RS 16/3/55
 Martin L. Mosher (1882-1980)

Papers, 1936-1979, n.d.

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

  Descriptive summary

creator:

Martin L. Mosher (1882-1980)

title:

Papers

dates:

 

extent:

14.28 Linear Feet (33 boxes)

collection number:

RS 16/3/55

repository:

University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

  Administrative information

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Martin L. Mosher  Papers, RS 16/3/55, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Biographical note

Martin Luther Mosher is credited as the first county extension agent for the state of Iowa, appointed in 1912 and serving in Clinton County. Mosher received a B.A. and an honorary M.A. from Iowa State University in 1905 and 1915, respectively. He worked under Perry G. Holden at Iowa State and traveled on the Corn Train Special in 1905. In 1908 and 1909 Mosher served as a private consultant for corn production in Vera Cruz, Mexico. In 1916 he received an extension position in Woodford County, Illinois where he promoted the improvement of local corn varieties and conducted a three-year test (1919-1921) of local corn varieties. Mosher completed his professional career as an extension specialist in farm management for the University of Illinois (1923-1950). Upon retirement, Mosher returned to Iowa and lived in Grinnell until his death in 1982.

 

Collection description

The Martin L. Mosher Papers consists of manuscripts, clippings, correspondence, diaries, transcripts of radio discussions, scrapbooks, photographs, photographic negatives, and slides. Materials relating to extension work document seed corn, especially the open-pollinated varieties, Krug Corn and Reid's Yellow Dent, and Pfister Hybrid Seeds. Mosher's senior and graduate papers related to corn production (1905, 1915) document seed corn as well. Three medicine bottles of corn are in the collection, including one bottle of corn from the Woodford County, Illinois, tests (1919-1921). The negative and photograph collection contain images of his work in Clinton County, Iowa (1912-1915); Vera Cruz, Mexico (1908-1909); Illinois (1916-1950); and of farmsteads of the 1950s across the United States. Numerous family photographs are included. There is correspondence from Perry Holden regarding the positions in Clinton County and Vera Cruz and from Henry A. Wallace regarding corn culture. Mosher's personal diaries and account books (1899-1977, not inclusive) include his work on the Corn Train. There is one diary (1909-1910, 1977) of Elva Forman Mosher is as well. Material related to the Woodford County corn test includes data, photographs, and analysis of the test. The scrapbooks include personal and genealogical material. One scrapbook is from Perry Holden to Mosher documenting Holden's career. The collection also contains unpublished material from Lemuel Mosher, father of M. L. Mosher, related to natural history near West Liberty, Iowa (1900-1915).
 

 

Box/File                                                                                                          Date

 

1/1       Biographical Information                                                      1905,70,74

1/2       Luther Mosher                                                                       n.d.

1/3       Arthur T. Mosher

(Publications by him)

A/D/C Reprint, Projects of

Integrated  Rural Development                                December, 1972

 

"Higher Education in the Rural

Social Sciences"                                                      1972

 

An Introduction to Agricultural

Extension                                                                   1978

 

Thinking About Rural

Development                                                             1976

 

Publications about him.

Partners with  India, Building

Agricultural Universities,

Hadley Read                                                              1974

1/4       Family History                                                                        1968

1/5       Paternal Ancestors                                                               1962

1/6       Maps Related to Family Tree                                              n.d.,1899,1901,60,75

1/7       U.S. Westward Bound Map I                                               n.d.

1/8       History of West Liberty, News Clippings                            1975

1/9       Christmas Cards                                                                   1979

1/10    Letterbook (Business)                                                          1909-10

1/11    Letterbook (Business)                                                          1910-15

1/12    Community Map III                                                                 n.d.

