A Love Affair with Birds: The Life of Thomas Sadler Roberts

Acknowledgments

xi • Acknowledgments Abook like this, drawn almost entirely from letters and journals, does not get written without tremendous support from librarians and archivists . I owe much to the late Penelope Krosch, head archivist at the University of Minnesota Archives, who labored for years transcribing Thomas Sadler Roberts’s journals and published her efforts in Shotgun and Stethoscope in 1991. Penny also cataloged the voluminous collection of letters and memorabilia that Roberts, a packrat, accumulated over his lifetime. Her work made this book possible. Thanksaredue,too,toLoisHendrickson,assistantcuratorattheWangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine at the University of Minnesota , for her broad knowledge of university and Minneapolis medical history and of Krosch’s work, and for her enthusiastic interest in this project. University archivists Erik Moore and Erin George were unflaggingly helpful in retrieving material, often on short notice. Staff at the Minnesota Historical Society were also cheerful in retrieving material about Roberts time and again as I rechecked facts and quotes. DonLuce,curatorofartattheUniversityofMinnesota’sBellMuseumof Natural History, offered invaluable help over the course of the project, giving me access to wonderful photographs taken by Roberts, scanning numerous images, and offering insight into Lee and Florence Jaques and the inner workings of the Bell Museum. He read early chapters of the manuscript, and both he and John Moriarty, the natural resources specialist at the Ramsey County Parks system, who read the final draft, have been most supportive. My thanks to them. Diane Buganski of the Goodhue County Historical Society helped bring Mabel Densmore to life. Vonda Kelly of the Bloomington Historical Society helped find information on the Long Meadow Gun Club. I interviewed a number of people who knew of Roberts, but only two who had direct memories of him. Bob Binger of White Bear Lake, Minnesota , was one of Roberts’s bird students. Thomas Robert Breckenridge, Acknowledgments xii oldest child of Walter Breckenridge, had childhood memories of a very old Roberts. Tom and his sister, Barbara Breckenridge Franklin, gave me insight into their father. Lucy Bell Hartwell, granddaughter of James Ford Bell, shared her memories of her grandfather with me. Tom Holman, a board member of the Hennepin History Museum and formerly of the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission, helped identify one of Roberts’s photographs merely labeled “Old Tiger in front of Ninth Street house” and placed it in Minneapolis. He also provided expertise on the historical city. Roberts’slastresidence,at2303PleasantAvenue,stillstands.OwnerMark DolskiandresidentNancyAhmadwereincrediblygracioustoastrangerwho contacted them out of the blue and asked for a tour of their house. Tony Hertzel of the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union provided information about the Thomas Sadler Roberts Award. The far-flung Roberts clan has been helpful, inspirational, and enthusiastic partners in this endeavor. Nancy C. Roberts, granddaughter-in-law to Roberts, provided dates, stories, and family photographs when I visited her home in Panama City, Florida. She also read the first completed draft of the manuscript and made sharp-eyed edits. Carl Roberts, great-grandson, who resembles Roberts to a remarkable degree, scanned photographs. Both Nancy and Carl showed Floridian hospitality by hosting a Gulf shrimp boil, where I met other great-grandchildren Doug, Cathy, and Helen. Greatgranddaughter Shelley Roberts also provided photographs and good conversation . Lane Phillips, another great-grandchild, and his sisters Jane and Catharine have been very generous with family photographs and memories. Lane has been my local family contact in Minnesota. My editor, Todd Orjala at the University of Minnesota Press, encouraged me early on in the project and granted a deadline that both gave me enough time for thorough research and yet made sure this did not consume the remainder of my life. Novice biographer that I was, I relied wholly on his judgment. Kristian Tvedten, editorial assistant at the Press, was prompt and authoritative on the many nuts and bolts I encountered in the process of transforming my research into a book. My faithful, talented writing group, the core of which has been together for fifteen years, read every single chapter. If they told me a passage was boring , I rewrote. If they wanted more detail, I fleshed it out. They frequently Acknowledgments xiii did quick reads of material when I needed a second set of eyes. Past and present members include Judy Helgen, Patti Isaacs, Gayla Marty, Susan Narayan, and Pam Schmid. They were critical to the writing of this book. My children, Andy, Katie, John, and Christina Leaf, know more about Roberts and about Minnesota birds...