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Collection

Aaron H. Ingraham papers, 1861-1862

12 items

This collection contains 12 letters from Union soldier Aaron Ingraham to his parents and sisters from 1861 to 1862, while he served in the 48th New York Infantry. Ingraham described his experiences at Camp Sherman in Washington D.C.; Annapolis, Maryland; Hilton Head, South Carolina; Camp Perry at Daufuskie Island, South Carolina; and Fort Pulaski, Georgia.

The Aaron H. Ingraham papers contain 12 letters from a Union soldier to his parents and sisters from 1861 to 1862, while he served in the 48th New York Infantry. In them, he provided a description of his daily activities and responsibilities, and included basic information on troop movements. As Ingraham traveled from Camp Sherman in Washington D.C. to Annapolis, Maryland, Hilton Head, South Carolina, Camp Perry at Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, and finally to Fort Pulaski, Georgia, he described each of these settings. For instance, he reported that Annapolis was "a mere nothing, the houses being of inferior size and quality. The streets narrow and running in every direction but straight and there is naut of life and activity which makes it seem like anything but a northern city." In a letter to his sister, he mentioned a conversation with a free African American woman in Annapolis about her children whom had been taken north (October 17, 1861). Later letters concern the fortifications of Hilton Head and the effectiveness of mail delivery to the forts. Though he often described the monotonous life of a soldier, and complained about poor food and his lack of money, he used his keen sense of observation to highlight interesting events in the forts. The January 20, 1862, letter provides a wonderful account of eating at the fort and his excitement about receiving ginger snaps and bread in the mail. In this letter he also mentioned a friend who drowned after walking over the side of a boat in his sleep. Letters from November 29, 1861, and February 12, 1862, both recount instances of friendly fire. Ingraham wrote the letter of March 30, 1862, from Fort Pulaski, just after the Union captured the fort. He reported a rumor that Jefferson Davis was captured by Union troops, but he believed the rumors unfounded. While he held strong anti-Confederate views, he was not an abolitionist. In the final letter in the collection, he noted that slavery should simply be allowed to die out or at least contained in current slave territories.

The letter from January 9, 1862, has a red and blue patriotic engraved image of a woman carrying an American flag.

Collection

Abbot family papers, 1887-1905

2 linear feet

Online
The Abbot family papers consist of letters written to Charles Abbot from his wife and family members in Warren, Rhode Island, describing their lives and the development of Abbot's daughter, Grace.

The Abbot family papers consist of letters written to Charles Abbot from his family in Warren, Rhode Island. The majority of the letters are from his wife Marcia, but letters from his parents and friends are also part of the collection.

The letters primarily describe the lives of Marcia and others living in Warren, including news and events, parties and entertainments, and social gatherings with friends and the local elite. What is best documented in this collection is the development and education of the Abbots' daughter Grace. Marcia writes about her involvement as a parent (such as what to read to Grace), and Grace's activities, and sends her daughter's drawings or short notes with many of the letters. Abbot's service and the news about the United States Army are occasionally mentioned.

Included with the correspondence in this collection are numerous drawings by Grace, a few newspaper clippings of local interest, and 6 cyanotypes. The theme of most of the photographs is a Fourth of July parade, two of which include Grace (with letters of Apr. 11, 1903 and July 10, 1898). Also included are two faded images of Grace with a violin (with letter of May 29, 1903).

Collection

Abbott and Amos Lawrence collection, 1831-1885

36 items

This collection is made up of letters by Amos Lawrence (1786-1852), his son Amos Adams Lawrence (1814-1886), and his brother Abbott Lawrence (1792-1855). They discussed financial and business matters, politics, and personal news.

This collection is made up of letters by Amos Lawrence (1786-1852), his son Amos Adams Lawrence (1814-1886), and his brother Abbott Lawrence (1792-1855). One engraved portrait of Abbott Lawrence and a letter by S. K. Lothrop acknowledging the death of Abbott Lawrence completes the collection. The Lawrences addressed subjects such as Henry Clay, the National Republican Party, education and schools, cotton mills, and national finance. Later items pertain to Amos Adams Lawrence's business affairs, including the construction of railroads in Massachusetts. A printed obituary for the elder Amos Lawrence is pasted into one letter (January 6, 1836). For more information on each item, see the Detailed Box and Folder Listing.

Collection

Abbott family papers, 1881-1922 (majority within 1912-1922)

0.75 linear feet

Online
The Abbott family papers consist primarily of the correspondence of Bessie Abbott, an aspiring singer and stage performer, written to her family during the early 20th century.

The Abbott family papers consist primarily of the correspondence of aspiring vocalist Bessie Abbott, written to her parents and other family members in the early 20th century.

The Correspondence series makes up the bulk of the collection, and covers the years 1881-1922. The earliest letters in the collection originated from a variety of Abbott family members and acquaintances. Of particular interest is an item describing Bessie and Stanley's time in a tent city in Coronado, Mexico (June 19, 1907). After 1912, Bessie was the primary correspondent, and in her letters she discussed aspects her life during her late 20s. In the personal, richly detailed letters from 1912-1914, Bessie described her time in Brooklyn, New York, where she studied with a vocal coach. In 1913, she took a vacation to Washington, D. C. for the Wilson inauguration, and, while there, injured her hand and, as a result, initiated an unsuccessful insurance dispute. After her return to California in 1914, Bessie wrote more frequently about her health and, after a subsequent move to Hawaii, her continued professional success. Following her stint in Hawaii, Bessie's correspondence focused more heavily on business interests, and, in a late series of letters written in the early 1920s, she wrote about her travels throughout southeast Asia, including visits to the Philippines and to Saigon.

Other correspondents represented in the collection include Will Abbott, Bessie's brother; Stanley Howland, Bessie's husband; and Tracy and Linnie Abbott, Bessie's parents.

The Photographs and miscellaneous series includes the following three items:
  • A photograph of an unidentified man, taken by Eduard Glaubach in Greifswald, Germany, on March 10, 1880
  • A Christmas card, signed by Billy Warren
  • A program from a music recital in Honolulu, Hawaii
Collection

Abigail Allen family papers, 1829-1838 (majority within 1837)

8 items

The Abigail Allen family papers contain seven letters written to Allen by various family members, who discussed the economic impact of the Panic of 1837, 19th-century education, and social news from New Haven, Connecticut.

The Abigail Allen family papers contain 8 letters written to Allen by various family members, who discussed the economic impact of the Panic of 1837, 19th-century education, and social news from New Haven, Connecticut. Abigail knew several teachers, who shared information about their schools, including recent lectures; they also remarked about the education of Abigail's younger sister. Her father, James Brewster, mentioned his business affairs several times, including the "dreadful conflagration which we have experienced," which destroyed much of his shop's stock (March 1, 1836). In another letter, he described the economic mood of New Haven just prior to the Panic of 1837, and told Abigail, "It is awful times here, there have been a great many failures" (May 5, 1837). Abigail's mother echoed the sentiments, but concentrated her letters more on family news and on domestic updates about mutual friends, including a discussion about a difficult local birth (May 11, 1837). The letters depict social and economic life in New Haven in the late 1830s.

The final letter in the collection, by Joseph B., relates a lengthy tale about being attached by "a party of Robbers & assassins." The writer walked though a wood near his uncle Lester's farm is near a forest, when he was attacked. " … a party of Robbers & assassins surrounded me … Instead of presenting their pistols to my throat & demanding my purse as I often heard they did--they attacked me with daggers--plainly shewing their object my blood & not my purse." He tried to resist but the group of three robbers had reinforcements, which caused him to flee. He fell in the swamp and sustained injuries from the robbers' knives before nearby farm hands heard his cries for help. In a postscript, Joseph B. reveals his jest when he states that the suspect of the crime "is discovered to be one of that murderous gang, so celebrated in both novels & [?] as the New Rochelle musquitoe" (September 4, 1838).

Collection

Abigail Clark Farley collection, [1863]-1872

36 items

The Abigail Clark Farley collection is made up of essays, poetry, letters, and fiction that Farley wrote around the 1860s and 1870s. Topics include slavery, the Civil War, Seventh-day Adventists, and the state of Wisconsin.

The Abigail Clark Farley collection is made up of approximately 150 pages of essays, poetry, letters, and fiction that Farley wrote around the 1860s and 1870s. Some individual items contain more than one work, and she occasionally practiced decorated penmanship. The lengthiest item is a story entitled "Slander," a 52-page work (pages 5-8 are not present), and other essays or letters are as long as 4 pages. Though most items are attributed to Abigail Clark (later Abigail Farley), some are excerpts from other sources, such as "The Narative of Lewis Clark" [sic].

Around the time of the Civil War, Farley wrote essays expressing her opposition to slavery and her feelings about the war's high death toll. In many letters, poems, and essays, she commented on Seventh-day Adventism, various religious and moral topics, and friendship. Other essays and copied poems concern nature and the geography of Wisconsin. A group of elegiac poems are accompanied by genealogical notes. The collection includes a brief biographical note about Queen Victoria.

