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

MS 113
Frederic Leopold (1895-1989)
Papers, 1885-1998, undated


Descriptive summary

creator:

Leopold, Frederic (1895-1989)

title:

Papers

dates:

1885-1988, undated

extent:

6.76 linear ft. (13 document boxes, 1 oversize box)

collection number:

MS 113

repository:

Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

Administrative information

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Frederic Leopold Papers, MS 113, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Biographical note

Frederic Leopold was born June 16, 1895 to Clara and Carl Leopold. Frederic grew up in Burlington, Iowa with his two brothers, Aldo and Carl, and sister Marie. He received his education at The Lawrenceville School (Lawrenceville, New Jersey) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After serving in World War I (1917-1919) as a first lieutenant of engineers, he entered (1919) the family office furniture business.

Frederic, as vice president, helped run the Leopold Desk Company with his brother Carl who served as president. Frederic later became president of the company, and retired in 1970. During and after Frederic Leopold's time at the Leopold Desk Company, the company changed its name to Leopold Company (1937), was acquired by Litton Industries (1965), and Litton Industries merged Leopold with Lehigh (1980). Lehigh-Leopold was sold to Joyce International (1984) and eventually the company ceased operations on March 3, 1990

Like his brother Aldo, Frederic Leopold was very active in conservation efforts and wildlife ecology. During the 1930s, Frederic became concerned about the survival of the wood duck, which was close to extinction in the early part of the 20th century. His brother Aldo put him in touch with one of his graduate students, Arthur Hawkins, who got him started designing houses for wood ducks. In addition to developing a design for wood duck houses, Frederic conducted extensive studies on their mating and nesting habits. Many of these studies were done in his own back yard in Burlington, overlooking the Mississippi River and its bluffs.

Leopold held memberships in a variety of organizations, including the Rotary Club, Burlington Chamber of Commerce and the Crystal Lake Club. Leopold was the third generation of the family to be a member of the Crystal Lake Club, located nearby across the Mississippi River in Illinois. Leopold led several efforts to preserve the club's natural forests and prairies from development.

Leopold received numerous awards including an Honorary Doctor of Science from Iowa Wesleyan College (undated); the Iowa Wildlife Conservation Award (1966); the Iowa Academy of Science Centennial Citation (1975); and the Ducks Unlimited Conservation Service Award (1981).

Frederic Leopold died March 29, 1989.

 

Collection description

This collection (1885-1988, undated) contains biographical information, news clippings, wood duck nesting studies, journals, correspondence, publications, writings, and photographs. Leopold's work with wood ducks can be found throughout the collection, including his correspondence, presentations, publications, writings, reminiscences, wood duck records, and photographs. Most of the collection documents Leopold's conservation efforts, wood duck activities, and travels. There are also a number of materials related to his brother Aldo Leopold.

The writings contain both drafts and publications written by Frederic Leopold. Other than his writings and publications on wood ducks, much of Frederic Leopold's writings are autobiographical. The materials listed under publications are not authored by Frederic Leopold, but contain writings by friends and acquaintances and publications on subjects in which Leopold was interested. Included in the publications are a selection of writings by his brother, Aldo Leopold, and other family members.

Leopold kept very detailed records, as can be seen both in his wood duck nesting records (1939-1978) and journals. The journals document both his hunting and family trips, and often include descriptions of the landscape, animals, farming and crops seen along the way.

Photographs within the collection include a few of Leopold and his family, but most of the photographs are of the nesting wood ducks and the ducklings leaving the safety of their nests. Some photographs can also be found within a few of his hunting and travel journals.

The correspondence contains letters from a wide variety of people, including friends and family, and on a variety of topics. Most of the correspondence concerns conservation, his wood duck studies and presentations, and travels. Some of the correspondence includes letters thanking Leopold for his presentations. A number often mention his brother Aldo Leopold.

Included in the collection are several folders of materials on the Leopold family, including the Starker family (his mother Clara's family). Information on the Leopold family can also be found in the Aldo Leopold Tribute materials.

