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The Hemenway family collection is made up of correspondence, documents, books, and other items related to the family of Asa and Lucia Hunt Hemenway, who worked as Christian missionaries to Siam (Thailand) in the mid-19th century. Most items pertain to family members' lives in the United States after their return in 1850. One group of letters pertains to the ancestors of Maria Reed, who married Lewis Hunt Hemenway.

The Hemenway family collection contains correspondence, documents, books, and other items related to the family of Asa and Lucia Hunt Hemenway, who served as Christian missionaries to Siam (Thailand) in the mid-19th century. Most items pertain to family members' lives in the United States after their return in 1850.

The Correspondence series is divided into two subseries. The Cotton Family Correspondence (26 items, 1819-1848) primarily consists of incoming personal letters to Frances Maria Cotton, whose father, siblings, and friends shared news from Vermont, New York, and Massachusetts. Her brother Henry, a member of the United States Navy, wrote about his travels to Cuba and Haiti on the USS St. Louis in the 1830s. The subseries also includes letters to Frances's father, John Cotton, and her husband, Joseph Reed.

The Hemenway Family Correspondence (116 items, 1857-1899) is comprised of letters between members of the Hemenway family. Lucia Hunt Hemenway wrote to her niece, Isabella Birchard, and her son, Lewis Hunt Hemenway, about her life in Ripton, Vermont, in the late 1850s and early 1860s, and corresponded with her sisters, Charlotte Birchard and Amanda Tottingham. Her letters contain occasional references to the Civil War. Other items include a letter from M. R. Rajoday to Asa Hemenway, written in Thai (March 23, 1860), and a letter from S. B. Munger to Asa Hemenway about Munger's experiences as a missionary in India (February 23, 1867).

The bulk of the subseries is comprised of Lewis Hunt Hemenway's letters to Isabella Birchard, his cousin, written between the 1860s and 1880s. He discussed his studies at Middlebury College, his decision to join the Union Army, and his service with the 12th Vermont Infantry Regiment, Company K, in Virginia in 1862 and 1863. He later wrote about his work at the King's County Lunatic Asylum in Brooklyn, New York; his medical practice in Manchester, Vermont; and his brief stint as a partner in an insurance firm in Saint Paul, Minnesota. His letter of February 16, 1877, includes a illustrated view of Saint Paul's city limits. Lewis and his wife, Maria Reed, corresponded with their children. Their daughter Clara also received letters from her grandfather Asa Hemenway.

The first item in the Diaries and Writings series is a diary that Lucia Hunt Hemenway kept while traveling from Boston, Massachusetts, to Thailand with other missionaries onboard the Arno between July 6, 1839, and September 21, 1839 (approximately 50 pages). She described her fellow passengers, discussed the religious meetings they held while at sea, and anticipated her missionary work in Thailand. A second item by Lucia Hemenway is a religious journal in which she recorded around 22 pages of Biblical quotations for her son Lewis from December 1, 1844-February 1, 1846. The final pages contain a poem entitled "Sunday School" and a list of rhymes that her son had learned.

The journals are followed by 15 speeches and essays by Lewis Hunt Hemenway. He composed Latin-language orations and English-language essays about politics, literature, the Civil War, death, and ancient history.

Maria Reed Hemenway kept a diary (39 pages) from November 20, 1875-[1878], primarily about her children's lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota, after September 1877. The final item in the series is a 47-page religious sermon or essay attributed to Asa Hemenway (undated)

The Documents and Financial Records series (7 items) includes Asa Hemenway's graduation certificate from Middlebury College (August 10, 1835); a documents certifying his position as a missionary for the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (June 29, 1839, and May 26, 1851); and a United States passport for Asa and Lucia Hemenway (December 26, 1838). Two account books belonged to an unidentified owner and contain records of debts and credits, dated December 1, 1830-December 1, 1831 (volume 1) and December 1, 1831-December 1, 1832 (volume 2).

The Photographs and Silhouettes series (9 items) includes silhouettes of Lucia and Asa Hemenway, photograph portraits of two Thai women, a portrait of an unidentified Thai man, and a portrait of King Mongkut. Two photographs show a tree and buildings near the missionary compound where the Hemenway family lived.

