McWhorter, Frank P., Papers, 1942-1961
McWhorter, Frank P., 1896-1985
1 cubic foot
Scope and Content Note
This collection consists of three series: Research Notebooks; Journals; and Other Research Records. The research notebooks include information on vegetable habits and gladiolus; photographs of lilies, both horticultural and viral in nature; and charts pertaining to yellow mosaic, ring spot, Western ring spot, and other types of viruses. The three Journals consist of information on viral diseases affecting peas, legumes and other crops. The third journal also includes a seed inventory list, observations on animal viruses, and accessions and observations; some of the data came from the Portland Airport area. Other research records include project reports; pea virus reports, summaries and literature reviews. Photographs and transparencies are interspersed within many of the reports and were left in place.
Biographical Note
Frank P. McWhorter was born in Nashville, Tennessee on April 20, 1896. He received his B.S. degree from Vanderbilt in 1917, Master Degree in 1920 from the University of Chicago, and his Ph. D from Cornell in 1928. McWhorter married Margaret Myers in January of 1922 and was the father of one son, Malcolm M., a 1946 OSU graduate. McWhorter was a plant pathologist with the Agricultural Research Service of the USDA. He came to Oregon State in 1930, and was stationed at the OSU Agricultural Experiment Station. His specialty was the study of viruses affecting lilies, gladiolus, and other flowers. McWhorter authored more than 140 technical and semi-technical publications, as well as the 1956 book, Diseases and Pests of Lilies. McWhorter was skilled in black and white photography, especially the photographing of diseased plant specimens. He took a leave of absence from March 1958 to April 1959 to become vicologist to the Philippine Government at the request of the United Nations. He studied and success fully identified Kadang Kadang, a disease that affected 35 percent of the coconut trees there. McWhorter retired from OSU in 1967, was honored as Professor Emeritus, and died November 16, 1985 at Carmel, California.
Provenance
The collection was donated in November 1995 by Dr. Richard O. Hampton, Professor Emeritus of Botany and Plant Pathology.
Related Materials
There are several items in the Memorabilia Collection related to Dr. McWhorter, including a news article and several publications written by him. There are related photographs in several collections including Agricultural Experiment Station (P29), Agriculture (P40), Department of Botany and Plant Pathology (P75), and Experiment Station Publications Photographic Collection (P132). In addition, the oversize photograph collection (P176) has one photo listed under Dr. McWhorter's name. The Barometer Index lists Dr. McWhorter's name for January and December 1930, November 1941, February 1943, November 1954, February 1958, and May 1959. Records of the Botany and Plant Pathology Department (RG54) and the Agricultural Experiment Station (RG25) also have related materials.
Inventory
- (box 1)
- I. Research Notebooks, 1942-1960:
- Vegetable Habits, [includes photos], 1942-1945
- Gladiolus, 1952-1954
- Loose pages from Gladiolus Research Notebook, 1952-1955
- Lily photos, [includes four loose photos of test plots], horticultural and virus photos, 1943-1948
- Yellow Mosaic Charts, [includes photos], 1951-1956
- Manuscript on Ring Spot and Cucumber Wilt viral research, [includes photos]; correspondence regarding publication of manuscript, 1949-1955
- Western Ring Spot Charts, 1951-1959
- Ring Spot Virus Charts, [includes photos and transparencies], 1953-1956 (2 folders)
- Alfalfa Mosaic - Ring Spot Virus Charts, 1948-1960 (2 folders)
- II. Journals, 1955-1961:
- Peas and Clover; Blanching Virus Situation, Yellow Mosaic Observations, 1960-1961
- "Legume Virus Accessions," Observations of plant trials, May 1955
- Seed Inventory List, May 1956
- Observations of Animal Viruses, Nov. 1955
- Observations of Geraniums, Legumes, Melons, 1956
- Curcurbit Observations; [Some observations were done at Portland Airport], 1956
- III. Other Research Records, 1947-1960 and Undated:
- Pea virus: Reports, 1947, 1951-1956
- Summaries and Literature Reviews, 1958-1960
- Photographs of enation mosaic virus, undated
- YM [Yellow Mosaic] protection tests, undated
- Western ring spot:
- Project reports, 1956 & undated
- Project reports, [includes photos], 1960