 

Related materials

Related collections in the Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library include:

  • Paul Lester Errington Papers (RS 13/25/51)
  • Philip A. DuMont Papers (MS 153)
  • Walter M. Rosene, Sr. Papers (MS 589)
  • Iowa Ornithologists' Union Records (MS 166)
  • Iowa Academy of Science Records (MS 52)

Related collections in other repositories include:

 

Organization

The files are listed alphabetically by topic.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Biographical: articles

1951-1966

1

2

Biographical: articles

1951-1985, undated

1

3

Biographical: awards

1954-1981

Map case

C406 D012

Biographical: awards (Nash Conservation Award and Maharishi Award)

1953-1984

Artifact Collection

 

Biographical: awards and plaques (Artifacts 2011-R002.001 through 2011-R002.009)

1967-1987

1

4

Biographical: National Wildlife Federation honors Frederic Leopold

1976

1

5

Biographical: Stanley, George "A Visit with Frederic Leopold" - article and correspondence

1985-1986

1

6

Biographical - family: articles, membership booklet for Les Cheneaux Club

1914-1980, undated

1

7

Biographical - family: Leopold, Carl

undated

1

8

Biographical - family: Starker, Charles

1900-1962, undated

14

2

Biographical - family: Starker, Charles - invitation to laying of United States Government Building (Chicago, Illinois)

1899

1

9

Biographical - family: Starker family genealogy

1956-1958, undated

1

10

Biographical - family: Starker-Leopold Historic District

1982-1984

1

11

Correspondence: article - wood ducks

1950-1952

1

12

Correspondence: articles

1976-1979

1

13

Correspondence: Bathhurst Inlet Lodge

1971-1972

1

14

Correspondence: Burlington Ad Hoc Parks Committee

1973

1

15

Correspondence: Brown, P. E. (Iowa State College)

1937

1

16

Correspondence: Godfrey, Arthur

1970-1976

1

17

Correspondence: compass plant seeds

1978-1979

1

18

Correspondence: family

1912-1938

1

19

Correspondence: family

1962-1979, undated

1

20

Correspondence: family

1964-1972

1

21

Correspondence: friends

1938-1988

1

22

Correspondence: gardening

1961-1978

1

23

Correspondence: Boyd, Gibbons

1980

1

1

Correspondence: Hawkins, Arthur S. (includes 3 color slides

1975-1979, undated

2

2

Correspondence: Hawkins, Arthur S. on Aldo Leopold

1988

2

3

Correspondence: Hochbaum, H. Albert

1948-1976

2

4

Correspondence: Hochbaum, H. Albert

1963-1980

2

5

Correspondence: Hunger, Edwin

1964-1965

2

6

Correspondence: in response to article in Condor and information about Reis Tuttle's column in the Des Moines Register

1951-1952

2

7

Correspondence: Leopold, Aldo (about)

1935-1977

2

8

Correspondence: organizations, journalists

1972-1988

2

9

Correspondence: pet dog

1966-1969

2

10

Correspondence: Round River Experiment (Missoula, Montana)

1972

2

11

Correspondence: Wethern, Bob

1979

2

12

Correspondence: wildfowl management

1988

2

13

Correspondence: wood ducks

1962-1966

2

14

Correspondence: wood ducks

1969-1977

2

15

Correspondence: wood ducks in Burlington area - studies

1963-1979

2

16

Correspondence: Canadian Fishing Trip - "The Hales and Leopolds" (journal excerpts from both families)

1934

2

17

Hunting journals and records: correspondence (also includes vacation inquiries)

1955-1970

3

1

Hunting journals and records: Christmas trip, Superior Forest, Current River, Red Fox Day, Iowa River float trip (76 b/w photographs) (appears to be a typed copy of an Aldo Leopold journal)

1921-1942, undated

3

2

Hunting journals and records: Crystal Lake Club (Illinois)

1934-1954

3

3

Hunting journals and records: Crystal Lake Club - birds and plantings for attracting upland game (15 b/w photographs)

1938-1944

3

4

Hunting journals and records: Crystal Lake Club - birds, upland game and fish studies

1945-1954

3

5

Hunting journals and records: Lake Penage (Georgian Bay)

1929

3

6

Hunting journals and records: paper - Upland Birds for a Duck Club

undated

3

7

Hunting journals and records: quail studies and trips

1955-1977

3

8

Hunting journals and records: Yellow Stone Park and Vicinity (journal of Frank R. Young - trip with Leopolds)

1903

4

1

Leopold, Aldo: Aldo Leopold Memorial (Burlington, Iowa)

1980

4

2-3

Leopold, Aldo: articles (about)

1948-1987

4

4

Leopold, Aldo: articles (by)

1935-1948

4

5

Leopold, Aldo: articles (reprints)

1921-1978

4

6

Leopold, Aldo: correspondence (to and from)

1934-1938

4

7

Leopold, Aldo: Flader, Susan - publications, presentation

1970

4

8

Leopold, Aldo: Leopold Memorial Reserve (Baraboo, Wisconsin)

