Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

The Brownell family papers contain correspondence, diaries, documents, writings, illustrations, and other materials documenting the family's experiences from the 1820s into the 1960s.

The Brownell family papers contain correspondence, diaries, documents, writings, illustrations, and other materials documenting the family's experiences from the 1820s into the 1960s.

The Correspondence Series includes letters written to and by the Brownell family, primarily in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Louisiana, New York City, Cuba, and France between 1823 and 1969, with the bulk dating from the 1850s to 1940s.

Approximately 296 letters are letters to Charles Brownell and his wife Henrietta [Nettie] from Charles' mother, Lucia [Mummy], and his three brothers, Edward [Ned], Henry, and Clarence, often written with notes added and sent on as a "round robin" correspondence which ended with Charles.

The collection contains over 100 letters written by Ned Brownell, with additional notes in other family members' letters. His earliest letters start when he is finishing medical school in New Orleans and continue with his move to rural Louisiana, near Alexandria and Plaisance. These are high-spirited letters with humorous pen and ink drawings of his adventures chasing wild horses (January 29, 1855); mishaps while duck and geese hunting at Lake Catahoula (November 12, 1855; November 10, 1856); and futile attempts to flag down a river steamer (January 29, 1855). But his letters also deal with the problems involved in setting up a medical practice at the same time he, a Northerner, is trying his hand at cotton cultivation. He married a southern woman of French descent whose father was a slave owner (19 slaves in 1850 and 30 in 1860). Ned describes bringing up his bilingual children in a culture very different from his own. The marriage s was troubled, and by 1858, he sold out his cotton interests and was considering his brother Clarence's offer to take over Clarence's practice in East Hartford, Connecticut. He moved to Cloutierville, Louisiana, for a while. Two letters of introduction written in 1864 (April 4 and April 25) refer to his allegiance to the Union. By June of 1866, he was involved in legal separation hearings and working with his brothers on a testimony about his wife's "violent scenes and words.” Both during his practice in Louisiana and later in Rhode Island, his letters describe his patients and treatments (cotton gin accident resulting in amputation of an enslaved person's arm - October 26, 1857; treating yellow fever and typhoid - October 14, 1853 and January 12, 1855). He also suggests treatments for family members with diphtheria (n.d. November 8), excessive menstrual bleeding (December 17, 1866), prolapsed uterus after childbirth (February 8, [1867]), and a prescription for a cholera prevention pill (n.d. September 27). He made a trip to Florida with his dying brother Henry in 1871-1872, in the hopes that the warmer climate might make Henry feel more comfortable.

Only a handful of letters and notes are from Clarence Brownell. Seven of these are affectionate letters to his friend Henrietta Angell [Pierce] [Brownell], before and during her first unhappy marriage. The rest of his letters are to his family and include descriptions of his 1861 visit to Ned and family in Cloutierville, his excitement and satisfaction in building a boat in his workshop, and playing chess by mail with brother Charles. Another letter describes his travels in Egypt. He went by horseback from Alexandria to Cairo, 130 miles across the Delta. A map he drew while with the Pethernick Expedition on the White Nile was sent home posthumously ([May 12], 1862). On it he notes their location by date and the location of certain flora and fauna.

Over 100 letters and notes are from Lucia D. Brownell ("Mummy"), most of them dealing with local affairs, real estate arrangements, and concerns for her sons' health. Several of these letters mention mediums and the spirit world. After the death of her son Clarence in Egypt, Lucia, Ned, and Henry become interested in reports of mediums and "spiritual pictures.” One item is a copy of a letter that a medium claimed was dictated to him by Clarence's ghost. Ned describes watching a medium who claimed to see "words in fiery letters in the illuminated smoke of my cigar when I puffed" [13 May]. Lucia made several visits to a medium (November- December 1862), ending when the medium was proved a fake.

Correspondence with Henry H. Brownell is well represented. The letters mostly come from Hartford, Connecticut, but letters from Bristol, Rhode Island, are also included. He describes visiting Ned and his family in Louisiana in the 1850s, and accompanying Ned on three of his annual duck and geese hunting expeditions to Lake Catahoula. He seems to have acted as agent for the sale of his brother Charles' paintings when Charles was away in Cuba or Europe - "two little Charter Oaks for $20." [n.d. December 26]. Other letters deal with business matters concerning an inheritance from his grandfather De Wolf involving real estate that he and Charles shared, but unequally. These letters contain little mention of Henry's own writing of poetry and the publication of his books. Two copies of letters to Henry written by Oliver Wendell Holmes praising his work are included [January 13 and February 6, 1865]. A typed copy of a letter from Ernest H. Brownell, dated April 6, 1935, lists letters written by Holmes to Henry H. Brownell. Correspondence to Charles DeWolf Brownell represent his work to honor and publish his brother's writings after his death [late 1880s].

Another part of the Brownell Papers consists of three batches of letters from abroad - the Procter Wright letters from Europe, the Charles and Nettie Brownell letters from Europe, and the Don Martin Ibarra letters from Cuba and Spain. Procter Wright wrote 25 letters (1876-1884) to Mrs. Charles Brownell (Nettie) from Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. He gives good descriptions of his walking and climbing tours as well as his visits to various cities. A few letters discuss religion, including matters of purgatory [April 28, 1880] and creation or Darwinisn [August 18, 1883]. Wright also mentions the death of the artist Jean Louis Hamon, and the auction of his things [July 26, 1876, December 28, 1876]. He reminds Henrietta how much he treasures Charles' painting of "Witches' Cork Tree" that the Brownell's had given him some years earlier [April 9, 1883].

The twenty letters written by Charles and Nettie in Europe (1872-1874) to family at home talk of their travels, their children, and anything unusual that catches their eye - "Creche" day care system in France [August 20, 1873] or a trip to the "Crystal Palace" in London [August 29, 1873]. Charles made small pen and ink drawings on three of the letters - a bird on a branch [July 28, 1872], an Egyptian "cartouche" [May 6, 1873], and a dental molar [March 27, 1874]. Three other letterheads have hand tinted designs - an animal head [August 9, 1872], a ship [May 8, 1874], and boys on a ship's mast [May 13, 1874]. Two letterheads have landscape lithographs by Henry Besley - "St. Michael's Mount from Lower Tremenheere" [August 20, 1873] , "Penzance from Guvul" and "St. Michael's Mount, Cornwall" [August 22, 1873].

The Don Martin Ibarra letters (1855-1872) consist of 86 letters written in Spanish to Charles Brownell. They are mainly from Cuba, but the last several are from Barcelona, Spain. They are warm letters to a good friend and "compadre,” but also contain figures on the production of sugar from at least two "ingenios" or sugar mills near the Cardenas area of Cuba.

A small group of 17 letters from the poet Lucy Larcom (1862-1870, n.d.) were written to Henrietta Angell Pierce Brownell [Mrs. Charles Brownell], and cover the years of Larcom's decision to stop teaching school and to concentrate her energy on her own writing. Her September 19, 1868, letter mentions proofreading a volume for publication, "my cricket-chirpings of verse.”

Eight letters from Henrietta S. Dana (1861-1863) in New Haven, Connecticut, to Henrietta A. Pierce [Brownell] mention Mrs. Dana helping her famous Yale professor husband by taking dictation from him for his most recent book, Manuel of Geology [April 7, 1862]. Her letters also describe the death of two of their children from diphtheria, and her safely nursing one other child through it [December 21, 1861].

Twenty-five letters from Esther Pierce to her divorced and remarried mother, Henrietta Brownell, were written from 1875-1877, when Esther was 14-16 years old and living with her father, Dr. George Pierce, in Providence. Several years earlier, she had been living with her mother and her step-father, Charles Brownell, and had accompanied them on their trip to Europe. Her nickname was "Kit,” and she is frequently mentioned in her mother's letters. The letters from Esther [Kit] tell of a trip to Canada, local people and visits, and her new clothes, sometimes with accompanying pen and ink drawings. Two letters include swatches of fabric [February 6, 1876, and April 23, 1876].

More correspondence to and from the Brownells can be found in the Scrapbook Pages series and the Genealogical Notes and Copies series.

Beginning in the 1880s, the correspondence focuses more on Annie May Angell, who would marry Ernest Henry Brownell in 1891, and her family. Virginia McLain (1867-1953), who lived in the Bahamas as the daughter of the United States Consul Thomas J. McClain, was a frequent correspondent into the 1890s. One letter dated October 11, 1887, includes a carte-de-visite of Virginia. Other letters in the 1880s relate to Charles DeWolf Brownell's efforts to publish his brother Henry Howard Brownell's poetry. Several letters from 1882 and 1883 relate to Charles DeWolf Brownell, his work on the Charter Oak, and his paintings. One letter by Oliver Wendell Holmes, dated February 11, 1883, indicates one of Charles' paintings was displayed in his library.

