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Collection

John Magee collection, 1812-1882 (majority within 1824-1860)

1 linear foot

The John Magee collection is made up of correspondence, financial records, and legal documents related to Magee, a United States representative from Bath, New York, and later Watkins, New York. The material primarily regards his multiple business interests and, to a lesser extent, contemporary politics.

The John Magee collection is made up of correspondence, financial records, and legal documents related to Magee, a United States representative from Bath, New York, and later Watkins, New York. The material primarily pertains to his business interests and to contemporary politics.

The Correspondence series contains around 200 incoming letters to John Magee from 1824 to 1867. Some of the earliest correspondence regards political issues, including a series of letters about a proposed post office in Lodi, New York, in 1830. Congressman Edward Howell wrote to Magee about national politics and James K. Polk after Magee's return to New York in the early 1830s. Some of the later letters (1850s) respect New York State political issues. One writer, George F. Freer, speculated on the economic effects of a "threatened war with England" (June 1, 1858).

The majority of Magee's correspondents discussed business and financial affairs, including Magee's involvement with railroad construction in New York and Michigan, and interests in lumbering, milling, and banking. The bulk of the correspondence ends in 1859, and is followed by a group of 4 letters to Magee dated in 1867.

The Documents series is comprised of around 140 manuscript and partially printed legal and financial documents related to John Magee, the Watkins family of Naples, New York, and other residents of the Finger Lakes region. Many of the earliest items (1820s) pertain to Magee's duties as Steuben County sheriff. Other materials include a business partnership agreement, deeds for lands in New York, a list of proposed stagecoach lines, a document regarding the purchase of a steamboat, and items related to railroad companies in New York and Michigan.

Collection

John Morin Scott family papers, 1679-1893 (majority within 1800-1846)

3.25 linear feet

The John Morin Scott family papers are made up of correspondence, legal and financial documents, and other items related to multiple generations of the Scott family, including New York City lawyer John Morin Scott; his son, Lewis Allaire Scott; and his grandson, John Morin Scott, mayor of Philadelphia from 1841-1844.

The John Morin Scott family papers (3.25 linear feet) are made up of correspondence, legal and financial documents, and other items related to multiple generations of the Scott family, including New York City lawyer John Morin Scott; his son, Lewis Allaire Scott; and his grandson, John Morin Scott, mayor of Philadelphia from 1841-1844.

The collection's Personal Correspondence series (approximately 750 items, 1767-1889) is comprised primarily of letters between John Morin Scott and Mary Emlen Scott (whom Scott often addressed as "Bonny") from 1816 to the 1850s. During business trips to cities such as Harrisburg and Easton, Pennsylvania, John Morin Scott discussed his legal career, his work in the state legislature, political issues, and personal news; Mary Emlen Scott wrote about her life in Philadelphia. John Morin Scott also received letters from his children and from individuals respecting his term as Philadelphia mayor. Other correspondence includes an early series of letters to Mayor Richard Varick of New York City.

Lewis A. Scott's correspondence (132 items, 1868-1893) relates to the Scott family genealogy. Lewis A. Scott corresponded with family members about their ancestors and wrote to authors and publishing houses about printed accounts of the family lineage. Some letters pertain to Scott's attempts to locate documents about his early ancestors.

The collection's Legal Correspondence, Documents, and Financial Records series (approximately 800 items, 1764-1893) regard property, finances, and the legal affairs and estates of the Scotts and related families. John Morin Scott's legal correspondence (333 items, 1812-1844) contains business letters to Scott about court procedures, decisions, and financial matters. At least one item mentions a reward offered for the return of a captured slave (May 20, 1822). Documents include legal and financial contracts and agreements, financial accounts, bank checks, indentures, letters, and estate administration papers. Many items concern property in New York and one small group pertains to Revolutionary War surgeon Charles McKnight.

One small account book tracks the owner's expenses, and includes notes about the author's travels and activities, around 1850. A notebook contains a list of the Scott family silver in Mary Emlen's possession in 1874.

