Brief Overview of Collection, MC78

Name:                             James Somerville McLester Scrapbook

Dates:                             1934-1954 (Bulk 1934-1935)

Volume:                          1 cubic foot

Historical Note:             James Somerville McLester was born to Joseph and Anna Somerville McLester on January 25, 1877 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  McLester graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1896.  He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Department of Medicine at the University of Virginia on June 14, 1899.  McLester received his post-graduate education at the Philadelphia Polyclinic and College for Graduates in Medicine where he was an intern, 1899-1900, and a resident, 1901-1902.  McLester spent two years studying pathology and biologic chemistry at universities in Gottingen, Frieburg, Berlin and Munich.  He returned to Birmingham in 1902 where he entered into medical practice with Dr. George S. Brown and opened a private office in 1903.  McLester was a professor of medicine at the Birmingham Medical College, at the two-year medical school at the University of Alabama, and at the four-year Medical College of Alabama.  In 1949 he was given the title of Professor Emeritus of Medicine.  In 1903, McLester married Ada Bowron, daughter of James Bowron.  They had three daughters, Anna Somerville, Ada and Jane, and one son, James Bowron.  Dr. James S. McLester died in Birmingham, Alabama on February 8, 1954.

Scope and Content:        The scrapbook contains 16 pages of photographs, correspondence, telegraphs and news clippings.  The scrapbook includes basic biographical information on Dr. James S. McLester.  The primary focus of the scrapbook is McLester’s tenure as American Medical Association President-Elect and President.  The news clippings document his election as American Medical Association President, views on nutrition, and talks he delivered at meetings.

Accession number:         M2002-05

Provenance:                   Donated to the UAB Archives in October 2002 by the son-in-law of Dr. James S. McLester.

Copyright:                      UAB maintains its proprietary rights to the material.

Finding Aid:                    Printed descriptive guide by Jennifer L. Beck available in repository.

Access Points:                American Medical Association.

McLester, James Somerville,  d  1877-1954.

                                        Medicine  x  History.

Document Types:           Correspondence.

                                        Newspaper clippings.

                                        Programs.

                                        Scrapbook.

Location:                        Manuscript Stacks

Related Series:              PMC78, James Somerville McLester Scrapbook Photos, 1934-1935

MC30, Alabama Physicians Biographical Collection, 1880-1985

MC31, Department of Medicine Biographical Collection, 1950-1989

                                        MC51, Emmett B. Carmichael/Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences Collection, 1859-1990

Physical Condition:        Placed in an acid free box; photos have been removed for preservation.  No other preservation work undertaken.

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Last Updated 27 November 2007.
@ Finding Aid Copyright:  The University of Alabama Board of Trustees.