McNair, James Birtley, 1889-1967

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James Birtley McNair (1889-1967), American chemist and botanist, specializing in economic and chemical botany. He was born in Hazleton, Pa., son of Thomas Speer McNair and Mary Stevens McNair. He received his A. M. from the University of California, Berkeley in 1917. In 1922-1925, he studied at the University of Chicago, and later worked as chemist for various state and federal agencies, including United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Fisheries, and the Internal Revenue Service. In 1926-1932, he worked as assistant curator of botany at Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. During World War II, he served in Chemical Warfare Service; he attended Chemical Warfare School in Edgewood, Md. in Jan. 1943. After the war, he returned to Los Angeles and from 1945, worked for Pacific Wines, Inc., Los Angeles. In addition to numerous works on botany and chemistry, McNair also is known for his Simon Cameron's Adventure in Iron (1949) and With Rod and Transit: The Engineering Career of Thomas S. McNair (1951). An avid genealogist, McNair was also author of McNair, McNear, and McNeir Genealogies (Los Angeles, 1923; supplements published in 1928 and 1955).

From the description of Papers of James Birtley McNair, 1901-1964 (bulk 1915-1964). (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 122499726

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf [James Birtley McNair, biographical materials] University of Wisconsin - Madison, General Library System
referencedIn McNair family. McNair family papers, 1760-1964 (bulk 1835-1943). Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
creatorOf McNair, James Birtley, 1889-1967. Papers of James Birtley McNair, 1901-1964 (bulk 1915-1964). Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn William B. Provine collection of evolutionary biology reprints, 20th century. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Chicago Natural History Museum corporateBody
associatedWith McNair family. family
associatedWith McNair, Rebecca S. (Rebecca Sharon), b. 1884, person
associatedWith McNair, W. R. (William Righter), 1874-1935, person
correspondedWith Provine, William B. person
correspondedWith United States. Army. Chemical Warfare Service corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Dept. of Agriculture corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Internal Revenue Service corporateBody
correspondedWith University of California, Berkeley corporateBody
correspondedWith University of Chicago corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Camp Swift (Tex.)
Illinois--Chicago
Subject
Botanists
Botany
Chemistry
Chemists
Genealogists
Museum curators
Scientists
World War, 1939-1945
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1889

Death 1967

Americans

Information

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SNAC ID: 60906867