1973-1979

4

9

Leopold, Aldo: obituaries and correspondence

1948

4

10

Leopold, Aldo tribute (Burlington, Iowa): correspondence

1979-1980

4

11

Leopold, Aldo tribute (Burlington, Iowa): news clippings, presentations

1980, undated

4

12

Leopold, Aldo tribute (Burlington, Iowa): news clippings, presentations (includes history of Leopold family)

1980-1981

4

13

Leopold Desk Company: articles, annual reports

1954-1968, undated

4

14

Leopold Desk Company: correspondence (includes 13 b/w photographs of Leopold desks)

1959-1981

5

1

Organizations: Audubon prints

undated

5

2

Organizations: Crystal Lake Club - by-laws, articles of incorporation

1885-1968

5

3

Organizations: Crystal Lake Club - correspondence

1939-1969

5

4

Organizations: Crystal Lake Club - correspondence (includes duck records)

1949-1977

5

5

Organizations: Crystal Lake Club - reports

1972-1978

5

6

Organizations: Crystal Lake Club - Wilderness Policy and timber management program

1951-1955

5

7

Organizations: Crystal Lake Permanent Land Committee

1973-1980

5

8

Organizations: Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation

1979-1980

5

9

Organizations: Iowa Wesleyan College - honorary degree and President Louis Haselmayer speech

1971-1980

5

10

Organizations: memberships

1937-1985

5

11

Organizations: wildlife management projects

1972-1980

5

12

Organizations: Burlington parks

1978-1980

6

1

Photographs: family (4 b/w)

undated

6

2

Photographs: Frederic Leopold (7 b/w)

undated

14

1

Photographs: Frederic Leopold and John Hale - Two Key Island, Mississippi River above Iowa River (1 b/w)

1940 circa

6

3

Photographs: Frederic Leopold, wood ducks, wildflower (from Jane and Jim Spring) (6 color)

1978

6

4

Photographs: wood ducks (16 b/w)

1960

6

5

Photographs: wood ducks, barred owl (18 b/w)

1965

6

6

Photographs: wood ducks (28 b/w)

1965

6

7

Photographs: wood ducks, houses, and nests (31 b/w)

1965-1966

6

8

Photographs: wood ducks, lake, bridges, flood (34 b/w)

1965-1966

6

9

Photographs: wood duck nest - mother, eggs, ducklings (15 b/w)

1966

6

10

Photographs: wood ducks (15 b/w)

1966

6

11

Photographs: wood ducks (5 b/w)

1966

6

12

Photographs: wood ducks and wood duck houses (20 b/w)

1966

6

13

Photographs: wood ducks - jumping from nest, walking on grounds (16 b/w)

1966

6

14

Photographs: wood ducks, nests, houses (13 b/w)

1966

6

15

Photographs: wood ducks, nests, houses (7 b/w)

1966

6

16

Photographs: wood ducks - in trees, houses (19 b/w)

1966

6

17

Photographs: wood ducks (19 b/w)

1966

6

18

Photographs: wood ducks (7 b/w)

1971

6

19

Photographs: wood ducks (14 b/w)

1971

7

1

Photographs: wood ducks (19 b/w)

1971

7

2

Photographs: wood ducks, houses (20 b/w)

1971

7

3

Photographs: wood ducks, houses (20 b/w)

1971

7

4

Photographs: wood ducks, houses (18 b/w)

1971

7

5

Photographs: wood ducks, houses, eggs (9 b/w)

1971

7

6

Photographs: wood ducks, houses, eggs (20 b/w)

1971

7

7

Photographs: wood ducks, houses, snake (16 b/w)

undated

7

8

Presentations

1976, undated

7

9

Presentations: Citizens Natural Resources Association of Wisconsin

1952

7

10

Presentations: correspondence

1966-1977

7

11

Presentations: Iowa's Conservation Heritage

undated

7

12

Presentations: Izaak Walton League

1969

7

13

Presentations: Soil Conservation Society correspondence with Sylvan Runkel

1967

7

14

Presentations: Student Wildlife Conclave (Iowa State University)

1974

7

15

Publications: article from Ducks Unlimited (Jim Dinsmore, v. 49 No. 5), Exhibit catalog (Parks Library, Iowa State University), Program for 100th birthday celebration of Aldo Leopold

1985-1986

7

16

Publications: Errington, Paul (by)

1940-1948, undated

7

17

Publications: Errington, Paul (by) and others - includes accompanying correspondence

1934-1947

8

1

Publications: gardening

1957-1962, undated

8

2

Publications: Hall, David - duck hunting

1970-1987

8

3

Publications: Hawkins, Arthur S.

