Andrew Boss papers

Collection

Identifier: ua00686

Staff Only

Scope and Content

The Andrew Boss papers consist of personal and professional correspondence, speech notes, materials concerning the University of Minnesota St. Paul campus agricultural experiment station, scrapbooks, financial record books begun by Boss’s father (also Andrew), field notebooks, lantern slides of England and Scotland and family and World War I memorabilia. Inclusive dates for the collection are 1859 to 1946.

Dates

1859-1946

Creator

Boss, Andrew, 1867-1947 (Person)

Language of Materials

Collection materials in English

Use of Materials

Items in this collection do not circulate and may be used in-house only.

Copyright

Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provision of the copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). Requests to publish should be arranged with the University of Minnesota Archives.

Biographical Sketch of Andrew Boss (1867-1947)

Andrew Boss, diploma, (1891) School of Agriculture, University Farm; instructor (1892), assistant professor (1894), associate professor (1902), professor (1905-1910), Division of Animal Husbandry; professor, (1909-1926) Agronomy and Farm Management; professor, Agricultural Economics (1926-1928).

Administrative positions: Acting chief (1905-1910), Division of Animal Husbandry; chief (1909-1926), Division of Agronomy and Farm Management; chief , division of Farm Management, Agronomy and Plant Genetics (1926-1928); vice-director (1917-1936), Agricultural Experiment Station; acting associate director (1944), Agricultural Experiment Station. Renowned authority on crops and livestock and a pioneer in the field of farm management.

Andrew Boss was born June 3, 1867 near Lake City in Wabasha County, Minnesota. Boss and Willett Hays were among the first agricultural academics to conduct farm record studies, which formed the basis for several generations of farm management instruction and research. They were also responsible for the first systematic distribution of crop varietals to Minnesota farmers. Boss authored the standard textbook on farm management, Modern Farm Management, published in 1914, and is considered to be the founder of modern farm management. Boss also helped organize the American Farm Management Association in 1910 (later known as the American Farm Economic Association).

Andrew Boss joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota in 1892. He served in a variety of academic and administrative positions at the University over a 44 year period. Boss retired in 1937, but returned temporarily to head the Agricultural Experiment Station when then director Frank Immer was called into service overseas. Boss was awarded an honorary doctor of science degree in 1927 from Kansas State Agricultural College, and in 1945 by the University of Minnesota. Andrew Boss died on January 13, 1947.

Extent

1.5 Cubic Feet (2 boxes (1 record carton; 1 hollinger))

Additional Description

Abstract

Collection contains the papers of Andrew Boss, professor emeritus and vice director of the agricultural experiment station at the University of Minnesota.

Source of acquisition

The collection was donated to University Archives on August 12, 1981 by Andrew Boss' daughter, Mrs. Cleland. An additional accession of Boss family photographs transferred by the Minnesota Genealogical Society was added to the collection in July 2017.

Processing Information

This collection was processed with funds provided by the State of Minnesota through the Minnesota Historical Society from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

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