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Collection

Alaska collection, 1889-1895

3 letters

The Alaska collection consists of three letters written by an Alaskan fisherman to his brother describing life in Alaska during the late 19th century.

The Alaska collection consists of three letters written by an Alaskan fisherman to his brother describing life in Alaska during the late 19th century. The author, who signed himself "Will," wrote the three letters to his brother Sam, from Fort Wrangle, Alaska (now Wrangell). Will's letters relate to life in Alaska during the early days of its settlement, with a particular focus on employment and on local Indians. Will, who owned a boat and fished for salmon, described his work and provided a picture of his life in the sparsely settled country. He focused on several aspects of life in Alaska, including the natural terrain and his encounters with local Indians, whom he believed to be immoral: "[in] some cases when the squaws are broke they are mighty glad to put in a night with a fellow & get two bits or some beans & bacon in the morning" (February 16, 1889). Will also repeatedly discussed the salmon industry and employment, including his occupation assisting the local marshal.

Collection

Blanding-Carpenter papers, 1818-1854 (majority within 1841-1852)

0.25 linear feet

The Blanding-Carpenter papers contain the incoming and outgoing correspondence of the families of Noah Blanding of Attleboro, Massachusetts, and James Blanding of Rehoboth, Massachusetts. Correspondents include friends and family members from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York.

The Blanding-Carpenter papers contain 70 incoming and outgoing letters of the families of Noah Blanding of Attleboro, Massachusetts, and James Blanding of Rehoboth, Massachusetts. Correspondents include friends and family members from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York.

Family and local news were frequent topics of conversation, as were illnesses and their treatments. Several friends reported news of acquaintances' teaching careers around New England. Others mentioned their travels, particularly within Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and some mentioned people who were considering a move to California during the Gold Rush. Though based in Bristol County, Massachusetts, each family received letters from a variety of locations, and several recipients spent time in Seekonk, Massachusetts; Providence, Rhode Island; and Brooklyn, New York. On one occasion, Nancy A. Blanding wrote her sister Elizabeth about a party she attended in Brooklyn (January 28, 1847). Childcare was also discussed; for example, Susannah Carpenter Blanding, then married to Nathaniel Arey (or Avrey), wrote about the growth of her children, and included a pattern for a child's stocking (September 12, 1852).

Collection

Camp Devens (Mass.) letters, 1917-1918

8 items

This collection is made up of letters that a soldier named Frank sent to his mother and siblings while training at Camp Devens, Massachusetts, in late 1917 and early 1918. He discussed his equipment, dental health, and other aspects of military life.

This collection is made up of 8 letters that a soldier named Frank sent to his mother and siblings while training at Camp Devens, Massachusetts, between December 8, 1917, and February 15, 1918. Frank mentioned physical conditioning, combat training, and outdoor cooking. He sometimes mentioned other soldiers, including another man from "Georgetown" who had taken to gambling. Frank noted when his friends were sent overseas or to different posts; he expected that he would go abroad around mid-February 1918. Frank's letter of February 8, 1918, contains a list of equipment he had received in preparation for overseas deployment. Though the military encouraged soldiers to travel home on weekends on account of food shortage, Frank regretted that he could not travel on account of that train fare. Several letters refer to Frank's dental problems and recommended treatment.

Collection

Camp Hancock letters, 1917

3 items

An anonymous United States Army sergeant wrote these 3 letters (18 pages) to his mother while serving at Camp Hancock, Georgia, between August and December 1917. "Herb," a member of Company D, 103rd Engineer Regiment, reported on his regiment's work laying pipes and about several aspects of military life.

An anonymous United States Army sergeant wrote these 3 letters (18 pages) to his mother while serving at Camp Hancock, Georgia, between August and December 1917. "Herb," a member of Company D, 103rd Engineer Regiment, reported on his regiment's work laying pipes and on several aspects of military life.

In each of his letters, "Herb" encouraged his mother not to worry about him, and he took pride in his work with the military and in his continuing advancement through the ranks; he was expecting a commission as lieutenant. He also mentioned some of his regiment's duties, which included laying pipes for newly constructed buildings at Camp Hancock and building temporary bridges for other units on bivouac assignments. Herb described other aspects of camp life, such as the comings and goings of other soldiers and his leisure activities, which included trips to nearby Augusta and football games. In two of his letters, he discussed the reorganization of the army's cavalry and artillery units, and in one letter, he mentioned English and French guest officers' instruction in trench warfare (November 11, 1917).

