Henry Earle Lumpkin Photograph Collection
Scope and Content
This collection contains black and white photographs primarily documenting the use of a mass spectrometer during the 1960 and 1970s at the Humble Oil/Exxon Research and Engineering Company Laboratory in Baytown, Texas. This includes the installment of the first high resolution mass spectrometer in the United States, the operation of the spectrometer and the discontinuation of use of an IBM computer at the facility. The rest of the collection consists of group portraits from professional meetings and an award ceremony for Mr. Lumpkin’s service to the company. Also, included is a photograph of Henry Lumpkin in his personal office at the Exxon laboratory in 1969.
Dates
- Creation: 1963-1974
Creator
- Lumpkin, Henry Earle, 1920- (Person)
Access Restrictions
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes and the collection is open to the public.
Copyright Information
To obtain reproductions and copyright information, contact: reproductions@sciencehistory.org
Background Note
Henry Earle Lumpkin was born in Ingram, Texas in 1920 and received his B.S. in chemistry from Southwest Texas State University. He did graduate work in meteorology at the University of California before joining the Air Corps in 1941. During World War II, Lumpkin was promoted to captain and served as a Base Weather Officer. After the war, he was employed at the Humble Oil and Refining Company. As a research chemist at the Baytown, Texas laboratory (and for a few years at the Houston lab) he saw new technologies emerge in the field. In 1963, the first high resolution mass spectrometer installed in the United States (the MS9) was implemented in the Baytown lab. In the 1960s, Standard Oil Company acquired Humble Oil Company, and this division was designated the Esso Research and Engineering Company. Esso then changed their name to Exxon in 1972. Henry Lumpkin retired from Exxon Research and Engineering Company in 1980. He was a prominent member of both the American Society for Mass Spectrometry and the American Society for Testing and Materials and published several journal articles on the topic of mass spectrometry. Henry Earle Lumpkin died on July 5, 2012 in Round Rock, Texas.
Extent
11 Photographic Prints (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Photographs associated with the use of mass spectrometry compiled by, and often including, Henry Earle Lumpkin, an employee of an oil company in Texas.
Custodial History
Collected by donor while employeed by the Humble Oil/Exxon Research and Engineering Company Laboratory.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Henry Earle Lumpkin, 2004.
Digitized Materials
The entirety of this collection has been digitized and is available to view online in our Digital Collections: https://digital.sciencehistory.org/collections/5d86p025z
Condition Description
Material is in good condition.
Processing Information
Processed by Robert Hull in 2004. Object identification numbers were assigned to individual photographs.
Subject
- Lumpkin, Henry Earle, 1920- (Person)
- American Society for Mass Spectrometry (Organization)
- Esso Research and Engineering Company (Organization)
- Humble Oil and Refining Company (Incorporated in Del.) (Organization)
- Esso Research and Engineering Company (Organization)
- American Society for Testing and Materials (Organization)
Genre / Form
Topical
- Title
- Henry Earle Lumpkin Photograph Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid created by Lisa Kruczek and encoded into EAD by Melanie Grear.
- Date
- 2016
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Revision Statements
- 8/28/2023: Digitized Materials note added.
Repository Details
Part of the Science History Institute Archives Repository
315 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia PA 19106 United States
215.873.8265
215.873.5265 (Fax)
reference@sciencehistory.org