Franklin Benjamin Hough Papers

Collection

Identifier: MS0263

Staff Only

Content Description

The Franklin Benjamin Hough Papers consist of handwritten correspondence, agreements, and memoranda. Much of the correspondence deals with forestry matters and Hough’s paper, titled "The Duty of Governments in the Preservation of Forests," which he presented to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 1873.

Dates

Creation: 1870-1884
Creation: Majority of material found within 1876-1877

Conditions Governing Access

Contact Special Collections for access.

Biographical Sketch

Franklin Benjamin Hough (1822-1885) was the first physician in Lewis County, New York. He wrote an influential paper, "The Duty of Governments in the Preservation of Forests," which revealed that forests were beneficial to climate, streamflow, and soil quality, and argued that it was necessary to preserve and renew forests. His address to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 1873 triggered a national forest preservation movement and a lobbying effort backed by the AAAS. In response, the U.S. Congress approved funding in 1876 for a federal forestry expert within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Hough was appointed to the position soon after. He held the position of forest commissioner for the USDA from 1876 to 1881, and served as chief of the Division of Forestry, USDA, from 1881 to 1883.