Albert J. Redder papers
name: label: Creator
content: Redder, Albert J. (Albert Joseph), 1922-
label: Creator
content: Watt, Frank H. (Frank Hedden), 1889-1981
topic: label: Topic
content: Archaeology -- Texas
label: Topic
content: Excavations (Archaeology)
label: Topic
content: Archaeology
label: Topic
content: Archaeology -- United States
label: Topic
content: Lithics -- American Indian
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: These papers were donated with associated artifacts to NMNH's Department of Anthropology by Albert J. Redder in 2009. The papers were transfered to the National Anthropological Archives in 2023.
creator: label: Creator
content: Redder, Albert J. (Albert Joseph), 1922-
label: Creator
content: Watt, Frank H. (Frank Hedden), 1889-1981
culture: label: Culture
content: Early Man -- Paleo-Indian
setName: label: See more items in
content: Albert J. Redder papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of Albert J. Redder (1957-2008) primarily document his and Frank H. Watt's archaeological excavations of the Horn Shelter sites Horn Shelter #1 and Horn Shelter #2, but also includes Redder's field notes and research materials relating to other central Texas archaeological sites and correspondence he recieved during his time with the Central Texas Archaeological Society. The collection contains both Redder's and Watt's field notes, data and analyses, manuscript drafts, correspondence, photographs, and illustrations.
bioghist: label: Biographical Note
content: Albert J. Redder (b. 1922) is an avocational archaeologist who conducted archaeological field work in central Texas. His friend and colleague Frank H. Watt (1889-1981) was a lithographic artist and avocational archaeologist who also conducted archaeological field work in central Texas. The two worked closely together on multiple projects, including excavating Horn Shelter #1 (41BQ47) from 1960 to 1964 and Horn Shelter #2 (41BQ46) from 1966 to 1990, although Watt ceased excavating circa 1975. 

Albert Joseph Redder was born on August 21, 1922 in Munday, Texas. As a child and young adult, Redder was interested in archaeology and collecting arrowpoints but it wasn't until the 1950s when he joined the Texas Archaeological Society. With his membership, he attended meetings and fieldschools, learning excavation techniques and how to document his findings. Redder would later join and actively participate in the Central Texas Archaeological Society, founded by Frank H. Watt and friends. During his time in the Central Texas Archaeological Society, Redder held the positions of president, field coordinator, and outreach speaker. In 1988, the Texas Archaeological Society awarded Redder with a Fellow membership to the organization, a lifetime honor "for meritorious contribution to Texas archeology and the Society," due to his contribution to the field with his work at Horn Shelter. 

Frank Hedden Watt was born on January 15, 1889 near Lynnville, Indiana, though he lived in Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Kansas throughout the 1910s working as a lithographic artist. Following his service in World War I, Watt moved to Waco in 1920 where he continued his professional career as a lithographic artist. In 1934 he developed an interest in archaeology and formed the Central Texas Archaeological Society with some of his friends and fellow avocational archaeologists. Watt was passionate about preserving artifacts' context and provenience in his effort to outline Texas's prehistory. In addition to excavation, Watt also published and edited volumes of the Bulletin of the Central Texas Archaeological Society and wrote for and published the Society's Newsletter. Watt's final excavation was Horn Shelter #2 when he was in his mid-80's, although he continued to publish writings after. In 1976 he was awarded a Fellow membership to the Texas Archaeological Society. Watt passed away in 1981 at the age of 92.

In the 1960s and 1970s Albert J. Redder and Frank H. Watt surveyed several archaeological sites on the Herman Horn property in Bosque County along the Brazos River. In 1960 they began excavating Horn Shelter #1, a rock shelter that showed evidence of paleo, archaic, and neo-American occupation. At Horn Shelter #1, Redder and Watt uncovered pottery, bone artifacts, lithic tools, faunal remains, and several burials. In 1967 the pair began excavating Horn Shelter #2, another rock shelter a mere 75 steps north of Horn Shelter #1.  Horn Shelter #2 showed evidence of occupation from paleo through the Prohibition era. The site was excavated primarily by Redder, Watt, and Robert E. Forrester who found and documented lithics, bone tools, and faunal remains. The site was split along a balcony ledge that had created a natural divide in the rock shelter: the south-end was excavated by Redder and Watt while the north-end was later excavated by Robert E. Forrester starting in 1968. Redder and Watt meticulously documented and excavated the south-end's 27 stratified layers reaching bedrock at points as deep as 20 feet. In 1970, Redder and Watt uncovered a double burial with a cache of artifacts in a paleo level. Due to the Horn property being a long commute for both Redder and Watt, the two would take over 20 years to excavate this complex site. It was the last site that Watt would participate in excavating before stopping around 1975; Redder excavated the site until 1990. 