Correspondence from the 1890s-1910s centers around Annie May and Ernest Brownell, as well as their family circle and acquaintances. Letters written by Bertha Angell to Lewis Kalloch are also well represented in this period. Ernest's letters provide details about May and Ernest's children and marriage, as well as Ernest's work as a Civil Engineer in the United States Navy. Many of his early letters are addressed from the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Navy Yard. Ernest was also stationed in the Philippines and Bremerton, Washington.

Around 1905 Ernest Brownell became involved with the Brownell Building in Providence, Rhode Island, which the brothers inherited, and in the following years corresponded with his brothers Carl and Edward about various matters relating to family properties. Several letters from 1912 refer to a large fire at the Brownell Building.

Two items from August 1915 were sent to the family of John K. Rathbone relating to the Galveston Hurricane.

Correspondence between Dorothea DeWolf Brownell and Clifford Kyler Rathbone begins around 1918. Clifford Rathbone's letters also detail his career in construction. Material from the 1920s relates to family finances and handling of Kalloch estate matters. By the 1930s letters by Dorinda Rathbone begin appearing, as well as more letters from the Rathbone family, including Myrtle Rathbone of Denton, Texas, and Rosalie Rathbone.

Correspondence from 1942-1943 reflects Clifford Rathbone's unsuccessful efforts to join the military, and Henry B. Rathbone's preparation for the U.S. Naval Academy entrance exams. Following Clifford Rathbone's death in March of 1944, the collection includes many condolence letters. The bulk of the correspondence post-1945 is written to Dorinda Rathbone.

The Bundled Correspondence Sub-series is comprised of letters arranged by later descendants of the family. The first bundle of seven letters spans from December 20, 1820, to January 29, 1825, relating to Pardon and Lucia Brownell's inheritance from the estate of Lucia's father Charles DeWolf. It includes notes by Dorothea DeWolf Brownell Rathbone. The second bundle includes 16 letters written to Pardon Brownell enclosed in Florence Brownell's January 19, 1931, letter to Dorothea Rathbone, spanning from March 1825 to December 1835 and primarily concern affairs with a DeWolf family property. One letter from Lucia DeWolf Brownell, dated June 11-13, 1827, is also included. The third bundle consists of 26 letters written from Ernest Brownell to his wife Annie May Angell Brownell from 1904 to 1940, along with a blank postcard and a photograph, likely of Ernest and Annie May, with the inscription "In Cuba on The Honeymoon, 1891" written on the verso. The letters commemorate their wedding anniversary, and were written while Ernest was serving in the Navy in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Cavite, Philippines; Bremerton, Washington; Pensacola, Florida; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; and Newport, Rhode Island. The fourth bundle consists of two letters sent by John T. Lewis, Jr., to Dorothea Rathbone in the mid-1960s, enclosing two letters by H. M. K. Brownell from 1881 and 1883, respectively.

TheDiaries and Notebooks Series includes the following:

• Francis DeWolf Brownell Penmanship Exercise Book, ca. 1833
• "The Lay of the Cuisinier. A Poem; by the Cook of the Enterprise," 1840. Dedicated to Henry Howard Brownell.
• Nettie K. Angell 1856 Diary Cover, with miscellaneous clipping and notes
• Spanish Notebook, 1859
• Unsigned Diary, 1863, written by a mother. It includes details on family events and social visits, particularly concerning children Ethie [Esther b. 1860] and Harry [b. 1863], indicating the author may be Henrietta Knowlton Angell (1837-1897), who bore Esther H. Pierce (b. 1860) and Henry A. Pierce (1863-1867) during her first marriage to George Pierce. Sections have been cut out of pages. A poem by H. H. Brownell is pasted on the back inside cover.
• Bundle of miscellaneous disbound diary pages and miscellanea from 1858, 1861-1863, 1879, 1886, 1888-1893, and 1895, with occasional clippings
• Ernest H. Brownell, "Our Expedition to Falkner's Island, Block Island, and Cuttyhunk," July 1884
• Bertha Angell, 1886 student notebook, Apgar's Plant Analysis
• Clifford K. Rathbone disbound diary pages, 1919
• Construction journal pages, 1922
• Illustration and writing notebook, undated. Hand-painted drawings of women, a man, and flowers are included, along with literary selections and sayings.

The Chronological Documents and Financial Records sub-series spans from 1824 to 1969 (bulk 1824-1920), documenting the legal, financial, and business affairs of the interrelated Brownell, Angell, and Rathbone families. Items include deeds, bills and receipts, insurance policies, bank and tax records, accounts, construction documents, leases, estate documents, and more. A significant portion of the documents relate to the real estate work of Ernest Brownell, Annie May Brownell, John Angell, and Bertha Angell (later Kalloch) in Providence, Rhode Island.

The Bundled Documents and Financial Records sub-series includes:

• Bundle 1: Angell family land documents, 1799-1839
• Bundle 2: John Angell wallet and receipts, 1829-1841
• Bundle 3: Angell estate documents, 1893-1904
• Bundle 4: Brownell estate documents, 1908-1942
• Bundle 5: Clifford K. Rathbone concrete pile documents, ca. 1920s
• Bundle 6: Clifford K. Rathbone wallet, 1941-1944

The Ledgers sub-series includes:

• Partial estate inventory, ca. 1841
• Nancy Angell account book, 1845-1856
• Nancy Angell rent account book, 1863-1903
• John A. Angell and Nancy Angell income taxes, 1867-1871
• John A. Angell estate accounts, 1877-1893
• [Annie May Angell and Bertha Angell?] account book, 1884-1891
• Ernest H. Brownell cash book, 1890-1910
• Annie May Angell Brownell cash book, 1892-1904
• Annie May Angell Brownell check books, 1892-1893
• Bertha Angell account book, 1896-1898, and 1908
• Annie May Angell Brownell account book, 1896-1905 and 1912-1915
• Blank bank notebook, Undated

The Writings series spans from 1811 to 1958 and includes poetry by Lucia Emilia DeWolf Brownell, a lecture by Henry Howard Brownell, school work of Ernest H. Brownell, poetry by Annie May Angell Brownell (some with painted illustrations), and miscellaneous other items.

The Drawings and Illustrations series includes miscellaneous sketches and paintings, two volumes of Henry B. Rathbone's "History Cartoons," one volume of collected work of Emma DeWolf Brownell, and a child's illustrated notebook. Other illustrations and paintings appear throughout other series in the collection, particularly the Correspondence series and Writings series.

The Scrapbook Pages series consists of loose pages compiled by Dorothea Brownell Rathbone, collecting together letters, clippings, documents, photographs, and notes. Material dates from the 1850s into the 1940s. Correspondents represented include Edward R. Brownell, Henrietta Knowlton Angell Brownell, Ernest Henry Brownell, John Wardwell Angell, Edward I. Brownell, Charles DeWolf Brownell, Carl DeWolf Brownell, S. Edward Paschall, Bertha Angell. Photographs of people feature: Ernest Henry Brownell, Clarence Brownell, Charles Henry Brownell, Clifford K. Rathbone, Charles DeWolf Brownell, Douglass DeWolf, John Wardwell Angell, and Bertha Angell Kalloch. Ernest Henry Brownell features heavily in the scrapbook, including information on his education, work, and personal life. Dorothea Rathbone appears to have copied diary entries from October 1884 to March 1887, with manuscript and printed materials pasted in to it.

The Photograph series includes cartes de visite of James T. Fields, Annie Fields, and a gun crew aboard the Hartford. A signed photograph of Oliver Wendell Holmes is addressed to Henry H. Brownell. Gem tintypes of Ada Perkins Kerby, Rachel Perkins, and Charles Townley are also present. Miscellaneous photos include snapshots of the U.S.S. Hartford, a bridge, a construction project, a painted portrait of Betsy Angell, and a partial photograph of figures in a vehicle. A series of eight photographs and negatives depict gravestones. Photographs also appear elsewhere in the collection, principally the correspondence series and scrapbook pages series.

The Ephemera series consists of tickets, calling cards, business cards, a bank exchange note, and a wrapper.

The Printed Materials series includes newspaper pages and clippings, a 1785 almanac, poetry, a disbound copy of Thomas Church's The History of the Indian Wars in New England (New York, 1881), miscellaneous material related to education, one piece of sheet music, a magazine, a program, and a leaflet.