The Books series (22 items) includes volumes in English, Sanskrit, and Thai. Subjects include the history of Thailand, Christianity, and missionary work in southeast Asia.

A volume of Genealogy (approximately 40 pages) contains records pertaining to the births, marriages, and deaths of members of the Hunt family and their descendants, as well as a history of the descendants of Ralph Hemenway of Roxbury, Massachusetts. Manuscript notes and letters are laid into the volume.

The Artifacts and Fabrics series includes baskets, textiles from Thailand, coins, and bottles.

The Henry C. Gilbert papers consist of a substantial body of personal and business correspondence documenting a long and successful public career. As attorney, Indian agent, political hand, and Colonel of a regiment of Civil War volunteers, Gilbert served his state and nation for over twenty years.

The Henry C. Gilbert papers consist of a substantial body of personal and business correspondence documenting a long and successful public career. As attorney, Indian agent, political hand, and Colonel of a regiment of Civil War volunteers, Gilbert served his state and nation for over twenty years, giving his life in the cause. His letters, mostly addressed to his wife, Hattie (Harriet), are extremely literate, tinged with a good natured sense of humor, though occasionally a black humor, and a deeply felt affection for family and nation. At his best, Gilbert is a passionate, keenly observant writer who never minces his words or hides his opinions. His forthrightness and firmness of opinion come through in nearly every letter, as does his sense of fun and fair play.

The Gilbert papers are arranged into several series. The first four boxes comprise the main run of correspondence, both professional and personal, written between 1826 and his death in May, 1864. The correspondence begins in earnest after Gilbert's move to Michigan. The early part of the collection is dominated by letters stemming from his work as prosecuting attorney for Branch County, providing a limited indication of crime and criminality in rural western Michigan in the 1840s. There are three extensive reports on Branch County merchants prepared by Gilbert in 1845 that give an indication of their viability for credit agencies.

Gilbert's employment as an Indian agent is somewhat sketchily documented, though there is a very nice series of five letters written while Gilbert was distributing annuity payments in the upper Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula in the fall of 1853. The best of these includes a nice description of the Indian village at Cross Village at the northern limit of the Lower Peninsula. Unfortunately, Gilbert's letters from the field tend to be somewhat sparse of detail, and are generally shorter than average.

For many researchers, the heart of the Gilbert papers is the 210 letters written while he was colonel of the 19th Michigan Infantry. These letters form a complete and detailed history of the activities of the regiment from its formation in July, 1862, through the death of Col. Gilbert at the Battle of Resaca on May 13, 1864. Although the regiment was in the rear during much of this period, assigned to reserve duty with the Army of the Cumberland in Kentucky and Tennessee, they nevertheless provide an important perspective on the war, as well as on the attitudes, motivations, and duties of an officer. Gilbert was ideologically driven, and less concerned for self-glorification or promotion than for the ardent and ceaseless pursuit of the war against secession and slavery. While he did not follow the radicalism of his cousin, Theodore Dwight Weld, he was a moderate abolitionist and held progressive views on race relations. Some of his best letters are filled with a strident patriotism and calls to sacrifice for the survival of the Union.

The significance of Gilbert's Civil War letters lies in their documentation of the activities of the army of occupation in Kentucky and Tennessee. Although the 19th Michigan was not involved in many major battles prior to Resaca, Gilbert's letters paint a vivid picture of the brutality of the guerrilla conflict in East Tennessee and the resulting devastation. Gilbert leaves no doubt that he considered the situation to be an inevitable result of civil war and a necessity in meeting the political goal of ending the war and slavery. His transformation from a stern disciplinarian into a more ruthless and rigid commander under the pressure of guerrilla violence is a particularly interesting feature of the collection.

In one letter and in his diary, Gilbert provides an account of the Union debacle at the Battle of Thompson's Station and of his capture by Confederate forces. Information on his imprisonment at Libby Prison in Richmond is sketchy, but between his diary entries for this period and five letters a strong sense emerges of the physical and psychological hardships he endured. His toughness, though, resulted in his very rapid return to active duty.

