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The Elizabeth Rous Comstock papers contain letters and writings related to Comstock's family, her Quaker ministry, and her social reform activities. The letters span her entire career with the greatest concentration of correspondence centering on her work with the Kansas freedmen's program and her family life. In addition to the Elizabeth Comstock material, the collection includes content related to her daughter Caroline, her grandchildren, and papers related to the Kempton family.

The Elizabeth Rous Comstock papers (282 items) contain letters and writings related to Comstock's family, her Quaker ministry, and her social reform activities. The letters span her entire career with the greatest concentration of correspondence centering on her work with the Kansas Freedmen's Association and on her family life. In addition to the Elizabeth Comstock material, the collection contains content related to her daughter Caroline, her grandchildren, and to the Kempton family.

The Correspondence series (151 items) contains 123 items related to Elizabeth Comstock and her family. The bulk of the collection consists of letters written by or addressed to Elizabeth Comstock between 1847 and 1890.

• Elizabeth’s correspondence with her friends, acquaintances, and immediate family, particularly with her husband, daughter, and sister Caroline.
• Correspondence related to Elizabeth’s work with social reforms and social justice, primarily concerning her relief work in Kansas in 1879 and 1880.

The family and friends correspondence primarily relates to everyday life, such as work, homemaking, visiting, family life; contemporary issues such as the Civil War and slavery; and news of friends and family, including illnesses, marriages, and deaths. Elizabeth wrote many of the letters, which document her perspective on her work, her marriage and relationship with her husband, and on religion and the Society of Friends. Elizabeth’s preaching, charitable work, and travels are often mentioned in these letters, including her trip across the Atlantic in early 1884. These letters cover both theoretical discussions of religious topics and discussions of the Society of Friends, its policies, and its schools. A subset of these letters regards Caroline De Greene’s serious illness and "mental suffering" in 1870, which may have been related to childbirth. Also of note is a letter from Elizabeth Steere that describes her experiences living in the remote Minnesota Territory (December 9, 1856).

The second group of Elizabeth's correspondence mainly consists of letters between Elizabeth and Joshua Longstreth Bailey, a dry goods merchant and philanthropist, who assisted her in her work with the Kansas Freedmen’s Relief Association from 1879 to 1881. Elizabeth discusses the logistics of supplying newly arrived African Americans with food, shelter, and a means of subsistence, and relates information about the migrants and their experiences in both the South and in Kansas. Elizabeth shares, in depth, her perspective on this large migration, which she refers to as "the Exodus." An item of note is a letter from John W. Snodgrass proposing a plan to buy land to aid resettled former slaves in Kansas (May 3, 1881). Other items concern Comstock's work to improve the lives of former slaves and prisoners during the Civil War, including a letter from Ed Howland who wrote to Comstock of a "plan before Congress to change the whole plan of taking care of colored people" (February 3, 1865). B. Dornblaser, the warden at the Illinois State Penitentiary, wrote to Comstock about pardoning Frederick Marx from Kentucky who was "tricked" into buying a stolen mule (April 5, 1865). She also communicated with Thomas Story Kirkbride, superintendent of the Philadelphia Hospital for the Insane (March 6, 1870).

The collection also contains material related to her daughter Caroline and to Elizabeth's grandchildren. Much of this is correspondence between Caroline and members of her family, regarding news, daily life, traveling and visiting, religion, work, and school. Of interest are letters of reference for Caroline "Calla" De Greene in support of continuing her education and recommending her for positions teaching French and German at the college level (May 2, 1893, July 11 and October 5, 1898, May 10, 1905, and March 19, 1906).

The Kempton Family material consists of 26 letters, which largely concern religious issues, everyday life, and news of family and friends. These include the 7 earliest items in the series, from 1827-1828, with the rest scattered throughout.

The Commonplace Book and Diary series (2 items) contains an 1839 commonplace book (52 pages) of poems and essays inscribed as belonging to Charity Kempton. Many entries center on the theme of a loved one leaving on a sea voyage. These include passages called "Seamen's Hymn," "Matrimonial Chart," and "The Old Oaken Bucket." The second item is Elizabeth Comstock's 34-page travel diary (8 blank pages) during the summer of 1878. It contains Biblical verses, brief descriptions of places she visited, notes on her activities, and notes on religious services she attended.