 

2/1       60        Woodford County - News Clippings                       n.d.,1918-19,21-22,27-28,33,38,42,56,64-65, 70,74

2/2       60        Woodford County - Maps                                         n.d.,1965

2/3       60        Woodford County - Correspondence                     1915-16,22-23,28,69,71-72,76,79

2/4       60        Woodford County - Reports                                     n.d.,1916-17,21,23,64, 76,78

2/5       63.2    Hexagonal Corn Planting                                         1962,65-66,68-70

2/6       63.3    Open Pollinated U.S. Hybrids -

Unpublished paper                                                   1959-60,73

2/7       63.4    Corn Tower Plan                                                       1967,69,71

2/8       63.5    James Reid Memorial                                              1953-55

2/9       63.6    Thesis - Masters of Agriculture, ISU                       1915

2/10    63.7    Thesis - B.S. in Agronomy                                       1905

2/11    63.8    Vision of Future Farming in the                               n.d.,1922,30,39,48,

Cornbelt - News Clippings                                       53,56-57,59,67-71,79

2/12    63.8    Vision of Future Farming in the

Cornbelt - Publications                                             n.d.,1967,70,74

2/13    63.9    Plans for a State Corn Yield Test                            1913,21-23,67

2/14    65        Farm Bureau Farm Management

Service (FBFMS) - News Clippings                       1948,64-65,67

2/15    65        FBFMS  - 40th Anniversary Program

2/16    65        FBFMS  - Correspondence                                     1953-54,61,70,72,76

2/17    65        FBFMS - Service                                                      1915-16

2/18    65        FBFMS   - Reports                                                   n.d.,1932,65

2/19    65.1    FBFMS  - Part Time Farmers - Letters                  1970

2/20    65.2    FBFMS  -  1969 Reports, D. F. Wilken                  March 27, 1970

 

3/1       65.3    FBFMS  -  History by M. L. M.                                 1948

3/2       65.4    FBFMS -  50 Years of Service -

Excerpts from letters of appreciation                      n.d.

3/3       65.4    FBFMS -  50 Years of Service                                1963,74

3/4       65.4    FBFMS -  50th Anniversary -Correspondence      n.d.,1973-75

3/5       65.4    FBFMS -  50th Anniversary - News Clippings       1974

3/6       65.4    FBFMS -  50th Anniversary - Program                   1974

3/7       65.5    FBFMS  -  Publicity                                                   n.d.,1928-31,44,49,57,69

3/8       65.7    FBFMS  -  Duties of Fieldman                                1947-48

3/9       65.8    FBFMS  -  Chicago Farmers' Farms                      1944

3/10    65.9    FBFMS -  History                                                      n.d.,1924,27-28,43,47-48, 57,74,78

3/11    65.10  FBFMS  -  Round up Meeting                                  n.d.,1928,31,34-35,39,46-47,49-50

3/12    65.11  FBFMS  -  Early History - Sample of                      n.d.,1920,23-24,28,31,

first contracts                                                             48-49,64

3/13    65.12  FBFMS -  Unpublished Bulletin                               1920

 

3/14    66        Size of Farm - General News Clippings                 n.d.,1957,64-65,68-70

3/15    66        Size of Farm - General, Records                            n.d.,1946-65,68

3/16    66.1    Size of Farm - Correspondence                             1956-58,60,70

3/17    66.1    Size of Farm - Bulletin number 613                        n.d.,1957,70

 

4/1       66.3    Size of Farm- Original Study                                   1947

4/2       66.3    Size of Farm - News Clippings                               1957,78-79

4/3       66.5    Size of Farm - Farms Are Growing

Larger:  What of It?                                                   Copy of 1948,52,56,60

4/4       66.5    Size of Farm - High and low earning farms            1931-33,66-67,78

4/5       66.5    Size of Farm - High, Medium, Low Earnings -

Records                                                                     1936-45

4/6       66.5    Size of Farm - Records and Reports                      n.d.,1926-31,68-79

4/7       66.5    Size of Farm - News Clippings                               1979

4/8       66.5    Size of Farm - Early Studies, News Clippings      1956-57,59,64,66,69,76, 79

4/9       66.5    Size of Farm - Early Studies                                    1948,56,68,70

4/10    66.7    Size of Farm - Illinois Annual Report                       1979

4/11    66.7    Size of Farm - 1958 and later, News Clipping      1966-68

4/12    66.7    Size of Farm                                                              1958 and later,1976, 1978-79