Abigail Farley's letters include an item written under a male pseudonym chastising a female acquaintance for unbecoming behavior (October 7, 1865) and a letter to Ellen G. White about her new husband's abusive behavior (March 28, 1871). One manuscript concerns a prophecy that came to Quaker minister Joseph Hoag. Small ink drawings of birds appear on one page of poems. One item documents partial terms for Abigail Clark's employment as a penmanship instructor. The collection includes recipes for lemon pies, rheumatic drops, several kinds of cake, and nerve ointment.

Collection

Abner H. Cheever papers, 1816-1837

19 items

This collection contains correspondence between Abner H. Cheever, an early migrant to Indiana, and his sister, Thankful, and brother-in-law, Captain John Webster, in Vermont. The collection includes letters written during Cheever's trip to Indiana via Kentucky in 1816-17, and contains accounts of the hardships the family faced when settling in Indiana.

The Abner H. Cheever papers are comprised of 19 letters to and from Abner H. Cheever, an early migrant to Indiana, his sister, Thankful, and brother-in-law, Captain John Webster, of Vermont. The collection includes letters written during Cheever's trip to Indiana via Kentucky in 1816-17, and contains accounts of the hardships the family faced when settling in Vernon, Geneva, and Jennings Counties in the southeast corner of the state. Cheever describes various misfortunes, such as family sickness, the death of his wife Polly, and personal vendettas waged against them by relatives. He often writes of God's role in his life; in an undated letter, Cheever writes of the death of his wife Polly: "I feel that God is Chastising me for my disobedience and hope and pray that I might not turn a deaf ear to His call.”

Collection

A. B. Pinkham report, 1830

1 volume

Alexander B. Pinkham sailed from Boston, Massachusetts, to Brazil with a crew of boys on the brig Clio in 1829 and 1830. In his report to William Coffin, president of the board of trustees for the Coffin School of Nantucket, Massachusetts, Pinkham discussed his experiences during the first leg of the voyage, intended to teach the boys the art of sailing.

Alexander B. Pinkham sailed from Boston, Massachusetts, to Brazil with a crew of boys on the brig Clio in 1829 and 1830. In his 18-page report to William Coffin, president of the board of trustees for the Coffin School of Nantucket, Massachusetts, Pinkham discussed his experiences during the first leg of the voyage.

The Clio sailed from Boston on December 23, 1829, and reached Brazil around 66 days later. Pinkham wrote his report on May 23 and 24, 1830, after visiting Rio Grande and Porto Alegre. He recounted incidents from the outbound voyage, such as his failed attempt to commemorate the ship's crossing of the equator (pp. 5-6), and frequently mentioned his attempts to instruct the boys under his care. After reaching Brazil, where they unloaded cargo, the crew remained on shore while the Clio was repainted, and Pinkham reported his anxiety about possible robbery (p. 3, 5). He also mentioned the crew's encounter with a village inhabited by German immigrants (pp. 13-14). The report is interrupted by Pinkham's account of an encounter with a British vessel, which occurred on May 24, 1830, before he began the second half of his letter (pp. 8-9). The British officers threatened to fire on the Clio following Pinkham's refusal to provide the ship's papers. Near the end of the document, Pinkham referred to personal criticisms by residents of Nantucket and shared his hope that his reputation would be salvaged (pp. 18-19).

Collection

Abraham and John Krewson letters, 1863-1865

7 items

This collection is made up of letters that Sarah Ann Krewson of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, received from her husband Abraham and her son John during the Civil War. Abraham H. Krewson served with the 174th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment in South Carolina in 1863, and John Krewson served with the 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery Regiment, Battery F, in the South in 1865.

This collection is made up of 7 letters that Sarah Ann Krewson of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, received from her husband Abraham and her son John during the Civil War. Abraham H. Krewson wrote 3 letters to his wife from Port Royal and Beaufort, South Carolina, between February 1, 1863, and May 17, 1863. He commented on his journey to Port Royal, during which Confederate forces captured four Union vessels; finances, including bounty payments; and the proximity of Confederate troops at Beaufort. His final letter contains a list of food prices.

John Krewson, Sarah and Abraham's son, wrote 4 letters to his mother: 3 are dated April 3, [1865]-September 12, 1865, and 1 is undated. He expressed his belief that the war would soon end and described his work on a Virginia farm, where he grew corn. While working on the farm, he mentioned his ability to "cheat the goverment" (September 12, 1865).

Collection

Abraham Bell papers, 1812-1901 (majority within 1830-1854)

1.5 linear feet

The Abraham Bell papers contain correspondence and financial documents related to Abraham Bell & Co., an early 19th-century New York City shipping firm owned by Abraham Bell.

The Abraham Bell papers contain correspondence and financial documents related to Abraham Bell & Co., an early 19th-century New York City shipping firm owned by Abraham Bell. The majority of material in the Correspondence series is addressed to either Abraham Bell or to his company, and relates to various business affairs, often concerning payment or delivery of goods. Many of the letters originated from European firms, including a letter from Collman, Lambert & Co. in Liverpool, written on stationery that includes a printed list of current prices for cotton and related goods (February 8, 1837).

The Receipts and financial papers series consists of non-correspondence items related to the operation of Abraham Bell & Co. throughout the early and mid-1800s. These include records of payment and lists of cargo carried aboard Bell's ships, as well as several documents relating to loads of street manure in 1839. Several early items within this series pertain to the ship Josephine.

Fifteen Account and receipt books provide information about Bell's financial endeavors throughout the period in explicit detail, covering the years 1840-1868. A letter book contains copies of letters written by Abraham Bell between October 16, 1833, and August 15, 1834.

Miscellaneous items in the collection include an indenture for land in New Jersey belonging to the Budd family (December 25, 1812), and a record of fiscal accounts between Abraham Bell & Co. and [Malionson] Bell & Co. (June 30, 1836).

Collection

Abraham Lincoln collection, 1845-1902 (majority within 1856-1865)

26 items

The Abraham Lincoln collection contains 15 letters and documents written by Lincoln and 11 letters concerning Lincoln or the Lincoln family.

The Abraham Lincoln collection contains 26 items by or pertaining to Abraham Lincoln, and spanning [ca. 1845] to 1865, with the bulk of materials concentrated in the years 1856 to 1865. See the "Detailed Box and Folder Listing" for an inventory of the items.

Collection

Abraham Whipple papers, 1763-1793

0.25 linear feet

The Abraham Whipple papers contain letters and documents relating to Whipple's employment with Rhode Island merchant Nicholas Brown and Company (1763-1767), and his service in the Continental Navy, 1776-1780. The collection documents his 1778 mission to France, his role in the southern naval operations during the Revolutionary War (1780), and various other letters, bills of lading, accounts, and receipts.

The Abraham Whipple papers (84 items) contain 51 letters, 1 letter book, and 32 documents relating to Whipple's employment with the Browns of Providence (1763-1767) and his service in the Continental Navy, 1776-1780. Represented are his 1778 mission to France, his role in the naval operations at Charleston (1780), a memorial of Whipple's services in the American Revolution, his financial accounts with Congress, and various other letters, bills of lading, accounts, and receipts.

The earliest 9 items relate to Whipple’s career as commander of the privateer Game Cock and as an employee for Nicholas Brown Company on the Sloop George (1763-1767). Included are receipts, bills, and sloop accounts, largely for transporting food, supplies, and, in once instance, slaves.

Of note:
  • February 9, 1763: Shipping receipt for shipping two slaves from New York to Rhode Island
  • February 28, 1764: Detailed directions from Nicholas Brown and Company on how to evade compliance of the 1733 Molasses Act
  • March 29, 1765: Sailing orders from Nicholas Brown and Company, to sell cargo in Surinam and purchase high quality molasses and cloth

The collection contains 64 items documenting Whipple's activities during the Revolutionary War (1773-1780), including prize ship accounts, naval orders, and intelligence. Eighteen items relate to Whipple's mission in France while 16 items concern southern navy operations and the defense of Charleston, both of which were reported on by Southern Department Commander Benjamin Lincoln.

Of note:
  • July 2, 1775: Commission from the Rhode Island Assembly appointing Whipple the captain of the Katy [Caty]
  • January 6, 1776: Naval Committee report on how prize money should be distributed between privateers and Congress
  • June 22, 1776: List of the crew of the Columbus with names and ranks
  • January 23, 1777: Receipt for the captor's share of the prize ships Royal Exchange and Lord Lifford
  • October 13, 1777: Directions from the United States Navy Board to assist General Spencer in an attack on Rhode Island
  • October 28, 1777: Letter from John Deshon with updated intelligence, calling off the Rhode Island attack, and advising a run for New London
  • April 25, 1778: Whipple's oath of allegiance to the United States administered by William Vernon
  • July 13, 1778: Orders to return to America from the American commissioners to France, signed by Benjamin Franklin, Arthur Lee, and John Adams
  • June 12, 1779: Orders from the Navy Board Eastern Department to intercept British transports from New York
  • January 24-April 22, 1780: Ten letters from Benjamin Lincoln regarding southern naval operations and the defense of Charleston, South Carolina
  • June 10, 1780: Certificate of Whipple's order to provide passage to Newport for officers and servants captured on the American ships Queen of France, Boston, and Ranger

The collection contains 10 items that are dated after Whipple's retirement from the Navy. These include Whipple's appointment as master of the sloop Sally, and his efforts to be repaid by Congress for expenses during the war. Of interest is Whipple’s address to Congress, outlining his service during the Revolution and requesting a pension (June 10, 1786). Whipple wrote the final two items from Marietta, Ohio. The first is addressed to Benjamin Bourne and Francis Malboan of Philadelphia regarding loans he made to the United States during the Revolution. The second is a printed bill of lading for shipment of sugar arrived in Philadelphia.

