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The HMS Braak Salvage collection contains correspondence, documents, and a log book related to the Ocean Wrecking Company's efforts to salvage the ship and its rumored treasure in 1888 and 1889.

The HMS Braak Salvage collection contains correspondence, documents, and a log book related to the Ocean Wrecking Company's efforts to salvage the ship and its rumored treasure in 1888 and 1889.

• A letter from S. H. Copperage of Shelby City, Kentucky, offering to the Braak salvage expedition an instrument by which one "can Locate Lost Gold & Silver that has bin berud for Hunderd of years" (July 24, 1888)
• A handwritten note certifying an investor's financial payout should the Braak yield $10 million in treasure (July 30, 1888)
• A typed letter from James Kane to [Charles A.] Adams, offering Adams command of an 1889 mission to salvage the Braak (October 3, 1888)
• A pamphlet published by the Ocean Wrecking Company providing a brief history of the Braak and of the company's recent efforts to salvage the wreck (1889)
• Four pages of the Boston Sunday Advertiser (December 30, 1928)
• Three pages of pencil notes about the history of the Braak (undated)
• A newspaper clipping regarding the grounding of the Oregon in 1900 (undated; the same article appeared in other American newspapers between September 3 and 5, 1900)
• A newspaper clipping presenting the history of the Braak, printed after the announcement of the Ocean Wrecking Company's efforts (undated; a note on the item indicates that the article may have appeared in the Philadelphia News and a matching article appeared in the Trenton Evening Times on July 9, 1888.)
• Manuscript "Copy of Bearings furnished by Mr. McCracken…who was alongside of the 'Braak' when she sank" (undated)
• 85-page logbook chronicling the steamer City of Long Branch's attempt to find the wreck of the Braak (July 31, 1888-September 24, 1888). In addition to providing daily updates on the ship's position, water depth, and activities onboard the ship, the volume frequently refers to specific dives and other efforts to locate the wreck. Later entries often include information on the financial state of the Ocean Wrecking Company's expedition, and the back of the volume contains a list of the City of Long Branch's specifications, as well as a list of crewmembers and their salaries.

This volume primarily contains information on the ancestors of Robert Leet Patterson, who included members of the Williams family, Herron family, Wilson family, and Baird family. Other entries pertain to the establishment of European colonies in North America, United States coinage, and the history of Derry, Ireland.

This volume (with enclosed items) contains information on the ancestors of Robert Leet Patterson, including members of the Williams, Herron, Wilson, and Baird families. Other entries pertain to the establishment of European colonies in North America, United States coinage, and the history of Derry, Ireland. The volume contains 468 numbered pages, but only around 110 are used. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for a table of contents.

The notebook includes extracts copied from historical and biographical publications, newspapers, and other sources. Most of the material pertains to family histories, including family trees, genealogical notes, and biographical sketches of members of the Patterson, Stockton, Williams, Herron, Huntington, Head, Wilson, Given, Nicholas, Chestnut, Leet, Anderson, Way, and Baird families. Other items pertain to European exploration and land claims in North America, early relationships between European powers and Native Americans, the history of the New Haven colony, differences between old and new dating systems, and the history and economic output of County Londonderry and the city of Derry, Ireland. One brief note concerns the establishment of Presbyterianism in Philadelphia. The volume also contains a list of the number and type of coins issued by the United States government every year from 1793-1883.

Materials enclosed in the volume include 9 newspaper clippings respecting the Highland Presbyterian Church's 1903 centennial celebrations; "Reports from Florida" in 1879; obituaries for members of the Patterson, Wilson, and Heron families, dated 1900-1909; 6 pages of genealogical notes, one of which is a fragment of a letter; and a draft letter responding to a family member's request for advice about purchasing a grocery store.

This collection is made up of correspondence, documents, financial records, newspaper clippings, and other items related to Salem, New York, and its residents, primarily from the 1780s-1890s.

This collection is made up of correspondence, documents, financial records, newspaper clippings, and other items related to Salem, New York, and its residents, primarily from the 1780s-1890s. Many of the items were once bound together.

The Correspondence series is comprised of around 60 incoming and outgoing letters related to Salem, New York, and to the history of the state of New York. Early letters between residents of Salem and other locales concern a wide range of topics including education, political offices and appointments, and legal cases. After 1856, most items are incoming letters to James Gibson, a native of Salem who was state senator, judge, and president of the Washington Academy. Three letters written during the Civil War concern military commissions and officers. Many of Gibson's incoming letters, particularly later items, relate to his genealogical work; some correspondents offered or requested information about their ancestors.

The Documents series contains over 140 indentures, financial records, petitions, and other items, primarily related to residents of Salem, New York, in the 18th and 19th centuries. Many of the indentures concern land ownership in Washington, County, New York, and personal financial agreements. Other material relates to the Washington Academy, including a list of pupils. Legal orders largely concern private debts, and one document pertains to a local election. Some documents have newspaper clippings pasted onto them, and others were once bound together. One item is a diploma that the Washington Academy issued to James McEl. A group of land indentures is housed in a large bound volume.

The collection's Printed Items include articles, programs, and newspaper clippings. The majority of newspaper clippings concern the Washington Academy in Salem, New York. Other articles concern the "Bench and Bar of Washington County," the Bancroft Public Library, and the family of William Williams. Some clippings are pasted onto large sheets of paper, with manuscript annotations; a small number of complete newspapers are present. The series also has several copies of a program from the dedication ceremony of the Bancroft Public Library in July 1890.

The Photograph, Essay, Notes, and Fragments series is made up of items pertaining to Salem, New York. The carte-de-visite photograph depicts J. B. Steele. The various notes, essay, and fragments pertain to genealogy.