 |
10 |
Reference copies of images in box 10 (3- 3.5x5 b/w, 8- 5x7 b/w photographs) |
undated |
19 |
11 |
Reference copies of images in box 11 (28- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
1895-1910, undated |
19 |
12 |
Reference copies of images in box 14 (3- 3.5x5 b/w, 2- 5x7 b/w photographs) |
undated |
19 |
13 |
Prints of Pascal and illustration of corn contest trophy (3- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
1907 circa |
19 |
14 |
Descriptions of some images |
undated |
19 | 15 | Loose photographs and postcard accompanying scrapbook (copies) | 1907, undated |
19 | 16 | Unidentified photograph (1 b/w) | undated |