Collection

Charles Brewster Ross collection, 1874-1932

6 items

The July 1, 1874 kidnapping of four-year-old Charles Brewster "Charley" Ross from a sidewalk in front of the family home in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania became the first nationally publicized kidnapping for ransom case in the United States. This collection contains six items: one letter, a manuscript reward advertisement, handwritten notes, a pencil sketch portrait of Charley, a manuscript account of experiences with the main suspects, and an undated newspaper clipping related to the continuing investigation of the child's abduction, ca. 1909.

The July 1, 1874, kidnapping of four-year-old Charles Brewster "Charley" Ross from a sidewalk in front of the family home in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania became the first nationally publicized kidnapping for ransom case in the United States. This collection contains six items: a letter, a manuscript draft of a reward advertisement, handwritten notes, a pencil sketched portrait of Charley, a manusscript account of experiences with the main suspects, and an undated newspaper clipping-related to the continuing investigation of the child's abduction, ca. 1909.

The one Letter in the collection is from Charley Ross's father Christian K. Ross to Rev. Henry Whitney Cleveland, October 20, 1877; Philadelphia. 2 pages. In it, Mr. Ross states that he cannot help Cleveland publish a book as his time is spent searching for his missing son. Ross mentions the book he published on the case, lamenting that he published it using a subscription service as it limited its circulation.

Written on the verso of printed, illustrated stationery of the Haynes Hotel, Springfield, Massachusetts, the manuscript draft of a Reward Advertisement stipulates a $10,000 reward for the return of Charley Ross alive, promising not to seek out or discover the identity of the kidnappers. The page is headed "For Local Article."

Notes: Six pages of pencil notes on checkbook stubs, measuring approximately 9x4 inches. Dating from July 1, 1874, to an unknown point in 1909, the notes begin from the point of Charley's kidnapping, chronicling accounts of the case. First remarking that Christian Ross had "run down false clews [in a] vain attempt" to locate Charley, the unidentified writer continues with a sparse summary of the alleged kidnappers capture "at Fort Hamilton, L.I. [Long Island]" and Joseph Douglas's confession that "Mosher & I stole Charly [sic] Ross." The next entry, dated 1909, discusses one Wm. G. Eyster, whose claim to be the lost Charley Ross was rejected.

The notes conclude with a sketch of a man wearing glasses and a bow tie, with the caption "3 days to get it ready, $20,000," followed by what appears to be notes related to other kidnappings and reference to a "Jessy James."

Manuscript: On October 9, 1932, James H. Hall wrote a nine-page summary of George W. Murdock's recounting of his experiences with the main suspects in the Charles Brewster Ross kidnapping case, Bill Mosher and Joe Douglas, while his mother was in charge of the lighthouse in the Hudson River. Murdock recalled Mosher and Douglas attempting to sell them a boat, described the two men, and described encounters with detectives who searched their premises and read their mail. Hall speculated about the possible role of the boat in the kidnapping.

Newspaper Clipping: An undated clipping regarding one Mr. W.C. DeWitt, claiming to be the lost Charley Ross and giving a lecture, titled "The True Story of My Abduction."

Portrait: A pencil sketch of Charley with an inscription that reads,"at the time of his abduction. Then 4 yrs. and Walter, his 6-yr-old brother. Disappeared from the sidewalk, near their home. July 1, 1874."

Collection

Charles Miller letters, 1918-1919

6 items

This collection is comprised of 6 letters that Private Charles Miller wrote to his mother while serving with the Special Services Unit 649, an ambulance unit in the Convois Automobiles, in France during World War I. Miller discussed aspects of military life both before and after the Armistice.

This collection is made up of 6 letters that Private Charles Miller wrote to his mother while serving with the Special Services Unit 649, an ambulance unit in the Convois Automobiles, in France during World War I. Miller, who signed his letters "Chas.," discussed aspects of military life both before and after the Armistice, such as his quarters and his desire to join the regular army. He reported his excitement after hearing that Special Services Unit 649 would be receiving a commendation for bravery and occasionally commented on the war. During his time in France, he observed bombing raids and shelling, but believed "one would have to be terribly unlucky to get hit" (March 30, [1918]). After the war, Miller described his attempts to learn languages and anticipated his return to the United States. Miller's letter of April 27, 1918, is incomplete.

Collection

Chinese Women's Association donation requests, 1937-1938

7 items

This collection contains 7 items related to clothing drives and fundraising efforts organized by the New York City-based Chinese Women's Association to help Chinese war refugees during the early stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War. These include letters and postcards requesting monetary and in-kind donations, as well as reprints of related newspaper articles.