The Poems Series (10 items) contains handwritten copies of poems, all of which are religious in nature. Included among the 9 unattributed poems are a cautionary poem on dancing and drinking, a 16-page poem called "The Ministry of Angels," and a poem entitled "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism: A Dialogue in Verse." The single attributed poem is a copy of William Cowper's "God Moves in Mysterious Ways."

The Corrections for Caroline Hare's Life and Letters of Elizabeth Comstock series (1 item) is 7 pages of notes and corrections for Caroline Hare's biography of Elizabeth Comstock (see the Related Materials section for information on the Clements' copy of this book). The comments range from grammatical edits to insights into personal events and her ministerial efforts.

The Miscellaneous Writings series (25 items) contains non-correspondence material including: religious quotations, miscellaneous notes jotted down on scraps of paper, Friends meeting minutes, recipes, and essays on religion and marriage. Most of these items are unattributed but are likely from Elizabeth Comstock, Chastity Kempton, and others. Of note is a three-page item containing "Dying expressions of Soldiers," including the last words of a soldier on the Battlefield of Fredericksburg (December 13, 1862), and those of a man about to be hung in Nashville, Tennessee. This series also contains instructions for refining sugar, and remedies for common maladies, such as heartburn, dysentery, snake bites, and nausea, "By the celibrated Indian Doctor John Mackintosh, of the Cherokee Nation; None of which have ever before been communicated to the world" (undated).

The Documents series (11 items) contains various official documents related to the Comstock and Kempton families.

• Elizabeth Comstock's ancestors’ 1740 marriage covenant between William and Mary Moore
• A deed from Isaac Steer to Aaron Kempton in Woodstock, Michigan (1845)
• A handwritten pass from Philip Henry Sheridan allowing Comstock and her companion Mary B. Bradford to travel by rail to Baltimore, through enemy lines (December 9. 1864)
• A document entitled "The Colored Exodus. A Statement of Monies Received from Various States, Canada, and England.
• Elizabeth's sister Lydia Rous' last will and testament (March 5, 1889).

The Accounts series (6 items) contains 3 lists of books to be sent to various Friends libraries and associations, 1 list of donated goods such as fabric and clothes addressed to E. Smith of Victoria Road, an 1875 bill for goods, and an item documenting money owed with interest for an unspecified purpose.

The Printed Ephemera series (24 items) includes miscellaneous printed material: passes to cross Union and Confederate lines during the Civil War; 8 "Bible Reading Leaflets;" two Quaker related essays; a fragment of a book labeled "Self-Communion" (pages 3-10); 4 poems (prayers); 4 event cards; and a catalogue for mechanical farming equipment. The collection also holds one of Comstock's hymn books entitled, Gospel Hymns and Sacred Songs (Words Only) , by P.P. Bliss and Ira Sankey. The handmade cover is reinforced with a portion of a postcard stamped March 9, 1878 (95 small pages of hymns).

The Newspaper Clippings series (50 items) is composed of printed items related to the Kansas Freedman's Relief program. These include several essays and articles written by Comstock and her colleagues, as well as newspaper stories about Comstock's activities aiding African American "refugees" in Kansas, who were suffering from sickness, poverty, and unemployment. Many of these include pleas for charity. The clippings come from newspapers across America, as well as from England.

The Prints and Photographs series (8 items) consists of 7 photographs, including 2 of Elizabeth and 1 of her daughter Caroline, one print of the residence of R. Hathaway in Rollin, Michigan.