Among other miscellaneous items of note in the collection is a humorous description of Gilbert's visit to the home in of Theodore Dwight Weld and Sarah and Angelina Grimké in Belleville, N.J. (1849 July 22). To his annoyance, Gilbert, the smoking, coffee guzzling carnivore, found that the lot of them were on the Graham system, eschewing meat, caffeine, and tobacco. Of equal interest are two exceptional descriptions of séances with one of the Fox sisters, held in Detroit in 1853 (1853 August 26, 29). Gilbert is at his literary best in conveying the emotional power of these séances and the mechanics of the séance itself.

Box 5 of the Gilbert papers contains correspondence and records relating to the Southern Michigan Railroad, 1848-1852. As the only one of three railroad lines planned for Michigan to be completed in the 1850s, the Southern Michigan Railroad established an important communications and commercial link between the eastern and western parts of the state. As President, stock holder, and chief lobbyist in Lansing, Gilbert was instrumental in securing passage of a bill in 1849 to help finance the construction of the line.

The Southern Michigan Railroad series contains a considerable body of detailed information regarding the laying out and financing of the line, including 74 letters received by Gilbert between June, 1849, and December, 1851, contracts, time sheets for laborers, surveys for right of way, and information on stocks and dividends. Additional information on the railroad can be found in letters from Gilbert to his wife, filed in the main correspondence series.

Finally, the Champion-Warner series relates to Gilbert's financial entanglements with his father-in-law, Reuben Champion, with whom he was often at odds. Most of these items are deeds and legal documents relating to the grist mill in Lima, Ind.

This collection is made up primarily of incoming correspondence to husband and wife Gilbert and Adeline James of Cherry Creek, New York. Their most prolific correspondent was Gilbert's brother Henry James, who sent 18 letters, most written while serving in Company C of the 7th Michigan Cavalry during the Civil War. Henry James wrote to his family about life at Maple Grove, near Saginaw, Michigan; camp life during training at Camp Kellogg, Grand Rapids; experiences fighting at Gettysburg and elsewhere in Pennsylvania; and his posting at Camp Stoneman, Washington, D.C.

This collection is made up primarily of incoming correspondence to husband and wife Gilbert and Adeline James of Cherry Creek, New York, 1855-1865. Their most prolific correspondent was Gilbert's brother Henry James, who sent 18 letters, most while serving in Company C of the 7th Michigan Cavalry during the Civil War. Henry James wrote to his family about life at Maple Grove, near Saginaw, Michigan; camp life during training at Camp Kellogg, Grand Rapids; experiences fighting at Gettysburg and elsewhere in Pennsylvania; and his posting at Camp Stoneman, Washington, D.C. Also included are three letters from George Bentley, apparently of the 112th New York Infantry, to Adeline James, 1862-1863.

See the box and folder listing below for detailed information about each letter.

The Henry Lewis papers contain letters that Lewis wrote to his brother George about the Civil War and about his artistic career, finances, and life in Düsseldorf, Germany, in the mid-19th century.

This collection contains 53 letters that Henry Lewis wrote to his brother George about the Civil War and about his artistic career, finances, and life in Düsseldorf, Germany, in the mid-19th century. Five additional items include a letter, 3 lists, and an advertisement.

From July 11, [1849]-October 20, 1851, Henry Lewis described his experiences traveling in the United States and Canada displaying his large panorama painting of the Mississippi River. He mentioned a cholera epidemic in Cincinnati, Ohio, and described Washington, D.C., as well as several states in New England and the Midwest. While in Canada, he visited Montréal, Hamilton, and other cities, particularly in Ontario. During his North American tour, Lewis often discussed his finances and occasionally reported his receipts from exhibitions. His letter of October 10, 1851, contains two drawings of Montmorency Falls in Québec.