The Genealogical Notes and Copies series consists of notes regarding family history and letters. The J. A. Brownell sub-series includes over 200 hand-written copies made by Dorothea Brownell Rathbone of letters in the possession of J. A. Brownell. A note in the subseries indicates use of these materials requires the permission of J. A. Brownell. The material dates from 1836-1894 (bulk 1836-1850) and principally consists of letters addressed to or written by Henry H. Brownell, including a sizeable number written by Henry H. Brownell to Charles DeWolf Brownell and Lucia DeWolf Brownell. The Miscellaneous Notes and Copies sub-series includes handwritten copies and photocopies of letters, documents, and genealogical information. It includes copies of three letters from Henry David Thoreau to Clarence Brownell dated 1859 to 1861, as well as copies of several of Henry H. Brownell's poems.

The Miscellaneous series consists of scraps, notes, blank paper, and clippings.

The Realia series includes the following items:

• A peg wooden doll with hand-made clothes and painted face, possibly in the style of the Hitty doll in Rachel Field's Hitty: Her First Hundred Years (New York: MacMillan Company, 1929)
• A doll with a dress and bonnet, leather shoes, and painted canvas face
• Two white doll shifts with smocking enclosed in an envelope labelled "Dolls dresses by RVRC for Dorinda" [Rosalie V. Rathbone Craft]
• A handmade infant's nightgown enclosed in an envelope labelled "Sample of handiwork of DBR - nightgown made for D & used by D & H"
• Two ribbons
• Nine skeins of silk thread wrapped in paper with the following note: "Raised in our cocoonery - E. Hartford. Spun by C. D. W. B. at the mill in West Hartford"
• A gray Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1920 wallet, possibly owned by Dorothea Rathbone who graduated from the school in that year
• A shard of wood with a note, "Slivers from U.S.S. Hartford," accompanied by a disbound illustration of the ship
• A metal Waldorf Astoria cocktail pick

The Fenno-Hoffman papers contain the personal correspondence of three generations of the Fenno and Hoffman families of New York City. Correspondence from, to, and between the family members of Maria Fenno Hoffman, daughter of John and Mary (Curtis) Fenno of Boston and Philadelphia, and wife of Josiah Ogden Hoffman of New York.

The Fenno-Hoffman papers contain the personal correspondence of three generations of the Fenno and Hoffman families of New York City. It appears that the collection was initially assembled by Maria Fenno Hoffman, who was the bridge linking the Fennos and Hoffmans, or one of her children. The majority of the letters in the collection are addressed to Maria, and those written following her death are mainly from her three children. As a whole, the collection forms a diverse and uniformly interesting resource for the study of family life, politics, and literary culture in the early Republic. The Fennos and Hoffmans seem all to have been blessed with literary talent and excellent educations, enjoying interests ranging from politics and commerce to publishing and writing, but cursed with short lives and disastrous fortune. Their correspondence creates a vivid impression of a once-wealthy family struggling with adversity and personal loss. Yet despite all of their connections to the centers of political and social power, and despite all the setbacks they encountered, the overriding impression gleaned from the Fenno-Hoffman correspondence is of the centrality of family in their emotional and social lives.

The collection can be roughly divided into two, interrelated series: the letters of the Fenno family, and the somewhat later letters of the Hoffmans. Within the Fenno series are 25 letters from John Fenno to his wife, Mary, and six from Mary to John, written primarily during two periods of separation, in the spring of 1789, and summer, 1798. This correspondence conveys a sense of the passionate attachment these two held for each other, expressed with their exceptional literary gifts. John discusses the founding of the United States Gazette in 1789, including a visit with Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia where he had gone to purchase type. His letters are full of political commentary relating to the establishment of the federal government in 1789 and the young nation's Quasi-War with France, 1798. Although Fenno's letters to his wife are filled with political opinions, he urged her not to get involved in political controversies herself, nor to form opinions of her own. Mary apparently felt free to express herself to her husband, but significantly, her letters tend to mirror his staunchly Federalist political sympathies. The collection also contains four letters from John Fenno to his children, in which he discusses the French Revolution (1794) and general political news (1797-98), while doling out some fairly standard fatherly advice.

All nine of the Fenno children who survived infancy are represented as writers in the Fenno-Hoffman Papers, each one of whom seems to have been blessed with literary talent. The most frequent correspondents among the Fennos -- Maria, Charles J., and Edward -- display an intense interest in the affairs of their family, and express a powerful attachment for one another.

The collection contains twenty letters from Maria Fenno Hoffman (1781-1823), wife of lawyer and judge Josiah Ogden Hoffman (1766-1837), and most of the other letters in the collection were addressed to her. The letters written by Maria were nearly all addressed to her children and contain information on the family, laden with large doses of motherly advice. Among her most notable letters is one addressed to Washington Irving, whose fiancée, Matilda Hoffman, Maria's step-daughter, had died shortly before their wedding day.

The young British Navy officer, Charles J. Fenno, wrote thirty-nine letters, all to his siblings, and the collection also includes one letter to Charles from British Navy officer Charles Williamson (1757-1808), advising him to take an appointment in the West Indies. Fenno's letters include detailed descriptions of his attempts to cope with the debts incurred by his brother, John Ward Fenno, his part in the Tripolitan War and the turmoil in Haiti in 1802-3, naval sparring between French and English on the high seas, and family matters. With the typical Fenno style, Charles' letters provide an excellent view of these conflicts from the perspective of a young junior officer. His last letter was written while on vacation at Coldenham, N.Y., five weeks before his death.

Charles' younger brother, Edward, wrote 69 letters to his sister and surrogate mother, Maria, and 31 to his brother, James, along with a few miscellaneous letters. As lengthy as they are literate, Edward's letters provide an engrossing, running commentary on all facets of life in New Orleans during the 1820s and 30s, when it was still more a French city than American. His interests range from politics to business, high society to love affairs (his own, as well as others'), the annual yellow fever season, death and dying, race relations, piracy, and military exploits. They offer an intimate and detailed view of Louisiana during the years in which it was undergoing a rapid Americanization, and Edward's membership in the American militia, and his keen observational abilities provide a memorable account of the changes. His last letter to Maria, written a month before her death, discusses the necessity of family loyalty.

Comparatively speaking, the other Fenno children are represented by only scattered letters. Only two letters survive from the shortest-lived of the adult Fennos, John Ward, both written in 1797. In these, Jack discusses the acute controversy between Benjamin Rush (1745-1813) and the Federalist Gazette of the United States. Three of Harriet Fenno Rodman's letters survive -- containing social news and observations -- along with seven poems, including love poetry to her husband. Harriet's daughter, Anne Eliza Rodman, is represented by 24 letters, mostly addressed to her aunt Maria Hoffman, that include excellent descriptions of politics, society, and race relations in St. Augustine. George Fenno's four letters, also to his sister Maria, reflect the tedium felt by an educated urbanite set down in the countryside. Mary Elizabeth Fenno Verplanck's nine letters describe social life in Philadelphia, Fishkill, and Ballston Springs, and her efforts to mend a serious rift between her fiancée (later husband) and her brother-in-law Josiah. The ill-fated Caroline Fenno apparently had little time to write before dying, leaving only two letters describing life in Albany in 1804. James Bowdoin Fenno's six letters concern the business climate in South Carolina and Georgia and, as with all other Fenno correspondence, underscore the importance of family ties.

The second major series of correspondence in the Fenno-Hoffman Papers is centered on the children of Josiah Ogden Hoffman and his second wife Maria Fenno, Charles Fenno, George Edward, and Julia Hoffman. This series also includes eight letters from Josiah to his wife and sons, consisting principally of advice to his wife on how to run the household and, to his sons, on how to study industriously and become a credit to their "indulgent father." The letters he received in his old age from his children are particularly revealing of Josiah's personality. In these, Josiah appears as a hypochondriac and as a literal-minded businessman obsessed with commerce who had difficulty understanding any mindset other than his own.