• Elizabeth Comstock, taken in Philadelphia for De Greene, undated
• Elizabeth Comstock portrait, hand colored and in a small square wooden frame (Behind his photograph, as part of the backing, is a small picture of 7 angels with trumpets, clipped from a postcard).
• Carrie Wright De Greene O'Harrow, 1881
• Freddie Hare at age 4 ½, August 1874, labeled "for Carrie" (Carte-de-visite)
• Unlabeled picture of a girl, undated
• Woman reading (likely Caroline Hare), accompanying the letter dated February 22, 1882 (Carte-de-visite taken by J. Cooper)
• A portrait of a woman in a small metal frame accompanying the letter from March 16, 1870.

• A machine catalogue with images of: Cooks Sugar Evaporator, Cross-Cut sawing machine, a victor mill, vertical mill with sweep below, and a back-geared mill
• Ink sketch of Caroline Hare’s home in letter, February 13, 1870
• An engraved portrait of Comstock in a newspaper clipping from early 1881

Ella Dillard Bates, originally of Alabama, kept this diary from January to April 1862 while residing in the "upper country" of Georgia, likely in Bartow County. She wrote of domestic affairs, tending to her infant son, Horace, relationships with neighbors, gardening, her husband's travel and visits to plantations, and interactions with "servants," likely enslaved men and women. Occasional references to Civil War events also appear in the volume, as well as brief references to conflict with the likely enslaved "servants."

Ella Dillard Bates kept this diary from January to April 1862 while residing in the "upper country" of Georgia, likely in Bartow County. She wrote of domestic affairs, tending to her infant son, Horace, relationships with neighbors, gardening, her husband's travel and visits to plantations, and interactions with the household "servants," likely enslaved men and women. Occasional references to Civil War events also appear in the volume, as well as brief references to conflict with the likely enslaved "servants."

Ella's descriptions of Gustavus Bates' activities indicate that he was travelling to tend to business affairs, seemingly related to agriculture. He travelled to Allatoona, Acworth, Cartersville, Marietta, Covington, Cassville, Carsonville, and Atlanta and Ella noted instances when he dealt with corn and arranged for the slaughter and sale of hogs. At times, she wrote of him going to or returning from unnamed plantations, but his role at those sites is unclear. On several occasions, she referred to travelers staying with the family, including an African American man on his way to North Carolina (March 18).

Ella wrote of her infant son's health and development, daily activities, clothing, and relationship with his father. Several times she mentioned short trips taken with him, as well as the desire to get his ambrotype taken, "if he can sit still long enough." Entries also provide insight into the domestic work Ella Bates performed, including references to selling her butter, hardening lard, collecting broom straw, mending clothing, dealing with chickens, geese, and turkeys, gardening, and trading goods with neighbors. Ella also noted social visits and letters from family members, providing a glimpse into the work she performed tending to relationships and the family's social circle.

While Ella referred to those performing labor around her as "servants," it is likely that many if not all of these individuals were enslaved. Several people feature prominently, including Toney, of whom Ella wrote, "I think it is almost impossible for me to keep house without him" (January 3). Toney also appears throughout the volume performing various jobs like running errands or making deliveries, fixing Ella's garden, tending to candle molds, and other tasks. Likewise, a man named Ellick appears several times, running errands, salting meat, working with mules, and he appears to have had carpentry skills. Other named individuals who may have been enslaved workers appear only sparingly, performing various jobs.

Ella's diary provides glimpses into female domestic labor she oversaw. While unclear whether the women were enslaved, it is likely that they were. Mary and Francis labored in the household, cooking, cleaning, washing and tending to clothes, and other various tasks like sewing corn sacks and handling geese. Francis appears to have been pregnant, as Ella referred to her impending confinement (February 21). They may have also assisted in tending to Horace, as on April 7 Ella noted Mary falling with him. There are indications that a larger enslaved population was laboring for the family, including references to Francis "boil[ing] the hog feet & ears for the negroes" (January 8) and stopping with Gustavus to "see the servants plough" a field (April 11).