The Maps seriesincludes 19 surveyors' maps for land in Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and other locations. Many of the surveys relate to members of the Scott family and allied families; some pertain to Philadelphia real estate. Three undated survey notebooks pertain to land in "Orange County" and "Deer Park," and include notes about deeds and surveys conducted in these areas.

The Genealogical Materials series (47 items, [1887-1891]) largely concern members of the Scott family and they include essays, extracts from published histories, notebooks, loose notes, a family tree, and applications for the Pennsylvania Sons of the American Revolution. At least 2 items relate to the Emlen family. Sketches of two coats of arms are accompanied by descriptions.

The Printed Items series includes 2 advertisements for genealogical and historical works, Mary Scott's reprinted will, a poem by W. T. Meredith titled "Ancrum's Cross," and 12 newspaper clippings. The clippings are obituaries and biographical articles about the younger John Morin Scott, including an account of an assassination attempt during his term as mayor of Philadelphia (1843).

Collection

Jonas P. Levy papers, 1823-1907 (majority within 1855-1860, 1868-1882)

0.5 linear feet

The Jonas P. Levy papers are made up of manuscript and printed items primarily related to merchant and ship captain Levy's claims against the United States government for property losses sustained during the Mexican War. The letters are professional, and provide insight into legal proceedings surrounding claims in the mid-nineteenth century.

This collection is made up of a 106-page memoir and approximately 290 letters, documents, and printed items related to businessman and ship captain Jonas P. Levy's claims against the United States government for property losses sustained during the Mexican War. The collection consists primarily of Levy's retained copies of written requests and petitions to and from various Mexican and American government officials, as well as printed reports on his various claims against the United States government. The materials encompass Levy's personal losses while in business with his brother Morton, as well as losses sustained by the Pedrigal Mining Company after its expulsion from Mexico. The letters are overwhelmingly professional in nature, and provide insight into legal proceedings surrounding claims in the mid-nineteenth century.

Correspondence and documents series (approximately 245 items, 1823-1907). The content of Levy's correspondence and documents outlines the specifics of his five legal claims and his involvement in the claims of the Pedrigal Mining Company. His first claim was for $6,000 for duties on shipped goods aboard the Sea Bird, illegally imposed by Laguna port collector Lewis Vargas. The second claim was for $1,600 worth of commissions commandeered by the Mexican Army in Laguna, as well as a $200 unpaid bond for additional goods owed to him. Third, Levy claimed that the Mexican government collected $3,000 worth of forced contributions during his residence in Laguna. Levy also claimed that the Mexican army sank $30,000.00 worth of iron houses and machinery, left in San Juan in care of Lobach & Co., in the river Tabasco. The iron houses had remained unassembled in a lot in Tabasco, brought from New Orleans. After the war between the U.S. and Mexico began, Mexican authorities required Americans in Mexico to move inland or leave the country, and Levy was unable to take these items with him. The Mexican military used the iron house materials to construct a dyke in the Tabasco River to hold off Commodore Perry. The final claim against the United States totaled $50,000 for personal wrongs, injuries, and losses of business by illegal expulsion from his house at the outbreak of the United States war with Mexico. The courts rejected the entirety of Levy's memorial, with the exception of $3,690 for repayment of the loss of his iron frames. The claims commission primarily rejected each claim because of Levy's inability to sufficiently provide evidence that his claimed losses matched what he originally listed on ship manifests and bills of lading; the iron frames were valued at only $690 when leaving port in New Orleans, and the Sea Bird's logs listed Levy's items at a value much less than the $6,000 he claimed.

The earliest document in the collection is a certificate rendered by the Port of Philadelphia in 1823 proclaiming Levy's American citizenship. The earliest document related to his claims is Levy's personal copy of a letter to Secretary of State John Spencer, 1845; Spencer may never have received this letter as he retired from federal politics in 1844. Other early items (approximately 25 items) include affidavits, character testimonies, and letters of appreciation from such persons as General W. Worth, F. M. Dimond (Consulate at Veracruz), and Col. J. H. Wright. The collection also contains a full copy of Rebecca P. Levy's testimony to her family's treatment in Mexico, dated 1851. Jonas saved a deposition signed by the passengers and crewmembers of the American schooner Bonita, which the Mexican government stopped on June 25, 1851. The deposition attests that the Mexicans took Jonas P. Levy on shore and detained him under the false pretense of owing them money.

