Herbert W. Yeo papers
Collection
Identifier: Ms-0094
Scope and Content
The Herbert W. Yeo Papers span the years 1848-1954, with the bulk of the collection falling between the years 1910-1941. The materials have been divided into seven series: College Papers, Correspondence, Surveys, Technical Reports, Photographs and Maps.
College Papers is a small series consisting of speeches prepared by Yeo and Lodalee Patton for their literary club in college. The speeches vary in length and subject, dealing with religious, political and social concerns of the time period. This series also contains a short story.
The letters in the Correspondence series were written to Lodalee from Yeo during 1910. These letters are of a personal nature. In some of the letters Yeo describes the areas of New Mexico he was surveying and gives some of his own observations regarding local geography and people.
The Surveys include materials from Yeo's professional career. The majority of the materials date between 1935-1941, when Yeo was employed with the Soil Conservation Service. There are notes in this series from Yeo's early years in New Mexico, when he was involved with the Elephant Butte project. The materials consist of inventories, notes, correspondence, and recorded data. Included in the topics covered are studies of dams and reservoirs, floods, silt, and precipitation.
The Technical Reports series contains 225 reports. Some reports were created by Yeo and others were given to him during his employment by the Reclamation Service, as Doña Ana Surveyor, as State Engineer, by the Soil Conservation Service and the United States Corps of Engineers. The majority of the reports were created during the period Yeo was with the Soil Conservation Service.
There are photographs throughout the entire collection. Some images are included as illustrations within reports and surveys. The Photographs series consist of loose pages from reports and loose photographs. Images include dams, areas surveyed, construction of Elephant Butte Dam and miscellaneous landscapes and water scenes.
The final series, Maps, consists of one oversized map. The map is a hand-drawn map that includes portions of Doña Ana, Grant and Socorro Counties before the creation of Luna and possibly Sierra Counties.
College Papers is a small series consisting of speeches prepared by Yeo and Lodalee Patton for their literary club in college. The speeches vary in length and subject, dealing with religious, political and social concerns of the time period. This series also contains a short story.
The letters in the Correspondence series were written to Lodalee from Yeo during 1910. These letters are of a personal nature. In some of the letters Yeo describes the areas of New Mexico he was surveying and gives some of his own observations regarding local geography and people.
The Surveys include materials from Yeo's professional career. The majority of the materials date between 1935-1941, when Yeo was employed with the Soil Conservation Service. There are notes in this series from Yeo's early years in New Mexico, when he was involved with the Elephant Butte project. The materials consist of inventories, notes, correspondence, and recorded data. Included in the topics covered are studies of dams and reservoirs, floods, silt, and precipitation.
The Technical Reports series contains 225 reports. Some reports were created by Yeo and others were given to him during his employment by the Reclamation Service, as Doña Ana Surveyor, as State Engineer, by the Soil Conservation Service and the United States Corps of Engineers. The majority of the reports were created during the period Yeo was with the Soil Conservation Service.
There are photographs throughout the entire collection. Some images are included as illustrations within reports and surveys. The Photographs series consist of loose pages from reports and loose photographs. Images include dams, areas surveyed, construction of Elephant Butte Dam and miscellaneous landscapes and water scenes.
The final series, Maps, consists of one oversized map. The map is a hand-drawn map that includes portions of Doña Ana, Grant and Socorro Counties before the creation of Luna and possibly Sierra Counties.
Dates
- 1848 - 1954
Access and Use Restrictions
This material may be examined by researchers under supervised conditions in the Search Room. Photographic and other information concerning the nature and location of archaeological resources is restricted (Sections 18-6-11.1 NMSU 1978 and 16 USC 470 hh). Permission from the state clearinghouse for archaeological reports may be required for access and use of some items.
A searchable, online database to the images in this collection may be accessed at: http://archphotos.nmsu.edu
A searchable, online database to the images in this collection may be accessed at: http://archphotos.nmsu.edu
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with copyright and other applicable statutes.
The copyrights held in these materials have not been transferred to New Mexico State University.
The copyrights held in these materials have not been transferred to New Mexico State University.
Biographical Sketch
Herbert W. Yeo was born on January 6, 1877 in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, and spent his childhood years in Leetonia, Ohio. In 1898, Yeo received a degree in engineering from Franklin College in New Athens, Ohio. At college, Yeo met Lodalee Patton, whom he married in 1907.
Yeo first come to the Southwest in 1901. He surveyed road beds for railroads in California, Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, and Utah until 1907. In 1908, Yeo and Lodalee moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico, were Yeo was employed by the United States Reclamation Service. From 1908 to 1917 Yeo worked on the Rio Grande project, involved with the investigational and irrigation portion of the Elephant Butte Dam and Reservoir construction.
From January to October 1918, Yeo served with the Corps of Engineers of the United States Army in San Antonio, Texas, and Camp Lee, Virginia.
When Yeo returned to Las Cruces he began a private engineering practice and also served as Doña Ana County Surveyor. Yeo served as State Engineer of New Mexico from 1927-1931. For two years following Yeo worked with the International Boundary Commission. In 1934, Yeo joined the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and served as an engineer until 1942. Yeo worked for the United States Corps of Engineers in Albuquerque from 1942 until his retirement in 1947.
After retirement Yeo devoted his time and skills to study of the archaeology of New Mexico. His archaeological research of New Mexico covers at least nine counties and many of the artifacts he acquired are now preserved by the New Mexico State Museum and in national facilities.
Yeo died October 1, 1954 at the Fort Bayard veterans hospital after a long illness.
Yeo first come to the Southwest in 1901. He surveyed road beds for railroads in California, Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, and Utah until 1907. In 1908, Yeo and Lodalee moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico, were Yeo was employed by the United States Reclamation Service. From 1908 to 1917 Yeo worked on the Rio Grande project, involved with the investigational and irrigation portion of the Elephant Butte Dam and Reservoir construction.
From January to October 1918, Yeo served with the Corps of Engineers of the United States Army in San Antonio, Texas, and Camp Lee, Virginia.
When Yeo returned to Las Cruces he began a private engineering practice and also served as Doña Ana County Surveyor. Yeo served as State Engineer of New Mexico from 1927-1931. For two years following Yeo worked with the International Boundary Commission. In 1934, Yeo joined the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and served as an engineer until 1942. Yeo worked for the United States Corps of Engineers in Albuquerque from 1942 until his retirement in 1947.
After retirement Yeo devoted his time and skills to study of the archaeology of New Mexico. His archaeological research of New Mexico covers at least nine counties and many of the artifacts he acquired are now preserved by the New Mexico State Museum and in national facilities.
Yeo died October 1, 1954 at the Fort Bayard veterans hospital after a long illness.
Extent
23.5 linear feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Civil Engineer, Doña Ana County Surveyor, New Mexico State Engineer, and amateur archaeologist. Consists primarily of 225 technical reports created and received by Yeo pertaining to the Rio Grande drainage area above Fort Quitman, Texas. Materials also include survey notes, photographs and maps from various periods in Yeo's career.
- Title
- Guide to the Herbert W. Yeo papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Merleen Dibert. Revised by Marah deMeule and Christine Moreland-Bruhnke.
- Date
- 2000
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Repository Details
Part of the New Mexico State University Library Archives and Special Collections Repository