4/13    66.7    Size of Farm - Lost data                                          1964,69,74,79

 

4/14    66.9    Size of Farm - Is Family Farm

Outmoded?  National Planning Assn.                     1946,59-60,63,68

4/15    68.3    Vision of the Future Farming in the Cornbelt         n.d.,1963,67-71,75

4/16    68.4    Farm Management - Plant Food

Balance - Photographs                                            n.d.,1916,22,24,39,57

4/17    68.4    Farm Management - Plant Food

Balance - Correspondence                                     1917,69,77

4/18    68.4    Farm Management - Plant Food

Balance - Report                                                       1925

5/1       68.4    Farm Management - Lectures                                 n.d.,1923-24,26,30-36,38, 40-44,47-50,52-53,67

5/2       68.4    Farm Management - World War II, Reports           1930,42-43,45

5/3       68.4    Farm Management - World War II,

News Clippings                                                         1930,43-44,46

 

5/4       68.6    Soil Conservation                                                     1939-40,44,46,68,70,75, 78-79

5/5       69        International Conference of Agricul-

tural Economists                                                       1938,77

5/6       69.3    Farm Management - Articles in Farm

Newspapers - Originals                                           n.d.,1927,40,47,48,53

5/7       69.3    Farm Management - Articles in Farm Papers       1936,48,50,72

5/8       69.3    Farm Management - Farm Earnings and Soil

 Improvements based on records kept by

 North-Central Illinois Farmers                                 1936-45

5/9       71        Radio Short Course - University of Illinois              1952-53

5/10    72        Radio Talks - Miscellaneous                                   1924,28,32-33,37-42,46

5/11    73        Farm Planning - Farm Practice


 

Analysis                                                                      1930-31,35-37,39-42,45,47

5/12    74        Farm Practice Pictures                                            1949

 

6/1       75        Personal Qualities of Good Farms                         1934-36,38,46,50

6/2       76.1    Ideas                                                                           1972

6/3       77        Honneger's Achievement Day                                 1940,48,50,56,66

6/4       83.1    Seed Corn Train                                                       n.d.

6/5       83.4    National Extension Meetings -

Out of State Meetings                                               1923,27-29,35,39,45,48,51

6/6       84        Iowa Farm Bureau - News Clippings                      1963,66,68

6/7       84        Iowa Farm Bureau                                                    1968

6/8       85        Illinois Agricultural Association                                1934,65-66

6/9       85        Illinois Agricultural Association - Publications       1919,41,61

6/10    87        Illinois State Association of Farm Advisers           1963

6/11    88.2    The First Extension Work in Clinton

County, Iowa                                                              1912

6/12    90        National Colonial Farm                                            1932,68-69

6/13    93        Urbana Exchange Club                                            1954,67,69,78

6/14    100     Negroes - Movement from South to

Cities - Records                                                        1910,60,64

6/15    100     Negroes - Movement from South to

Cities - Publications                                                 n.d.,1964,68

6/16    100     Negroes - Movement from South to

Cities - News Clippings                                           n.d.,1968

6/17    107.3  Corn Book Photos                                                    n.d.

 

7/1       A-6      American Country Life Association -

Talks                                                                           1920,30,48

7/2       A-7      Archives - ISU, Exhibit Catalog                               1975

7/3       A-8      Letters of Appreciation                                             1912,23,39,44,49-51,53,55-56, 58,64,67-73

7/4       A-10    Superior Service Award                                           n.d.,49-50,64

7/5       A-11    Agricultural Hall of Fame                                          1978-79

7/6       A-13    Archives                                                                     1979

7/7       C         Clinton County - Correspondence                           1960,62-63,72,75-76

7/8       C         Clinton County - Statistics                                        n.d.,1905,60

7/9       C         Clinton County - Corn Yield Test                             n.d.,1912-13

7/10    C         Clinton County - 50 Years Reports                          1912,63

7/11    C-10   Clinton County - News Clippings                             1962,77

7/12    C-11   Clinton County - News Clippings, General             1916,20-22,25-28,32,39,51,56

7/13    C-15   Corn General - Publications                                    1972-73

7/14    C-15   Corn General - Correspondence                            n.d.,1969-71,73,75

7/15    C-16   Corn Books                                                               1960,62,70,74-75 78

7/16    C-17   Corn Cards                                                                1974

7/17    C-23   Corn Shows                                                               1903,07-08,10,13,15-16,22-23, 55

7/18    Report on beginning of Farm Bureau work in

Clinton County.  M. L. Mosher, "First

Extension Work in Clinton County"                                     n.d.