This collection contains 7 items related to clothing drives and fundraising efforts organized by the New York City-based Chinese Women's Association to help Chinese war refugees during the early stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). In two printed form letters, the association stressed the urgency of the situation in China, requested assistance from "China's sympathizers in America," and specifically referenced the necessity of food and clothing (November 1, 1937 and undated). Three undated postcards, two of which are addressed to Mrs. C. C. Morrison of Granville, Ohio, have preprinted messages asking for pledge to boycott Japanese products (1 item) and for donations of clothing and medical supplies (2 items). Two additional items contain reprints of three newspaper articles about the association's fundraising efforts; these include "Racial Group Breaks Precedent" (The New York Times, April 11, 1937), "Hope for China Seen in Women" (North Shore Daily Journal, January 12, 1938), and "Church Service League Will Aid China Refugees" (North Shore Daily Journal, January 12, 1938).

Collection

Clark W. Hatch collection, 1889-1891

3 volumes

This collection is made up of a letter book, stenographer's notes, and scrapbook pertaining to the trials of Clark W. Hatch of Boston, Massachusetts. Hatch was accused of murdering his uncle, Henry Hatch of Kit Carson County, Colorado, and, later, of defrauding his employer, the Travelers Insurance Company.

This collection is made up of a letter book, stenographer's notes, and scrapbook pertaining to the trials of Clark W. Hatch of Boston, Massachusetts. Hatch was accused of murdering his uncle, Henry Hatch of Kit Carson County, Colorado, and, later, of defrauding his employer, the Travelers Insurance Company.

The letter book (102 pages) contains correspondence regarding Hatch's arrest and trial for the murder of his uncle, Henry Hatch. Most items are copies of letters by William J. Lewis, an acquaintance of Clark W. Hatch. Lewis requested information from officials involved in the case, including a local sheriff, and on at least one occasion provided information on Hatch's movements around the time of the murder (September 5, 1889). Lewis also affirmed his loyalty to Hatch and urged the accused to maintain a calm demeanor, lest he raise suspicions about the funding of his legal assistance (March 3, 1890). The letter book also includes letters from Hatch and other parties interested in the case; some of these are pasted onto the letter book's pages.

H. C. Hollister, the official stenographer for Clark W. Hatch's initial trial under Judge Lewis C. Greene in Burlington, Colorado, in May 1889, composed typed copies of witnesses' testimonies (189 pages). Witnesses included Henry Hatch's acquaintances, the boys who discovered his body, and several people who had seen Henry Hatch or Clark Hatch around the time of the murder. Clark W. Hatch and his father-in-law, Orrin Poppleton, also testified. The testimonies provide details about Henry Hatch's life, Clark W. Hatch's life and occupation, and their mutual histories.

A 70-page scrapbook contains newspaper clippings about Clark W. Hatch's murder trials and his later legal difficulties. Most clippings are from the Burlington Blade, the Burlington Boomerang, and the Rocky Mountain News. The editors of the Burlington papers wrote about the case and its background, and shared their stances regarding Hatch's guilt. The scrapbook also contains recapitulations of Hatch's arrests and trials. Later clippings detail a late investigation into the forgery charges against Clark W. Hatch. The final clipping, dated May 1891, pertains to Hatch's disappearance.

Collection

Clements R. Markham papers, 1859-1910 (majority within 1859-1870)

1 volume

This collection is made up of over 40 printed reports, manuscript letters, and manuscript notes related to Clements R. Markham, a British geographer who traveled in South America and India in the mid-19th century. Among other subjects, the material concerns Markham's attempt to cultivate cinchona plants in India, as well as the Amazon basin and rainforest.

This collection is made up of over 40 printed reports, manuscript letters, and manuscript notes related to Clements R. Markham, a British geographer who traveled in South America and India in the mid-19th century. Among other subjects, the manuscripts concern Markham's attempt to cultivate cinchona plants in India, and it contains notes on the Amazon basin and rainforest.

The bulk of the collection pertains to Markham's work with Great Britain's India Office in the 1860s, including a lengthy printed report and supplementary memoranda about his efforts to introduce the cinchona plant, native to Peru, to India. Other reports and memoranda concern Indian coffee plantations, cotton production, oyster fisheries, and irrigation projects. The volume also includes descriptions of the Suez region, Abyssinia, and Bombay. Manuscript notes and translations in the back of the volume largely pertain to South America, including letters to Markham from an acquaintance in Lima, Peru, and notes on the missionary work of Antonio Machoni. Other manuscripts concern the Amazon region, cocoa plantations, the Napo River, and an Arctic expedition. The documents are calendared and indexed.

