The Lewis Burnett Kellum papers (5.8 linear feet and 1 oversized folder) primarily documents Kellum's professional life. The material is dated from 1837-1995 and consists of correspondence and topical files. Significant subjects in the collection include Kellum's fieldwork in Mexico as well as his involvement in 20th International Geological Congress that was held in Mexico. Also included in the Topical Files series is a small amount of material relating to his wife Gail Kellum Curtis (married in 1949).
Lewis Burnett Kellum was born in Baltimore, Maryland on March 24, 1897, to William Hollis Kellum and Emma Wheeler Kellum (born Burnett). After graduating from Baltimore City College in 1915, he matriculated to Johns Hopkins University (JHU) and received an A.B. in 1919. He briefly worked in Oklahoma and New Mexico as the Assistant Geologist for the Carter Oil Company (1919-1920) before returning to JHU to study geology. He received his Ph.D. in 1924.
From 1924-1928, Kellum worked in Mexico as a Geologist for the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. In 1928, he joined the University of Michigan as an Instructor in the Department of Geology and was named an Assistant Professor the following year. Kellum was promoted to Associate Professor in 1937 and Professor in 1948.
Kellum was also affiliated with the university's Museum of Paleontology. He began serving as the Curator of Mesozoic and Cenozoic Invertebrates in the 1930s and, in 1941, succeeded Ermine C. Case as museum's director.
During his time at university, Kellum directed several UM geological expeditions to northern and central Mexico, from which many fossils were taken and added to the Museum of Paleontology's collection. He also served as Chief Geologist for the Zealand Petroleum Company (1938-1940) and evaluated oil reserves in Alaska for the United States Geological Survey (summers of 1944 and 1945). Kellum represented the University of Michigan at the 17th and 20th International Geological Congresses—which were respectively held in Russia and Mexico—and also chaired a Cretaceous symposium panel at the latter congress.
Upon his retirement in 1967, Kellum was named professor emeritus of geology and director emeritus of the Museum of Paleontology. He passed away in Tipton, Michigan on January 2, 1985.
Kellum's areas of expertise included Cretaceous biostratigraphy, the geology of northern Mexico, petroleum geology, paleontology, and stratigraphy. He was also a member in several societies, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Michigan Academy of Science, Michigan Geological Society, Sigma Gamma Epsilon, and Sociedad Geológica Mexicano. He was also a fellow of the Geological Society of America, Royal Society of New Zealand, and the Paleontological Society.
