Charles F. Clagg Photograph Collection
The entomologist Charles F. Clagg was born in Barnstable, Mass., in 1904 and received his bachelor of science degree from the Massachusetts Agricultural College in 1927. Although never able to complete his graduate degree, Clagg enjoyed a long and productive career in entomology. Listed as a graduate student at MAC in 1929-1930, Clagg took part in an extensive collecting trip to the Philippines in 1930 and 1931. Beginning in June 1930 near Calian in Davao del Sur (Mindanao), Clagg spent several months collecting flies in and around the active Mount Apo volcano, in the Lawa and Calian river valleys, and in the Lalun mountains, traveling to the eastern peninsula of Davao early in 1931. He remained in the Pacific region later in his career, working as an entomologist for the U.S. Navy.
The twenty photographs taken by Charles F. Clagg in 1930 document his entomological collecting trip to Davao, Mindanao, in the Philippines. Primarily personal in nature, rather than professional, they were taken on Clagg’s visit to a coconut plantation run by American expatriates Henry and George Pahl and illustrate the local sights in Davao, including work in harvesting coconuts and the production of copra, the production of Manilla hemp, a horse fight at Calian, and Manobos who came to the plantation trade. Also included are three photographs of Clagg’s quarters while collecting high in the Lalun Mountains. The captions provided by Clagg on the back of each photograph have been transcribed verbatim.
The entomologist Charles F. Clagg was born in Barnstable, Mass., on October 31, 1904 and received his bachelor of science degree from the Massachusetts Agricultural College in 1927. Although never able to complete his graduate degree, Clagg enjoyed a long and productive career in entomology. Listed as a graduate student at MAC in 1929-1930, Clagg took part in an extensive collecting trip to the Philippines in 1930 and 1931. Beginning in June 1930 near Calian in Davao del Sur (Mindanao), Clagg spent several months collecting flies in and around the active Mount Apo volcano, in the Lawa and Calian river valleys, and in the Lalun mountains, traveling to the eastern peninsula of Davao early in 1931. His efforts contributed to the description of several new species of dipterids, lepidostomatids, phorids, and hemipterids.
Until the early 1970s, Clagg worked as an entomologist for the U.S. Navy, assigned for much of the time to the District Public Works Office for the 14th Naval District at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Active professionally, he was an officer and honorary member of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. He died in Barnstable in 1989.
The twenty photographs taken by Charles F. Clagg in 1930 document his entomological collecting trip to Davao, Mindanao, in the Philippines. Primarily personal in nature, rather than professional, they illustrate Clagg’s visit to a copra plantation run by American expatriates Henry and George Pahl and the local sights in Davao, and they include three photographs of his quarters while collecting in the Lalun Mountains. The captions provided by Clagg on the back of each photograph have been transcribed verbatim.
The collection is open for research.
Cite as: Charles F. Clagg Photograph Collection (PH 016). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Source of acquisition unrecorded.
Processed by Dex Haven, August 2010.
See Charles T. Brues, “Philippine Phoridae from the Mount Apo Region in Mindanao,” Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 70 (1936): 365-466.
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 A waterfall which I discovered while hiking up the Calian River June 2, 1930. It is about 30 feet high and in a narrow rocky gorge. Calian, Davao. |
1930 June 2
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 A coconut picker. There are no notches on the tree he is climbing and he must therefore place his feet more flat on the trunk. This accounts for his off position. Calian, Davao. |
1930 June 6
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 This shows how coconuts are obtained from tall trees. The men cut small notches for their feet to assist in climbing the biggest trees. Two men are in the picture, one near the top of the tree in the foreground. Calian, Davao. |
ca.1930 June 6
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 Cleaning coconuts. A young grove at Calian. This is only a few months growth of brush and vines. The man in the middle is longhaired and wears it loose. Calian, Davao. |
1930 June 7
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 Horse fight at Calian. The horses are each trying to bite the flank of his opponent. Calian, Davao. |
ca.1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 Part of the gallery at the horse-fight. Most of the women stayed on top of the rock to be safe. A vinta pulled up at the right. Calian, Davao. |
1930 July 20
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 The M.S. ‘Lustveco’ from Davao. The cargo boat is bringing in the mail and will load hemp, etc., for the return trip. Tonnage: 146; speed: 11 knots. Calian, Davao. |
1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 The girls on the ends have brought down the onions under their arms to sell at the plantation store. They each have a small sister by the hand. Note how the stomach of the little boy, third from the left, sticks out after a meal of rice. Calian, Davao. |
1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 Three Manobo girls who have just traded native onions for the soap they now hold in their hands. Notice the bracelets of brass on the arms of the girl on the left. These ring bracelets and anklets of brass and copper are highly valued among the wild people. Calian, Davao. |
ca.1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 A view along the beach at Calian and Lapman. Calian, Davao. |
ca.1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 Preparing copra at George Pahl’s plantation. The men on the right are splitting coconuts with axes and the women and children are spreading the slit nuts to dry in the sun. The man in the foreground has long hair done up in a pug. Notice his small knife and sheath. |
ca.1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 A man splitting off the outer part of a petiole from a stalk of aboca. The part he splits off is called a ‘tuxe’ and is later stripped of its pulp to leave the fiber, known as Manila hemp. Calian, Davao. |
ca.1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 My house in the La Lun Mts., at 55000 ft. altitude. On one slant of the triangled roof arte leaves from large air plants like orchids. For the other side we used the broad leaves from wild banana and for the back and for the front at night we used the fronds of giant tree ferns. Quite a house. This photo is of the rear and part of one side. La Lun Mts., Calian, Davao. |
ca.1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 One of my cargadores high up in a tree from which he had just cut the top limbs to clear the way for picture taking. La Lun Mts., Calian, Davao. |
ca.1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 A rocky stretch of beach between Calian and Lamidan. Places like this are what make it impossible to build good roads cheaply in this country. Calian, Davao. |
ca.1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 Ho Hee, on the left, Mr. Pahl’s Chinese cook when I was there the middle of last year. He let him go later. Lum, on the right, is Mr. Pahl’s Chinese carpenter, and a good one too. Calian, Davao. |
ca.1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 Henry Pahl on the left, George Pahl on the right. These two are brothers. George Austin Pahl in the middle is Henry’s son. The Pahls come from W. Va. They are typical of the ‘old timers,’ Americans who came out here in the army and later settled here as planters. Fine men — all. |
ca.1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 Looking out from under the coconuts at Calian. Calian, Davao. |
ca.1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 Where there are no wharves or piers passengers have to be carried through the surf like cargo by one of the boat men. |
ca.1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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Clagg, Charles F.,
 A view of the ‘Lustveco’ and the cargo boat at sunrise. Calian, Davao. |
ca.1930 July
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Gelatin silver print
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