Correspondence and documents from the 1850s to the 1870s illustrate disagreements between Levy and comptroller of the Treasury, Elisha Whittlesey. Levy accused Whittlesey of willfully suppressing documents that would prove his claims to be truthful and just, and called for a full investigation into his conduct. The correspondence of Levy and Whittlesey contains requests for duplicate copies of evidential documents used in Levy's claims, and updates on the claims' standings. Levy's later correspondence with the Secretary of State and the Treasury Department often addresses his displeasure at the apparent loss of primary evidential documents that he wanted to use as evidence in the retrials of his claims. The collection holds correspondence between Levy and the State Department requesting the re-opening of his failed claim and the return of documents originally surrendered to the Mexican Mixed Claims Commission. The State Department reportedly refused to relinquish control of documents submitted to them, claiming that they were not allowed to release primary documents used in Levy's cases. Jonas's claims ended in May 1873, at which point the legal documents primarily consist of inquiries into the status of the Pedrigal Mining Company case.

The collection includes a small number of letters between George Edward Burr and John A. Davenport discussing the Pedrigal Mining Company, beginning with a letter from Davenport in 1832, condemning Burr for his wasteful use of monetary resources -- including his overinflated salary, the hire of a costly and ineffective superintendent, and the failed implementation of a mining procedure. Materials related to Burr include a document attesting to the sale of shares in the mine in Taxco, Mexico, to purchase a steam engine and other mining equipment (November 21, 1850), and John Davenport's appointment of Burr as power of attorney, especially related to his Pedrigal Mine interests (June 11, 1851). Levy kept various letters between himself and Matilda and Nicholas Rappleye, owners of the Pedrigal Mining Company; requests for information from the U.S. government; and various newspaper clippings and reports regarding the Pedrigal mines. In a document dated March 3, 1872, Matilda Rappleye officially transferred her power of attorney in regards to the Pedrigal Mines to Levy, who had been looking into their case since the mid-1850s. In this same correspondence, Matilda Rappleye accused George Burr of illegally stealing the official ownership papers of the Pedrigal mines from her husband. In another letter dated April 22, 1872, she told Levy that she had no papers to give him to help with the claim because Burr stole them all. The Pedrigal Mining Company claimed that the Mexican government forced them off their rightful land, which led to the loss of expensive machinery and the ownership of the silver mines. Ultimately, the United States rejected the Pedrigal claim due to insufficient evidence showing the Rappleyes as the rightful owners.

The collection contains a small number of additional letters, petitions, and accounting items related to Levy's store in Wilmington, North Carolina, at the end of the Civil War. Levy claimed that a group of New York Volunteers entered his store and took cordage as well as other provisions without paying. Included among the documents are leases between Levy and the U.S. Army for the use of Levy's store as headquarters of the Camp Jackson Hospital at the end of the war. Letters from 1879 and 1880 illustrate Jonas’s attempts to petition for an act of Congress to grant a pension and three months extra pay for seamen that served on transport ships during the Mexican War. However, the proposed bill was unsuccessful.

The collection includes Levy's 106-page, handwritten memoir beginning with his birth in 1807 and concluding in 1877, the year of its writing. In this memoir, Levy principally concerns himself with his life as a sailor. He gave a detailed account of an attack on his ship by Tierra Del Fuego Indians, and described driving them away with cannons, which Levy believed was the Indian's first experience with such technology. The memoir also contains an extensive description of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello estate, then owned by Levy's brother Uriah. The author provided a brief history of the house and how it came to be in his family's possession. The memoir also provides a description of the surrender of San Juan Ulca and Veracruz to the United States military. Levy wrote about his experiences working as a ship captain in Peru during the mid-1830s, and about the honor of receiving Peruvian citizenship without having to relinquish his American citizenship. Levy rarely mentioned his court cases; his account of his experiences during the Civil War is brief.