 

8/1       C-26   Correspondence, General                                       n.d.,1923,59,71,75-78

8/2       E-1      Extension - 5 Steps in Agricultural

Development, in letters to Arthur                             1935-36

8/3       E-3      Epsilon Sigma Phi                                                    1976-79

8/4       F-18    Farm Wife Value                                                       1951

8/5       F-19    What of the Future                                                     1836,1905,74-75

8/6       F-19    What of the Future - News Clippings                      1970,75

8/7       F-22    Catalogue of Farmstead Pictures                           1965

8/8       F-23    Farmstead Pictures                                                  1951-52,57,63-66

8/9       F-24    Farmsteads                                                               1951-52,58,61,63-65,66

8/10    F-24    Farmsteads - Photographs                                      1949-61,63-64

8/11    F-25    Farmsteads of America                                           1965

8/12    F-25    Farmsteads of America - Catalogue                      1965

8/13    H-2      Holden, P. G.                                                             n.d.,1946,54

8/14    H-2      Holden, P. G. - Correspondence                             n.d.,1904,11-12,26,47,49-51,54-59,62-64,69-70,79

8/15    H-2      Holden, P. G. - Addresses                                       1947-48,53

8/16    H-2      Holden, P. G. - Publications                                     1947-48,51,53,79

8/17    H-4      Honors                                                                        1914,40,44,50,56,67-70,73

8/18    H-4      Honors - News Clippings                                         1906,50-51,54-55,57,59,61,67,72 8/19H-5History - Use of Flag1960-61,64,66,67

8/20    H-5      History - Use of Flag - News Clippings                  n.d.,1964

9/1       I-6        Idaho                                                                           1909-10

9/2       I-7        Illinois Crop Improvement Association                   1974

9/3       I-8        International Conference Agricultural

Economists                                                                1979

9/4       J-1       Paul Johnson                                                             1924,34,42,69, 71-72

9/5       L-1      Life Work, (1905-76)                                                n.d.,1935,50,57,61,63,72

9/6       M-5     Mexico                                                                        1909,63,74-76

9/7       M-5     Mexico - Reports                                                       1908-09,54,61

9/8       M-5     Mexico - Miscellaneous                                            n.d.,1951,53

9/9       N-1      NACA                                                                         1978-79

9/10    0-2      Organization of American State                              1975

9/11    P-7      Papers at meetings                                                  1931,38,69

9/12    P-10    Positions Considered                                              1905,14-15,18,23-24,50,55

9/13    S-10    Soil Conservation                                                     1952,75-76,78-79

9/14    S-11    Seed Corn Train                                                       n.d.,1905,62,70,74-75

9/15    T-5      Tribute to Leaders - from A to F

9/16    T-5      Tribute to Leaders - from H to W

9/17    T-5      Tribute to Leaders - News Clippings                      n.d.,1948-50,53,69-70

9/18    V-1      Visions - Cunningham Letters                                 1912,15,57,78

9/19    V-1      Visions of Future                                                       1977-78

 

10/1    W-1     Henry Wallace - News Clippings                             1965-66,68,76

10/2    W-1     Henry Wallace - Correspondence                           1903-04,29,55,59,68,70

10/3    W-2     Wallace's Farmers - News Clippings                     1979

10/4    W-3     War Time Suggestions                                            1942-43

10/5    W-4     Weight Records                                                        1929,62-64,66-72

10/6    W-5     M. L. Wilson - Correspondence                              1954-59,64-65,68-70

10/7    W-8     World Who's Who                                                     n.d.

