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Frederick Gillan Floyd (1869-1941)
Papers

Frederick Gillan Floyd was born in South Boston on March 24, 1869. After high school, he worked for his father's newspaper for a while and then became a surveyor for the Massachusetts Highway Commission. After working on the first stone road to traverse the island of Nantucket, Floyd began working for the Engineering Department of the City of Boston. After his retirement in 1929, he and his wife, Edith Mackay Floyd, relocated to California.

Botany was Floyd's hobby for many years. He was an early member of the New England Botanical Club. Floyd was also an active member in the American Fern Society, serving twice as its treasurer, and taking part in the founding of the American Fern Journal, to which he contributed occasional articles. He developed a substantial herbarium, specializing in ferns, as well as a botanical library. After his retirement in 1929 he gave up botany for philately, publishing an historical account of postal markings and cancellations in the United States (Weatherby 80). He died at Sierra Madre, California on January 10, 1941.

W[eatherby], C.A. Obituary of Frederick Gillan Floyd. American Fern Journal 32: 79-80

The Floyd papers consist of a sampling of letters to Floyd (and a few to other people) from about 60 correspondents. Most correspondents are represented by only one letter. The letters are arranged alphabetically; most are late nineteenth to early twentieth century.

The Floyd letters were given to the Gray Herbarium by F.G. Floyd, Jan. 12, 1922. They were intended "to be kept if needed as autographs, etc. Letters not needed, to be destroyed at Mr. Floyd's request."

Container Listing: (BOX W)

Folder 1: letters from Oakes Ames
Charles F. Batchelder (2)

Folder 2: letters from Joseph Jackson

See Also:

Semi-Historic Letter Collection
Gray Archives Photograph Collection #0168