Printed items and ephemera series (46 items, 1846-1882). This series is made up of printed reports, memorials, congressional acts, claims, public letters, newspaper clippings, and advertising cards directly related to Jonas P. Levy's claims against the U.S. and Mexican governments.

Collection

Joseph J. Tuttle papers, 1831-1963 (majority within 1854-1918)

156 items

Joseph Tuttle enlisted in the 5th Michigan Cavalry in 1862 and fought in several battles before being taken prisoner at Trevilian Station, Virginia, in 1864. His correspondence during the Civil War describes army life and his company's participation in battles and skirmishes. The collection also includes land deeds and indentures, tax documents, photocopies of military documents pertaining to Joseph Tuttle, newspaper clippings, family photographs, and other materials.

The papers of Joseph J. Tuttle consist of 41 letters, 15 photocopies of military documents, 37 documents, 36 tax documents and receipts, 34 items of ephemera, 8 newspaper clippings, 7 photographs, 1 Civil War military pin, and 2 miscellaneous items. These items fall collectively between the dates of October 13, 1831 and April 3, 1963, however the bulk of them fall between November 16, 1854 and August 12, 1918.

The correspondence consists of 35 letters written during the Civil War (most of which are letters from Joseph Tuttle to his sister), and 6 miscellaneous letters. Tuttle writes about army life and his company's participation in battles and skirmishes. In a letter dated Aug. 30, 1863, he describes, in some detail, the execution of 5 deserters from the Union army, and in a letter of Feb. 27, 1864, he mentions the large number of deserters from Lee's army.

The photocopies of military documents all pertain exclusively to Joseph Tuttle, including his muster in/out forms, and documents pertaining to his illness. The 37 documents include 25 land deeds/indentures in Oakland County, Michigan, 5 documents pertaining to the purchase of land in St. Cloud, Florida, 2 Hartford Fire Insurance papers, 1 death record, and 4 other miscellaneous documents. The tax documents are all property tax forms and receipts, in addition to a few receipts for the sale of goods.

The ephemera consists of invitations, birthday and Christmas cards, and calling cards. Two of the newspaper clippings relate to the Michigan Cavalry. Included in the family photographs are at least 2 photos of Joseph Tuttle. The Civil War pin is marked "Grand Army of the Republic 1861 Veteran 1866," and a ribbon commemorates the Nineteenth reunion of the 5th Michigan Association.

Collection

Joseph K. and George C. Wing collection, 1863-1930 (majority within 1863-1864, 1872-1924)

1.25 linear feet

This collection is made up of correspondence, writings, a journal, a scrapbook, and published material related to George Clary Wing of Bloomfield, Ohio, and two account books kept his father, Joseph Knowles Wing, during his military service in the Civil War. George C. Wing's correspondence pertains mostly to his career in the United States government in the late 19th century, and his writings cover topics such as history, literature, and travel.

This collection is made up of correspondence, writings, a journal, a scrapbook, and published material related to George Clary Wing of Bloomfield, Ohio, and two account books kept by his father, Joseph Knowles Wing, during his military service in the Civil War.

The Correspondence series (32 items) consists of personal and professional correspondence related to George C. Wing. Most items are incoming letters that Wing received from acquaintances and politicians who discussed Wing's career in the United States Department of Justice and the United States Department of State from 1872-1884. Some items are signed by prominent politicians, including George Henry Williams, Charles Devens, Benjamin Brewster, and Frederick T. Frelinghuysen. The series also contains a small number of draft letters from Wing to various individuals, also concerning his career in Washington, D.C. George C. Wing received personal letters from his father, Joseph K. Wing, and one letter and one telegram from his brother, Francis J. Wing; both provided news from North Bloomfield, Ohio, and offered professional advice. The final item is a brief personal letter from "George" to "Julia" (July 23, 1923).

The Journal and Notebooks series contains 2 notebooks and 1 journal. George C. Wing kept two notebooks from 1872-1924 (280 pages) and 1884-1920 (150 pages, not all of which are used). These contain quotations, essays, and notes about many subjects, including lectures at Georgetown Law School, English-language literature, classical history and literature, American history, and scientific subjects. Wing also composed some poetry. The second volume includes some one-line journal entries about Wing's business trips and family news from 1884-1910. He laid newspaper clippings, loose essays, photographs, and notes into the volumes.