As a poet and writer, Charles never ceased to perplex and irritate his father. Charles was a sensitive, observant man and an exceptional literary talent whose ability to express his thoughts and feelings grew as he grew older. His 62 letters to his brother (1826-1834, 1845) and sister (1833-1845) include discussions of many issues close to his heart, from his literary career to the "place" of the artist in society, from the continual rack and ruin of his personal finances to his family relationships, pastimes, politics, and general reflections on life. His letters to George are pun-filled and witty, even when he was in the throes of adversity. Charles wrote nine letters during his famous western trip, 1833-34, some of which were rough drafts intended for publication in the American after his sister Julia edited them. His letter of July 22, 1829 offers a marvelous description of an all-night party, and the single extant letter to his father (April 26, 1834) exhibits an uncharacteristic interest in politics, perhaps to please the elder Hoffman. There are also five excellent letters from a classmate of Charles, written while Charles was recuperating from the loss of his leg in New York. These are enjoyable, but otherwise typical schoolboy letters describing the typical assortment of schoolboy pranks.

The largest run of correspondence in the series of Hoffman letters, and the core of the collection, consists of the 63 letters from Julia to George. Julia's letters (1834-45) relate her experiences in several residences, particularly in the Philadelphia home of Jewish philanthropist, Rebecca Gratz (1781-1869). Julia comments frequently on Charles's literary activities and George's checkered career as a civil engineer. Much of what she writes is commonplace yet her style makes each episode intrinsically interesting. There are no letters from George. Considering that George was Julia's executor in 1861 and was responsible for Charles's well being after being committed to an asylum in 1849, suggests that George may have assembled the collection. The only item in the collection written by George is a love poem written for Phoebe on their first wedding anniversary. He was the recipient of letters from his brother and sister, but also his cousin William J. Verplanck, niece Matilda Whitman, sister-in-law Virginia Hoffman, and nephew Ogden Hoffman, Jr.

There is a single letter from Ogden Hoffman (1794-1856), Josiah's son by his first marriage to Mary Colden, in which he gives friendly advice to his young half-brother Charles. Ogden appears to have been a valued friend to his half-siblings. He was considered the outstanding criminal lawyer of his generation. There are no letters from the servant, Caty, but there are several excellent discussions of her, particularly in Julia Hoffman's letter of February 18, 1837 and James Fenno's letter of December 1, 1821.

Among the few miscellaneous pieces written by non-members of the family are four letters from Rebecca Gratz, a close friend of the family whose name runs throughout the entire collection, particularly in Julia Hoffman's correspondence.

H. J. Carter, liquor agent, kept this tabular record of alcohol distribution in the city of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, between May 12, 1854, and April 6, 1855. Carter's entries include names, justifications for purchase, type of liquor, quantities, and costs. The types of alcohol sold by Carter included gin, rums, brandies, Madiera, Port wine, plain alcohol, and more. Medical and health-related needs of adults and children were the most frequent justifications for liquor requests. Alcohol was also purchased for the treatment of horses' injuries and illnesses, culinary reasons, and for reasons associated with labor.

H. J. Carter, liquor agent, kept this tabular record of alcohol distribution for the city of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, between May 12, 1854, and April 6, 1855. Carter's entries include names, justifications for purchase, type of liquor, quantities, and costs. He distributed to men, women, and the elderly who lived in Stockbridge or who were in town from elsewhere, such as Glendale, Great Barrington, Lee, Marlborough, and Tyringham. In rare cases, Carter noted information about freight, cartage, and purchases of tin measures, jugs, corks, and tin dripping pans.

The types of alcohol recorded by Carter included gin, rum, St. Croix rum, French brandy, cider brandy, "C___r" brandy, Madiera, Port wine, plain alcohol, and others. Medical and health-related entries are the most common in the volume. The variety of ailments, injuries, and treatments is significant; please see below for a partial list of relevant entries. In many cases non-specific terms were used, such as "sick" or "sickness." The purchaser in many cases was not the afflicted party and the ultimate recipients included wife, mother, brother, friend, neighbor, widow, "in family," folks, uncle, and others.

Some persons are present multiple times in the volume. Lucinda and Ira Collier, for example, received rum, brandy, and plain alcohol around 10 times over the course of the year. Ira and Lucinda were African American laborers and had multiple children. They received brandy for bathing or rubbing a child's limbs (August 15 and September 6, 1854; October 4, 1854; March 26, 1855; et al.). They received distributions for Lucinda's ague (December 37, 1854) and Ira's health and injuries (August 3, 4, and 13, et al.). On August 13, 1854, Ira's entry states "aint well any of the time." Ira also received alcohol for his labor and for injuries of another man ("at work in Lynch is well," September 18, 1854, and "for a fellow crushed," September 22, 1854).

The town selectmen had the authority to authorize distribution of alcohol to blue collar laborers, like Ira Collier. Entries state "for workmen" or specific types of work such as "bee hunting" (August 28, 1854) or haying (July 11, 1854; July 20, 1854; July 27, 1854). Special distributions were permitted after a mid-November 1854 fire and during a bridge construction project. Please see below for a partial list of relevant entries.

H. J. Carter did not specify race, ethnicity, or nationality on individuals purchasing alcohol—with the exception of several marked as Irish (July 18, September 9, and March 22, 1855, e.g.). The surname MacCabe appears on multiple occasions, though is only marked as "Irish" a couple of times.

In a few cases, buyers returned to ask H. J. Carter to replace liquor they had already purchased. The McCabe family, for example, broke a jug of gin "& lost 1st qt & had to try again" (August 4, 1854). A few other broken bottles were reported on August 17, August 22, and October 28, 1854. In one case, Mrs. Watts obtained brandy for medicinal purposes and the next day "returned the above wine not liking it" (February 23 and 24, 1855).

H. J. Carter provided alcohol to persons for use in the treatment of injured or sick horses, oxen, a cow, and a calf. For these purposes, he supplied brandy, French brandy, rum, gin, and plain alcohol. A very small number of these approximately 15 entries specify the nature of the sickness or injury. James Kilduff, for example, secured rum because "horse got into Brook" (September 18, 1854). In two cases, the occupation of the recipient was recorded. A "Book Peddler" secured rum for his horse on November 13, 1854, and "Driver" C. Fields obtained French brandy for his sick horse on July 23, 1854. Please see below for a partial list of relevant entries.

Carter was not permitted to sell any alcohol on Sundays. And, all weekdays in the volume document at least one patron. The only exception is the entry on March 13, 1855, a few weeks before the end of his one-year position. Ecstatic, he wrote: "Wonderful! Wonderful!! Health reigns triumphant not a drop of Rum called for to day The trade is ruined, & Drs. must will go mad! O! Oh!! Mercy."

The volume is a blank book, hand lined on cream paper; once the pages were filled, Carter inserted blue lined paper into the front and back, and ultimately the volume was hand sewn together, using newspaper for covers. In at least one case, Carter skipped a couple of pages, then when he noticed, he went back and filled them in. As a result, sometimes the progression of dates do not match the progression of pages.

• Ague in the face, ague and fever, ague and chills, etc. (December 4 and 27, 1854; March 15 and 20, 1855)
• Asthma (rum, October 26, 1854)
• Bathing, soaking, or topical treatments (May 22, May 26, June 9, June 10, June 17, July 18, July 29, August 10, August 11, August 14, August 17, September 27, September 30, October 4, 1854, et al.)
• Boils (June 1, 1854)
• Burns (October 24, 1854)
• Cupping treatment (August 15, 1854)
• Diarrhea (July 14, 1854)
• Dropsy (February 10, 1855)
• Dysentery (July 2 and 3, 1854)
• Jaundice (June 10, 1854)
• Back complaint (June 10, 1854; July 25, 1854)
• Injuries, fractures, and cuts (February 28, 1855; March 1 and 14, 1855)
• Hand and foot complaints (November 2, 1854; January 29, 1855; February 16, 1855)
• Lame side (January 6 and 29, 1855)
• Leg complaints (June 28, 1854; October 14, 1854)
• Liver complaint (June 13, 1854)
• Poisoning (June 20, 1854; September 17, 1854)
• Rheumatism (July 17, 1854; September 2, 1854; October 7 and 11, 1854; November 24, 1854; March 15, 1855)
• Shoulder complaint (July 17, 1854)
• Sick from "drinkg so much water" (July 18, 1854)
• Sprained ankle (September 11, 1854)
• Sprained thumb and shoulder (Captain Willis, August 14, 1854)
• Toothache (rum, November 2, 1854; December 6 and 30, 1854)
• "Dissolve gums" (rum, August 16, 1854)
• For a "watcher of sick" (August 27, 1854)

• Bitters (November 2, 1854)
• Cake: Mrs. Peggy Hull received Madeira Wine for a cake (July 3, 1854)
• "Cookery": Purchase of brandy for cookery (November 9, 1854)
• Preserves: Miss Tucker received rum for preserves (August 16, 1854)