After a four-year gap, Lewis wrote a second group of letters about his life in Düsseldorf, Germany. He responded to family news and provided information about his financial affairs. His letters from the mid-1850s often contain comments on political developments in the United States, his letters from 1861-1863 discuss aspects of the Civil War, often at length. Lewis wrote less frequently after 1865, and in his later correspondence mentioned subjects such as the Franco-Prussian War (December 12, 1870) and the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (April 16, 1876). The collection has one letter from Maria Lewis to George Lewis and three lists of paintings by Henry Lewis. A printed French advertisement for a published book on painters is located at the end of the collection.

The Hiland H. Weaver papers contain 11 letters written by an officer of the 3rd Iowa Independent Light Battery during his service in the western theater of the Civil War.

The Hiland H. Weaver papers contain 11 letters written by an officer of the 3rd Iowa Independent Light Battery during his service in the western theater of the Civil War. In his early letters, written in 1861, Weaver described camp life and his unit's eagerness to see action. On December 14, 1861, he said, "it is very uncertain when I will see you again but I hope it will not be very long. There is some prospect that there will be a…battle fought near here before long and the most of the boys are ancious to have a hand in it but some look rather pale when there is anything said about getting into a fight[.]" In 1864, Weaver exhibited a similar devotion to the cause, and wrote, "I do not care if we stay in [our winter quarters] as long as the war lasts for I am tired of running around the country and if Old Abe is reelected I think we will have this war brought to a close in less than six months…and we will have peace on honorable terms" (October 16, 1864). Weaver also ruminated on the harsh human cost of armed conflict as he described the devastation of a recent battlefield: "It is hard to see the destruction there is when an army passes through a country" (undated). In an undated fragment, Weaver provided a graphic description of battlefield casualties: "It was a heartrending sean there was men with their heads shot off and some shot all to pieces…and in fact any thing you may immagine." All together, Weaver's correspondence provides insight into the western theater of the Civil War, both at the beginning of the conflict and during its closing stages.

This collection contains the incoming personal correspondence of Horace Gair Chase and his wife, Ellen Marian Sherwin, throughout the mid-1800s. The Chases received letters from friends and family members, including cousins, siblings, and parents, who described their lives in Illinois, New York, and New Hampshire. Some correspondents, including Horace's father, shared their political opinions, particularly during the Civil War.

This collection contains 157 incoming letters to Horace Gair Chase and his wife, Ellen Marian Sherwin, during the mid-1800s, as well as a calling card.

Much of the earliest correspondence is made up of letters to "Hodge" (Horace G. Chase) from his brothers and father, who wrote after his move to Chicago in 1852. Many describe travel between New Hampshire and Illinois; in one letter, Horace's brother Charley compared the costs and itineraries of several travel routes (June 17, 1852). The elder Horace Chase often provided his sons with news of family members and acquaintances in Hopkinton, New Hampshire.

After 1859, much of the correspondence is addressed to Ellen Marian Sherwin, both before and during her 1860 marriage to Horace G. Chase. Friends and cousins wrote of their daily lives in Chicago and New York, and other topics, such as the death of Ellen's brother Edwin (August 5, 1861). Several writers mentioned the Civil War, most frequently expressing fervent devotion to the Union cause despite being occasionally disheartened. A few letters from this period are composed on patriotic stationery. After the war, Ellen's brother Johnny wrote from the USS North Carolina, offering his support for a Lincoln monument in Chicago and sharing the news of a friend's suicide (May 28, 1865). One item is a calling card for Mrs. T. E. Chandler.

This collection contains 19 letters, 34 legal and financial documents, and 2 additional items related to Mississippi judge James Moorman Howry and his son, Charles Bowen Howry. The Howrys' incoming correspondence concerns the governance of the University of Mississippi in the late 1840s, and the experiences of Mississippi residents and Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. The legal and financial documents primarily concern James M. Howry's land holdings in Oxford, Mississippi.

This collection contains 19 letters, 34 legal and financial documents, and 2 additional items related to Mississippi judge James Moorman Howry and his son, Charles Bowen Howry. James M. Howry's incoming correspondence consists primarily of letters concerning the governance of the University of Mississippi between 1846 and 1849. Charles Bowen Howry received 6 letters between 1860 and 1865, including 4 pertaining to southern perspectives on the Civil War. The legal and financial documents deal mostly with James M. Howry's land holdings in Oxford, Mississippi, and include indentures, tax receipts, and official appointments.

