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This collection contains material related to John W. Echols, who served as supreme president of the American Protective Association in the mid-1890s. Included are letters of recommendation, personal correspondence, a speech draft, printed circulars, and other items.

This collection contains 16 items related to John W. Echols, who served as supreme president of the American Protective Association in the mid-1890s. Included are letters of recommendation, personal correspondence, a speech draft, printed circulars, and other items.

The Correspondence series (10 items) contains 9 letters and 1 telegram. Echols received 2 letters from friends, one of whom shared an anecdote about meeting Henry Ward Beecher, and a telegram from Mark Hanna, chairman of the Republican National Committee. Echols also wrote a draft letter to Cornelius Newton Bliss, Secretary of the Interior, about his desire for Dr. George DuBose to retain his current office. Five letters of recommendation for Echols (all dated November 1890) are addressed to Pennsylvania Governor Robert E. Pattison, concerning Echols's candidacy for the office of state attorney general. The final item in the series is a typed letter that Echols received from James Sargent, in which he shared his wish for an American victory during the Spanish-American War and anticipated the continued success of the American Protective Association (May 9, 1898).

The Speech series (1 item) contains a typewritten draft of a speech by Echols entitled "National Destiny," with manuscript annotations. The speech, which Echols delivered on July 4, 1892, lauds the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers and calls for United States citizens to remain vigilant about protecting their country. The speech includes an excerpt from Joseph Rodman Drake's poem "The American Flag," and concludes with lines from "The Star Spangled Banner."

The Printed Items series (5 items) is comprised of 2 printed American Protective Association (APA) circulars, a copy of the APA Supreme Council's constitution, and 2 newspaper clippings. The circulars, distributed to APA chapters in August and October 1896, discuss the upcoming presidential election, call for the complete separation of church and state within the United States, restate the organization's core principles, and urge voters to check their congressional representatives' voting records. The second circular also discusses Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan. One newspaper clipping relates to United States Senator Patrick Walsh; the other is an obituary for John W. Echols.

The Vermont and Connecticut photograph album contains approximately 60 photographs primarily showing scenes from Brattleboro, Vermont, and New London, Connecticut.

The Vermont and Connecticut photograph album contains approximately 60 photographs primarily showing scenes from Brattleboro, Vermont, and New London, Connecticut. The album (23 x 25 cm) has black cloth boards and is tied with a white cord. Brattleboro-related images include views of the arrival of a train carrying Spanish American War veterans, parade floats in the Brattleboro Fair, the town hall, Main Street, and the former studio of photographer Caleb L. Howe at the corner of Main and Elliot Street with a sign reading "Howe Photographer." New London-related images include views of Ocean Beach and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Also included are photographs of the interior and exterior of a house at "35 Western Ave.", other waterfront scenes, steamboats, and a mill in Hinsdale, New Hapmshire. Of particular note are two photographs of an acrobat performing on an outdoor stage. Many of the photographs are faded, with details partially or wholly obscured.