The letter book (68 pages) consists of copies of 101 incoming and outgoing letters written while Whipple was commanding the frigate Providence on his mission to France to procure supplies for the American army (February 22, 1778-January 12, 1779). The volume contains copies of Whipple's instructions from the Navy Board Eastern Department in March and April 1778 (located at the end of the volume), and communications with the American commissioners in Paris - Benjamin Franklin, Arthur Lee, and John Adams.

Below is Whipple's itinerary based on items in the letter book:
  • May 31, 1778: Paimbeouf, France
  • June 9, 1778: Nantes, France
  • June 14, 1778: Paimbeouf, France
  • June 16, 1778: Nantes, France
  • June 25, 1778: Nantes, France
  • July 9, 1778: Paimbeouf, France
  • July 13, 1778: Nantes, France
  • July 31, 1778: Paimbeouf, France
  • August 9, 1778: At sea in the Bay of Biscay
  • August 18, 1778: Brest, France
  • September 27, 1778: Newfoundland
  • October 16, 1778: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
  • January 12, 1779: Boston, Massachusetts
Collection

Addison D. and Minerva Skinner collection, 1864

9 items

This collection is made up of letters that Minerva Fox Skinner received from and about her husband, Addison D. Skinner of the 8th Michigan Infantry Regiment, in 1864. Skinner's letters describe his travels and discuss his homesickness; the remaining letters pertain to his death and burial.

This collection contains 9 letters that Minerva Fox Skinner of Parshallville, Michigan, received from and about her husband, Addison Dwight Skinner, in 1864. He wrote 6 letters to his wife while serving with the 8th Michigan Infantry Regiment from March 1, 1864-March 29, 1864. He described his travels to Flint, Michigan; Cincinnati, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Annapolis, Maryland, and wrote of his homesickness and his love for his wife and children. In his letter of March 23, 1864, he complained that he had not yet been paid; on March 29, 1864, he reported on the spread of measles throughout the regiment and confided to his wife that the death of George Griswold, a soldier from his regiment, had been caused by a case of "clap."

Minerva Fox Sinner received 2 letters from her brother, Wells B. Fox, about her husband's failing health and death (April 24, 1864, and May 30, 1864). In his second letter, Fox expressed his sympathy and offered reassurances that Skinner had thought often of his family during his final days. He also noted his resolve for the army to march to Richmond. Helen M. Noye (later Hoyt), a nurse at the Naval Academy Hospital in Annapolis, Maryland, wrote to Minerva Skinner on May 11, 1864, offering condolences for the death of A. D. Skinner, and discussing his burial. Noye, who believed that Minerva Skinner had yet learned of her husband's death, informed Minerva that the remains could be exhumed, but advised against doing so.

Collection

Adeline Hart collection, 1837-1859 (majority within 1850-1859)

16 items

This collection contains 15 letters related to Adeline Chase Hart and Matthew Hart of Goshen, Connecticut. The Harts received 12 letters from family members and acquaintances between 1850 and 1859, and Adeline wrote 3 letters to Matthew while he sought gold in California in the early 1850s. The letters concern topics such as religious conversion, family health, local news, and Adeline's widowhood. The collection also includes a deed for land in Sullivan County, New Hampshire.

This collection (16 items) contains 15 letters related to Adeline Chase Hart and Matthew Hart of Goshen, Connecticut. The Harts received 12 letters from family members and acquaintances between 1850 and 1859, and Adeline wrote 3 letters to Matthew while he sought gold in California in the early 1850s. The letters concern topics such as religious conversion, family health, local news, and Adeline's widowhood. The collection also contains a deed between Dorothy Gilman and Emerson Gilman for land in Sullivan County, New Hampshire (April 1, 1837), witnessed by 2 members of the Chase family.

Adeline and Matthew Hart received 12 letters from their parents, siblings, and acquaintances, mostly from Connecticut and from Elmira, New York. Correspondents commented on family and local news, such as health issues, marriages, and funerals; Adeline's sister Lucy wrote about her visit to Hartford, Connecticut, and described a painting she viewed at City Hall (July 16, 1850). Letters from the Chase family often included contributions from several family members. Adeline Hart wrote 3 letters to her husband from October 19, 1850-December 19, 1851, pertaining to her health, their children, and her finances. Several letters in the collection concern religious revivals and conversions, including Adeline's description of her recent conversion to Christianity (October 19, 1850), Lucy Chase's affirmation that the family had become Millerites (February 5, 1851), and Reuben Chase's mention of "spirit rappers" (March 25, 1853).

Following Matthew Hart's death around early 1853, Adeline Hart received a condolence letter and 2 later personal letters from William K. Vaughan, an acquaintance in Big Flats, New York. Matthew Hart's brother, A. P. Hart, also reflected on Matthew's death (March 6, 1853). Another relative, H. E. Cooke, provided a description of her new home (April 29, 1853). Other later letters concern Hattie A. Hart's work teaching at a school and her intention to attend college (August 22, 1857), as well as property in Elmira, New York (October 24, 1859).

Collection

Adlai Stevenson collection, 1860-1962

10 items

This collection is made up of ten items, mostly correspondence, written by or about Adlai Ewing Stevenson (1835-1914) and Adlai Ewing Stevenson II (1900-1965).

This collection is made up of ten items, mostly correspondence, written by or about Adlai Ewing Stevenson (1835-1914) and Adlai Ewing Stevenson II (1900-1965).

Visual material includes one press photograph by Ed Walston of Adlai Ewing Stevenson II with President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, and one woodblock print of Adlai E. Stevenson II by Jacob Steinhardt.

Please see the box and folder listing below for more details about each item in the collection.

Collection

African American and African Diaspora collection, 1729-1970 (majority within 1781-1865)

0.75 linear feet

Online
The African American and African Diaspora Collection is comprised largely of individual letters, documents, and other manuscript items relating to slavery, abolition movements, and aspects of African American life, largely dating between 1781 and 1865.

The African American and African Diaspora Collection is comprised largely of individual letters, documents, and other manuscript items relating to slavery, abolition movements, and aspects of African American life, largely dating between 1781 and 1865. Topics addressed in the letters and documents include the experiences and work of enslaved persons in the North and South; the buying and selling of enslaved men, women, and children; participation in the French and Indian War, American Revolution, and Civil War of African descended persons; abolitionists and abolition societies; the American Colonization Society; the lives of formerly enslaved persons; African American education; and many other subjects. For details on each document, see the inventory located under "Detailed Box and Folder Listing"

Collection

Agnes Leeds letters, 1842-1843

3 items

This collection is made up of 2 letters that Agnes M. Leeds wrote to her aunt, Jane M. Johnson, while living in Curaçao at the time of her husband's final sickness, as well as 1 letter that Leeds received from an acquaintance in New York City.

This collection is made up of 2 letters that Agnes M. Leeds wrote to her aunt, Jane M. Johnson, while living in Curaçao at the time of her husband's final sickness, as well as 1 letter that Leeds received from an acquaintance in New York City.

Agnes and Henry Leeds arrived in Curaçao in October 1842, where they hoped to relieve Henry's ailing health. In her letters to her aunt, Agnes Leeds described Curaçao, their hotel, and local residents. She requested news of her children, who were in Johnson's care, and mentioned her intention to send a black doll to her daughter Agnes. Jane C. Covert wrote to Agnes in January 1843 to express her sympathy for the family's situation. She reported on the Leeds children, and noted that Agnes's son Henry believed that his mother sent the black doll "to be a servant to the other ones."

Collection

A. G. Smith letters, 1870-1871

9 items

A. G. Smith wrote 9 letters to his sister, Mernie Smith Cone of Groton, Connecticut, while traveling to and living in Georgia and South Carolina from 1870-1871. As Smith and a companion had traveled south to restore their health, he commented on Southern life, African Americans, and fellow Northern travelers.

A. G. Smith wrote 9 letters to his sister, Mernie Smith Cone of Groton, Connecticut, while traveling to and living in Georgia and South Carolina from 1870-1871. Smith discussed his health and the health of his companion, "Sands," and reported on fellow Northerners, particularly in Aiken, South Carolina. He described his experiences on an Atlantic Ocean steamer from New York City to Savannah, Georgia, and on a river steamer from Savannah to Augusta, Georgia. He also mentioned aspects of Southern life such as the weather and food, recorded encounters with black Southerners, and noted white Southerners' attitude toward the United States government and, more specifically, northern politicians. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for more information.

Collection

A. & H. Jenkins collection, 1847-1851

10 items

The A. & H. Jenkins collection is made up of incoming correspondence to this Baltimore, Maryland, furniture manufacturing/undertaking firm, headed by Anthony H. and Henry W. Jenkins. These letters contain requests for contracts and details about prices, bills, and accounts for various types of furniture.