Chronology of the Life of Albert J. Redder

21 August 1922 -- Born in Munday, Texas, USA

circa 1942-1945 -- Served in the Army in World War II

circa 1950 -- Joined the Texas Archaeological Society

1961-1964 -- Excavated Horn Shelter #1 with Frank H. Watt

1966-1990 -- Excavated the south-end of Horn Shelter #2 with Frank H. Watt

August 1970 -- Uncovered the paleo-level double burial at Horn Shelter #2

1985 -- Authored Horn Shelter Number 2: The South End, A Preliminary Report

1988 -- Recognized as a Fellow of the Texas Archaeological Society Coauthored Excavation and Positioning of the Horn Shelter's Burial and Grave Goods with John W. Fox

Chronology of the Life of Frank H. Watt

15 January 1889 -- Born near Lynnville, Indiana

circa 1917 -- Served in World War I as an aircraft mechanic at Ellington Field

1920 -- Moved to Waco, Texas

1934 -- Founded the Central Texas Archaeological Society

1937-1969 -- Edited and published the Bulletin of the Central Texas Archaeological Society

1938 -- Joined the Texas Archaeological Society

1966-circa 1975 -- Excavated the south-end of Horn Shelter #2 with Albert J. Redder

1967 -- Became President Emeritus of the Central Texas Archaeological Society

1976 -- Recognized as a Fellow of the Texas Archaeological Society

1978 -- Authored Radiocarbon Chronology of Sites in the Central Brazos Valley

9 October 1981 -- Died at the age of 92

Sources Consulted

Bischof, Robin E. "Boxes and Boxes, Missing Context and an Avocational Archaeologist: Making Sense of the Frank Watt Collection at the Mayborn Museum Complex." Master's thesis, Baylor University, 2011.

Lawrence, T. G. Jr. and Albert J. Redder. "Frank H. Watt, The Central Texas Archaeologist." Central Texas Archaeologist, Journal of the Central Texas Archaeological Society 10 (1985): 7-11.

Mott Davis, E. "Watt, Frank Hedden." Handbook of Texas Online, accessed June 14, 2023, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/watt-frank-hedden.

Smith, Heather. "Horn Shelter." Texas Beyond History, December 2010. https://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/horn/index.html. 

Redder, Albert J. "Horn Shelter Number 2: The South End, A Preliminary Report." Central Texas Archeologist, Journal of the Central Texas Archeological Society 10 (1985): 37-65.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 7 Linear Feet (9 document boxes, 1 map folder, and 2 slide boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1957-2008
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: National Anthropological Archives
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NAA.2023-09
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The Albert J. Redder papers are divided into 4 series:

Series 1: Horn Shelter #1, 1961-1981 (bulk: 1962-1964)

Series 2: Horn Shelter #2, 1957-1989

Series 3: Texas Archaeology Field Notes, 1970-2002, undated

Series 4: Visitor Logs and Correspondence, 1975-2008
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Folder titles were retained unless no folder title existed in which case a general title describing the contents was created.

Processed and encoded by Sidney Ascher, June 2023
bibliography: label: Selected Bibliography
content: 1996. Forrester, Robert E., Calvin B. Smith, and Albert J. Redder. Horn Shelter Number 2, the North End : a Stratified Rock Shelter in Bosque County, Texas. Waco, TX: Strecker Museum Complex, Baylor University, 1996.

1988. Fox, John W. and Albert J Redder. "Excavation and Positioning of the Horn Shelter's Burial and Grave Goods." Central Texas Archeologist, Journal of the Central Texas Archeological Society 11 (1988): 1-12.

1985. Lawrence, T. G. Jr. and Albert J. Redder. "Frank H. Watt, The Central Texas Archaeologist." Central Texas Archaeologist, Journal of the Central Texas Archaeological Society 10 (1985): 7-11.

1985. Redder, Albert J. "Horn Shelter Number 2: The South End, A Preliminary Report." Central Texas Archeologist, Journal of the Central Texas Archeological Society 10 (1985): 37-65.

1978. Watt, Frank H. "Radiocarbon Chronology of Sites in the Central Brazos Valley." Bulletin of the Texas Archaeological Society, 49 (1978): 111-138.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of Albert J. Redder document his archaeological excavations and subsequent analysis of various sites across central Texas including the Horn Shelter sites (Horn Shelter #1 and Horn Shelter #2), the Warner Site, and smaller sites in Knox County. The papers reflect his work as an avocational archaeologist and active member of the Central Texas Archaeological Society. Also included are the papers of Frank H. Watt, who excavated and analyzed the Horn Shelter sites alongside Redder. These papers relate to his excavation of and research on the Horn Shelter sites and were given to Redder following Watt's death in 1981. 

The collection contains Redder's extensive field notes, photographs, artifact and section illustrations, and research files relating to Horn Shelter #1 and Horn Shelter #2. Additionally there are field notes and surveys from various sites in Knox County, Texas and the Warner Site (41ML46). The papers contain logs of visitors that Redder hosted at the Horn Shelter sites and other central Texas archaeological sites, and correspondence directed to Redder and the Central Texas Archaeological Society, for which Redder was president, field coordinator, and outreach speaker.

Watt's materials consist of field notes, photographs, artifact and site illustrations, and research files relating to Horn Shelter #1 and Horn Shelter #2, and drafts he wrote for the Bulletin of the Texas Archaeological Society. He conducted pollen analysis and radiocarbon dating for the sites, and researched their artifacts which include beamers and the Brazos Fishtail point he would later propose as a type point in 1978.

Please note that the collection contains images of human remains.

Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or National Anthropological Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Artifacts and other archaeological materials from Albert J. Redder's and Frank H. Watt's excavation of Horn Shelter #1 and the south-end of Horn Shelter #2 are held in the Anthropology collections of the National Museum of Natural History in accessions 2055811 and 2084039. Artifacts from Redder's excavations of the Warner Site (41ML46) and various Knox County (41KX) sites are in accession 2055811 but are not yet processed.

Artifacts and other archaeological materials from Robert E. Forrester's excavation of the north-end of Horn Shelter #2 can be found in accession 2092737.

A selection of artifacts and soil samples from the south-end of Horn Shelter #2 are located at Baylor University's Mayborn Museum Complex.

Baylor University holds more of Frank Watt's papers in the Frank Heddon Watt collection.