The Correspondence series is comprised of 19 incoming letters addressed to James M. Howry and to his son, Charles Bowen Howry ("Charlie"). The first 3 letters are personal letters that James M. Howry received from relatives and friends in the South. Among other topics, his correspondents shared family news, thoughts on religion, and notes about local politics. Between 1846 and 1849, professional acquaintances wrote 7 letters to Howry about the official affairs and governance of the University of Mississippi. Among these is a 12-page letter from an unidentified correspondent at the University of Virginia, who provided detailed information about the college's administration and students (April 15, 1848). Also included is a 2-page printed description of the Ravenscroft Seminary, enclosed with a manuscript note from one of its founders, Donald MacLeod (October 1, 1848).

Charles Howry's incoming letters consist of 1 personal letter from his father, James M. Howry, and 5 from his brother Henry and other friends, who wrote of their experiences during the Civil War. In 3 letters, Confederate soldiers discussed military life, their experiences with the army, and war news. Sarah Taliaferro, a female friend, expressed her anxiety upon hearing that Charles intended to go to war (July 19, 1861). She also drew a small pencil sketch of a horse's head and neck. Also of interest are Henry Howry's letters to his brother Charles. In his first, dated October 20, 1860, Henry described his studies at the University of Mississippi, and in his second he discussed his experiences at a Confederate Army camp, as well as the women within the camp (May 4, 1861).

The 34 Legal and Financial papers series contains 2 documents appointing Howry to official offices (both dated November 23, 1841) and 32 indentures, purchase receipts, property appraisals, and tax receipts concerning land James M. Howry owned in Mississippi. Of the latter, 17 predate the Civil War, 12 are dated between 1869 and 1883, and 3 are undated fragments. Most of Howry's land was located in Lafayette County, Mississippi, particularly Oxford.

The Invitation and Notes series holds 2 items: a printed invitation for John M. Howry to attend a party given for the University of Mississippi's trustees (July 8, 1845), and a brief genealogical note regarding deaths in the Carter family (undated).

This collection is made up of correspondence related to the Hubbard family of Vermont and Massachusetts. The letters concern aspects of life in mid-19th century New England, such as education, travel, and social activities.

This collection (31 items) contains correspondence related to the Hubbard family of Vermont and Massachusetts. The letters concern aspects of life in mid-19th century New England, such as education, travel, and social activities.

The first item is a letter from Silas Wright of Weybridge, Vermont, to Caleb Hubbard of Sunderland, Massachusetts (August 31, 1809). Wright discussed local political issues and expressed his support for Jonas Galusha in the gubernatorial race. The majority of the remaining correspondence is dated 1846-1862, and pertains to family and social news from Massachusetts and Vermont. Caleb P. Marsh wrote 2 letters to his cousin Nancy H. Hubbard ("Nannie") about life in Cincinnati, Ohio. Nancy Hubbard wrote to her siblings about her teaching career, and later received a letter from a potential employer who inquired about her desired salary. Other family members wrote about life at Plumbtrees (or Plumtrees), an estate near Sunderland, Massachusetts. Charles Alvord of Winsted, Massachusetts, and Elizabeth Hubbard's husband, George Alvord of Boston, Massachusetts, received 3 letters. In one of them, the Alvords' friend Charles W. Bunce mentioned the possibility of moving to California (June 14, 1849). On May 26, 1861, Stephen Ashley Hubbard's wife, Elizabeth Boyd, wrote about her concern for, and efforts to assist, Union Army soldiers, and expressed her fear that he would join the army himself. In addition to correspondence, the collection contains a poem about marriage (undated) and a bill related to the Western Rail Road (1842).

The Hubert S. Smith Naval Letters and Documents collection is made up of individual manuscripts relating to naval and commercial maritime operations.