The A. & H. Jenkins collection is made up of 10 incoming letters (1847-1851) to this Baltimore, Maryland, furniture making/undertaking firm (headed by Anthony H. and Henry W. Jenkins). The correspondence contains requests for contracts and details about prices, bills, and accounts for various types of furniture. The collection offers some insight into the business' clientele, such as their particular furniture needs and specifications about materials and design, their geographical locations (from as far away as Charlestown, Virginia), and various circumstances respecting bills and overdue payments.

Short excerpts from two letters illustrate content. One regards delayed payment from a Charlestown, Virginia, Episcopal Church for a desk and pulpit: "The loss of our beautiful church with all its furniture has been a distressing dispensation to us & compelled us to delay, longer than we desired … " (May 7, 1849). Another, from Revered E. C. McGuire at Fredericksburg, Virginia, provides specifications for the construction of a table ($25.00) and chairs ($24.00 each) made with "crimson plush" rather than "crimson damask" (January 29, 1849).

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

Albert E. St. Germain collection, 1894-1964 (majority within 1917-1919)

0.75 linear feet

The Albert E. St. Germain collection contains correspondence, military documents, and other items relating to the St. Germain family. The bulk of the collection pertains to Albert St. Germain's service in the United States Army's press service in Europe during and just after World War I.

The Albert E. St. Germain collection (over 190 items) contains correspondence, military documents, and other items relating to the St. Germain family. The bulk of the collection pertains to Albert St. Germain's service in the United States Army's press division in Europe during and just after World War I.

The Correspondence series (28 items) is made up of personal letters related to members of the St. Germain family. Sisters Clarinda (1 item) and M. Clementina (8 item) wrote French-language letters to their parents from the Convent of Mercy in Meriden, Connecticut, between 1894 and 1900. Other convent correspondents included Sister Teresa, who invited the St. Germain family to a ceremony (August 10, 1896), and Sister M. Augustine, who sent a telegram about Sister Clementina's death in November 1900. A woman named "Leontina" wrote 4 letters to Leon St. Germain from Québec in 1905.

Albert E. St. Germain wrote 6 letters to his mother and 2 letters to his brother Oscar while serving in the United States Army in France during and immediately after World War I. He described his travels in France and discussed some of his duties in the press section. In 1919, an acquaintance named J. Morgan wrote Albert St. Germain a personal letter and a letter of recommendation. Later correspondence includes a letter that one of Albert's children wrote to him in 1959, a letter about the 50 reunion of the Bulkeley High School class of 1914, and a World War II-era greeting card from the South Pacific.

The Documents series is divided into two subseries. Military Documents (97 items) are mostly comprised of news bulletins and intelligence summaries providing details about the Allied war effort in France from September 1918-November 1918, as well as 2 copies of Gerald Morgan's recollections about service as Chief Field Censor for the American Expeditionary Forces, written in February 1919. Department of Labor and Personal Documents (15 items) include intelligence tests, Albert St. Germain's employment history, a blank naturalization form, documents related to Leon St. German's estate, and documents regarding field stations during World War II.

The Photographs series (3 items) contains 2 formal card photograph portraits of an unidentified couple and of Albert E. St. Germain, as well as a photograph of Albert E. Saint Germain, in uniform, shaking hands with a French soldier. The latter photograph is enclosed with a copy of the New York newspaper that ran the photograph on August 4, 1918.

The Writings and Pencil Sketch series is comprised of 7 copies of stories that Albert E. St. Germain wrote around the World War I era. The writings include an account of his interactions with a French citizen during the war, a camping trip, and various other subjects; some of the drafts have manuscript notes. The collection has duplicate copies of 2 stories. The series includes a pencil drawing of "Le Vieux Moulin."

The Printed Items series (29 items) is divided into four subseries:
  • The Cards and Currency subseries (4 items) consists of 3 business cards of Albert E. St. Germain and a French banknote.
  • The Maps subseries (5 items) contains printed maps of the Moselle River, the Rhine River, and Bar-le-Duc, France; one of the Rhine River maps was produced for members of the army of occupation. Also included is a blueprint map of properties that Leon St. Germain owned in Waterford, Connecticut.
  • The Pamphlets subseries (6 items) has the following items: a retrospective and commencement program related to the Bulkeley School class of 1914, a cover from a copy of The Louis Allis Messenger, a page from a printed recipe book, a pamphlet about the United States flag, and a copy of the United States Constitution with additional information for use in passing the country's citizenship examination.
  • The Newspapers subseries (13 items) contains around 10 articles about World War I, the Bulkeley School, Albert E. St. Germain, and army censorship. The newspaper articles originate from papers in Connecticut and France. Three copies of The Stars and Stripes, dated 1918, are also present.

The Address Book and Fragments series (14 items) includes manuscript, typed, and printed fragments, and an address book that Albert St. Germain owned while working for the United States Department of Labor.

The Artifacts series consists of a brown leather satchel.

Collection

Albert Morrison collection, 1841-1886

50 items

This collection is made up of letters, financial records, and documents related to Albert Morrison, a physician who practiced in Windsor, Connecticut, in the mid-19th century. The collection includes letters between members of the Morrison family and letters pertaining to Morrison's medical practice.

This collection contains 50 letters, financial records, and documents related to Albert Morrison, a physician who practiced in Windsor, Connecticut, in the mid-19th century. The collection includes letters between members of the Morrison family and letters pertaining to Morrison's medical practice.

Two manuscript documents certify Morrison's completion of a chirography course at Easthampton Writing Academy (June 1, 1841) and his successful examination at a "common school" in East Hartford, Connecticut (December 1, 1843). He received a letter from J. P. Leonard regarding a fine for his delinquency from a military regiment (July 5, 1842). Several items from the 1840s concern Morrison's education and early medical practice, including a note about the cost of attending lectures at the Berkshire Medical Institution (October 3, 1846) and 2 letters from J. W. Boynton of South Coventry, Connecticut, about the possibility of Morrison establishing a medical practice there (January 15, 1847, and January 22, 1847).

Morrison's personal correspondence includes letters between his siblings Clarissa ("Clara"), Maria, Charles, and John, as well as letters to and from his wife, Harriet E. Bartholomew. In a letter to his brother John, who had moved west, Morrison shared his opinion that New York City had become corrupt (March 20, 1863). Letters from M. L. Fisse (February 13, 1860) and Charles F. Sumner (April 8, 1861) mention the Connecticut Democratic Party convention and local politics. Four late letters pertain to John Morrison's life in Eureka, Nevada, and Hillsboro, New Mexico, in 1873 and in the mid-1880s. In the final letter, I. P. Fenton described a visit to a psychic medium who claimed to receive a communication from John Morrison via "slate writing" (July 1886). Other items include receipts, an insurance document, and a photograph and facsimile signature of Robert Morrison.

Collection

Albert Starke Drischell collection, 1943-1945

1 linear foot

This collection consists of over 300 letters that Private Albert Starke Drischell wrote to his family in Baldwin, New York, while serving in the United States Army during World War II. The collection also contains letters and postcards that Drischell received during his military service. Drischell wrote about his experiences while training in various camps, participating in an educational program, working with army theatrical groups in the United States and England, and serving in Germany during the last months of the war and the first months of the occupation.

The bulk of this collection (1 linear foot) consists of over 300 letters that Private Albert Starke Drischell wrote to his family in Baldwin, New York, about his experiences in the United States Army from January 21, 1943-December 6, 1945. The collection also contains letters and postcards that Drischell received during his military service and a few ephemera items.

Drischell addressed the majority of his letters to his parents, and occasionally wrote to his younger siblings, Ralph and Ruth. He composed his first letters while at Camp Upton in Long Island, New York, soon after entering the service, and provided his impressions of the camp, his companions, military life, and training exercises. At Camp Swift, Texas, he wrote about his experiences at Texas A&M University, where he was among a group tested for entrance into a selective educational program. After being accepted, he moved to New Mexico and began taking college-level engineering courses at New Mexico College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts. He and many others found the coursework difficult, and by November he had failed a course and was removed from the program. While in New Mexico, he shared his determination to succeed and gave his opinions of other men in the army, particularly his negative opinions of those who drank to excess (July 8, 1943). He also mentioned his moral objection to the war.

Drischell left New Mexico for Fort Custer, Michigan, where he attended courses in military government and occasionally guarded German prisoners. In one letter, he expressed his fear that soldiers would have difficulty readjusting to civilian life after being schooled in "mass murder" (January 23, 1944). In early 1945, Drischell moved to Camp Reynolds, Pennsylvania, where his unit awaited overseas deployment. He continued to describe his experiences, offered his opinions on the army, and mentioned trips taken to the surrounding towns while on temporary leave. In mid-May 1944, Drischell arrived in Scotland, though he was transferred to England soon after. As part of a replacement battalion, he occupied much of his free time by accompanying women to dances and befriending local families. He also acted in a play put on by the army, and briefly toured with an army theatrical group in the fall of 1944, an experience he enjoyed and hoped to continue in his post-army life. Many of his letters from this time focused on the economic and physical hardships of the war, and other letters mention a visit to London (February 15, 1945), his support for Thomas E. Dewey in the 1944 presidential election (August 6, 1944), George Bernard Shaw's views on capitalism, communism, and democracy (August 8, 1944), and his efforts to obtain conscientious objector status.