Collection

Clifton Springs Sanitarium collection, [1889]-1892

11 items

This collection contains correspondence and printed advertisements related to the operation of the Clifton Springs Sanitarium in and around the year 1892.

This collection contains 3 letters and 8 printed advertisements related to the operation of the Clifton Springs Sanitarium in and around the year 1892. In 2 manuscript letters to Mrs. M. E. Donaldson of Charlestown, Ohio, superintendent Dr. Henry Foster, responded to queries about the sanitarium's services, prices, and room availability. "The Sanitarium" sent a similar printed letter to Mrs. S. E. Greenleaf, originally accompanied by advertising circulars. A pair of printed circulars provide room prices, discuss the composition of the sanitarium's healing waters, and mention the institution's commitment to prayer and religious devotion. Each has an illustration of the sanitarium's main building. Other items are 2 dinner menus, a newspaper article about "A Mid-summer Week at Clifton Springs," 2 blank bath tickets with prices for various water-based therapies, and a pamphlet about the history of the sanitarium, with endorsements from former patients.

Collection

Daniel Morgan collection, 1764-1951 (majority within 1764-1832)

63 items

The Daniel Morgan collection is made up of financial records, legal documents, correspondence, and other items related to General Daniel Morgan and to Willoughby Morgan, his son.

The Daniel Morgan collection is made up of 63 financial records, legal documents, correspondence, and other items related to General Daniel Morgan and to Willoughby Morgan, his son. The majority of the collection consists of accounts, bonds, promissory notes, and other documents pertaining to Daniel Morgan's financial affairs. Accounts and invoices record Morgan's purchases of clothing, wagon-related equipment and services, and other items. Some of the later items do not concern Morgan directly but have his legal endorsement. Also included are two outgoing letters by Morgan, a 9-page legal document about a lawsuit against Morgan, and a deposition that Morgan gave in a different dispute. Other items are a bond regarding Morgan's marriage to Abigail Curry (March 30, 1773) and Morgan's political address to the citizens of Allegheny County about politics and the militia (January 17, 1795). Three of the documents pertain to enslaved and free African Americans (November 6, 1773; June 13, 1789; and March 28, 1799). Later items mostly pertain to the estate of Willoughby Morgan, Daniel Morgan's son. James Graham wrote two letters to unknown recipients in 1847 and 1856 about his efforts to write Daniel Morgan's biography, which he subsequently published.

Printed items include a map of the surrender of Yorktown (undated), a newspaper article from a Winchester, Virginia, paper about the possible disinterment of Daniel Morgan's remains (August 18, 1951), and printed portraits of Daniel Morgan with manuscript and facsimile autographs.

Collection

District of Carrollton (La.) letters, 1864

5 items

This collection contains 5 official copies of letters exchanged by United States Army officers regarding African American regiments in the Carrollton District of New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1864. The writers discussed topics including courts martial, troop transfers, commemorations of the Emancipation Proclamation, and soldiers' wives and families.

This collection contains 5 official copies of letters exchanged by United States Army officers regarding African American regiments in the Carrollton District of New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1864. The writers discussed topics including courts martial, troop transfers, commemorations of the Emancipation Proclamation, and soldiers' wives and families.

The box and folder list for this finding aid includes information about the contents of the letters in the collection.

Collection

Emile Tauzin commonplace book, 1852-[1865?]

1 volume

This commonplace book belonged to Emile M. Tauzin of Natchitoches, Louisiana, and at least one other author in the 1850s and 1860s. The volume contains French poetry and horoscopes, parlor games, and a letter draft about a Natchitoches resident's experiences during the Civil War.

This commonplace book (37 pages) belonged to Emile M. Tauzin of Natchitoches, Louisiana, and at least one other author in the 1850s and 1860s. The volume contains French poetry and horoscopes, parlor games, and a letter draft about a Natchitoches resident's experiences during the Civil War.

