Gideon Lee correspondence, 1807-1839 (majority within 1823, 1832-1839)

Summary

Creator:

William L. Clements Library

Abstract:

This collection is comprised of letters to Gideon Lee, a New York City politician, during his service in the New York State Assembly (1822-1823), as New York City mayor (1833), and in the United States House of Representatives (1835-1837). Lee's correspondents discussed local and national political issues, particularly during the Jackson administration.

Extent:

0.75 linear feet

Language:

English

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by Meg Hixon, September 2012

Background

Scope and Content:

This collection (0.75 linear feet) is comprised of letters to Gideon Lee, a New York City politician, during his service in the New York State Assembly (1822-1823), as New York City mayor (1833), and in the United States House of Representatives (1835-1837). Lee's correspondents discussed local and national political issues, particularly during the Jackson administration.

Lee often received letters from New York City residents, who commented on political issues such as commerce, taxation, and the city's infrastructure. Others requested Lee's assistance in securing political appointments or military commissions, and some stated their opinions on proposed bills. Many writers encouraged Lee to support particular pieces of legislation, and some late letters contain the authors' opinions on political patronage. Temperance advocate E.C. Delavan wrote to thank Lee for his donation to the cause (October 11, 1832).

During Lee's term as mayor in 1833, citizens wrote to Lee regarding matters such as gas lighting (January 17, 1833 and February 15, 1833) and public health (January 25, 1833 and June 29, 1833); a correspondent who signed himself "Justice" enclosed a newspaper article alerting Lee, then chief magistrate, to the "very many serious, and shocking abuses" of the city's government (January 10, 1834). Around 15 letters concern the Great Fire of New York City in December 1835, including eyewitness accounts (December 17, 1835 and December 21, 1835); additional letters pertain to federal legislation and financial compensation after the event. During Lee's service in Congress, his letters often focused on national political affairs, such as the Locofocos and foreign relations with countries such as France and Great Britain.

Lee also occasionally received personal letters from his daughters, Lucy Lee Ward and Laura Lee. His son, Samuel Lee, wrote about meeting President Andrew Jackson, whom he deemed an "agreeable pleasant old gentleman" (February 10, 1835). The collection also contains 2 personal letters between Gideon Lee and his first wife, Laura Buffington (June 10, 1807 and January 28, 1818); a letter from his second wife, Isabella Williamson (January 5, 1837); 2 printed letters; a printed address; and a printed invitation.

Biographical / Historical:

Gideon Lee was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, on April 27, 1778, the son of Gideon Lee and Lucy Ward. He learned the shoemaking and tanning trades and lived in Worthington, Massachusetts, before moving to New York City and, later, to Georgia. He returned to New York in 1807, where he continued to work in the leather industry. That year, he married Laura Buffington (1790-1818), with whom he had 3 surviving children: Lucy Ward Melvin (b. 1809), Laura Theresa (1813-1840), and Samuel Buffington (b. 1816). Lucy Lee married Samuel Ward (d. 1879).

Gideon Lee married his second wife, Isabella Williamson (b. 1800), in 1823; the two had 4 sons: Gideon (1824-1886), David (b. 1826), Charles Henry (1828-1831), and William Creighton (b. 1830). While living in New York City, he served in the state assembly (1822-1823), on the city's board of aldermen (1828-1830), as the city's mayor (1833), and in the United States House of Representatives (1835-1837). Lee retired in 1836 and moved to Geneva, New York, where he died on August 21, 1841.

Acquisition Information:

1977-2003. M-1811, M-1892, M-1901, M-1906, M-1925, M-1939, M-1948, M-1985, M-1996, M-2064, M-2086, M-2145, M-2537, M-4320.1 .

Processing information:

Cataloging funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). This collection has been processed according to minimal processing procedures and may be revised, expanded, or updated in the future.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Related Materials

Four items have been catalogued separately:

• Address And Resolutions of the American Institute. [New York: 1828.]
• Arcularius, Henry. Sir, Erroneous Opinions Having Been Circulated Through the Public Press, Much to My Prejudice...: I Respectfully Beg Leave to Submit to Your Consideration the Following Article from the New-York Times of December 17th, 1836. [New York: 1836.]
• Eleventh Annual Fair. New-York, August 24, 1838: Sir, the American Institute of the City of New York, Respectfully Solicit the Honour of Your Company at Their Annual Celebration of American Industry and the Arts... [New York: 1838.]
• New-York, 21st May, 1838: Sir, After a Careful Examination of the Act Recently Passed by the Legislature of This State...the Undersigned Have Been Induced to Take This Incipient Measure to Establish a Bank...We...Invite You to Attend a Meeting, to Consider the Subject...the 25th of May, 1838. [New York: 1838.]

The Lucius Lyon papers hold items by Gideon Lee.

Bibliography

Anderson, Bethany. "Political Fire." The Quarto 29 (Spring/Summer 2008): 5-7.

"Gideon Lee." Heywood Genealogy. Web. 11 June 2013.

"Lee, Gideon." The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. New York: J. T. White, 1894.

"Lee, Gideon (1778-1841)." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Web. 2013 August 7.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Gas-lighting--United States--History.
Great Fire, New York, N.Y., 1835.
Legislators--United States.
Mayors--New York (State)--New York.
Public health--New York (State)--New York--History.
Taxation--New York (State)

Formats:

Circular letters.
Invitations.
Letters (correspondence)
Speeches.

Names:

Equal Rights Party (New York, N.Y.)
United States. Congress. House.
Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845.
Lee, Gideon, 1778-1841.
Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862.
Delavan, E. C. (Edward Cornelius), 1793-1871.
Lee, Isabella, 1800-.
Lee, Laura Buffington, 1790-1818.
Lee, Laura, 1813-1840.
Lee, Samuel, 1816-.
Ward, Lucy Lee, 1809-.

Places:

New York (N.Y.)--Commerce.
New York (N.Y.)--History--1775-1865.
New York (N.Y.)--Politics and government.
United States--Politics and government--1829-1837.