• "Bee hunting" (August 28, 1854)
• Fire: "at the Fire", "for Mrs Joel Tuller", "at Fire", includes six recipients of alcohol. The Selectmen approved the amount used at "the Fire" and in building "the Bridge" (November 16, 1854)
• Fire: "been watchg Fire" and Cold at the fire" (November 17 and 18, 1854)
• "Haying," "To use in haying," and "Not well, haying" (July 11, 1854; July 20, 1854; July 27, 1854)
• "Mechanical &c" (Sidy Rathbun, October 23, 1854)
• Workmen and "Workmen in River" (June 21, September 12, and October 13, 1854)

• Calf (June 20, 1854)
• Cow (May 28, 1854)
• Horses: Sick (June 19, June 29, July 23, September 1, and November 13, 1854; February 5, March 20, and March 31, April 4, 1855)
• Horses: Wounds/Injuries (September 18 and September 26, 1854)
• Oxen (February 5 and April 4, 1855)

• "Back door trot!" Likely referring to diarrhea. (rum, Nick Rich, November 7, 1854)
• "Burning" and "to burn" (August 14, 1854; November 18, 1854)
• "Carry home" (May 30, 1854)
• "Child lies stupid" (September 22, 1854)
• "Essence" (June 20, 1854)
• Hair (Peter Brewer, brandy to put on his hair, July 17, 1854)
• Peppermint (Cyrus Miller, August 12, 1854)
• Pregnant wife (by John McGinty for his wife, September 23, 1854)
• Ruling paper (four quarts of alcohol, Frank Owen "for ruling paper," August 8, 1854)
• Sacramental Madeira wine (Rev. Mr. Hiscox, August 19, 1854)
• Underlined surname: Carter underlined four surnames in the volume without a stated reason. They are Isaac Stone (June 13, 1854), Nabobs (August 15, 1854), Mr. Rich (September 9, 1854), and Mr. Ireland (November 29, 1854)
• Wedding (rum, Samuel Rathbun, October 14, 1854)

H. J. Carter, liquor agent, kept this tabular record of alcohol distribution in the city of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, between May 12, 1854, and April 6, 1855. Carter's entries include names, justifications for purchase, type of liquor, quantities, and costs. The types of alcohol sold by Carter included gin, rums, brandies, Madiera, Port wine, plain alcohol, and more. Medical and health-related needs of adults and children were the most frequent justifications for liquor requests. Alcohol was also purchased for the treatment of horses' injuries and illnesses, culinary reasons, and for reasons associated with labor.

H. J. Carter, liquor agent, kept this tabular record of alcohol distribution for the city of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, between May 12, 1854, and April 6, 1855. Carter's entries include names, justifications for purchase, type of liquor, quantities, and costs. He distributed to men, women, and the elderly who lived in Stockbridge or who were in town from elsewhere, such as Glendale, Great Barrington, Lee, Marlborough, and Tyringham. In rare cases, Carter noted information about freight, cartage, and purchases of tin measures, jugs, corks, and tin dripping pans.

The types of alcohol recorded by Carter included gin, rum, St. Croix rum, French brandy, cider brandy, "C___r" brandy, Madiera, Port wine, plain alcohol, and others. Medical and health-related entries are the most common in the volume. The variety of ailments, injuries, and treatments is significant; please see below for a partial list of relevant entries. In many cases non-specific terms were used, such as "sick" or "sickness." The purchaser in many cases was not the afflicted party and the ultimate recipients included wife, mother, brother, friend, neighbor, widow, "in family," folks, uncle, and others.

Some persons are present multiple times in the volume. Lucinda and Ira Collier, for example, received rum, brandy, and plain alcohol around 10 times over the course of the year. Ira and Lucinda were African American laborers and had multiple children. They received brandy for bathing or rubbing a child's limbs (August 15 and September 6, 1854; October 4, 1854; March 26, 1855; et al.). They received distributions for Lucinda's ague (December 37, 1854) and Ira's health and injuries (August 3, 4, and 13, et al.). On August 13, 1854, Ira's entry states "aint well any of the time." Ira also received alcohol for his labor and for injuries of another man ("at work in Lynch is well," September 18, 1854, and "for a fellow crushed," September 22, 1854).

The town selectmen had the authority to authorize distribution of alcohol to blue collar laborers, like Ira Collier. Entries state "for workmen" or specific types of work such as "bee hunting" (August 28, 1854) or haying (July 11, 1854; July 20, 1854; July 27, 1854). Special distributions were permitted after a mid-November 1854 fire and during a bridge construction project. Please see below for a partial list of relevant entries.

H. J. Carter did not specify race, ethnicity, or nationality on individuals purchasing alcohol—with the exception of several marked as Irish (July 18, September 9, and March 22, 1855, e.g.). The surname MacCabe appears on multiple occasions, though is only marked as "Irish" a couple of times.

In a few cases, buyers returned to ask H. J. Carter to replace liquor they had already purchased. The McCabe family, for example, broke a jug of gin "& lost 1st qt & had to try again" (August 4, 1854). A few other broken bottles were reported on August 17, August 22, and October 28, 1854. In one case, Mrs. Watts obtained brandy for medicinal purposes and the next day "returned the above wine not liking it" (February 23 and 24, 1855).

H. J. Carter provided alcohol to persons for use in the treatment of injured or sick horses, oxen, a cow, and a calf. For these purposes, he supplied brandy, French brandy, rum, gin, and plain alcohol. A very small number of these approximately 15 entries specify the nature of the sickness or injury. James Kilduff, for example, secured rum because "horse got into Brook" (September 18, 1854). In two cases, the occupation of the recipient was recorded. A "Book Peddler" secured rum for his horse on November 13, 1854, and "Driver" C. Fields obtained French brandy for his sick horse on July 23, 1854. Please see below for a partial list of relevant entries.

Carter was not permitted to sell any alcohol on Sundays. And, all weekdays in the volume document at least one patron. The only exception is the entry on March 13, 1855, a few weeks before the end of his one-year position. Ecstatic, he wrote: "Wonderful! Wonderful!! Health reigns triumphant not a drop of Rum called for to day The trade is ruined, & Drs. must will go mad! O! Oh!! Mercy."

The volume is a blank book, hand lined on cream paper; once the pages were filled, Carter inserted blue lined paper into the front and back, and ultimately the volume was hand sewn together, using newspaper for covers. In at least one case, Carter skipped a couple of pages, then when he noticed, he went back and filled them in. As a result, sometimes the progression of dates do not match the progression of pages.

• Ague in the face, ague and fever, ague and chills, etc. (December 4 and 27, 1854; March 15 and 20, 1855)
• Asthma (rum, October 26, 1854)
• Bathing, soaking, or topical treatments (May 22, May 26, June 9, June 10, June 17, July 18, July 29, August 10, August 11, August 14, August 17, September 27, September 30, October 4, 1854, et al.)
• Boils (June 1, 1854)
• Burns (October 24, 1854)
• Cupping treatment (August 15, 1854)
• Diarrhea (July 14, 1854)
• Dropsy (February 10, 1855)
• Dysentery (July 2 and 3, 1854)
• Jaundice (June 10, 1854)
• Back complaint (June 10, 1854; July 25, 1854)
• Injuries, fractures, and cuts (February 28, 1855; March 1 and 14, 1855)
• Hand and foot complaints (November 2, 1854; January 29, 1855; February 16, 1855)
• Lame side (January 6 and 29, 1855)
• Leg complaints (June 28, 1854; October 14, 1854)
• Liver complaint (June 13, 1854)
• Poisoning (June 20, 1854; September 17, 1854)
• Rheumatism (July 17, 1854; September 2, 1854; October 7 and 11, 1854; November 24, 1854; March 15, 1855)
• Shoulder complaint (July 17, 1854)
• Sick from "drinkg so much water" (July 18, 1854)
• Sprained ankle (September 11, 1854)
• Sprained thumb and shoulder (Captain Willis, August 14, 1854)
• Toothache (rum, November 2, 1854; December 6 and 30, 1854)
• "Dissolve gums" (rum, August 16, 1854)
• For a "watcher of sick" (August 27, 1854)

• Bitters (November 2, 1854)
• Cake: Mrs. Peggy Hull received Madeira Wine for a cake (July 3, 1854)
• "Cookery": Purchase of brandy for cookery (November 9, 1854)
• Preserves: Miss Tucker received rum for preserves (August 16, 1854)