After being deployed on the Continent in March 1945, Drischell shared his impressions of the devastated French and German countryside, through which he advanced as part of the 318th Infantry Regiment. After the war, he described the small Austrian town where he was stationed, in which German children born out of wedlock were being "raised for use in foreign lands" (May 16, 1945). Drischell also accounted for the gap in his letters between April and May, when he advanced deep into Germany and Austria and participated in active combat (May 31, 1945, et al.). Freed from the constraints of censorship after V-E day, he reported on some of his combat experiences, and he believed that he never directly killed an enemy soldier. Throughout his European service, Drischell continually voiced his appreciation for the United States and compared it to Europe, occasionally calling his native country a relative "utopia."

Drischell sometimes enclosed souvenirs from his European travels in his letters, including a French 50-franc note (March 25, 1945), German stamps (June 20, 1945), and clippings from the Stars and Stripes and other papers. By late August 1945, he was in Paris as a member of a traveling dramatic troupe, and he wrote less frequently. His final letter, dated December 6, 1945, reveals that he went on tour in Germany.

Additional items include 2 printed church programs from 1944, a newspaper clipping featuring an English unit's canine mascot, and a list of men from St. Peter's Church who served in the war, including Albert S. Drischell. One undated letter fragment from "Iggie" discusses his experiences as a soldier in India, and another by an anonymous writer concerns Drischell's acting and a mutual acquaintance named "Fip."

Collection

Albert W. Stahl collection, 1883-1890

0.25 linear feet

This collection contains correspondence between Albert W. Stahl, his sister Emma, and his wife, Blanche Vinton. Albert and Blanche Stahl often wrote to Emma Stahl about their lives in Lafayette, Indiana, where Albert worked for Purdue University during much of the 1880s. Albert also wrote letters in German to his mother, Henrietta Stahl.

This collection contains 62 letters that members of the Stahl family exchanged from November 1, 1883-October 19, 1890. Most items are Albert W. Stahl's letters to his sister Emma and to his mother Henrietta, who both lived in New York City; he wrote to his mother in German. Stahl discussed aspects of his life in Lafayette, Indiana, such as his participation in the "Daisy Dancing Club," and commented on the health of his wife, Blanche Vinton, who also wrote to Emma about her social activities in Lafayette. Some of Stahl's early letters refer to his decision to marry Blanche, whom the family had not met. In his later letters, Stahl mentioned travel to Chicago, his life in San Francisco, and family finances; he enclosed a letter from the Northwestern Mortgage Trust Company in his letter of February 5, 1889, and provided a list of private finance-related telegraph codes in his letter of July 30, 1890, which pertains to the status of a mortgage.

The collection also contains letters by Emma Stahl, who discussed her life in New York City and, in one letter, reproached her brother for deciding to marry without consulting his family (April 29, 1884), and by David P. Vinton, who wrote to Emma about his regret at a missed visiting opportunity (September 7, 1887).

Collection

Alexander Lyman Holley letters, 1841-1867

13 items

This collection is comprised of 12 incoming and outgoing letters of Alexander Lyman Holley, and 1 report card. Holley wrote 7 letters to his father, Alexander Hamilton Holley, about his educational experiences in Farmington, Connecticut, and about his life in New York City in the early 1860s. He received letters from his father (2 items), stepmother (1 item), and grandfather (1 item), who provided advice and news. His wife Mary wrote 1 letter to her father-in-law.

This collection is comprised of 12 incoming and outgoing letters of Alexander Lyman Holley, and 1 report card. Holley wrote 7 letters to his father, Alexander Hamilton Holley, about his educational experiences in Farmington, Connecticut, and about his life in New York City in the early 1860s. He received letters from his father (2 items), stepmother (1 item), and grandfather (1 item), who provided advice and news. His wife Mary wrote 1 letter to her father-in-law.

Alexander Lyman Holley composed 7 letters to Alexander Hamilton Holley between 1841 and 1862. His first 4 letters concern his education and social life at Furnace Village, [Massachusetts], and Farmington, Connecticut. He wrote about his social life, progress in school, and travels (including his June 19, 1847, letter regarding a trip to the "Bristol copper mines"). In 2 later letters, he reflected on anti-Union rioting and railroad destruction in Baltimore, Maryland (April 27, 1861), and on the difficult birth of his daughter Gertrude (October 28, 1862).

Holley's stepmother, Marcia Coffing Holley, shared her anticipation of his upcoming visit (April 28, 1849). His father wrote 2 letters dispensing life advice on alcohol, socializing, and other topics (11 pages, July 7, 1849, and July 23, 1849). Other correspondence items are a note Holley received from his grandfather, Erastus Lyman, concerning financial matters (October 9, 1854), and a letter Mary H. Holley wrote to her father-in-law about family news. The final item is an undated report card for Alexander Lyman Holley, with a brief note Holley wrote on the back.

Collection

Alexander Thompson papers, 1793-1932

1.5 linear feet

The Alexander Thompson papers consist of the papers of three generations of Thompsons: Captain Alexander Thompson (1759-1809), Colonel Alexander Ramsey Thompson (1793-1837), and Reverend Alexander Ramsey Thompson (1822-1895). These papers document the military service of Captain Thompson in United States army (1793-1809); Colonel Thompson's military service (1819-1837); attempts by Colonel Thompson's widow Mary Thompson to secure a military pension (1838-1849); and the career of Reverend Thompson, a Union Army chaplain and Presbyterian minister, along with his family letters (1850-1932).

The Alexander Thompson papers (653 items) consist of the papers of three generations of Thompsons: Captain Alexander Thompson (1759-1809), Colonel Alexander Ramsey Thompson (1793-1837), and Reverend Alexander Ramsey Thompson (1822-1895). The collection is comprised of 494 letters and documents, 1 diary, 25 photographs, 103 religious writings and hymns, and 30 items of printed material. These papers document the military service of Captain Thompson in the United States Army (1793-1809); Colonel Thompson's military service (1819-1837); attempts by Colonel Thompson's widow, Mary Thompson, to secure a military pension (1838-1849); and the career of Reverend Thompson, Union Army chaplain and Presbyterian minister, along with his family letters (1850-1932).

The Correspondence and Documents series (494 items) is made up of three subseries, one for each Alexander Thompson represented in the collection.

The Captain Alexander Thompson subseries (255 items) consists of letters and documents related to Thompson's army career, including 37 military records (pay rolls, musters, and accounts) and 14 provisional returns. The bulk of the letters are to and from the war office in Philadelphia and from fellow army officers. These provide administrative documentation for the fledgling American military, as well as specific details on Thompson's assignments at Governor's Island, West Point, Fort Niagara, and Detroit. Topics covered include his efforts to provision and pay his troops, fortify his outposts, and recruit soldiers.

Items of note include:
  • April 19, May 7 and 24, and June 20, 1795: Letters from Thompson to New York Governor George Clinton, concerning the French navy and the fort at Governor's Island
  • July 9, 15, and 18, 1795: Letters between Colonel Louis de Tousard and Thompson concerning prisoners, troops, and musicians at Governor's Island
  • December 5, 1795: Letter fromThompson to Alexander Hamilton concerning a lawsuit involving Thompson's professional conduct at Governor's Island
  • March 29, 1796: Letter to Thompson warning of a mutiny on Governor's Island
  • September 14, 1800: Letter from Thompson to John Jacob Ulrich Rivardi concerning small pox at Detroit
  • February 17, 1801: Letter from Thompson to Major Moses Porter, concerning filling the United States officer corps with Americans instead of foreign commanders
  • January 20, 1803: May 1 and August 24, 1807: Letters and bills to and from Thompson and Secretary of War Henry Dearborn concerning payments for travel
  • October 15, 1804: Instructions from Thompson to Doctor Frances La Barons concerning trading for pelts at Michilimackinac
  • September 1807: News from a friend in St. Louis describing army activities there

The Colonel Alexander R. Thompson subseries (137 items) documents his post-War of 1812 military career, and his wife's efforts to secure a pension after his death. These include letters from fellow officers and friends, a few retained copies of Thompson's letters, and 55 letters to and from Mary Thompson and various prominent government officials concerning military pensions. In many of Mary's letters she described episodes in her husband's military career, including wounds and sicknesses suffered while on duty.

Items of note include:
  • November 27, 1816: Captain Kearny at Sackets Harbor to Thompson concerning securing pay to Mrs. Niblock for washing clothes for the army
  • January 12, 1817: Major W.J. Worth at Sackets Harbor to Thompson describing a celebration at the newly build Madison Barracks
  • May 13, 1833: George Brooke at Fort Howard (Green Bay) to Thompson describing his journey across Lake Huron
  • August 28, 1833: Benjamin F. Larneal to Thompson concerning shipping a piano to Michigan
  • April 28, 1836: Thompson to his nephew Alexander Thompson, describing the encampment and fortifications at Camp Sabine, Louisiana, and the lawless state of Texas - "the country is consequently infested with robbers and pirates
  • February 21, 1837: Mary Thompson to General Winfield Scott seeking a promotion for her sick husband
  • March 6, 1840: Mary to her brother-in-law William Thompson, relating her difficulties securing a pension
  • 1842-1845: Letters to and from Mary Thompson to New York Governor Hamilton Fish and members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, including John Jordan Crittenden and Thomas Hart Benton
  • October 8, 1847: E. Backay at San Juan to Mary Thompson containing a description of the Mexican-American War
  • March 13, 1853: Department of the Interior to Mary Thompson concerning her request for a land bounty

The Reverend Alexander R. Thompson subseries (102 items) contains Thompson's letters and 25 of his children's letters. Of note are the items documenting his Civil War service as chaplain of the 17th Regiment of Connecticut Volunteers and at the Roosevelt Hospital. These include many letters from solders and former parishioners serving throughout the country. Also present are letters discussing Thompson and his family's travels around New York and New England, and to the Canary Islands, Quebec, and San Francisco. The post-1872 letters largely concern Thompson's children.