Four French poems (pages 1-2 and 34-36) include a tribute to the state of Louisiana, a poem dedicated to the author's father (dated September 6, 1854), and a poem about a small fowl. One poem, entitled "Tous les Braves," is attributed to Charles D. Paradis, who dedicated the poem to Tauzin. Horoscopes for men and women, also in French, appear on pages 19-29; the men's horoscopes are incomplete. One owner used the book to record several questions for a parlor game (pp. 3-18), each accompanied by 40 possible answers, both humorous and serious. The questions are supposed to foretell topics such as personality, marriage, future disposition, and the number of slaves the respondent would own.

A later owner used the volume for a draft letter to his or her aunts Mary and Josephine (pages 30-37). The letter begins on page 32, and is written over the French poetry on pages 34, 35, and 36. After expressing pleasure about hearing that the recipients also sympathized with the Confederacy, the author recounted his or her experiences during the Union Army's occupation of Natchitoches during the Civil War. According to the letter, federal troops raided stores for goods to distribute to former slaves, threatened to shell the town, and disinterred a child's body to search for valuables.

Collection

Fair American collection, 1801-1802

3 items

This collection is made up of 3 documents related to the Fair American, a vessel owned by Philadelphia merchant Stephen Dutilh. The ship was captured by a French privateer while sailing to Havana in January 1801.

This collection contains 3 documents related to the Fair American, a vessel owned by Philadelphia merchant Stephen Dutilh. The ship was captured by a French privateer while sailing to Havana in January 1801. See the Box and Folder list below for a detailed description of each item.

Collection

Fellows family and Walter Hollister letters, 1845-1892 (majority within 1845-1857)

46 items

This collection contains correspondence related to the Fellows family of Richland, New York (30 items), as well as letters addressed to Walter Hollister of Mexico, New York, and other recipients (16 items). Charles A. Fellows wrote to his family in Richland after moving to the Midwest in the 1840s; Walter Hollister received letters from friends and family in New York and Iowa.

This collection contains correspondence related to the Fellows family of Richland, New York (30 items), as well as letters addressed to Walter Hollister of Mexico, New York, and other recipients (16 items). Charles A. Fellows wrote to his family in Richland after moving to the Midwest in the 1840s; Walter Hollister received letters from friends and family in New York and Iowa.

Charles A. Fellows wrote a series of letters to his parents, Amos and Lovina Fellows, and his brother, Ira G. Fellows, after moving to the Midwest around 1843. Fellows reported on life in Racine, Wisconsin, and Ottawa and Pontiac, Illinois. Fellows urged his parents to join him on the frontier, described local scenery, and occasionally commented on crop prices. He received letters from family members in New York, who reported on news from Richland, including epidemics, family health, and local deaths; Fellows's sister Louisa also provided updates from Pulaski, New York. During the late 1840s, Ira Fellows received letters from Albert West in Troy, New York, in which West reported on his social life and visits to the local museum. A letter to Amos Fellows dated August 27, 1849, pertains to Charles's death.

The second group of correspondence (14 items) contains letters that Walter Hollister of Mexico, New York, received from family and friends in New York, Illinois, and Iowa between 1856 and 1884. The collection also contains 2 letters Darius C. Broughton received from his wife, Bedee Broughton, in 1863, and a Christmas greeting Broughton received from his mother while serving with the 147th New York Infantry Regiment in 1892.

Collection

George Erving collection, 1796-1816

13 items

The George Erving collection consists of letters and a document about Erving's financial affairs, such as his attempt to receive compensation after fleeing his Boston home during the Revolution. Other items include letters that Erving wrote to his nephew, Samuel Waldo.

This collection contains 12 letters and 1 document about George Erving's financial affairs and Boston commerce in the early 19th century. Eight items pertain to Erving, including letters that he wrote to his nephew, Samuel Waldo, and incoming letters from merchants in Boston and England. In one letter to Waldo, Erving complained about his inability to receive compensation from the British government following the British evacuation of Boston in 1776 (February 19, 1796), and one document grants him power of attorney for his nephew. The remaining 5 items relate to life in Massachusetts in the early 19th century; writers commented on the tea trade (January 26, 1802), vacationing (August 23, 1816), and the death of Salmon Chase (August 12, 1806), among other subjects.

Collection

Grew family collection, 1790, 1795

2 items

This collection consists of a commonplace book (approximately 50 pages) compiled by Ann Greene after 1790, and an account of a 44-day voyage John Grew and his family took from Liverpool to Boston in the summer of 1795. The 22-page travel diary also includes an 8-page copy of a letter Mary Grew, John Grew's mother, wrote to her family in England upon her arrival in Boston.

