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Descriptive Summary

Repository: Peabody Museum Archives
Call No.: 998-21
Location: Archives
Title: Morss, Noel (1904-1981) Papers1927-1980
Creator: Noel Morss
Quantity: 7 boxes (3.25 linear feet)

Acquisition Information:

Historical Note

Noel Morss was born in Boston on December 25, 1904 to Ethel Read Morss and Everett Morss. He prepared for college at the Groton School, and graduated from Harvard in 1926 with a B.A. in economics. Morss went on to receive a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1929 and to practice professionally as an attorney. His interest in anthropology and archaeology was bolstered by his Chestnut Hill neighbors Dr. Hugh O'Neill Hencken and his wife Thalassa Cruso, and by summers later spent leading Peabody Museum archaeological expeditions to Arizona & Utah in 1925,1927, 1928 and 1929. According to J . O. Brew, Morss was "the scholar who defined the Fremont Culture of eastern Utah." His publications on Fremont figurines were highly regarded by his anthropology colleagues. Although Morss did not pursue this interest professionally, his work was of such caliber that he was appointed Chairman on the Visiting Committee, Harvard University Department of Anthropology & Peabody Museum in 1954; and was PM Research Fellow in Prehistory of the American Southwest 1955-60.

Morss also served as Secretary and Treasurer of the American School for Prehistoric Research (ASPR) under Director and founder Dr. George Grant MacCurdy, and was a founding member of the Council on Old World Archaeology (COWA). Morss' long tenure in ASPR spanned his role as an early trustee from 1926 to 1953, to becoming an "ASPR member in the museum" from 1954 onwards (when the ASPR then became a part of the Department of Anthropology in accordance with its founder's will), while serving as secretary and treasurer from 1954 to 1980. Morss died on April 24, 1981.

Sources:

• Brew, John Otis. "Noel Morss, 1904-1981." American Antiquity 47 (2) 1982, p. 344-45.
• Cirriculum vita. Noel Morss Papers. Box 4.5
• Morss, Christopher. Personal communication, December 29, 1998.

Scope and Content

The Noel Morss Papers are organized in two main records series, I. Professional Organization Records, and II. Professional Papers. Series I contains the records of two professional organizations of which Morss was an active member: the American School of Prehistoric Research (ASPR) and the Council on Old World Archaeology (COWA). Series II contains Morss' own professional papers which he organized into two categories: I. Archaeology and II. Peabody Museum. Each subseries of Series II includes correspondence, memoranda, photographs, and reprints. Series, subseries and folder titles reflect Morss' own.

Inventory

• BOX 1 OF 7

• Professional Organization Records
  • Series: American School of Prehistoric Research
    • General
      • 1.1 Certificates of Votes/Incorporation 1947 -1954
      • 1.2 Corporation 1954
    • Correspondence 1964-1980
      • 1.3 February 11, 1964-December 31, 1970
      • 1.4 1971-77
      • 1.5 1979-1980
    • Minutes 1925-1979
      • 1.6 January 31, 1925-June 1, 1941
      • 1.7 December 20 1945-March 13 1954 (with Executive Committee Reports)
      • 1.8 October 13 1954-October 13 1977 (with Annual Reports)
      • 1.9 1979
      • 1.10 Notae Natufianae 1963
      • 1.11 Recorder of Deeds 1946-1979
  • BOX 2 of 7
  • Series: Council on Old World Archaeology (COWA)
    • Correspondence 1953-1975
      • 2.1 May 18, 1953 -April 30, 1955
      • 2.2 February 1, 1961-December 31, 1962
      • 2.3 1964-1975
    • Minutes (Board of Trustees) 1953-1960
      • 2.4 1953-59
      • 2.5 July 14 1956-April 1 1960
      • BOX 3 of 7
      • 3.1 "April 1 1960-July 14 1956" embossed binder
    • National Science Foundation (NSF) Grants 1958-1967
      • 3.2 (COWA Surveys and Bibliographies) 1958-1963
      • 3.3 (COWA Surveys and Bibliographies) 1963-67
    • Publications 1959-1969
      • 3.4 Group III Vol. 1 1959
      • 3.5 1962-69
    • 3.6 Reviews and notices 1958-1963
    • 3.7 Treasurer's reports January 31, 1962-January 31, 1964
    • 3.8 Ward bequest April 30, 1960

