Restoration and Display
William Valiant drafted his recollections for publications like the Rutgers Targum and a periodical called The Mineral Collector. Published from 1894 to 1909, Mineral Collector was “a monthly magazine devoted to the interests of the collector, student and dealer.” William Valiant wrote numerous articles for this periodical, providing many details about the Rutgers Geology Museum and its collections.
In an issue published in July 1896, a report about the Rutgers Mastodon was included in the “News and Comments” section. The magazine recounts how the Mannington Mastodon was uncovered in a marl pit, but the magazine gives more details about what happened after he was uncovered.
It states that, “funds were provided by a friend of the College, Judge Bookstaver L.S. Dane, it was then shipped to Ward’s Natural Science Establishment, and completely restored.” It also states that the funds were raised “last spring,” indicating that original restoration of the Mastodon skeleton started in 1895. The Mineral Collector also reports that the Mastodon was returned to the museum on June 10th, 1896, where it was set up by William Valiant and others.
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Ledger for Work Activities
William Valiant also kept a ledger containing a detailed timeline of events and his work at the Museum. In 1898, Valiant sent the Trenton and Ellenville tusks for repair. The ledger states that the Ellenville tusk returned very badly damaged, and Valiant himself, who only had one arm, spent sixteen days painstakingly piecing it back together.
In the ledger shown above, Valiant wrote, “Nov. 3’’ Ellenville + Trenton tusks returned from Ward, the first badly damaged… 19’’ Ellenville tusk repairs finished by Valiant after two weeks–a piece at a Time.” This repair was a success, as Valiant later wrote in his personal manuscript that, “The large Ellenville tusk has been mounted, and is now one of the leading features of the museum. (Nov. 1898).” These tusks are displayed near Manny at the museum today.
Manny in the News
An article found in the May 1931 Salem Standard and Jerseyman newspaper described how Manny was discovered.
In 1868 Joseph R. Hackett, owner of the Chestnut Hill Farm, was sourcing marl from the same pit where the mastodon tusks had been discovered. He uncovered the skull and bones beneath 6-8 feet of earth. This article highlights the difficult work required to dig the skeleton out of the wet marl. The article also contains details of Hackett’s activities, including when he brought Manny’s skeleton to town fairs, and collected a 10-cent fee to see Manny.
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Manny and Valiant in The Targum
In this 1899 edition of the Rutgers College newspaper The Targum, an article recounts the founding of Rutgers College and the construction of important campus buildings. In a section titled “Geological Hall,” the newspaper lists the features of the building, which at the time housed the Geology and Physics Departments. The official newspaper of Rutgers College, The Daily Targum, was first published in 1869 and is still being published today.
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The article mentions the Mannington Mastodon, which was displayed “near the north end of the room” on the second floor of the building, as well as the collection of minerals in the same room. The article features a photograph of William Valiant standing next to Manny’s Mastodon Skeleton, and is the same photograph used in My Friend Manny.