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© 2021 University of Chicago Library
The collection is open for research.
When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Jones, Wellington D. Papers, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library
Wellington Downing Jones was born on April 4, 1886 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Jones studied at the University of Chicago, where he received his S.B. in 1908 and Ph.D. in Geography in 1914. He first began teaching in the geography department in 1913, and eventually received full professorship. In addition to his teaching duties, Jones was Dean of the Colleges of Science from 1918 to 1923 and Associate Dean of the College from 1924 to 1925. He became professor emeritus 1945.
Jones’ research interests included the regional geography of India, China, and Japan, the worldwide classification of agricultural regions, as well as economic geography. He authored several books, including An Introduction to Economic Geography (1925), Glacial Land Forms in the Sierra Nevada South of Lake Tahoe (1929), and Present Status and Future Possibilities of Agricultural Land Utilization in Patagonia (1932). His work was defined by a dedication to simple, objective data as well as careful, calculated reasoning. Jones was known within geography field as a great personality-- kind, assertive, even whimsical.
Wellington Downing Jones died on July 24, 1957, at the age of 71.
The collection has been divided into five series: Series I: Papers, Series II: Index to Photographs, Series III: Photographs, Series IV: Glass Plates, Series V: Film Negatives, and Series VI: Oversized Maps. Series I has been arranged chronologically by document type. In Series II-V, photograph related materials have been organized with a numbering system. When no identifying number has been given, materials have been organized by general content (rural scenes, Chicago - trains, people and portraits, etc.)
This series contains correspondence, notes, and reports by Wellington D. Jones and his student, Beatrice Terry (1908-1989). These reports cover industrial, manufactural, and farming development in the Chicago area. The series also includes postcards that feature Jones’ photographs of Japan. Materials date from 1927 to 1948.
This series contains indexes to the photographs found elsewhere in the collection. These include exposure records, as well as records of place, date, and subject matter for the photographs with the corresponding identification number. Materials date from 1909-1929.
Photographs in this series have been arranged in envelopes in groups of approximately 5 photos per envelope, with the exception of the photo albums from Jones’ trip to India. Subseries 1 contains photographs with numeral designation that correspond to the numbering system throughout the collection. Subseries 2 contains photographs not accounted for in this numbering system and is grouped by general subject matter. Locations include China, India, Japan, South America, Chicago, Hyde Park, and Gary, Indiana. Subject matter includes the University of Chicago, landscapes, rural and urban scenes, buildings, manual laborers, industrial sights, as well as family, friends, and co-workers of Jones. Materials date from 1909 to 1929.
This series contains glass plate negatives corresponding to photographs elsewhere in the collection. Original envelopes have been kept with the plates that contain handwritten descriptions of photographed content. Materials range from 1909 to 1929.
This series contains film negatives corresponding to the photographs elsewhere in the collection. The negatives have been organized numerically and housed in between pages in notebooks. Materials date from 1909 to 1929.
This series contains oversized maps with markings by Jones. These maps range from topological to road maps and refer to Chicagoland, primarily.