1937-1983

8

4

Publications: hunting

1964, undated

8

5

Publications: Leopold, A. Starker

1951-1952

8

6

Publications: Leopold, Edith ("the Ediths") - Trek of the Wood ducks

1944

8

7

Publications: Leopold, Edith L. Wood Duck Record

1944

8

8

Publications: articles - nitro-blasting potholes for waterfowl

1968

8

9

Publications: waterfowl and other birds

1935-1971

8

10

Publications: wetlands

1966, undated

8

11

Publications: wood ducks

1958-1977

8

12

Videocassette: interview with Leopold on "Take One," Iowa Public Television, Channel 11, January

1986

9

1

Wood duck nesting records: volume 1

1939-1953

9

2

Wood duck nesting records: volume 2

1954-1966

10

1

Wood duck nesting records: volume 3

1967-1978

10

2

Wood duck nesting records: volume 3 news clippings

1967-1978

10

3

Wood duck nesting study: article - includes "Table of 35 Years' Statistics Based on Over 10,000 Observations"

1943-1977

10

4

Writings: Africa - includes itinerary, ephemera

1965

10

5

Writings: Alaska

1969

11

1

Writings: British Columbia - God's Lake, Ontario (journal)

1954-1956

11

2

Writings: Canada Bound, northwest fishing (journal)

1958-1959

11

3

Writings: A Day to Remember; Father as a Hunter

undated

11

4

Writings: Excerpts from Sand County Almanac

undated

11

5

Writings: Experiences with Home-Grown Wood Ducks (published)

1965

11

6

Writings: Frederic Leopold on Aldo Leopold (handwritten drafts)

undated

11

7

Writings: A Historical Quail Hunt (drafts)

undated

11

8

Writings: A Hunter's Lesson (drafts)

undated

11

9

Writings: Keep 'em Down on the Farm

undated

11

10

Writings: Managing the 60 Acres

undated

11

11

Writings: Montana, Arctic Lodges, Florida Bound, South Dakota, Mexico (writings, journals)

1961-1965

11

12

Writings: Delta Station, Manitoba, Canada (journal, correspondence, ephemera)

1962-1968

11

13

Writings: Family Summers on Lake Huron

undated

11

14

Writings: Florida; Mudge Camp, Minnesota; Bathurst Inlet, Canada

1970

12

1

Writings: Lake of the Woods, Montana Bound (journals)

1960-1961

12

2

Writings: Lake Superior (?)

undated

12

3

Writings: Leopold Anecdotes (handwritten draft)

1982

12

4

Writings: Leopold Family Anecdotes (typewritten)

1982

12

5

Writings: Maine, Green River Float, Mexico City, Bathhurst, Florida (journals)

1972-1975

12

6

Writings: High Sierra; Mason City - Clear Lake, Iowa; Florida Ahoy! (journal)

1950-1953

12

7

Writings: Nesting Wood Duck Study (35 Years) - drafts

1984

12

8

Writings: Nesting Wood Duck Study (35 Years) - drafts

1984

12

9

Writings: nesting wood ducks - drafts

undated

12

10

Writings: A Plan to Save Our Ducks - includes correspondence

1988, undated

12

11

Writings: Quetico; West Plains; Iowa River; Garner, Iowa Trips

1936

12

12

Writings: Recollections of an Old Member (Crystal Lake Club) - correspondence

1911, 1977

12

13

Writings: Recollections of an Old Member (Crystal Lake Club) - rough draft

undated

12

14

Writings: Recollections of an Old Member (Crystal Lake Club)

1977

12

15

Writings: Sand County Almanac introduction (drafts)

1977

12

16

Writings: Signs of early spring...

undated

12

17

Writings: A Study of Nesting Wood ducks in Iowa - publication, correspondence

1949-1952

13

1

Writings: A Study of Nesting Wood ducks in Iowa (reprinted from "The Condor")

1951

13

2

Writings: western trip, Glacier National Park, Montana (journal)

1948-1949

13

3

Writings: Wet and Dry Bird Shooting (published article)

1979

13

4

Writings: Wolf River, Norway, Denmark, White Lake, Wisconsin, Tryon-Bulls Isle (North Carolina)

1966-1969

13

5

Writings: wood duck nesting boxes

1970

13

6

Writings: Wood Duck Nesting Boxes (pamphlet)

1970

13

7

Writings: wood ducks - draft

undated