Guide to the Edwin F. Glenn papers
1889-1917
Collection number: HMC-0116.
Creator: Glenn, Edwin F. (Edwin Forbes), 1857-1926.
Title: Edwin F. Glenn papers.
Dates: 1889-1917.
Volume of collection: 1.0 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials are in English.
Collection summary: U. S. Army officer in charge of explorations in southcentral Alaska in 1898 and 1899.
Biographical note:
Edwin F. Glenn was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1877 and obtained a law degree in 1891. He married Louise Smith in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1886. They had four children. During his military career, he served on the Western Frontier and in the Philippines, the Campaign in Mexico, and World War I. Captain Glenn commanded exploratory expeditions to the Cook Inlet area of Alaska in 1898 and 1899. He later attained the rank of Major General in 1917.
Collection description:
This collection consists of papers of Edwin Forbes Glenn relating to his expeditions in Alaska. The collection is divided into three series: personal papers and photographs; reports; and U.S. Army. Adjutant General’s Office records. Among the papers are: Captain Glenn’s journal (June 29 – October 23) kept during the 1898 Cook Inlet expedition; an original typed copy of Glenn’s “Report on Exploration in Alaska 1899” (annotated); a volume of photographs taken by Glenn, Walter Curran Mendenhall, and others relating to the 1898 Cook Inlet expedition; a published report of the 1898 expedition; and two facsimile reproductions of extracts from A Compilation of Narratives of Explorations in Alaska (1900). There is also a microfilm copy of Glenn’s military service record, and microfilm copies of files from the U. S. Army Adjutant General’s Office relating to the Alaska Relief Expedition and to the Cook Inlet and Copper River exploring expeditions of 1898 and 1899.
Arrangement: The collection records are arranged by series: personal papers and photographs, reports, and U.S. Army. Adjutant General’s Office records.
Series 1: Personal papers and photographs; 1889-1917.
Series 2: Reports; 1898-1899, 1901.
Series 3: U.S. Army. Adjutant General’s Office records relating to the Alaska Relief Expedition and the Cook Inlet and Copper River Exploring Expeditions; 1897-1902.
Digitized copies: All of the photographs and the diary have been digitized and are available on the Alaska’s Digital Archives. The photographs were digitized courtesy of an Alaska State Library interlibrary cooperation grant. For information about obtaining copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Access restrictions: Original materials in series 1 and 2 of the collection are extremely fragile. Use will be restricted to digital surrogates, transcripts, or Consortium Library copies of the published reports where available.
Rights note: Much of this collection is no longer subject to copyright. Consult Archives for permission regarding use of this collection.
Preferred citation: Edwin F. Glenn papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Related materials: Other copies of some of the photographs taken by Walter Curran Mendenhall, as well as others not represented in this collection, are located at the U.S. Geological Survey Photographic Library at the United States Geological Survey Central Regional Library in Denver, Colorado and are available online at: http://libraryphoto.cr.usgs.gov/index.html. Other photographs from the expedition are also located in the Castner collection and Glenn expedition photographs at the Atwood Alaska Resource Center at the Anchorage Museum and in the Alfred Hulse Brooks photographs and papers at the Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscripts Library at Yale University.
Acquisition note: Edwin F. Glenn’s personal papers and reports were presented to the archives by Harold R. Tyler, Edwin Glenn’ in 1989. A deed of gift was signed in 1990. The microfilm copy of Glenn’s military service record and the records of the Adjutant General’s Office were purchased from the National Archives in 1991.
Processing information: This collection was arranged and described by Dennis F. Walle in 2001. The transcription of the diary was completed by Dennis F. Walle and Carolyn Bowers in 1990.
Container list:
Series 1: Personal papers and photographs; 1889-1917.
| Box/Folder | Description | Date |
| 1/1 | Captain Edwin F. Glenn’s handwritten diary kept during the 1898 Alaska expedition. The diary was rebound at a later date. | 1898 June 29-October 23 |
| 1/2 | Diary transcript. | 1990 |
| 1/3 | 1898 expedition photographs, 148 prints, primarily cyanotypes. | 1898 |
| 1/4 | Copy negatives made from expedition photographs. | Undated |
| 1/5 | “Report of Capt. E. F. Glenn, U.S. Army, on Explorations in Alaska. 1899.” Typed, annotated draft report with sub-reports by C. P. Elliot, Sgt. William Yanert, Sgt. Frederick Mathys, Pvt. George W. Van Schoonhoven, Dr. George B. Thomas, and Mr. C. E. Griffin. | 1899 April-October |
| 1/6 | Microfilm copy of service record of Edwin F. Glenn. This file includes correspondence, reports, memoranda, telegrams, orders, and other records concerning the military service of Edwin F. Glenn. The records were not filmed in chronological order. | 1889-1917 |
Series 2: Reports; 1898-1899, 1901.
| Box/Folder | Description | Date |
| 1/7 | “Report of Explorations in the Territory of Alaska (Cooks Inlet, Shushitna, Copper, and Tanana Rivers) 1898.” By Captain Edwin F. Glenn and Captain W. R. Abercrombie. Government Printing Office. |
1899 July |
| 1/8 | “Alaska—1898, 1899. Sub-reports on the Tanana River Region and Cooks Inlet. By Sergeant William Yanert and others. Extract from Compilation of Narratives of Explorations in Alaska.” Reproduced by the Shorey Bookstore, Seattle. | 1964 |
| 1/9 | “Alaska—1899. Tanana River Exploring Expedition. By Captain Edwin F. Glenn. Extract from Compilation of Narratives of Explorations in Alaska.” Reproduced by the Shorey Bookstore, Seattle. | 1964 |
| 1/10 | Front cover for “Exploration in Alaska, 1899” by 1st Lt. Joseph S. Herron. | 1901 March |
Series 3: U.S. Army. Adjutant General’s Office records relating to the Alaska Relief Expedition and the Cook Inlet and Copper River Exploring Expeditions; 1897-1902.
| Reel | Description | Date |
| 1-3 | AGO file #67221. This file contains letters, telegrams, reports and other records relating to the Alaska Relief Expedition organized to provide assistance to destitute gold miners. Included are records of plans to send exploration parties to search for new “All American” route to the Yukon gold fields, the parties to be commanded by Captain E. F. Glenn and W. R. Abercrombie. | 1897-1902 |
| 4 | AGO files #212869, #307737, and #260623. These files contain correspondence, reports, and other records relating to the Cook Inlet and Copper River exploring expeditions of 1899. File #212869 (microfilm frames 1-144) contains correspondence relating to the 1899 Cook Inlet Exploring Expedition commanded by Captain E. F. Glenn. File #307737 (frames 145-158) contains correspondence relating to Lt. J. S. Herron, who was in charge of one of the exploring parties of the 1899 Cook Inlet Exploring Expedition. File #260623 (frames 159-179) contains correspondence relating to supplies and funds for the 1899 Copper River Exploring Expedition commanded by Captain W. R. Abercrombie. | 1899-1900 |