The subseries includes:
  • November 28, 1861: Albion Brooks to Thompson describing the soldier's Thanksgiving dinner at Burnside Camp, Annapolis, Maryland
  • January 16, 1862: Leonard Woolsey Bacon to Thompson concerning chaplains' aids
  • July 2, 1863: A small diagram of the Union fleet on the Mississippi River in front of Vicksburg
  • June 4, 1864: Moses Smith of the 8th Connecticut Regiment to Thompson describing the battle at Cold Harbor
  • September 25, 1865: E.A. Russell to Thompson describing hearing Julia Ward Howe's "Battle Hymn of the Republic" on board a steam ship: "I feel like after hearing it sung like one inspired for the work. I do think it is very near Gods work."
  • September 27, 1865: Five verses of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" copied on board the Steamship United States
  • September 23, 1871: Gin Bon, secretary of the Chinese Young Men's Christian Society of San Francisco, to Thompson concerning his support of the group and enclosing four photographs of members

The Diary series (1 item, 372 pages) is the personal journal of Reverend Alexander Ramsey Thompson for 1861. The diary is deeply personal and includes Thompson's thoughts on personal, spiritual, and political matters, as well as his thoughts on the outbreak of the Civil War and his decision to join the army as a chaplain. In the back of the diary are 5 newspaper clippings concerning New York University commencements.

Notable entries include:
  • April 13 and 16, 1861: Thoughts on the siege and bombardment at Fort Sumter
  • July 22 and 24, 1861: Thoughts on First Bull Run
  • August 31, 1861: Discussion of seeing a hippopotamus at Barnum's Museum

The Photographs series (25 items) contains undated family pictures, images of houses and landscapes, and commercial photographs of buildings in Europe.

Four additional photographs are located with the letter of September 23, 1871. These are portraits of Chinese Americans, one taken by Chinese photographer Lai Yong of San Francisco, and one of letter writer Gin Bon, secretary of the Chinese Young Men's Christian Society. Gin Bon's portrait contains watercolored highlights. The hymn book for the Roosevelt Hospital in the Printed Materials series contains family photographs, including a group picture in which many of the sitters are holding tennis rackets.

The Religious Writings series is composed of two subseries: Sermons and Ecclesiastical History Notes, and Hymns. Though largely undated and unattributed, these writings were all likely created by Reverend Thompson. The Sermons and Ecclesiastical History notes subseries (61 items) contains 58 sermon notes that Thompson wrote in the 1890s, much of which was written on Roosevelt Hospital stationery. Some of these are outlines while others are fully formed sermons. He also wrote notes on ecclesiastical history in two notebooks dated 1881 (232 pages), and on the Hebrew language in an undated notebook (58 pages). The Hymns subseries (42 items) contains 9 manuscript hymns, 16 printed hymns, and 17 volumes of manuscript hymns. They consist of transcribed and translated hymns, Bible quotations, and ballad lyrics. Two of the printed hymns, both Christmas carols, include music for four voices.

The Printed Material series (30 items) is comprised of 18 newspaper clippings and 12 miscellaneous printed items. The newspaper clippings are an essay by Reverend Thompson entitled "The Burial of Moses," and an address from Thompson delivered at the unveiling of a Gettysburg monument for the 17th Connecticut Volunteers. The Miscellaneous Printed Items subseries contains 12 items, including ephemera related to New York University commencements; an engraving of author, nurse, and charity organizer Isabella Graham; an annual report for the Brooklyn Nursery (1888); and a Roosevelt Hospital hymnal in which someone has inserted photograph clippings of Reverend Thompson, his wife, and others.

Collection

Alexander T. Stewart collection, 1855-1876 (majority within 1863-1876)

0.75 linear feet

The Alexander T. Stewart collection contains around 300 letters that Stewart received from strangers requesting financial assistance, employment, and other means of support. Many commented on the Civil War's negative economic impact on their lives, particularly in the South.

The Alexander T. Stewart collection contains around 300 letters that Stewart received from strangers requesting financial assistance, employment, and other means of support. Many commented on the Civil War's negative economic impact on their lives, particularly in the South.

The majority of the letters are dated 1865-1876, including a large group (around 215 items) dated 1869-1870. Stewart's correspondents requested loans, donations, or employment; some wrote more than once. Writers include war widows, former soldiers, and others who had been affected by the war, particularly in the South. Many provided details of recent financial hardships, such as spouses' or parents' deaths, unemployment, and the effects of the Civil War, and some provided character witnesses or references. A soldier requested money for a camp stove (January 6, 1865); another man requested help after having difficulty collecting loans from southern borrowers (February 27, 1862); and a third writer mentioned displaced persons in South Carolina (March 9, 1867). Correspondents occasionally enclosed carte-de-visite portraits or newspaper clippings, and some pasted return postage onto their letters. The letters reveal the authors' views on wealth, social status, employment, and philanthropy in the Reconstruction-era United States.

Stewart received letters from correspondents in states including Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The few items that are not begging letters include a letter that Alexander T. Stewart wrote about his business affairs with P. Whitin & Sons (September 30, 1861) and a letter offering Stewart medical advice (April 7, 1873).

The collection contains 4 printed items: a ticket to a charity festival at the Astor House (February 22, 1855), 2 newspaper articles relating to Alexander T. Stewart, and a printed advertisement for A.T. Stewart & Co.'s store (September 23, 1871).

Collection

Alexander Wedderburn, 1st Earl of Rosslyn papers, 1676-1801 (majority within 1764-1800)

0.75 linear feet

The Alexander Wedderburn papers contain correspondence, documents, notes, and writings pertaining to Anglo-American relations during the late 18th century. The papers include items about the Boston Tea Party, the American Revolution, and claims brought under the 1794 Treaty of Amity (Jay Treaty).

The Alexander Wedderburn papers contain correspondence, documents, notes, and writings pertaining to Anglo-American relations during the late 18th century. The papers include items about the Boston Tea Party, the American Revolution, and claims brought under the 1794 Treaty of Amity (Jay Treaty). The collection is arranged in a three-level hierarchy that reflects document genre, chronological period, and series maintained from the collection's original order in the Clements Library.

The Correspondence series contains three subseries:

The David Wedderburn correspondence subseries (1764-1765) contains 5 manuscript letters written by David Wedderburn, a lieutenant colonel in the 22nd Regiment of Foot, to his brother, Alexander Wedderburn. David described the final leg of his journey from Great Britain to North America, including travel throughout the West Indies and his arrival at Mobile. In his final letter, David discussed the lasting impact of recent administrative conflicts between civil and military authorities in the Floridas.

The American Revolutionary War Era correspondence subseries contains four sub-subseries:

The Boston correspondence sub-subseries (1773-1775) contains 20 letters (primarily contemporary manuscript copies) and one newspaper extract regarding developments in Boston prior to the outbreak of the American Revolution; most of the letters include additional enclosures. Alexander Wedderburn, the intended recipient of a majority of these manuscript copies, numbered them in an ordered sequence. The content of the letters pertains to committees of correspondence, attempts to force recipients of tea from the East India Company to publicly resign their commissions, violence against consignees of East India Company tea, and the Boston Tea Party.

Massachusetts Governor Thomas Hutchinson wrote ten letters, mostly to William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth; Sir Frederick Haldimand wrote four letters, also to Lord Dartmouth; Rear Admiral John Montagu wrote two letters to Philip Stephens, each recorded as having been enclosed in letters from the Lord of the Admiralty (not present); and two letters were enclosures in a letter of William Barrington (not present). Additional enclosures include a broadside (in Hutchinson to Dartmouth, December 2, 1773) and a narrative, which describes an instance of mob violence on November 3, 1773 (in Hutchinson to Dartmouth, November 4, 1773). In the sub-subseries' three later letters, all written in 1775, Richard Clarke and James Putnam describe the lingering effects of the Boston Tea Party and the Battles of Lexington and Concord. An extract from the Massachusetts Gazette is also present in Wedderburn's numbered series.

The Wemyss correspondence sub-subseries (1773-1776) contains eight letters written to James and William Wemyss about British Parliamentary discussions (including those respecting measures against America), military activity in Quebec, and the New York and New Jersey campaign. Major General James Grant wrote six of seven letters to James Wemyss, from London, Halifax, and New York; Francis Anderson wrote the seventh letter from Edinburgh. The remaining letter in the sub-subseries, from Luke Fraser in Edinburgh to William Wemyss, includes a copy of letter from Grant to Fraser.

The Woolwich Shipwrights correspondence and report sub-subseries (1775) contains three items related to rebel recruitment tactics within Great Britain. Two letters, their enclosures, and a manuscript report describe efforts by supporters of the American rebellion to recruit the striking shipwrights of Woolwich and summon Alexander Wedderburn to an upcoming cabinet meeting on the issue. One enclosure contains several excerpts of acts of Parliament deemed relevant to the current North American situation.