• "Bee hunting" (August 28, 1854)
• Fire: "at the Fire", "for Mrs Joel Tuller", "at Fire", includes six recipients of alcohol. The Selectmen approved the amount used at "the Fire" and in building "the Bridge" (November 16, 1854)
• Fire: "been watchg Fire" and Cold at the fire" (November 17 and 18, 1854)
• "Haying," "To use in haying," and "Not well, haying" (July 11, 1854; July 20, 1854; July 27, 1854)
• "Mechanical &c" (Sidy Rathbun, October 23, 1854)
• Workmen and "Workmen in River" (June 21, September 12, and October 13, 1854)

• Calf (June 20, 1854)
• Cow (May 28, 1854)
• Horses: Sick (June 19, June 29, July 23, September 1, and November 13, 1854; February 5, March 20, and March 31, April 4, 1855)
• Horses: Wounds/Injuries (September 18 and September 26, 1854)
• Oxen (February 5 and April 4, 1855)

• "Back door trot!" Likely referring to diarrhea. (rum, Nick Rich, November 7, 1854)
• "Burning" and "to burn" (August 14, 1854; November 18, 1854)
• "Carry home" (May 30, 1854)
• "Child lies stupid" (September 22, 1854)
• "Essence" (June 20, 1854)
• Hair (Peter Brewer, brandy to put on his hair, July 17, 1854)
• Peppermint (Cyrus Miller, August 12, 1854)
• Pregnant wife (by John McGinty for his wife, September 23, 1854)
• Ruling paper (four quarts of alcohol, Frank Owen "for ruling paper," August 8, 1854)
• Sacramental Madeira wine (Rev. Mr. Hiscox, August 19, 1854)
• Underlined surname: Carter underlined four surnames in the volume without a stated reason. They are Isaac Stone (June 13, 1854), Nabobs (August 15, 1854), Mr. Rich (September 9, 1854), and Mr. Ireland (November 29, 1854)
• Wedding (rum, Samuel Rathbun, October 14, 1854)

This "Scrapbook bound by L. A." contains handwritten final drafts of editorial pieces written by Dr. Levi Aldrich of Shrewsbury, Vermont, as well as several clippings and copies of poems by other authors. The writings occupy 57 of 59 numbered pages in a lengthier blank book. The majority are final drafts of written pieces for The Universalist Watchman (Montpelier, Vermont) and The Rutland Herald (Rutland, Vermont), and other publications. He contributed obituaries, essays on faith, articles on medicine, and editorials on society and technology.

This "Scrapbook bound by L. A." contains handwritten final drafts of editorial pieces written by Dr. Levi Aldrich of Shrewsbury, Vermont, as well as several clippings and copies of poems by other authors, dating between 1841 and 1849. The writings occupy 57 of 59 numbered pages in a lengthier blank book.

The majority of Aldrich's writings are submissions to The Universalist Watchman (Montpelier, Vermont), including obituaries and essays on faith. He also wrote several essays for The Rutland Herald (Rutland, Vermont) under the pseudonym "Philomath," concerning "animal magnetism," intemperance, and other subjects. The remaining editorials cover a range of topics including medicine (The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal), technology (Bellows Falls Gazette), and social critiques (Boston Investigator). A smaller selection of poetic works, including two clippings titled "Woman's Love" and "Man's Love," are also present.

The Nathaniel Stacy papers include correspondence, documents, sermons, and other materials which relate to the personal and professional life of Mr. Stacy, a Universalist preacher.

The Nathaniel Stacy papers include eight boxes of material relating to every aspect of the personal and professional life of a Universalist preacher operating in the hot bed of the Second Great Awakening, the Burnt-Over District of New York. Boxes 1 through 4 contain correspondence arranged chronologically, 1803-1867, followed by undated correspondence arranged alphabetically by author. Box 5 contains Stacy's preaching log, listing date, place and text taken for sermons given between 1803 and 1864, sometimes with additional notes concerning funerals or other special occasions. Box 6 contains 30 numbered lectures given by Stacy in Ann Arbor in 1837 and 1838. Only the first of these is specifically dated. They are filed in numerical order with text taken noted on the folder. Boxes 7 and 8 contain material arranged topically, filed alphabetically by folder title. The Box-Folder listing provides detail. Included in these boxes are Stacy's diaries, with an unbroken run from 1835 through 1868 and scattered earlier and undated fragments, and 18 folders of sermons arranged by text. The bulk of the collection centers around Stacy and the members of his immediate family, and includes some materials generated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by his grandchildren or great-grandchildren, the Smiths of Corry, Pa. The unidentified photographs are probably of these family members.

The Stacy collection is a rich resource for historians of the Universalist Church. Stacy was part of what might be called a second generation of American Universalist preachers, taught by Hosea Ballou and influenced by other members of the General Convention of Universalists of the New England States and Others. He was among the first to preach the doctrine of universal salvation in New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, and in each state he founded a number of local societies and regional associations. Stacy's papers vividly document the hardships involved in the life of an itinerant preacher of an unpopular doctrine. The financial difficulties inherent in such a career are reflected in his appeals to various Societies for whom he preached to honor their subscriptions or allow him to leave, and in letters from other struggling preachers bemoaning their meager earnings or looking for a better place; they are implicit in all his financial juggling and in schemes for supplementing his income, ranging from the disastrous reprinting of Marie Hubers's The State of Souls Separated From Their Bodies (1:46) to an ill-fated speculation in cheese (3:91). The individual societies for whom Stacy preached are variously documented in 8:35-39. For example, materials concerning the Society in Hamilton are unfortunately sparse, consisting of one letter of appeal from Stacy and a draft report to the Western Association of Universalists. The Society in Columbus is better documented, with a constitution and list of members dated 1834 and a record of church proceedings from 1834 to 1847 as well as a number of Stacy's accounts and subscription lists. The run of undated sermons (8:18-35) is useful for study of Universalist doctrine, as are the dated occasional sermons which may be found in the card catalog under Stacy's name. Running throughout the correspondence is a considerable debate on the subject of universal salvation versus endless misery, and these debates are echoed and extended in Stacy's diaries and Memoirs.

Stacy's ministry in New York occurred during one of the most volatile periods in the state's history. The collection documents the intense interest in religion in general and the willingness to question established doctrine which characterized the Burnt-Over District during this period. Letters such as one dated January 1, 1819 (1:37) offer moving descriptions of the spiritual hunger and emotional turmoil which stirred many, although a counterbalance is offered in such letters as the one dated January 20, 1828 (2:9) which offers a rationalistic discussion of the illogical nature of such biblical imagery as that of armies of angels in heaven. A number of Stacy's correspondents describe protracted religious meetings and local revivals (indexed under Revivals; and Enthusiasm). Universalist ministers generally disapproved of the techniques of the evangelical churches, and Stacy avidly collected stories of people driven to madness, infanticide, and suicide by Calvinism (1:59; 3:78,92). Yet it is also clear, as one fellow minister pointed out to Stacy, that the Universalist Church benefited both by the interest in religion stirred up by the revivals and by the renewed commitment of the enlightened who found such meeting objectionable (3:11) A letter from a niece turned Mormon requests Stacy to "give me the Names of your Anchestors as far back as you can gain eny knowledge and also give me the Names of your Children that are dead that I may have them to be handed down from generation to generation after me" (4:38). In another interesting series of letters, Stacy acts as advocate for an elderly neighbor, a former Shaker who had been expelled from their community, and who was seeking their support (see subject index under Shakers).

In Michigan and Ann Arbor, Stacy experienced the region's transition from territory to state and the hard times following the Panic of 1837. His correspondence from this period, and in particular his diaries, which he began to keep regularly upon his removal to Michigan, offer a window onto life in a frontier town. Although his daily entries are seldom lengthy, the cumulative effect of the diaries is to provide a rich picture of Stacy's social and economic setting and, as a side benefit, of his very appealing personality.

Those interested in Freemasonry and the Antimasonic excitement which played such an important role in determining Stacy's actions will find materials of interest in the collection. Two examples of Antimasonic rhetoric are found in letters dating from 1829, written by a kinswoman who exhorted Stacy to divest himself of the "vile robes" of the "base ferternity," while listing the ghastly crimes committed by Masons (2:15,17). Clippings concerning his Masonic affiliation and two speeches delivered in lodges are included in 8:14. Also of interest are two series of legal materials: one concerning the estate of David Curtis, founder of Columbus, Pa., for which Stacy acted as executor (7:1), and one concerning the legal separation of Stacy's niece, Rhoda Porter Thompson from her second husband (8:41). Each set of documents includes an inventory of the principal's household goods. Stacy's register of marriages (8:13) and his log of sermons, which often gives some detail about those at whose funerals he preached (5), include useful material for genealogists. The subject index includes topics covered in less detail in the papers, such as Stacy's chaplaincy during the second campaign at Sackett's Harbor in the War of 1812, and his involvement in various Temperance groups.