10/8    W-9     Woodford Company Adviser's Reports                 n.d.,1916,19,22

10/9    W-10   4-H Taped Talk to Metamora (Woodford)              1976

10/10  W-11   Woodford 60th Anniversary                                     n.d.,1975-76,78

 

11/1    Agronomy - Morrow plots 100 years                                   1976

11/2    Casey Jones Hero                                                                1975

11/3    Corn Krug Wings                                                                  n.d.,1921-25,27-29,31,33-34

11/4    Extension History                                                                  n.d.,1922,25-27,29,32,38,40,47, 60,63,71,75-76

11/5    Family living                                                                           1969,72,75,78

11/6    First Annual Extension Report                                             1906-07

11/7    ISU Chronology                                                                     1958-67

11/8    ISU Class 1905 - Photographs                                           1975

11/9    McDonald, Murl                                                                     n.d.

11/10  Master Farmers News Clipping                                          1978

11/11  Morrow Plots - 1978 Study                                                  n.d.,1888-1965,68-76

11/12  National Association, County Agricultural Agents             1977-78

11/13  Rural Urban Complex - News Clippings                             n.d.,1925,46,72-73

11/14  Illinois Agricultural Handbook                                              1921

 

12/1    High School Compositions                                                  1901

12/2    College Essays                                                                     1901-03

12/3/a It Happened That Way Out Where the West

Begins                                                                        1978

12/3/b It Happened That Way Out Where the West

Begins                                                                        1978

 

12/4                It Happened That Way out Where the West

Begins  (proofread copy)                                         1978

 

12/5    It Happened That Way Out Where the West Begins

- Correspondence and Notes                                              1977-78

 

12/6    Extension Bulletins and Articles                                          n.d.,1912,22,37-38,45-46,51,57, 72

12/7    A Cathedral of Life - Correspondence                               n.d.,1957,66

12/8    A Brief Photographic Story of Life and

Farming in Mexico                                                                1908-09,51

12/9    Clinton Company, The Fertilizer  (Editor)                           1915

 

13/       Early Iowa Corn Yield Test                                                   1962

Plant Record                                                                          1899

Illinois Agricultural Policy                                                      1922

            FBFM History - The First 50 Years

50 Years of Service 1922-1972, ICIA                                 n.d.

History of the National Association of

County Agricultural Agents                                                   1915-16

Farm Bureau in Illinois, J. Lacey                                         1965

The People and the Profession                                           1979

The Palimpsest                                                                     Nov. 1947

 

14/       Annual Report - Department of Farm

Organization and Management,

University of Illinois                                                                1923,24

Farm Bureau Farm Management Service

Reports                                                                                  1925-32

 

Report of a Study of the Relations of Certain

Selected Physical Characteristics of Seed

Corn to Yield, Quality and Maturity of the

Crop Produced, Urbana Illinois                                           1934

 

Three Years Report on 265 Farms in the

Pioneer Area, FBFMS                                                         1944-46

 

Three Years Report on 459 Farms in the

Sangamon Valley, East Central and

Eastern Illinois Areas - FBFMS                                           1945-47

 

Three Years Report on 254 Farms in the

West Central, and Western Illinois, FBFMS                      1946-48

 

Eighth Annual Report of Feeder Cattle, FBFMS               1947

 

Ninth Annual Report of Feeder Cattle, FBFMS                 1948

 

Tenth Annual Report of Feeder Cattle, FBFMS                1949

 

Eleventh Annual Report of Feeder Cattle, FBFMS           1950

 

Farm Bureau Farm Management Service

- Reports and Letters to Member                                        1925-50

 

15/       Farm Bureau Farm Management Service Reports          1930-35,36-40,41-45

 

16/       Ledger Books                                                                       1899,1901-12

 

17/       Ledger Books                                                                       1913-19,20-49

 

18/       Expenses                                                                               1922,24-25,27-28,37-76

Memo Book                                                                           n.d.,1971-76

Daily Reminder                                                                     1977

 

19/       Photographs of Farmsteads of the U.S.                             1949-60

Farm Homes of America                                                     1949-60