George C. Wing's journal includes 51 pages of daily entries describing the scenery during his railroad and steamship journey from Ohio to Valdez, Alaska, and back between June 5, 1901, and July 9, 1901. He mentioned his daily activities and sometimes noted the types of plants prevalent in different areas of the country. The later pages (around 15 pages) contain a drawing of "Jake," a sketch of the Alaska coastline along a glacier, additional trip notes, memoranda, a railroad ticket and steamship purser's ticket, and a photograph of a woman.

The Writings series consists of three items. George C. Wing compiled a group of manuscript writings and draft letters in a volume entitled "Brands- from the Burning!" from the mid-1880s to the mid-1910s. Included are stories, essays, translations, and poems about history, literature, and other topics. Wing's draft letters include an opinion piece about the country's relationship with Germany in 1915. The series also includes a manuscript draft of Wing's book, The Western Reserve Home and The Manuscript Letters of Ephraim Brown and Family, 1805-1845 (1915, later published as Early Years on the Western Reserve) and a group of correspondence and essays about a road in Bloomfield, Ohio, and a related property dispute, entitled "The Lane in Section Sixty, Bloomfield, Trumbull County, Ohio" (1925).

The Joseph K. Wing Account Books (320 total pages, fewer than half of which are used) contain financial records and supply lists related to Wing's service in the 16th Army Corps during the Civil War (1863-1864). Wing, a quartermaster, compiled records about purchases of horses, including the price of each animal; lists of supplies, including the number of items and occasional remarks about items' condition; lists of clothing items available, including remarks about whether each item was damaged or new; a list of forage vouchers cashed by Wing, including the name of the soldier who claimed each voucher; and lists of supplies held by various regiments. Notes regarding prison returns mention a few female prisoners. The volumes also contain notes about army transportation and food supplies.

The collection's Scrapbook (27 pages) primarily contains newspaper clippings about many different subjects, including articles and photographs pertaining to steamship travel to and around Alaska, particularly regarding the ships Dolphin and Bertha. Other clippings concern various members of the Wing family, such as George C. Wing and Francis J. Wing, and the history of Bloomfield, Ohio. Items laid into the back of the volume include printed Personal Instructions to the Diplomatic Agents of the United States in Foreign Countries (1874), George Wing's manuscript report about "Proceedings for the Extradition of Criminals (June 14, 1883), George Wing's drawing of "The Encyclopedant" (February 1895), and a menu for the Alaska Steamship Company vessel Dolphin (July 4, 1901).

Printed Items (4 items) include a copy of George C. Wing's book Early Years on the Western Reserve with Extracts from Letters of Ephraim Brown and Family, 1805-1845 (Cleveland, 1916), inscribed to his sister Elizabeth and to a niece, and a copy of Neighborhood: A Settlement Quarterly containing several articles about pottery (July 1930). George C. Wing also collected court briefs from his time with the United States Court of Claims (1879-1882), and received a United States Senate report about the relationship between Great Britain and the United States with regard to each country's naval presence on the Great Lakes between the War of 1812 (1892).

Collection

Joseph Newton Hemphill collection, 1860-1922 (majority within 1868-1908)

0.25 linear feet

This collection consists of around 100 incoming letters addressed to Rear Admiral Joseph Newton Hemphill of Ripley, Ohio, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Hemphill's parents, siblings, and cousins sent letters during the first years of his naval career (1868-1872), and his wife and daughter wrote between 1897 and 1908. Also included is a series of reports concerning Hemphill's standing in his United States Naval Academy class.

This collection consists of around 100 incoming letters addressed to Rear Admiral Joseph Newton Hemphill of Ripley, Ohio, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Hemphill's parents, siblings, and cousins sent letters during the first years of his naval career (1868-1872), and his wife and daughter wrote between 1897 and 1908. Also included are additional letters and a series of reports concerning Hemphill's standing in his United States Naval Academy class.