The George Germain correspondence sub-subseries (1779) contains a letter written by George Germain to Alexander Wedderburn and James Wallace about the possibility of peace negotiations between British and American commissioners. An enclosed extract of a letter from the British commissioners to Germain describes the general mood in North America and proposes specific measures for restoring British rule over the colonies.

The Anglo-American Relations correspondence subseries (1794-1800) contains three sub-subseries:

The West Indies correspondence report sub-subseries (1794) is made up of a report and enclosed manuscript note, presented by the advocate, attorney, and solicitor generals of Great Britain to the Duke of Portland, concerning legal jurisdiction in the West Indies. They primarily relate to naval power and to the possible establishment of prize courts.

The Rufus King correspondence sub-subseries (1796-1799) includes two letters related to property disputes arising under the 1794 Treaty of Amity. The first letter, written by Rufus King in the third person, is accompanied by a printed form. The second, a short note written by George Hammond to Alexander Wedderburn, contains several copies of Rufus King's letters, which relate to shipping on the Atlantic Ocean and to the relative success of neutrality efforts between Great Britain and the United States.

The Thomas Macdonald correspondence sub-subseries (1799-1800) consists of eight letters written by British commissioner Thomas Macdonald to Alexander Wedderburn, concerning claims made under Article 6 of the 1794 Treaty of Amity. Enclosures within these letters include correspondence between Macdonald and George Grenville, contemporary manuscript copies of notes from American courts about disputed claims, and two printed sets of minutes related to specific court cases.

The Documents series consists of three subseries:

The Pre-American Revolutionary War Era commissions and proclamations subseries (1676-1772) contains four manuscript copies of British legal documents. Three of the documents are directly related to enclosures within John Pownall's report on the Gaspée Incident (see below). They include a 1676 commission for Herbert Jeffreys, Francis Morrison, and Sir John Berry, to investigate grievances in Virginia; a blank commission for enquiry into grievances in New Jersey (1752); and a 1772 royal proclamation for "Discovering and Apprehending the persons who plundered and burnt the Gaspée Schooner." The final item in the series is a manuscript copy of Queen Anne's 1705 "Act to prevent all Traitorous Correspondence with Her Majesty's Enemies," particularly the French.

The Gaspée report and enclosures subseries (1772) is John Pownall's short contemporary report on the "Gaspée incident," in which a group of Americans plundered and burned the schooner HMSGaspée . Pownall particularly addressed questions of legal jurisdiction and suggested locations where trials for conspirators might be held. Twenty-five of the report's original 26 appendices remain with the document; they relate to five specific precedents: a 1711 uprising in Antigua (mentioned in the absent enclosure), Bacon's Rebellion (1676), the Dominion of New England (1686-1689), David Creagh's correspondence with the Queen's enemies (1712), and the effects of piracy (beginning in the 1670s).

The American Revolutionary War Era documents subseries contains the following six sub-subseries:

The State of Facts and Proceedings Respecting the Black Charribs of St. Vincent sub-subseries [1773] is a 26-page report on the history of St. Vincent from 1627 to 1773. The report provides a justification for "the Expedition now carrying in for the reduction of the Charibbs" and regards property ownership and the historical relationship between British settlers and indigenous peoples on the island.

The Statues for Restoring Order in the Colony of Massachusetts Bay sub-subseries [1774] contains two draft versions of an act to reinforce Great Britain's authority over the North American colonies, accompanied by two sets of notes directly commenting on proposed changes to the document. Alexander Wedderburn's alterations and annotations on the first draft (which is written entirely in his hand) are reflected in a second draft, which he further annotated. Four pages of notes (some in Wedderburn's hand) suggest improvements to the bill and contain reflections on later drafts of the statute.

The Draft of the Prohibitory Act sub-subseries [1775] is a manuscript copy of the Prohibitory Act (forbidding trade with the American colonies), written in a neat, unknown hand and annotated extensively by Alexander Wedderburn.

The Draft of a Pardon for Laying Down Arms sub-subseries [1776] is in Alexander Wedderburn's hand and includes his notes and annotations. This document is similar to a proclamation released by William and Richard Howe during the early stages of the American Revolution, and offers a full pardon to any rebels who will lay down their arms and swear an oath of allegiance to King George III.

Two draft Acts Proposing Negotiations with the Americans (1778), annotated by Alexander Wedderburn, propose plans for negotiating an end to the rebellion in the American colonies. The first, an "Act for preventing the dangers which may arise from several acts and proceedings lately done and had in his Majesty's dominions in America &c. &c.," includes specific proposals for demands and concessions to be offered in potential peace talks, along with Alexander Wedderburn's frequent annotations. The second, a bill for sending commissioners to America, is entirely in Wedderburn's hand and pertains more specifically to the responsibilities of and restrictions upon a potential British peace commission.

The Lists of Captured Ships sub-subseries (1779-1780) contains five lists of vessels captured by various combatants during the American Revolution. Each list is organized geographically and identifies the number of vessels captured on specific trade routes, the number recaptured or otherwise returned, the number remaining in either British or enemy possession (as appropriate), and the tonnage of captured vessels. Lists in the series include: ships captured by the French (January 6, 1779), from and by the Spanish (January 10, 1779 and January 10, 1780, respectively), by the Americans (January 3, 1780), from the French (January 8, 1780), and from the Americans (January 3, 1780). The list of ships captured by the Americans (January 3, 1780) includes a short manuscript memorandum on the inevitable inaccuracy of the included data.

The Notes and Other Writings series contains two subseries:

The American Revolutionary War Era notes and writings subseries includes the following sub-subseries:

The Narrative of the Boston Riots (1774), a 28-page account of disturbances in Boston related to the importation of tea from the East India Company. The manuscript includes some short notes made by Alexander Wedderburn.

Alexander Wedderburn's Notes on the Outbreak of the American Rebellion [1775] provide his reflections on the first year of the American Revolution, regard upcoming speeches to be made in Parliament, and discuss the recent interruption of commerce in the North American colonies.

The Notes on Potential Peace Negotiations with America (1778) contain eight documents regarding the potential for negotiations between Great Britain and the American rebels. Three draft essays by Alexander Wedderburn include one subsequently sent to Lord Frederick North and two offering Wedderburn's defense of the idea of a treaty. The series also contains Wedderburn's notes on a speech given by Charles Fox in Parliament ("Heads of a speech on the Bills for a Treaty with America"), and notes on the failure of Pulteney's plan of negotiation. Two additional documents in the series are written in different, distinct hands, and include "Smith's thoughts on the state of the contest with America" and "Pulteney's Sketch of Resolutions."

A Statement on American Loyalists, written after 1781, is an anonymous 11-page reflection on the effect of Loyalists during the American Revolution, particularly in the Southern District.

The Notes on Claims Made Under the Treaty of Amity subseries [1790s] contains three items documenting and reflecting upon claims presented under the 6th Article of the 1794 Treaty of Amity. The first of these is a list of the number of claims presented between May 29, 1797, and December 4, 1798, broken down into smaller time periods. Accompanying this document are two sets of Alexander Wedderburn's notes discussing a number of specific claims made under the Treaty.

The undated Notes on Land Grants in Nova Scotia subseries present a brief history of lands in Acadia originally granted to William Alexander, later Lord Stirling, in 1621. The document traces relevant changes in ownership to 1668 and offers the anonymous author's conclusion that the lands in question, having never been fully part of the British Dominion, bear no relevance to a contemporary (likely late 18th century) legal case.

The Printed items series includes three items related to political and economic developments in the United States at the turn of the nineteenth century. The first is a 1795 printing of the 1794 Treaty of Amity, thought to have belonged to Alexander Wedderburn. A four-page copy of the Porcupine, dated March 20, 1801, includes the London newspaper's account of recent proceedings in Parliament as well as a mocking account of Thomas Jefferson's election to the United States presidency. The final item in the series is a short printed report on the growth of American tonnage between the conclusion of the American Revolution and 1801, including some statistical figures and accompanying analysis.

Collection

Alexander Wilson collection, 1845-1846

22 items

The Alexander Wilson collection contains correspondence, trial testimony, and newspaper clippings pertaining to Wilson's attempts to abduct and shoot his sister Caroline in 1845 and 1846. The Wilsons' cousins, Nicholas C. Wilson and William Wilson, Jr., wrote many of the letters about Alexander's criminal activities and their attempts to protect Caroline.

The Alexander Wilson collection (22 items) contains 11 letters, 1 copy of trial testimonies, 1 manuscript copy of a newspaper article, and 7 newspaper clippings related to Wilson's attempt to abduct his sister Caroline in July 1845 and his attempt to shoot Caroline and their cousin, William Wilson, Jr., in August 1846. The collection also includes a letter in which Alexander Wilson apologized to his uncle for using foul language (July 3, 1845) and a letter from Alexander Wilson's nephew, lawyer Erwin N. Wilson of Brazoria, Texas, in which he commented on Alexander Wilson's imprisonment for the murder of a man named Smith and his attempted appeal to the Texas Supreme Court (date unclear).

