Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
John A. King Papers
UA.17.206
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
- Creator - Donor
- King, John Arthur, 1921-
- Title
- John A. King papers
- ID
- UA.17.206
- Date [inclusive]
- 1937-2013
- Extent
- 1.3 Cubic feet
- Language
- English
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: "Item title, Collection title, Collection Identifier, Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections, East Lansing, Michigan."
Biographical Note
John Arthur King was born in Detroit, Michigan, on June 22, 1921. He married Joan McGinty on June 25, 1949. He graduated from the University of Michigan, with a B.S. in 1943, an M.S. in 1948, and a Ph.D. in 1952. King was the Associate Editor of Ecology from 1959-1962 and a professor of Zoology at Michigan State University from 1961 until his retirement in 1986. He was concerned with the effects of the interaction between hereditary and environmental factors on animal behavior. His research centered on the way in which the behavior of animals is affected by the experiences that they have early in life. John and Joan have a daughter Andrea who was born on November 10, 1953 who is married to Jon, and a son Kit (Christopher,) who was born on December 25, 1951 who is divorced from Wendy, and remarried to Christine. Kit has two daughters, Isabella and Natalie.
Joan King served as a docent at the Kresge Art Museum. In 1999 she was elected as the Acting Regional Vice President of American Association of Retired Persons (AARP.)
Scope and Contents note
The papers of John A. King contain correspondence, diaries, and typescripts of his diaries. One diary is from his freshman year at the University of Michigan (1939). The other diaries describe his experiences in World War II, his travels abroad, and King’s daily life in Michigan.
The majority of the diaries contain information about King and his wife Joan’s life in Webberville and Okemos, Michigan. He writes about daily happenings and social activities that the two engaged in. He also makes note of the weather, relative humidity, and temperature for each day. In addition, he notes native animals such as fox, squirrels, raccoons, deer, mink and muskrat that frequent his backyard and pond. Several of the diaries contain notes about raccoons caught in traps. The diaries also list books and movies that King read and viewed and his comments on each.
The correspondence files contain conversations on politics, social functions and discussions about issues of nature and scientific discoveries, as well as talk about families and happenings in each other's lives.
Also included in the collection are King’s early research notes and field work on prairie dogs.
The electronic resources series contains digital versions of King's autobiographical sketches, diaries, and correspondence from the years 1937-2013. The autobiographical short essays cover King's own life, genealogies of family members and himself, and his observations and philosophy. His curriuculum vitae and other career documentation, as well as short biographies of some of his friends, are also included with the autobiographical material. Correspondence includes letters to business associates, politicians, colleagues, students, friends (including Army friends), and relatives. Some of his wife Joan's letters to politicians during her tenure as AARP State Legislative Chairman (1990-1991) are also included. The digital transcripts of King's diaries cover the years 1937-2002, from his time as a student at the University of Michigan through his careers in the Army and academia, and his family life. Four manuscripts of short stories and essays written under the pseudonym Rexford Strathroy are also included, as well as manuscripts for two scientific papers and a biographical sketch of his mentor and colleague J. Paul Scott.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections April 2007
Conrad Hall888 Wilson Road, Room 101
East Lansing , MI, 48824
517-355-2330
archives@msu.edu
Revision Description
Added electronic resources LS October 2014
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Legal Status note
Copyright: Michigan State University. Property Rights: Michigan State University.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- University of Michigan.
Genre(s)
- Autobiographies
- Diaries
- Genealogies (histories)
- Letters (correspondence)
- Manuscripts
Personal Name(s)
- Baker, Rollin H., (Rollin Harold), 1916-2007 -- Form subdivision--Correspondence.;
- Dewsbury, Donald A., 1939- -- Form subdivision--Correspondence.;
- King, John Arthur, 1921-
- Straight, Michael Whitney -- Form subdivision--Correspondence.;
Subject(s)
- Prairie dogs
- World War, 1939-1945
Collection Inventory
| Box | Folder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Diary from the University of Michigan 1939 |
2148 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Research on Prairie Dogs 1948-1950 |
2148 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Diaries |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Box | Folder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
November 1944-April 1945 1944-1945 |
3019 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
May 1945-November 1945 1945 |
3019 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
November 1945-March 1946 |
3019 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
March 1946-April 1948 1946-1948 |
3019 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
May 1946-June 1946 6A |
3019 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
June 1946-July 1946 6B 1946 |
3019 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
July 1946-September 1946 6C 1946-1948 |
3019 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
September 1946-November 1946 6D 1946 |
3019 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
November 1946-December 1946 6E 1946 |
3019 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
January 1998-December 1998 |
2148 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
January 1999- December 1999 |
2148 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
January 2000- December 2000 |
2148 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
December 2001- January 2002 |
2148 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
January 2002- December 2002 |
2148 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
December 2002- December 2003 |
2148 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
January 2004- July 2005 |
2148 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
July 2005- August 2006 |
2148 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
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Correspondence |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Box | Folder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Christmas 1998 |
2148 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
January 1998- May 2000 |
2148 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
November 1999- July 2001 |
2148 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Christmas 2000 |
2148 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
December 2001- July 2003 |
2148 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Christmas 2003 |
2148 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
October 2003- July 2006 |
2148 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Baker, Rollin H. 1990-2000 |
2148 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Crenshaw, John Walden, Jr. 1998-2004 |
2148 | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Dewsbury, Donald A. 1998-2004 |
2148 | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Straight, Michael Whitney 1998-2004 |
2148 | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
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Typescripts of Diaries |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Box | Folder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1944-1945 1944-1945 |
3019 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1945 1945 |
3019 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1945-1946 1945-1946 |
3019 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1946 1946 |
3019 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Travels 1946 1946 |
3019 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1991-1993 |
2149h | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1994-1997 |
2149h | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1998-2000 |
2149h | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2000 |
2149h | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2001 |
2149h | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2002 |
2149h | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2003 |
2149h | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2004 |
2149h | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2005 |
2149h | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
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Electronic Resources 1937-2013 |
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Autobiography 1942-2005
|
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Correspondence 1990-2013 |
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| Object | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1990-1993 1990-1993 |
A.2013.0135_002ae61 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1994-1995 1994-1995 |
A.2013.0135_005-e859 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1996-1997 1996-1997 |
A.2013.0135_006-ef25 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1998-2004 1998-2004 |
A.2013.0135_007-5e38 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2005-2013 2005-2013 |
A.2013.0135_008-cf36 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Object | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Diaries 1937-2002 |
A.2013.0135_003-4cb5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Manuscripts 1994-2002 |
A.2013.0135_004-b00d | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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