The Samson Adams papers are the estate and business documents of Adams, a free African American man living and working in Trenton, New Jersey in the late 18th century. Adams worked as a carpenter and laborer, and produced and traded in a variety of items, including soap, milk, corn, and construction materials.

The Samson Adams Papers is comprised of over one hundred items that offer a rare glimpse into the economic and personal life of a free African-American resident of the mid-Atlantic states during the last quarter of the 18th century. The collection is divided into two series, the first consisting mainly of materials dating between 1780 and 1792, with a few earlier items, and the second containing all materials specifically related to the settlement of Adams' estate. The first series is arranged chronologically, but the second is arranged with the intention of representing the progression of the estate settlement, in an attempt to reconstitute the order placed on the materials by the executors.

The first series of Adams' papers (folders 1-11) contains bills and receipts issued by and to Adams for items ranging from milk and soap to building materials. Also included in this series are a work pass for his sister, Violet, and two important and highly unusual subscription letters seeking assistance for Adams in completing the building of his house. The second series (folders 12-30) includes Adams' will, an inventory and a complete breakdown of the distribution of his estate, bills submitted to the estate with numbered receipts showing their payment, and numerous other estate-related items. This series appears to contain nearly complete documentation of the progress of the estate, and the inventories, evaluations, and itemized list of the distribution of the estate offer an extremely detailed portrait of Adams' financial holdings and personal and business relationships

The William S. Leonard papers contain 39 letters written between 1859 and 1861 to William S. Leonard, a successful New Hampshire physician. Primarily written by his father and fiancée, they concern medical practice, courtship, financial struggles, and political matters.

The William S. Leonard papers consist of 39 letters and one receipt covering 1859-1861. Twelve of the letters were written to William by his father, Rev. Levi W. Leonard. They primarily focus on family matters and on the Reverend's declining health and poor financial state. Rev. Leonard seemed to be editing books and a newsletter at this time, and had become a strong supporter of the Republican Party. In a letter of March 4, 1861, he wrote to William that the Republicans had raised the campaign flag to celebrate Lincoln's inauguration, but expressed apprehension about the gathering conflict: “the state of the country is so critical & dangerous, some think it would be more appropriate to toll the bells.”

In her letters to William, Mattie reported her daily activities and expressed her affection for him; she frequently recalled memories of times together and expressed sadness at their separation. In a letter of March 10, 1861, she responded to news of his medical practice (“I hope you have cured that Irish girl’s leg”) and in her March 31 letter, she described wedding plans and a guest list in some detail.

Four letters in the collection were written by a fellow physician and friend of Leonard’s, known only as "Bim.” His letters, in which he addressed Leonard as “Beak,” include discussions of his medical work, such as an outbreak of diphtheria, which he described in a letter of December 10, 1860. The remainder of the letters in the collection come from colleagues, friends, and a cousin and pertain particularly to social engagements, religion, and medicine.

The William Young papers center on the lives of William Young and his son-in-law John McAllister, Jr. The strengths of the collection are its documentation of William Young's careers as printer, publisher, bookseller and paper maker; the Associate Presbyterian Church; John McAllister's antiquarian interests; and the personal lives of the Young and McAllister families.

The William Young papers center on the lives of William Young and his son-in-law John McAllister, Jr., and through these lives document a wide scope of business, cultural, family and religious history both in America and Scotland. The strengths of the collection are its documentation of William Young's careers as printer, publisher, bookseller and paper maker; the Associate Presbyterian Church; John McAllister's antiquarian interests; and the personal lives of the Young and McAllister families.

The earliest papers in the collection date from William Young's days as a Scottish seminarian, and include valuable information on the Associate Presbytery of Scotland. A group of letters written after the Youngs' removal to America, 1784, documents European interest in the new nation: the immigrants received many letters from Scottish friends (and potential emigrants) inquiring into the details of America life. Young kept certain business concerns in Scotland; his brother Stephen and Agnes Young's brothers, William and John McLaws, were all active in the book trade, and their correspondence provides some insight into the burgeoning international book business.

The backbone of the collection is the correspondence relating to William Young's diverse business enterprises from the 1780s through 1820s. Among the later material, the correspondence between William Young McAllister and his thirty-year-old son, William Mitchell McAllister (7:54 and 56), stands out as illustration of a father's displeasure over his son's mismanagement of affairs during the disastrous panic of 1873. Also interesting is a plaintive letter written by the 52 year-old Thomas H. Young (7:59) in 1876, asking his aging father to bail out his business with a handout of $5,000.00. Box 8 contains a large quantity of receipts, accounts, and other business papers of Young's, along with information on the tangled settlement of Young's estate (8:30) and information on the settlement of other estates. Additional information on Young's estate is located with the oversized material (see Separation Record).

The Young Papers also contains rich resources for study of the history of the Associate Presbyterian Church in America. One of the smallest Presbyterian denominations, the Associate Presbyterians preserved few primary resources and little survives from their presence on the American scene; the Young Papers contain some of the earliest records known for that church (folder 8-37). Among other Associate Presbyterian ministers represented in the collection is Rev. Thomas Hamilton (1776-1818), William Young's son-in-law. Much of the work compiled by John McAllister Jr. in compiling the Associate Presbyterian volume of Sprague's Annals of the American Pulpit, is preserved in folder 8:10.

Yellow fever in Philadelphia (1793) and the nation's first major cholera epidemic (1832) are both well documented through letters containing medical information, largely confined to home remedies and professional advice on medicines. There is some discussion of Frances Stevenson's illness which cost her the use of a leg, resulting in her use of a prosthesis (6:88). In addition, there is a detailed report on the body of Dr. William R. Grant in 1852 (folder 7:6).

The photographs associated with the collection include valuable insights into family relations within both the Young and McAllister families (1:1 to 1:8), particularly when seen in conjunction with the large number of personal letters between family members. William Young's instructions to his housekeeper (3:54), John McAllister's consultations with his wife on business matters, race relations in Philadelphia (5:9, 6:11), relations with a mother-in-law (4:58), and the execution of Robert Morris's seldom-mentioned and ne'er-do-well son Charles (4:21) are among the topics discussed. Perhaps the wittiest correspondent is Mary Ann Hunter, a friend of Eliza Young McAllister, whose observations on Philadelphia society in the first decades of the 19th century are trenchant and insightful and read almost like a novel.

The Wilson papers contain letters and documents relating to the lives and careers of three generations of the family of William Wilson, residents of Clermont, N.Y. in the mid-Hudson River Valley.

The Wilson family papers contains over 4,000 letters relating to the lives and fortunes of three generations of the family of William Wilson, residents of Clermont, N.Y, in the mid-Hudson River Valley. Virtually all of the letters in the collection were received by members of the Wilson family, with only a very few out-going drafts. Together, these present an impressively detailed perspective on many aspects of family life, political culture, agriculture, commerce, and the economy of Columbia and Dutchess County, N.Y., in the fifty years following the end of the American Revolution. As well being educated, energetic members of the social elite, the Wilsons engaged in a variety of pursuits, from the legal and medical professions, to land proprietorship, farming, and politics, and they commented extensively at every turn. A genealogical chart of the Wilson family, detailing the relationships of all those mentioned in the collection can be found in box 42:11.

The core of the Wilson papers consists of the letters received by William Wilson, who shouldered a wide variety of responsibilities in Columbia and Dutchess counties and knew their residents intimately. The breadth of his interests brought him into contact with many of the state's leading citizens, but also with the tenant farmers, medical patients, merchants and clerks. William's major pursuit in life was medicine, and his surviving papers contain seven medical daybooks (40:3; 47:9-14), providing a chronological record of his visits, diagnoses and prescriptions, as well as his fees. He also kept two notebooks dealing with the causes and symptoms of various diseases (47:15, 16), and scattered throughout his papers are letters from patients discussing their illnesses. Of particular importance are the letters relative to the deaths of Chancellor Robert R. Livingston and his wife, for whom Wilson was the attending physician (18:6-10; 19:15, 21, 23). Wilson was also a founding member of the Medical Society of Dutchess and Columbia Counties in 1796, and was associated with the founding of the New York Medical Society, as well as with the effort to establish a medical college (15:69; 16:17, 24, 44, 46, 52, 66, 70, 76, 80; 17:3, 13, 17, 23, 29; 45:19).