At times, the entries indicate conflict or resistance, including on January 13 when she wrote, "Some of the negroes have been trying to break in my hen house. I took Joe this evening and made him fix it up nicely." On January 17, she referred to May, a likely enslaved African American woman, as "impudent" and noted that upon being slapped "she was mad enough to knock me down." That same day she commented on Toney wanting to keep his clothes in the house, "if I do he will keep my dining room dirty all the time." Other events pertain to Mary who labored in the house, including her breaking a cup (January 20) and a workbox, which Ella accused her of doing to "steal my needles and thread" (February 17). Entries for February 21 and 22 refer to a man named Henry running away from a Mr. Cooper, and Ella commented about African American children "not let[ting] me raise many chickens this year" (March 28).

The diary includes passages that seem to imply conflict between Ella and a woman named Emma from Allatoona, who may have come to the Bates household with three young children (February 22). While unclear if Emma was enslaved, she may have been, as Ella wrote that "she is a splendid servant about a house" (February 24). Several days after the arrival, tension arose between Ella, Emma, and Gustavus, when Ella remarked, "Mr. Bates got so mad with me last night about Emma. He says he will never forget or forgive me for it as long as he lives" (February 27). On March 1, Ella acknowledged feeling jealous "about something I heard today it makes me sick," and on March 3, Ella stated her pleasure that Emma would be leaving; she departed on March 9, 1862.

Ella Bates occasionally referred to wartime events, including the fall of Nashville (February 26), Union forces taking "the engine from Big Shanty" (April 12 and 13), soldiers taking the railroad to Corinth (April 14), and anxieties about her husband enlisting in the Confederate Army (February 18, February 28, March 2, April 3, April 14). She also documented people in the household who ventured out to acquire newspapers, which may have been to follow wartime news among other purposes.

One page at the end of the volume appears to be a list of household tasks to accomplish, including those related to gardening, chickens, geese, and clothing. Several poems are also included at the end of the volume, including one entitled "Stone Mountain."

The inscriptions "Tennie Bates" and "T.M.B. Waverly Tenn" appear on the front pastedown and flyleaf, indicating the volume was in the possession of Tennessee Mae Bates, Ella Bates' granddaughter. Other names inscribed in the volume include "Aleck McClaren, Memphis Tennessee," "Miss Jennie Tidwill," and "G. H. Bates - 1861" suggesting Gustavus may have given the volume as a gift to Ella.

Fannie Preston's diary spans 120 pages and reflects her experiences during a stay in Baker County, Georgia, from November 1861 to September 1862, and of life in Baltimore, Maryland, from 1862 to 1863. Preston discussed daily life, wartime hardships, battles, Confederates, Confederate-sympathizers, African American people, slavery, religion, education, and wartime hardships.

Fannie Preston's diary spans 120 pages and reflects her experiences during a stay in Baker County, Georgia, from November 1861 to September 1862, and of life in Baltimore, Maryland, from 1862 to 1863.

Preston's writings while in Georgia include descriptions of daily life and wartime hardships. Preston was elated at finding something as simple as a "tangled skein of black silk" on the floor, having been forced to take apart old garments for thread to repair a dilapidated wardrobe (February 22, 1862). Preston's entries reflect the all-encompassing nature of the war, women's struggles on the home front, and her daily duties and responsibilities amidst the turmoil.

While in Baker County, Georgia, Preston worked as a teacher and taught a variety of fundamental topics to students. She considered herself somewhat proficient in "how to make a good grammarian, or a good reader, or to make [a student] proficient in History, Geography, Mathematics, etc." (January 23, 1862), but struggled with the belief that she did not know how to form her students' character. Deeply religious, Preston often included Christian teachings and practices with lessons.

After Preston returned to Maryland, she continued to write about the effects of the war on civilian life. On April 18, 1863, her family discussed heavy firing heard in the distance that morning, but still "returned to [their] various pursuits and meditations, as if [they] had not just admitted the probability of a murderous conflict within a few miles." This desensitization to war was not new to Fannie: "the idea of war, a year ago, tho' painful, was romantic", but her sensibilities were "somewhat deadened by familiarity with details of carnage and destruction" (March 21, 1862). Mentions of disputes over the American flag--as well as farmers learning how to deal with a lack of an enslaved work force--paint a picture of a Maryland occupied by Union forces, but whose populace leaned towards the Confederacy.