The Correspondence series comprises the bulk of the collection. During his time at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, Joseph N. Hemphill received 1 letter from his mother, who provided educational and spiritual advice (October 3, 1865), and 1 letter from his father, who described President Ulysses S. Grant's inauguration (March 14, 1869). The bulk of the correspondence series consists of incoming letters from Hemphill's family, written while he served with the United States Navy. His mother, father, and siblings all provided family news and social updates from Ripley, Ohio, and his parents occasionally commented on local and national political issues. Around 1897, Hemphill received 2 letters from his wife Dora ("Oro"), who discussed the likely approach of war (Spanish-American War). In 1908, Hemphill's daughter Oro Joe wrote of her life in Yokohama and Tokyo, Japan, where she lived while he served elsewhere in the country. The final letters are addressed to Oro Joe in the early 20th century. In addition to his incoming correspondence, Joseph N. Hemphill wrote 2 letters to his wife while serving in the navy.

Printed items (November 1862-May 1864) include 11 monthly class standing reports for Joseph Hemphill during his time at the United States Naval Academy, a program for the Ohio delegation to the 1868 Republican National Convention, and a program for a vocal concert, accompanied by two newspaper clippings of hymns and poetry.

Collection

Lars Gustaf Sellstedt family collection, 1808-1972 (majority within 1846-1911, 1972)

0.75 linear feet

The Lars Gustaf Sellstedt family collection is made up of correspondence, poetry, ephemera, and other materials related to Sellstedt and his descendants, particularly his daughter Eva and her husband, Frank H. Potter. The papers pertain to Sellstedt's religious beliefs, his travels in the Caribbean, his interest in fine art, and his influence and legacy in Buffalo, New York. Other items pertain to Frank Potter's life in Berlin, Germany, in the mid-1880s and to the genealogy of the Younglove family.

The Lars Gustaf Sellstedt family collection (0.75 linear feet) is made up of correspondence, poetry, ephemera, and other material related to Sellstedt and his descendants, particularly his daughter Eva and her husband, Frank H. Potter. The papers pertain to Sellstedt's religious beliefs, his travels in the Caribbean, his interest in fine art, and his influence and legacy in Buffalo, New York. Other items pertain to Frank Potter's life in Berlin, Germany, in the mid-1880s and to the genealogy of the Younglove family.

The Correspondence series (109 items) contains letters related to the Sellstedt, Potter, and Younglove families. In the mid-1840s, Sellstedt exchanged letters with his future wife, Louise Lovejoy; some of his other early correspondence concerns religion, art, and travel to the Caribbean in late 1848 and early 1849. In the early 20th century, he received letters from acquaintances and admirers about his books From Forecastle to Academy and Art in Buffalo.

Many items from the late 19th century pertain to Sellstedt's daughter Eva and her husband, Frank Hamilton Potter, including a series of letters that Potter wrote to his parents about his life in Berlin, Germany, in the mid-1880s. Frank and Eva Potter's son, Lars Sellstedt Potter, occasionally wrote to his mother as a child. The series also contains mid-19th century letters between William K. Scott and his cousin Moses C. Younglove, mid-20th century letters about an art exhibit commemorating Lars G. Sellstedt, and an undated letter from "Santa Claus" to a group of children. The series includes 2 print narratives by Samuel Younglove, entitled "Battle of Oriskany" and "The Battle of Bennington" (June 12, 1897).

The Writings series (113 items) contains 23 essays and 90 poems. Longer essays pertain to "Architecture and Sculpture" (58 pages) and to the history of art in Buffalo, New York (2 items, 99 pages and 47 pages); at least one of the essays about Buffalo was incorporated into Sellstedt's book Art in Buffalo. Other items pertain to the politician James Osborn Putnam, an acquaintance of Sellstedt's. The poetry (90 items), much of which was written by Sellstedt, concerns love, friendship, nature, and religious subjects; at least one poem is a friend's tribute to Sellstedt. The series includes 8 published items, housed together.

