Donald F. Othmer Collection: Guest books

Collection

Identifier: 96-17-003

Staff Only

Scope and content

Book one is a small reddish-brown leather-bound register with Donald F. Othmer stamped in gold on the cover. It covers the years 1945 through 1989. Book two is a large brown leather bound register an ornamental border and Othmer Guest Book stamped on the front cover in gold. It coves the years 1950 through 1995. Book three is a small black horizontal ledger. It covers the year 1995. All three books record the names addresses and affiliations of visitors. It is unclear whether these were visits to the Othmers' Brooklyn townhouse or Othmeria in Coudersport, PA.

Dates

Creation: 1945-1995

Language of Materials

Text in English.

Biographical sketch

Donald F. Othmer was born in Omaha, Nebraska on May 11, 1904. He attended the University of Nebraska and received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1927. Upon graduation he worked for the Eastman Kodak Company where he was responsible for over forty patents. In 1932 he left Kodak to accept a teaching position at Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. In 1937 he was made Head of the Chemical Engineering Department, a post he retained until 1961 when he was named Distinguished Professor. He remained affiliated with this institution until his retirement as Professor Emeritus in 1976. In addition to hundreds of published papers and over 150 US patents, Donald F. Othmer co-edited (with Raymond E. Kirk) The Kirk Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. In 1978 Donald F. Othmer was awarded the Perkin Medal. He died in New York City on November 1 1995.