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Horace Holley papers, 1802-1827 (majority within 1818)

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Summary

Creator:
Holley, Mary Austin, 1784-1846 and Holley, Horace, 1781-1827
Abstract:
This collection pertains to Horace Holley's trip from Boston, Massachusetts, to Lexington, Kentucky, in 1818. Holley regularly wrote to his wife and kept a diary while visiting cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Lexington, and while traveling through Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, and Kentucky. He described his social life, the scenery, various colleges and universities, and other aspects of his travels.
Extent:
1 linear foot
Language:
English
Authors:
Collection processed and finding aid created by Clements Staff and Meg Hixon, October 2013

Background

Scope and Content:

This collection (79 items) pertains to Horace Holley's trip from Boston, Massachusetts, to Lexington, Kentucky, in 1818.

The Correspondence series (78 items) includes 3 letters that Horace Holley wrote to his parents while studying at Yale College (February 22, 1802-June 21, 1803); 2 letters that Holley wrote to Peter DeWitt, a friend, about religion and Holley's impression of New York City (February 8, 1804, and February 24, 1804); and 1 letter that Holley wrote to Samuel Wilson, acknowledging a Latin-language poem that Wilson had composed in his honor, printed on the back of the letter (February 20, 1827). Mary Austin Holley received a letter from Charles Caldwell on March 20, 1829, about Caldwell's attempts to sell copies of her late husband's biography, and 2 undated letters from an anonymous correspondent.

From February 5 to August 3, 1818, Holley wrote 69 letters to his wife while traveling from Boston, Massachusetts, to Lexington, Kentucky, and back. He traveled through Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, and Kentucky, and wrote most frequently from New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Lexington. Holley reported on his social engagements, including balls, parties, and dinners with prominent residents. While in Lexington, he frequently dined with Henry Clay. Holley commented on each city's social customs and, to a lesser extent, interactions between persons of various Christian denominations, including Presbyterians, Baptists, and Unitarians.

While in Washington, D.C., Holley visited the United States Senate and House of Representatives. He commented on speeches and debates about various political topics, including international news regarding Spain, South America, and France. He met politicians, including James Monroe and John Quincy Adams, and recounted a visit to the White House. After leaving the capital for Virginia, Holley wrote about Mount Vernon, plantation slaves, and a coal mine.

Horace Holley kept a Diary (229 pages) from February 3, 1818, to August 9, 1818. His daily entries provide additional content about many of the same experiences that he described in his correspondence with his wife, though he wrote much more extensively on his visits to Yale College, a New York City medical college, and the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). Most entries reflect his daily activities, which included attendance at balls, parties, lectures, and religious services; visits to museums; and dinners or meetings with numerous individuals. Holley's diary entries became much shorter over time. Many of the July and August entries contain only a few words.

Biographical / Historical:

Horace Holley was born in Salisbury, Connecticut, on February 13, 1781, the son of Luther Holley and Sarah Dakin. After graduating from Yale College in 1803 and briefly studying law in New York City, he returned to Yale to study theology under Timothy Dwight. He married Mary Phelps Austin on January 1, 1805; they had two children, Harriet Williams and Horace Austin. Holley, a Unitarian, preached at churches in Greenfield Hill, Connecticut, and Boston, Massachusetts, before becoming president of Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1818. The university greatly expanded its enrollment and reformed its curriculum during his tenure, which ended with his resignation in March 1827. Horace Holley died on July 31, 1827.

Acquisition Information:
1984-2006. M-2125, M-2135, M-2167, M-2713.8, M-3228.5, M-4172.4, M-4562.10 .
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 in the following series:
  • Series I: Correspondence
  • Series II: Diary

The Correspondence series is arranged chronologically, with undated items placed at the end.

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

Contents

Using These Materials

Info for Visitors

How to Request

Ordering Reproductions

Download PDF Finding Aid
RESTRICTIONS:

The collection is open for research.

USE & PERMISSIONS:

Copyright status is unknown

PREFERRED CITATION:

Horace Holley Papers, William L. Clements Library, The University of Michigan

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Collection

Horace Holley papers, 1802-1827 (majority within 1818)
Total components 5
Last indexed 2025-02-09