• BOX 4 of 7

• Professional Papers
  • Series: Archaeology
    • Bibliographic Notes
      • 4.1 1954 - 1963
    • Correspondence
      • 4.2 General 1936 - 1974
      • 4.3 1928 - 1945
      • 4.4 1948 - 1952
      • 4.5 January 1, 1953 - May 19, 1954
      • 4.6 June 23, 1954 - December 31, 1955
      • BOX 5 of 7
      • 5.1 January 1, 1956 - 1962
      • 5.2 Anati, Emannuel 1963-64
      • 5.3 Pillingsiana - Utah, Seattle trips 1963, 1980
      • 5.4 Thesis correspondence 1959
    • 5.5 Fieldwork photographs 1925-27
    • 5.6 Fieldwork photographs 1925-27; Fieldwork maps, n.d.
      • Navajo County in vicinity of [?] House, n.d. [holograph]
      • unidentified map, n.d.
    • 5.7 Fremont Symposium materials 1970
    • BOX 6 of 7
    • Photographs
      • 6.1 1927 -1959
    • Reprints
      • 6.2 1952-59
    • Publications drafts and correspondence 1952-58
      • 6.3 Cradled infant figurines 1952
      • 6.4 Figurines from Old Woman site 1956-58
      • 6.5 Kinnaith figurines 1954-55
    • Series: Peabody Museum
      • 6.6 General Correspondence 1961-1979
      • 6.7 Photographs - Utah artifacts, n.d.
      • 6.8 Research fellowship 1958-1969
      • BOX 7 of 7
      • 7.0 Bibliographic cards A-Z, n.d. [unidentified project]
      • Map Case V, Drawer 6
      • Series: Archaeology
        • Fieldwork maps [annotated] 1947, n.d.
          • A Utah relief map. USGS. 1947
          • B New Mexico/ Arizona Chaco Sheet/Canon de Chelly. USGS [?], n.d. - mounted on linen
          • C Garfield/ San Juan. USGS [?], n.d. mounted on linen
          • D Powell National Forest. USGS [?], n.d. mounted on linen
          • E Fishlake/ Powell National Forests. USGS [?], n.d. mounted on linen
      • Separated Materials - Unannotated USGS maps separated from papers and discarded: (these materials can be found in the HU Map Collection)
        • : Utah. Woodside Quadrangle. 1950 edition
        • : Utah. Carbon County, Sunnyside Quadrangle. USGS. 1915 edition, 1948 reprint.
        • : Utah. Carbon County, Wellington Quadrangle. USGS. 1915 edition, 1948 reprint
        Transferred to PM Collections Dept. biographical files:
        • : News about the Peabody Museum and Department of Anthropology. Harvard University. 1967 - 1977
        • : Newsletter of the Peabody Museum and the Department of Anthropology. Harvard University. June 1978, December 1977
        • : Symbols PMAE, Harvard University. Summer 1980.
        Transferred to PM Collections Dept. reference library:
        • : Brew, John Otis. 1966. Early days of the Peabody Museum at Harvard University. Cambridge, MA: PMAE.
        • : Williams, Stephen. 1970. Buried Treasures of the Peabody Museum. Harvard University. No. 3 1970.
        Discarded (can be found in Tozzer Anthropology Library):
        • : Compton, Carl Benton. 1953. "The Cult of the Female Among the Trascans." Magazine of Art February 1953 pp. 75-79.
        • : Gunnerson, James H. 1957. "Prehistoric Figurines from Castle Valley." Archaeology 10 (2) Summer 1957 pp. 137-140.
        • : Lehmann, Henri. 1951. "Le Personnage Couché Sur le Dos: Sujet Commun dans l'Archaéologie de Mexique et de l'Équateur." TAX: The Civilizations of Ancient America. Vol. 1, Proceedings of the 29th International Congress of Americanists. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
        • : Steward, Julian H. 1936. Pueblo Material Culture in Western Utah. Albuquerque, N.M.: University of New Mexico Press.
        Discarded (can be found in the Museum of Comparative Zoology Ernst Mayr Library):
        • : Behle, William H. 1958. The Birds of the Raft River Mountains, Northwestern Utah. Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah Biological Series 11 (6).