William Wilson was also employed as an administrator of landed property, usually for members of the Livingston family, and particularly Henry Livingston (1752/53-1823). The wide-spread unrest among "General Livingston's" tenants is discussed in many of the letters, along with more general discussions of land tenure, proprietary power, and tenant satisfaction. Wilson also served as administrator for the property of Chancellor Robert R. Livingston, especially during the latter's appointment to France, for two absentee landlords from New York City, Walter Rutherford and J. Stark Robinson (41:1, 2); and he was an executor or administrator for the estates of Robert Cambridge Livingston (1742-1794) (42:1), Peter Robert Livingston (1737-1794) (42:7), and the Chancellor (42:3-6). The materials relating to Livingston rental properties consists largely of receipts for rents received, but also include lease agreements, about twenty account books relative to the Chancellor's lands, and negotiations for the sale of land, especially the Chancellor's property in New Jersey after his death. A section of the estate documents for Robert R. Livingston relate to payment of medical, boarding, and clothing bills for Isabella and her son, Stephen, who were enslaved by Livingston (42:4). Some of the documents refer to her as Isabella Bond.

In 1791, Wilson added the office of Deputy Postmaster to his collection of responsibilities, becoming the first such agent for the town of Clermont. He was reappointed in 1803, and continued at his lucrative post until surrendering it to his son in 1825. As with everything else, Wilson saved all of his papers (42:12-15), and this the collection includes Wilson's original appointment commissions, signed by Post Master General Timothy Pickering (1:46 and 12:72), as well as the postal accounts and other records, which are generally of an administrative and bureaucratic nature. There are a few scattered items from correspondents critical of the speed and unreliability of the mails.

William Wilson also filled various political appointments in the county, and was active in state politics. As a Jeffersonian-Republican, befitting a friend of Chancellor Livingston, he played an important local role as judge of the county court, yet while many of his letters are addressed to "Judge" Wilson, virtually nothing pertaining to his official judicial activities survives in the collection apart from a series of receipts from various sheriffs and a few examinations of a woman for illegitimacy (43:44; 41:19). However Wilson corresponded with other judges and lawyers in the region, a fair amount of which has been preserved, especially from Peter Van Schaack and members of the prominent Van Ness family. Wilson's role as one of the first school supervisors in the area is represented by some scant records (41:22), as is his position as a commissioner for the granting of tavern licenses (41:23).

Wilson was involved in two other county-wide projects that had an important impact on Columbia County, and for which there is excellent material. One of these was the construction of the Highland Turnpike, which ran from Westchester County to near Albany, with gates in Columbia County. Wilson sat on its Board of Directors, and was a frequent and regular correspondent with its president, Joseph Howland (43:1, 2). Howland's are among the few letters that bear on broader national issues, and are in many ways the most interesting series of letters in the collection (see especially 17:87). Secondly, Wilson was instrumental in the establishment of the Agricultural Society of Dutchess and Columbia Counties, or the "Farm Club," as it was usually called. As (variously) president, vice president, secretary, or treasurer, Wilson was intimately involved in the operation of the organization. Of particular interest is the material relative to the annual county fairs held by the club, and the notifications from potential participants, the standards for awards, and the lists of winners (41:3-11). These records, together with the information to be gathered from the receipts from merchants, presents a detailed picture of agricultural life in the rural Hudson Valley.

In sum, those portions of the Wilson Papers that deal directly with William Wilson and his many activities provides a comprehensive picture of rural life in Columbia County and the state of New York in the forty years after the American Revolution.

The letters from Wilson's children offer insights into other aspects of life in early nineteenth-century New York. Alexander Wilson wrote many letters to his father while a student, and it is from his papers that one gets a good idea of the nature of legal education at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Alexander's early death means there is little material relating to his career as a practicing attorney, but what is lacking from Alexander is more than made up for by the papers of his younger brother, Robert. Robert kept extensive records of his practice, including a register of cases covering the entire period of his independent practice in New York, 1823-1830 (46:17), and his day books and account books, which list his professional duties preformed on behalf of clients, and his expenses, fees, and collections (40:1; 46:15,16). The Wilson Papers also includes file papers for many of the cases in which Robert participated (43:5-30), providing a broad, and occasionally deep insight into one man's legal practice in the early 19th century.

The letters of Wilson's other sons are less numerous than those of Alexander and Robert. William H. spent most of his life in Clermont, and so wrote less often, and Stephen B. was a secretive man, who simply did not write many letters. William H. wrote several letters during his tour of duty on the Lake Champlain frontier during the War of 1812 (18:43, 52; 19:18, 26, 36, 47, 56, 60, 68; 20:16, 18), but these are preoccupied with descriptions of camp life and military "politics" rather than strategy or the social impact of the war. William succeeded his father as Deputy Postmaster in 1825, and kept the same copious records as his father (42:12-15). He was not, however, as active in politics as his father, and except for a few letters relating to his run for a seat in the state senate in 1839, and some candidate lists and election return broadsides (41:25-27), there is little of political interest in William's papers. Stephen's letters are the more interesting for their rarity. When he does write, it is well worth the reading.

In addition to the letters written and collected by William, William H., and Robert L. Wilson, the Wilson Papers contain a vast quantity of documents. The largest category of this material contains an enormous number of accounts and receipts from merchants with whom the Wilsons did business. In terms of the number of items, fully half of the Wilson Papers is comprised of these accounts. Approximately 800 individual laborers, craftsmen, merchants, and business firms are represented as having done business with one or another member of the Wilson family, and the collection includes accounts for nearly every kind of household goods, from furniture to food to building materials, agricultural supplies, from seeds to fruit trees to sheep, and personal goods, from cheap "segars" to an "invalid chair" for Robert L., to wine.

The accounts (box 44 and 45:1-16) are arranged alphabetically by creditor. A complete list of merchants and firms represented in the collection is included under "Merchants" in the subject index. The accounts are a particularly valuable resource for social historians. For example the accounts of Samuel Haner (44:12) document aspects of blacksmithing; those of the Clermont grocers Bonesteel and Broadhead (44:4) reveal aspects of diet and nutrition; those of Thomas Beekman (44:2) document medicine and medical supplies; and those of Peter Outwater (45:6) provide information on transportation and commerce on the Hudson River. Receipts for payment that do not include goods or services are filed by surname (45:20-23). The collection also includes a number of the Wilsons' account books, especially William's and Robert's, which offer a view of the other side of the ledger (40:5; 46:18; 47:1, 2).

A second subdivision of the collection, and one closely related to the merchant accounts, deals with land administration. In addition to the correspondence of Henry Livingston with William Wilson mentioned above, the collection contains several subject files related to this important issue in Hudson River Valley history. Most important are the folders containing information on absentee landlords (41:1, 2); deeds (41:4); land grants (43:4); leases (43:31, 32); mortgages (45:17); various rental accounts (46:1-7); surveys and surveying (46:8); as well as William Wilson's rental account books (46:17-20).

Finally the collection contains a small body of material of an essentially genealogical or local history value, and a wide, if not very deep, collection of letters of the Livingston family. William Wilson was an executor for some of the Livingston family estates, most notably for Robert Cambridge Livingston (42:1, 2) and Robert R. Livingston (42:3-6), as well as for other estates (41:29; 42:7-10). The information included in the "genealogy" folder (42:11) is particularly helpful in interpreting the material relating to estate settlement and administration.

The local history of the town of Clermont and Columbia County appears throughout the collection, ranging from arrest warrants to local taxes, and including a very important group of papers relating to the establishment of Clermont Academy (41:16-23). As for the Livingstons, while the famous Chancellor does not overpower the collection, the Livingston family does play an important part. Over sixty members of the family are mentioned in some significant way in the Wilson Papers. Some -- like "General" Henry with his tenant problems, the administration of the estates of Walter T. Livingston (1772-1827) and the Chancellor (42:3-7), or the letters of Edward Philip Livingston (1779-1843) concerning his trip to France -- are meaningful parts of the collection (9:78, 86, 98; 10:8, 64). Other Livingstons are merely the signers of documents or letters, such as Janet Livingston Montgomery's (1743-1828) announcement that she plans to enter the Farm Club fair, a request from Mary Thong Livingston Wilson for financial assistance after the birth of Wilson's grandson, or the Chancellor's grandson, Clermont Livingston, who signed a quit claim deed for the benefit of Clermont Academy.

In sum, the Wilson papers are primarily a collection of family papers. While some members of the family participated in significant activities, and while the letters relating to those activities are important, there is a strongly personal aspect about them, and whatever broader historical significance that can be gotten from them must be gotten in the mass.