Harold D. Loden papers
Descriptive Summary | |
| Repository: | Hargrett Manuscripts |
| Creator: | Loden, Harold D. |
| Title: | Harold D. Loden papers |
| Dates: | 1963-2002 |
| Quantity: | 1.4 Linear feet (3 document boxes, 1 half box) |
| Coll. Number: | ms3101 |
Biographical/Historical Note
Dr. Harold D. Loden was born on August 17, 1918 in Colbert, Georgia to parents Dr. & Mrs. G. L. Loden. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1938 with a B.S. in agronomy. The following year, he earned a M.S. in agronomy and plant breeding, also from the University of Georgia. Loden married Celestia Marguerite Foster on December 23, 1939, whom he had met as a graduate student in Athens, Georgia. He enlisted in the United States Army Air Corp in 1942 and served as an aerial photographer. After the war, he was transferred to South Korea, where he served as Director of Agricultural Experiment Stations. In 1949, Loden earned his Ph.D. in genetics from Texas A&M and the following year was hired as an Associate Professor at the University of Georgia and served as the first director of College Experiment Stations. He returned to Texas in 1951 and became a cotton breeder with Anderson, Clayton & Company. Loden served as a general manager for the company in Texas and Iowa before retiring in 1973 to become the Executive Vice President of the American Seed Trade Association. After vacating his position with the association in 1983, Loden returned to Athens and organized HDL Inc., a seed industry consulting firm. In 1986, he became only the second American to be named an honorary lifetime member of the International Seed Trade Federation. Dr. Loden died in Athens, Georgia on September 8, 2001.
Scope and Content Note
The collection documents the professional activities of Harold D. Loden as part of the American seed industry between 1948 and 2001. The papers are comprised of four boxes of materials divided into three series: Correspondence (1989-2000), Publications by Loden (1948-1983), and Publications about Loden (1954-2001). The majority of Loden’s correspondence relates to his work as a seed industry consultant for Athens-based HDL Inc., which was established in 1983. Most of the correspondence is comprised of typescript letters and faxed information dealing with applications for errors and omissions insurance for various seed associations. The correspondence includes coverage applications and statements, credit notes, and seed standards and rules. The series of publications by Loden consists primarily of papers and speeches he delivered at conventions and annual meetings around the country, frequently in the South and Midwest. Most of the papers focus on topics associated with the seed industry, including seed development, agricultural production, plant breeding, patents, and seed legalities. Many of the papers were presented on behalf of organizations of which he was a member, including the Southern Seedmen’s Association and the American Seed Trade Association. The series also includes articles Loden wrote for a variety of agricultural journals and magazines. The publications about Loden vary in form and include magazines, pamphlets, clippings, and press releases focusing on his career in the seed industry. Included in the clippings folder is a photograph of his acceptance of a lifetime membership in the International Seed Trade Federation and his September 12, 2001 obituary in the Athens Banner-Herald.
Arrangement
The Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Publications by Loden are arranged by date, while the publications about Loden are organized alphabetically by media type.
Index Terms
Administrative Information
Harold D. Loden papers. MS 3101. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.