Correspondent Index

The numbers that follow the names indicate box and folder locations of the related correspondence. Names that have been verified by a bibliographic utility often contain birth dates, death dates or life span dates.
• Aikens, C. Melvin 4.2
• Anati, Emmanuel 5.2
• Angel, J. Lawrence 1915-1986 2.1-3
• Appa, Anthony M.2.3
• ?, Austin (Peabody Museum) 1.5
• Bartlett, Katharine (Museum of Northern Arizona) 4.4
• Baxter, J.H. 4.3
• Beardsley, Richard K. 2.2-3
• Boggs, Stephen T. (American Anthropological Association) 2.2
• Boissevain, Ethel (Hunter College, CUNY) 5.1
• Braidwood, Robert 2.1-2
• Brew, John Otis 2.1, 4.2-6, 5.1
• Brimhall, Dean R. b. 1886 4.2
• Broman, Vivian L. 4.6, 5.1
• Brown, Donald Freeman 2.2-3
• Brown, Estelle 2.2
• Burgh, Robert F. 4.4, 4.6
• Burleson, Ruth 1.4
• Byers, Douglas S. b. 1903 4.6
• Cammann, Schuyler V. R. 2.1-3
• Carlin, Alice 2.3
• Christeman, Ross T. (Brigham Young University) 4.6
• Colton, Harold Sellers (Museum of Northern Arizona) 4.3-5
• Compton, Carl Benton 2.2, 4.2, 4.4-6, 5.1
• Coolidge, John b. 1913 (Fogg Museum of Art) 4.4
• Danson, Edward Bridge b. 1916 5.1, 5.3
• Davin, A.T. 2.2
• DeLaet, S.J.2.1
• Dick, Herbert William (University of Colorado Museum) 4.4
• Dorr, Goldthwaite Higginson b. 1876 1.
• Dyson, Robert Harris Jr. 2.2
• Edwards, Walter Meayers (National Geographic Magazine) 4.2
• Ehrich, Robert William 2.3
• Ekholm, Gordon Frederick (American Musum of Natural History) 4.4
• Euler, Robert C. (Prescott College) 4.2
• Fay, George E. 4.6
• Ferguson, Charles W. Jr. (University of Arizona) 4.5
• Field, Henry) 1.3,1.5
• Forbes, Alexander C. 6.6
• Fremont Symposium. 5.7
• French, Katherine L 6.6
• Ford, Franklin Lewis b. 1920 4.2
• Frazier, Rosalind H. 5.1, 6.6
• Graphic Services, Inc. 1.3
• Gandier, Mrs. J. 2.3
• Gebhard, Paul Henry 4.6
• Gifford, James C.5.1
• Gillin, John Philip b. 19074.3
• Goff, Charles Weer b. 1897 (M.D.)5.1
• Golson, Jack2.3
• Grant, Campbell b. 19094.2
• Grauger, Walter (The Explorers Club)4.3
• Griswold, Ann 2.2
• Gunnerson, James Howard4.6, 5.1
• Guthe, Carl Eugene (Society for American Archaeology)4.3
• Hachey, Joseph L. Jr. (Commonwealth of Massachusetts)2.3
• Hargrave, Lyndon Lane b. 1896 (Museum of Northern Arizona) 4.3
• Haworth, Leland J.2.3
• Hencken, Hugh O'Neill b. 1902 1.3-5, 2.2, 4.2, 4.4, 4.6
• Higgens, Howard (Emerson College)4.3
• Hosmer, Henry L. (Goodwin, Procter & Hoar)2.1
• Howe, Bruce b. 19122.1-2
• Howells, W. W. (William White) b. 19081.3
