A native of Holland, Troost was educated in the universities of Leyden and Amsterdam and studied mineralogy with the Abbé Hauy of Paris. After coming to Philadelphia he was a founder and first president of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Later he moved to New Harmony, Indiana, with Maclure, Say and Lesueur, then became professor at the University of Nashville and subsequently the State Geologist of Tennessee.

This collection consists of a letter, a daguerreotype of Troost, and a bound catalogue, on laid paper, of mineralogical specimens, with localities, numbered 1-1982. Unsigned and undated, the handwriting is [UNK] that of Adam and internal evidence indicates it to be a catalogue of his personal collection, Seybert, made partly before coming to America. Also, a typed biography of Troost by his [UNK] [UNK] M. Robinson dated 1992.