Robert Jerome Parsons photograph collection

Collection

Identifier: P1236

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Robert Jerome Parsons photograph collection consists of 134 color 35mm transparencies taken by Dr. Parsons while he was a member of the 1955 Eggert-Hatch film expedition down the Green River from Green River Wyoming to Jensen, Utah. Images were arranged chronologically by Dr. Parsons and labeled with date, location, and other information. All images are housed in one folder, and numbered in sequence from number 1 to number 134. Item descriptions come directly from the labled slides. Images have shifted slightly to red, but are in good condition for the most part. Also note that the spelling "Ladore" is commonly used but is incorrect; the correct spelling is "Lodore," the name of a canyon traversed by the Green River in western Colorado. The Brontosaurus was the name of one of the expedition's boats.

Dates

1955

Creator

Parsons, Robert Jerome (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Robert Jerome Parsons photograph collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Photo Archives Curator.

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Robert Jerome Parsons was a member of the 1955 Eggert-Hatch filming expedition down the Green and Colorado Rivers in 1955.

Robert Jerome Parsons was born in Syracuse, NY, in 1907, and went to medical school at Syracuse University. He interned at Peter Brent Brigham in Boston, Massachusetts, and was a resident fellow at Harvard Medical School. He also interned in Pathology at New York Hospital and Cornell Medical School, where he completed his resident training, and spent three years at Rockefeller University. After teaching Pathology for six years at the University of Michigan, he joined the US Navy, serving as a Lieutenant Commander while conducting research on Malaria and Filariasis. He then moved with his family to the west coast. From 1947 to 1977 he served as Director of Laboratories and Intern and Resident Training in Alameda County, California. for 30 years, retiring in 1977.

In the summer of 1953 Dr. Parsons's brother-in-law, Frederick Hoffman Wood, brought his family out to the west coast for the first time. While on this trip Fred became fascinated by the western part of the United States. A year later when he read an article by Charles Eggert inviting participants to join a group of adventurers to duplicate the adventures of John Wesley Powell, he called Bob and invited him to join in this adventure. Dr. Parsons was quick to sign on. It was an experience of a lifetime for him. Unfortunately because of his responsibilities at the hospital he was unable to take more than two weeks off, and was only able to complete the first segment of the expedition, from Green River, Wyoming, to Jensen, Utah. He followed the rest of the trip through the stories Fred Wood and Charlie Eggert shared and Traveler in the Wilderness, the book about the trip published by the only woman on the trip, 65-year old Cid Ricketts Sumner.

Dr. Parsons died in 1986.

Extent

1 Box : 134 color 35mm transparencies

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Arrangement

Images were arranged in chronological order by Dr. Parsons and labeled as to what was shown.

Related Materials

See also the P0766, Charles Eggert photograph collection ; ACCN 1659, Charles Eggert manuscript collection; A0511, Charles Eggert audio-visual collection; P0781, Hatch River Expeditions collection; ACCN 1325, Hatch River Expeditions manuscript collection; P1037, Frederick Hoffman Wood photograph collection; ACCN 1603, Frederick Hoffman Wood manuscript collections; A0692, Frederick Hoffman Wood audio-visual collection.

Forms part of the Utah River Running Archive.