Preston, a Confederate-sympathizing Protestant, also wrote about her internal conflicts regarding slavery and whether it was ordained by God or was a sin. She questioned her personal duties and remarked on what she would do if "Providence made me the slave" (June 8, 1863). She consulted scripture for answers to these questions, but did not seem to draw a hard conclusion. Her brief description of African Americans in Georgia and Maryland during the Civil War includes building entrenchments, attending school, singing hymns, and continuing work as laborers and caretakers. These remarks provide glimpses of the lived experiences of African American communities during a time of extreme tumult. In October of 1863, she noted the passage of Black people escaping enslavement: "Some of them inform their mistresses beforehand that they are getting ready to leave. Most of the men have been gone some time, and every once in a while, the wife and children of one of the absentees disappear into the night carrying with them their effects" (October 18, 1863).

This collection consists primarily of letters that Rohloff and Philip Hacker wrote to their parents and siblings while serving in the 2nd and 5th Michigan Infantry Regiments during the Civil War. Also included are two of Rohloff Hacker's diaries, letters by additional Michigan soldiers and a female aid worker, and letters that William Hacker received from his brother Karl in Neustrelitz, Germany, from 1877-1880.

This collection consists of letters that Rohloff and Philip Hacker wrote while serving in the 2nd and 5th Michigan Infantry Regiments during the Civil War. The collection also includes two of Rohloff Hacker's diaries, letters by additional Michigan soldiers and a female aid worker, and letters that William Hacker received from his brother Karl in Neustrelitz, Germany, from 1877-1880.

Among the most valuable letters in the collection are Rohloff's written during the summer of 1861. These provide an excellent sense of life in the camps defending Washington, going beyond descriptions of the routine of camp life to discussions of morale, officers, and the preparedness of soldiers on both sides. Rohloff describes the equipment and uniforms issued to his Regiment -- late and in poor condition -- in great detail, and their involvement in skirmishes and in the 1st Battle of Bull Run. He displayed an unusual zeal in soldiering, remarking that he did not hesitate in firing at Confederate soldiers, even the first time, and making a number of caustic remarks about Confederate soldiers. The amusing rivalry he and Philip carried on through their correspondence with home over their regiments and relations with friends and women decreased after the First Battle of Bull Run, and seems to have ended altogether after the Peninsular Campaign, when both their moods turned darker and more serious. The brothers both wrote informative letters during the Peninsular Campaign, particularly during the siege of Yorktown, the Battle of Williamsburg, and the Seven Days' Battles. The letters describing the Battle of Fredericksburg are also absorbing, particularly Philip's account of his own wounding. Somehow, through their experiences, which included a number of disastrous defeats at the hand of the enemy, both brothers unwaveringly maintained their faith in their country and their religion.

Rohloff and Philip wrote clearly and succinctly, and both were sensitive to the larger issues of the conflict and to the effect of war on the participants and civilians. Both commented occasionally on strategy and the leadership of the Union Army. Philip's letters are somewhat more polished than Rohloff's. The majority of the brothers' letters were written to family members, with most addressed to their father and mother, William and Barbara Woll Hacker, their younger siblings, Serena and Theodore, or their sister and brother-in-law Augusta and Alpheus Macomber in various combinations. Rohloff also wrote more than 30 letters to his former employers, E.F. Albright and C. Thomson, or Mrs. Albright.

The collection contains letters of several other Michigan soldiers, most of who served with the Hackers, or were friends of the Hacker family from Brighton. Among these are four letters from Peter Smith (Co. G, 2nd Michigan), reminiscing about his friendship with Rohloff and describing visits to his grave; five from Newton J. Kirk (Co. E, 26th Michigan Infantry); four from Capt. John C. Boughton (Co. G, 2nd Michigan), two letters of Edward R. Bliss (4th Michigan Infantry), and six letters written in February and March, 1863, by W. H. Pratt, a Sergeant in the hospital in which Philip Hacker was dying (probably William H. Pratt, Co. E, 26th Michigan Infantry). Another group of additional correspondence consists of 16 letters that Julia Susan Wheelock wrote about her work for the Michigan Soldiers' Relief Association in Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia between 1863 and 1866. Wheelock is also mentioned in several of the soldier's letters. In 1870, Wheelock published a memoir of her war-time experiences, The Boys in White; the Experience of a Hospital Agent in and around Washington.