The Watercolors and Sketches (5 items), attributed to various persons, depict infant children, a Roman soldier, a woman, and a home. The Photographs (19 items), comprised of card photographs and photographic prints, mostly show members of the Sellstedt family, including Lars G. Sellstedt, Caroline Scott Sellstedt, and Eva Thorén Sellstedt. The pictures are studio portraits, outdoor portraits, and snapshots taken during a fishing trip. The series contains 3 copies of a memorial poem dedicated to William Scott Sellstedt ("Willie"), each illustrated with a photograph of him.

The Albright-Knox Art Gallery Exhibit Materials (around 20 unique items) include documents, promotional materials, and captions, which are related to an exhibit and reception held in honor of Lars Sellstedt in September 1972.

Newspaper Clippings (66 items) pertain to the life of Lars G. Sellstedt, including retrospectives about his life and obituaries. Some clippings concern the Albright-Knox Gallery's 1972 Sellstedt exhibit.

The Invitations, Cards, Documents, and Realia series (11 items) includes printed and manuscript invitations, a calling card, an embroidered piece of fabric, and a stock certificate for the Buffalo Cremation Company.

The Genealogy series (9 items) contains histories of the Younglove family, written by and addressed to Moses Younglove, as well as items related to the Gay family and to the life of Lars G. Sellstedt.

Collection

Laura L. Earl friendship album, 1860-1932

1 volume

Laura L. Earl's friendship album includes material dating from 1860 to 1932, documenting her relationships across several geographic regions. Entries include poems, signatures, quotations, brief comments, and drawings of calling cards with signatures added. The volume includes engraved illustrations, several entries that feature artistic elements, and miscellaneous tipped in materials.

Laura L. Earl's friendship album includes material dating from 1860 to 1932, documenting her relationships across several geographic regions. Entries include poems, signatures, quotations, brief comments, and drawings of calling cards with signatures added. Additional visual materials include a negative image of a leaf made by splattering ink, a watercolor painting of flowers, and a calligraphic rendering of Laura Earl's name. Places linked to writers include states such as Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado, Missouri, New York, Illinois, Ohio, Kansas, Nebraska, Massachusetts, and Oklahoma. Later entries refer to Laura by her married name, Laura E. Nethers.

Laura L. Earl pasted or tipped in various materials to the volume, including printed poems, calling cards, newspaper clippings, leaves, a scrap of fabric, an advertising blotter, a printed set of four images with Biblical passages, a notice for Mrs. D. E. Denman's funeral services in 1928, and Laura (Earl) Nethers' newspaper obituary from 1932. One calling card is from Laura L. Earl, and includes a photograph of her affixed to it. One clipped newspaper or magazine image shows two white men seated at a table with an African American man serving beverages.

"Pensez A Moi" is printed on the front cover. "Laura L. Earl" is stamped on the front flyleaf, as well as a pencil inscription, "1860. A Christmas Gift from my father, Covington, Ky."

The album has six engraved illustrations:
  • Modesty and Vanity
  • Pensez A Moi
  • The Departure
  • Fatal Signal
  • The Balsille. Eng'd for this Work
  • Little Rogues in Trouble
Collection

Lee family papers, 1701-1936 (majority within 1728-1871)

1.75 linear feet

This collection is made up of correspondence, legal and financial documents, and other items concerning several generations of the Lee family of New York and New Jersey from the early 18th century to the late 19th century.

This collection is made up of correspondence, legal and financial documents, and other items concerning several generations of the Lee family of New York and New Jersey from the early 18th century to the late 19th century.

The earliest items (1701-1840) largely consist of legal and financial documents, receipts, accounts, and other financial records related to Thomas Lee, his nephew Thomas (ca. 1728-1804), his grandnephew William (1763-1839), and, to a lesser extent, other members of the Lee family. Many pertain to land ownership in New York and New Jersey. Some legal documents, such as Thomas Lee's will (May 16, 1767), concern decedents' estates. In the 1820s and 1830s, the Lee siblings, including Henry, William, Cyrus, and Phebe, began writing personal letters to one another. Cyrus Lee and his wife Emily Fisher received letters from her mother, E. Fisher of Humphreysville, Connecticut. One letter contains teacher Samuel Squier's response to accusations of drunkenness and inappropriate behavior (February 25, 1774). Additional early materials include a contract related to the establishment of a singing school in Boston, Massachusetts (ca. 1745), medicinal recipes (October 31, 1789), poetry (undated), articles of apprenticeship (February 25, 1796), a daybook reflecting construction costs for a school house in Littleton, New Jersey (October 2, 1797-May 1, 1799), records of William and Isaac Lee's labor at a forge (September 5, 1809-October 24, 1914), and a manuscript copy of an act to incorporate part of Derby, Connecticut, as Humphreysville (May [4], 1836).