This collection consists of a commonplace book (approximately 50 pages) compiled by Ann Greene after 1790, and an account of a 44-day voyage John Grew and his family took from Liverpool to Boston in the summer of 1795. The 22-page travel diary also includes an 8-page copy of a letter Mary Grew, John Grew's mother, wrote to her family in England upon her arrival in Boston.

Ann Greene's commonplace book has two parts: 33 pages of transcribed poetry (24 poems) begin at the front cover, and 15 additional pages of personal reflections and letter drafts begin at the back cover. Much of the poetry was originally written by British authors whose work circulated widely in the eighteenth century, such as James Boswell, James Thomson, William Cowper, and Elizabeth Singer Rowe. Greene occasionally recorded the volume and page from which she transcribed poems. The other portion of the volume contains personal resolutions about making good use of one's time, interspersed with light-hearted notes about beaux or friends.

The travel diary records the Grew family's emigration from Birmingham England, to Boston, Massachusetts, in 1795. Daily entries, written between May 23 and July 8, 1795, detail several aspects of the voyage, such as the weather, passing ships, maritime wildlife, and the ship's progress. The diarist also mentioned an instance when another vessel mistook their ship for a French privateer, and the effects of a tumultuous storm.

The final 8 pages contain a copy of a letter Mary Coltman Grew (1756-1834) wrote to her mother in England from Boston, Massachusetts (July 24, 1795). She detailed her initial impressions of the city and of local customs. Among other topics, she reflected on the climate, housing, servants, dress, food, and religious customs. She also related an anecdote about Benjamin Franklin, who reportedly distributed printed cards to strangers in order to preempt any inquiries about him.

Collection

Henry Benton Austin collection, [1861]-1862

4 items

The Henry Benton Austin collection contains letters that Austin wrote to a woman named "Hettie" and a manuscript map depicting the Battle of Ball's Bluff. Austin commented on his experiences while serving in the Union Army during the Civil War and expressed his displeasure with a transient lifestyle.

The Henry Benton Austin collection contains 3 letters that Austin wrote to a woman named "Hettie" and a manuscript map depicting the Battle of Ball's Bluff. The map, drawn with ink and pencil, shows geographic landmarks such as the Potomac River and the road to Leesburg, Virginia, as well as picket lines, battery positions, and the Confederate Army's furthest point of advancement ([1861]). Two of Austin's letters pertain to his war service (January 26, 1862, and undated). He reflected on the Battle of Ball's Bluff, which he referred to as "a day of human butchery," and described a boat carrying wounded soldiers. Austin reported that his unit had been equipped with Enfield rifles, complained about poor drinking water, and mentioned soldiers' difficulty drilling with heavy uniforms, knapsacks, and cartridge boxes in high heat. In his final letter, also undated and unsigned, Austin discussed his case of the "blues" and dissatisfaction with a "roving wandering kind of life."

Collection

HMS Braak Salvage collection, 1888-1928 (majority within 1888-1889)

12 items

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.

Items include:
  • 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.
Collection

HM Sloop Penguin collection, 1814-1815

0.25 linear feet

The HM Sloop Penguin collection contains watercolor illustrations, photographs, a crew member's letter, and a journal, all related to the British cruiser that was sunk by the American Navy, just after the end of the War of 1812.

The HM Sloop Penguin collection consists of 4 watercolor illustrations, 2 photographs, 1 letter, and one journal.

The Watercolor illustrations series contains four scenic views, presumably of St. Helena or Tristan da Acunha, tall ships in a small harbor, two distinct land masses, and a small settlement with fortifications.

The letter, dated February 18, 1815, is from a HM Sloop Penguin crew-member, writing to his sister, Mrs. Samuel Trigge, in Chelsea, England. The letter recounts many of the Penguin's movements as they search for an American privateer that had recently captured an English ship. The letter describes the Penguin's upcoming trip, which they did not complete, from the Cape of Good Hope to St. Helena, then on to the Island of Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, and finally back to the Cape of Good Hope. The letter describes the author's employment prospects and the possibility of returning to England, as well as his observations of life at the Cape of Good Hope.

The photographs are reproductions of a silhouette of a military man, presumably James Dickinson, and of a fine pen and ink drawing of a ship in a storm.

The journal has a monogram on the spine reading "S B." The volume's 81 pages (148 blank pages) document the Penguin's voyages from August 17, 1814-March 22, 1815. The author dutifully noted wind and weather conditions and often included important events on the ship and ashore. The journal's daily entries vary from a few lines to an entire page, and ends on March 22, just one day before the Penguin's capture.