The collection also contains a group of 5 letters that Karl Hacker wrote to William Hacker, his brother, from Neustrelitz, Germany, between September 16, 1877, and February 12, 1880. The letters are written in German schrift. Hacker's correspondence concerns local news and events, including several festivals; changes in Neustrelitz and Germany since William left for the United States; and his work as a construction supervisor. He provided updates about his health, and also discussed news of family members and friends in the United States and Germany.

The collection also contains The Congregational Psalmist: A Collection of Psalm Tunes, three soldier's bibles, two belonging Rohloff C. Hacker and one from Alexander Reuben that also has Philip W. Hacker's name in it, a leather wallet with Philip Hacker and William A. Ferguson's name on it, and a sewn cloth case. Miscellaneous items such as newspaper clippings, stamps, hunting licenses, currency, 4 photographs, and photographic negatives are also included. A small selection of 20th century family correspondence about the Hacker brothers supplement the collection.

The Hamilton-Schuyler family papers contain correspondence, a diary, and documents related to the family of James Alexander Hamilton, including his daughter, Eliza Hamilton Schuyler; son-in-law, George Lee Schuyler; and granddaughter, Louisa Lee Schuyler. The material pertains to upper-class life in New York during much of the 19th century.

The Hamilton-Schuyler family papers (approximately 110 items) contain material related to the family of James Alexander Hamilton, including his daughter, Eliza Hamilton Schuyler; son-in-law, George Lee Schuyler; and granddaughter, Louisa Lee Schuyler. The papers provide insight into upper-class life in New York throughout much of the 19th century.

The Correspondence series (78 items) makes up the bulk of the collection. George Lee Schuyler composed much of the earliest correspondence in the collection, informing his brother William of his experiences while away at school in Bloomingdale, New York; one of these is written in Spanish. Other early material in the collection describes Hamilton family vacations, including several letters by James A. Hamilton written while he toured Europe in 1836 and 1837. These letters are notable not only for their descriptions of 19th-century Europe, but also for Hamilton's opinions on the financial crisis that developed in the United States during the Panic of 1837. Later correspondence includes letters written to Louisa Lee Schuyler concerning her charitable work, particularly focusing on her advocacy of humane care for the mentally ill. In addition to loose correspondence, the collection includes a letterbook outlining the contents of "Correspondence between Mrs. G. L. Schuyler (Eliza Hamilton) & Rev. Orville Dewey" (1848-1863). Many of these letters are represented by excerpts, and include Schuyler's reactions to the Civil War.

Louisa Lee Schuyler composed the collection's Diary from January 1-June 3, 1861, about the opening stages of the Civil War. She witnessed sermons by Henry Bellows and Henry Ward Beecher, and attended several theater performances by Edwin Booth.

The Documents and Photograph series (4 items) includes a military commission signed by Lewis Cass (June 30, 1832), a detailed household inventory for the Schuyler family farm (1848), a marriage certificate (March 1, 1856), and a photograph of Julia Boggs Livingston (Undated).

The School Papers series (15 items) is made up of two subseries, both related to the education of George Schuyler. The first subseries, Marks and Rewards of Merit (4 items), contains accolades for high performance. School Exercises (11 items) in language and mathematics comprise the second subseries, reflecting work in French and trigonometry.

The Writings series consists of 4 political essays by various authors, with occasional comments by George Schuyler; 5 typed memoirs and reminiscences, including an outline for an autobiographical sketch by Eliza Hamilton Schuyler; a typed copy of a poem by Washington Irving (to Rebecca McLane, beginning "There's a certain young lady"); an acrostic poem entitled "The Heron to the Ibis, with the Compliments of the Season: A Key to Egyptian Hieroglyphics" (1868); and a notebook containing genealogical and correspondence information, 1830-1863.