The Hubert S. Smith Naval Letters and Documents collection is made up of over 380 manuscript letters and documents relating to maritime military, commercial, financial, and legal subjects from the 15th to the 20th centuries, primarily concerning Great Britain and America. The collection includes materials relating to Continental European wars, the American Revolution, the African slave trade, the Civil War, and exploratory ventures. The collection also reflects day-to-day ship operations and naval employment, diplomacy, marine technology, the purchase and sale of ships, insurance, and publications and books relating to maritime affairs. While primarily focused on English and American navies, the contributors discuss a wide variety of places, including continental Europe, the Baltic region, Russia, Asia, Turkey, South America, and Africa.

The Humphry and Moses Marshall papers primarily document the careers of botanist Humphry Marshall and his nephew and business associate, Moses Marshall.

The Humphry and Moses Marshall papers consist of 233 items: 181 letters (including drafts), 15 legal documents, 11 manuscripts, 10 poems, 4 account books, and several each of books, letter books, arithmetic notebooks, and broadsides. The materials span from 1721-1863.

The first series contains correspondence and a few legal documents and writings, arranged chronologically. The correspondence dates from 1733 to 1863 and is predominantly incoming. Humphry Marshall is the recipient of the bulk of the material (approximately 40%), followed by Moses Marshall (approx. 30%). The majority of the outgoing correspondence comes from the two "letterbooks" kept by Moses Marshall in 1791 and 1793. These books contain correspondence from a couple of days each, but provide a record of Marshall's response to inquiries from clients.

The bulk of correspondence prior to 1800 relates to Marshall's horticultural and botanical operations. Substantial numbers of orders are for plants and seeds from clients in other parts of the United States, England, Ireland, France, and Germany, and communications with middle men in the operation detail methods of packaging and shipping. Also of botanical interest is the correspondence with Marshall's "agents" in the field, including Moses Mendenhall, John and James Watson, Matthias King, Samuel Kramsh, and James Kenny. These men were admirers and friends of Humphry Marshall, and provided him with specimens collected from various regions of the country. The unsuccessful search for wild Franklinia alatamaha is mentioned in several letters (April 8, 1788: "There is not a plant of the Franklinia to be found"), and other letters include discussions of scientific expeditions either actualized or planned, mostly involving the participation of Moses Marshall. On November 14, 1786, Humphry described the logistics of tracking down ginseng, providing insight into the duties of plant collectors: "both of you being obliged to…encamp in the mountains strike up a fire & lie by it all night in the morning…climb up the sides of the mountains and dig towards evening…about 20 days in Going and Coming home again & digging the roots packing up &c." The content of the letters does not indicate the Marshalls' scientific interests or abilities, but this correspondence provides documentation for the complex network used by the Marshalls to collect, sell and distribute plants.

Approximately 18 letters relate to the Revolutionary War (see "Subject Index" under "Additional Descriptive Data"). These include letters that indicate Marshall's support for the nonimportation agreements (January 6, 1775), second hand reports of the Battles of Lexington and Concord (April 25, 1775) and of Yorktown (August 24, 1781), and an important series of correspondence from Samuel Preston Moore relating to the resignation of the trustees of the General Loan Office when American revolutionaries seized control (June 17 and 21, 1777). Also significant are two letters from Quaker conscientious objectors on the morality of paying taxes to support military activities (undated c. 1780 letter; July 14, 1781), a letter relating to the North Carolina Regulator insurrection (March 3, 1771), and one concerning the arrest by American forces of Quakers suspected of Loyalist sympathies (September 6, 1777). Finally, in the pre-Revolutionary period, the letters of James Kenny provide excellent descriptions of plant collecting and the area around Fort Pitt in 1759-60.

The items from 1840-1863 mainly relate to Moses Marshall, Jr. Most notable in among them are several letters from William Darlington written as he was preparing his Memorial to Humphry and Moses Marshall in 1848 and 1849. Moses, Jr's pro-Confederacy political views are clearly expressed in the series of three speeches written during the Civil War, also included in the series.

The Poetry series includes 10 undated poems. The Bound Materials series comprises the arithmetic notebooks of Jacob Martin, whose relationship to the Marshalls is unclear; Darlington’s manuscript, Historical Introduction to Bartram & Marshall, Marshall's copy of Dover's Useful Miscellanies; and nine uncut and unfolded sets of signatures from Arbustrum Americanum.