• Jennings, Jesse David b. 1909 (University of Utah)4.5-6, 5.1
• Johnson, Jotham2.1-2
• Jones, Lois B.1.3
• Judd, Neil Merton b. 1887 (Smithsonian Institution)4.2, 4.4, 4.6
• Kidder, Alfred Vincent 1885-19634.3-5, 5.1
• Klayman, Judith2.3
• Krader, Lawrence2.2
• Kramer, Carol b. 1943 2.3
• Lamberg-Karlovsky, Carl C. b. 19371.3-5, 6.6
• Levin, Muriel 2.1
• Levy, G.R4.6
• Macaulay, William4.3
• Lindsay, Alexander Johnston Jr.5.1
• MacCurdy, Janet1.4, 4.6
• Mather, Philip R.4.6
• Martin, Paul S. (Paul Schultz), 1928 4.4
• Martinez, Alfred A. (Harvard Club of New York)2.1
• Marston, Otis 5.1
• Mason, Benjamin L. 6.6
• Mason, John Alden 1885-1967 4.3
• Matson, Frederick R. (Frederick Rognald) b. 19122.2-3
• McGregor, John C. (John Charles) b.19054.6
• Meighan, Clement Woodward 19254.6
• Miles, George Carpenter 1904-19752.2
• Millard, Alfred 2.2
• Mogey, John M. (Boston University)2.3
• Morris, Earl Halstead 1889-19564.4, 4.6
• Morss, Noel 1904-19811.3-5, 2.1-4, 4.4-6
• Moser, Robert F. (Boston University) 2.3
• Mulford, Clarence 4.3
• Oakley, Kenneth Page b.1911 (British Museum) 1.3
• Oliver, Geneve Howard 4.4-6
• O'Neil, William A.1.4
• Phillips, Gail 2.2
• Phillips, Philip 4.4
• Raye, Edward W. (First National Bank of Boston) 2.2
• Roberts, Marjorie S. 1.3-4
• Rodeck, Hugo G. (University of Colorado Museum) 4.5
• Rouse, Irving b. 1913 2.1-2
• Rowlett, Elsebet Sander-Jorgensen5.1
• Salter, L.J.5.1
• Schulman, Edmund 1908-19584.5
• Schwartz, Douglas Wright b.19294.6
• Scott, Donald C.2.2, 4.2-3
• Scott, Louise4.2
• Shannon, James A. b. 19042.3
• Sharrock, Floyd W.5.1
• Sjöqvist, Erik b. 19032.1-2
• Sletcha, Robert F.2.3
• Smith, Watson b. 1897 4.4-5
• Sprang, Richard4.2
• Steward, Julian Haynes 1902-19724.3
• Stoddard, Natalie B.4.5
• Straus, William L. Jr. (Am. Assoc. of Physicians) 2.1
• Sturgis, Somers H. (Somers Hayes) b.1904 4.6
• Tatum, P.N.4.3
• Taylor, Dee Calderwood b.19225.1
• Thomas, Iris 4.4
• Tozzer, Alfred M. (Alfred Marston) 1877-1954 4.3
• Tye, Donald G. (Commonwealth of Massachusetts) 2.3
• Ward, Gordon B. (National Science Foundation) 2.3
• Ward, Lauriston 2.1
• Weltfish, Gene b.1902 4.3
• Whiting, Helen W. 5.1
• Willey, Gordon Randolph b. 19134.5
• William, Joan4.2
• Williams, Stephen b. 19261.4, 6.6
• Wilson, Ida G. (Museum of Northern Arizona)4.3
• Wirth, Conrad Louis b. 1899 (U.S. Dept. of the Interior)4.3
• Woodbury, Richard B. (Richard Benjamin) 1917)5.1
• Wormington, H. M. (Hannah Marie) 1914-4.2, 4.6