After 1840, the bulk of the collection is made up of personal letters between members of the Lee family. Incoming correspondence to Cyrus and Emily Fisher Lee makes up the largest portion of these letters. Emily's mother wrote about life in Humphreysville, Connecticut, frequently discussing her health and that of other family members. Emily's sister Elizabeth discussed her travels in Indiana and Ohio and her life in Ogden, Indiana. After the mid-1850s, many of the letters pertain to Cyrus and Emily's son Robert. He received letters from his grandmother, aunt, and cousins. He sent letters to his sister Emily while he lived in Ogden, Indiana, in the late 1850s and early 1860s. A cousin, also named Emily, wrote to Robert about African-American and white churches in Princeton, New Jersey, and her work as a schoolteacher (February 15, 1858).

Robert Lee wrote one letter about camp life and his poor dental health while serving in the 3rd Indiana Cavalry Regiment (October 3, 1861), and Emily shared news of Littleton, New Jersey, while he was away. Cyrus's sister Phebe wrote to her brother's family during this period. After the war, Cyrus and Emily Fisher Lee continued to receive letters from Emily's mother and sister. Elizabeth Benjamin, living in Lecompton, Kansas, sent letters on January 22, 1871, and March 13, 1871, discussing the death of her son Theodore, who died of a gunshot wound. The final letters, dated as late as 1903, are addressed to Elizabeth M. Lee, likely Cyrus and Emily's daughter. Later items also include a calling cards and a lock of hair.

The collection includes five photographs of unidentified individuals, including cased tintypes of a man and a young child, each with an ornate oval matte and preserver, as well as a third similar tintype portrait of a young boy which no longer has a case. A photograph of a United States soldier is housed in a hard metal frame that includes a fold-out stand; the frame bears the insignia of the United States Army infantry. The final item is a photographic print of a man, woman, and young child posing beside a house.

The collection contains a group of 13 printed and ephemeral items, including sections of the New-Jersey Journal and Political Intelligencer (April 21, 1790), True Democratic Banner (October 9, 1850), and New York Sun (May 9, 1936). Other items of note are a colored drawing of a house (1861 or 1867), printed poems ("Napoleon Is Coming" and "The Lass of Richmond Hill," undated), a price list for the works of Emanuel Swedenborg, a Hungarian Fund bond, and an advertisement for men's shirts and shorts with attached fabric samples. Three additional items pertain to births, deaths, and marriages in the Lee family.

Collection

Letters, Documents, & Other Manuscripts, E. L. Diedrich Collection, 1789-1987 (majority within 1795-1941)

0.25 linear feet

The E. L. Diedrich Collection is a selection of manuscript items compiled by his son Duane Norman Diedrich and dedicated to his memory. The content of these letters, documents, and other manuscripts reflect the life and interests of E. L. "Bud" Diedrich (1904-1988), most prominently subjects pertinent to government, business, and patriotic music.

The E. L. Diedrich Collection is a selection of manuscript items compiled by his son Duane Norman Diedrich and dedicated to his memory. The content of these letters, documents, and other manuscripts reflect the life and interests of E. L. "Bud" Diedrich (1904-1988), most prominently subjects pertinent to government, business, and patriotic music. Items include correspondence from early United States politicians, discussing aspects of the developing Federal government and political parties; letters respecting the U.S. Presidency; holograph manuscripts and correspondence respecting patriotic music, such as the Battle Hymn of the Republic; and much more.

The collection is comprised of over 50 letters, documents, manuscript songs, and photographs, and other items. For a comprehensive inventory and details about each item in the collection, please see the box and folder listing below.