Alexander Wilson's cousins, Nicholas C. Wilson and William Wilson, Jr., wrote most of the letters about his criminal activities, including descriptions of his attempt to abduct Caroline from Philadelphia in July 1845 and his altercation with Caroline and William at a New York City hotel in August 1846. During the abduction attempt, Wilson was accompanied by Alfred H. Jones, who wished to kidnap and marry a woman named Mary. The Wilsons' cousins claimed that Alexander intended to bring Caroline to Louisiana and take over her share of a large estate they had inherited from their deceased parents; Alexander claimed that the Philadelphia family wished to defraud his sister.

In their letters, Nicholas and William Wilson, Jr., described their efforts to keep Caroline safe, and explained the family's history and relationships. Caroline Wilson wrote a letter to "Judge Dutton," providing her thoughts about the Louisiana property (September 12, 1846). Letters from Alexander Wilson to his sister and aunt are transcribed and enclosed in his cousins' letters dated July 19, 1845, and October 20, 1846, respectively. In the former, Wilson threatened to take Caroline should she leave her uncle's home; in the latter, Wilson justified his actions to his "Aunt Martha."

The collection contains 9 other items related to Wilson's attempted shooting: a manuscript copy of an article from New York Evening Mirror (August 21, 1846), 7 newspaper clippings about the incident and Wilson's trial (August 14, 1946-August 29, 1846), and a manuscript document containing testimonies by Caroline Wilson, Jane B. Wilson, Nicholas C. Wilson, William Wilson, Jr., and other witnesses.

Collection

Alexandre Maurice Blanc de Lanautte, Comte d'Hauterive collection, 1809

14 items

This collection consists of 13 letters and copies of letters that Alexandre Maurice Blanc de Lanautte, Comte d'Hauterive, wrote in 1809 concerning the deterioration of Anglo-American relations, as well as a list of officials involved in Franco-American relations around the turn of the 19th century.

This collection consists of 13 letters and copies of letters that Alexandre Maurice Blanc de Lanautte, Comte d'Hauterive, wrote in 1809 concerning the deterioration in Anglo-American relations, as well as a list of officials involved in Franco-American relations around the turn of the 19th century.

Hauterive addressed 10 letters to Jean-Baptiste Nompère de Champagny, the French minister of foreign relations, reporting discoveries and insights from his correspondence with John Armstrong, Jr., the United States minister to France. Hauterive also discussed issues in British politics, such as the Embargo Act of 1807 and Great Britain's diplomatic relationship with the United States, which he thought was strained. He further elaborated on those issues he believed would lead the countries into armed conflict. Hauterive also commented on the Jefferson administration and its role in international affairs. The remaining 3 letters consist of Hauterive's outgoing correspondence with other diplomatic and official personnel.

A printed chart of French military personnel lists their positions, terms of service, and the amount of money paid to them. Ten officers are listed, followed by a drum major, a drum master sergeant, 8 musicians, and 4 laborers.

Collection

Alexis St. Martin collection, 1879

10 items

This collection is made up of correspondence and newspaper clippings by or related to Alexis St. Martin, a French-Canadian man who underwent medical experimentation and observation after surviving an open stomach wound.

This collection is made up of correspondence and newspaper clippings by or related to Alexis St. Martin, a French-Canadian man who underwent medical experimentation and observation after surviving an open stomach wound.

Eight letters and postcards, July-September 1879, pertain to James H. Etheridge's proposals to Alexis St. Martin, requesting that he visit Rush Medical College in Chicago, Illinois, for observation. Alexis St. Martin (3 items) and Henry F. Harris (4 items) wrote about St. Martin's possible involvement and financial compensation. Two newspaper clippings, written before 1880, concern St. Martin's wound, his later life, and Dr. William Beaumont's experiments on St. Martin's stomach. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for information about each individual item.

Collection

Alfred C. and Cordelia Arnold papers, 1862-1865

26 items

The Alfred C. and Cordelia Arnold papers consists of Civil War-era correspondence that provides an intimate glimpse into the relationship of a young Connecticut couple, separated by the war.

The bulk of this collection consists of letters between Alfred “Charlie” Arnold and his wife Cordelia “Delia” Arnold. These letters offer little information on Arnold’s military activities, but do provide a glimpse of an intimate, loving relationship between a husband and wife separated by the war. The letters from Alfred trace his movements from New London, Connecticut, in 1862-1863, to New Haven, Connecticut, in 1864, and to Baltimore, Maryland, and City Point (now Hopewell), Virginia in 1865. They discuss family and friends, money issues, weather and health, and their feelings for one another.

Letters to the Arnolds from friends and family include one from Francis E. Arnold to her daughter-in-law; one from Delia's father to Alfred, and letters from Sister Jenny and their close friend Eliza.

Collection

Alfred P. Sawyer letters, 1875-1878 (majority within 1877-1878)

20 items

This collection contains letters that Alfred P. Sawyer wrote to his parents in Franklin, New Hampshire, during his senior year at Dartmouth College (1877-1878). Sawyer commented on his coursework, social life, and Republican Party politics.

This collection contains 18 letters that Alfred P. Sawyer wrote to his parents in Franklin, New Hampshire, during his senior year at Dartmouth College (1877-1878). He commented on his coursework, social life, and Republican Party politics. Two additional letters pertain to boarding arrangements and to Sawyer's earlier college years.

In his first letter to his parents, Sawyer anticipated a visit home and reported that he had no examinations (June 10, 1875). Between September 2, 1877, and May 19, 1878, he wrote about life as a senior at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. He commented on his coursework in literature, history, religion, political economics, medicine, and other subjects, occasionally noting the names of his professors and lecturers. Sawyer's assignments included an essay on slavery, which he delivered orally on at least two occasions. In one letter, he discussed the relationship between scientific advancements and Christian theology (March 3, 1878). Some of Sawyer's letters pertain to his political beliefs and to the 1878 elections, in which he planned to vote a straight Republican ticket; Sawyer also described political cartoons by Thomas Nast (November 19, 1877) and mentioned New Hampshire party politics (January 7, 1878). Sawyer's letter of May 5, 1878, pertains to the transit of Mercury across the sun, and he discussed his preparations for viewing the event and the possible existence of an innermost planet ("Vulcan"). The final item, an undated letter from Mrs. N. A. Cook and Mrs. S. M. Turner in Hanover, New Hampshire, concerns the availability and cost of rooms and services in a boarding house.

Collection

Alfred Schaller letters, 1917-1919

17 items

This collection is made up of 17 letters that Alfred Schaller wrote to his sister and mother while serving in the United States Army during World War I. Schaller discussed his life at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and described his travels in the South.

This collection is made up of 17 letters that Alfred Schaller wrote to his sister and mother while serving in the United States Army during World War I. In his first letter, Schaller described his journey to Fort Worth, Texas, and remarked on the large number of African American people he encountered. From January 1918-September 1919, Schaller primarily wrote about his experiences at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he served with F Troop of the 14th Cavalry Regiment. He occasionally transcribed his daily schedules and sometimes mentioned activities such as guard duty, K. P. duty, and drilling. On one occasion, he recounted a story about a soldier who had obtained a leave based on a false telegram from home.

On September 30, 1918, he mentioned the hanging of African American soldiers for their participation in the Houston Riot of 1917, though he did not directly witness their execution, and, on November 12, 1918, he described San Antonio's victory celebrations after the armistice. Schaller's letter of January 30, 1919, includes a detailed account of a lengthy hike from an unknown location to Fort Sam Houston, and a letter from March 1919 pertains to other travels in the South. When composing his final letter, on September 16, 1919, Schaller anticipated his arrival home in a few days.

Collection

Alice and Hazel Williams correspondence, 1917-1919

9 items

This collection is made up of letters that Chelsea Williams and William C. ("Bill") Williams wrote to Chelsea's family while serving with the United States Army's 1st Engineers, Company D, during and just after World War I. They commented on their health and aspects of their service in France and Germany.

This collection is made up of 9 letters that Chelsea Williams and William C. ("Bill") Williams wrote to Chelsea's family while serving with the United States Army's 1st Engineers, Company D, during and just after World War I. Chelsea Williams wrote to an unidentified sister (September 14, 1917, and October 7, 1917), to his father (May 17, 1919), and to his sister Hazel (June 26, 1919). He mentioned his inability to provide details about the war, described his leisurely life in occupied Germany in 1919, and responded to news from home, including news of his father's ill health. In his letter of June 26, 1919, he told Hazel that he was not surprised to hear of returning soldiers consuming large amounts of alcohol, as "the first six months over here was enough to make the best of men fall." In his letters to Hazel Williams (4 items, April 11, 1918-June 14, [1919]) and Alice Williams (1 item, January 12, 1919), William C. ("Bill") Williams provided news of Chelsea, who was wounded in July 1918.

Collection

Alicia A. and William G. Bakewell letters, 1845

3 items

This collection is made up of 3 letters exchanged by Alicia A. Bakewell and her husband, William G. Bakewell, in and around 1845. They discussed medical remedies and Alicia's health, Alicia's time with the Audubon family in New York City, and steamboat travel on the Ohio River.

This collection is made up of 3 letters exchanged by Alicia A. Bakewell and her husband, William G. Bakewell, in and around 1845. William wrote to Alicia on August 11, 1845, expressing his concerns about her recent medical complaints and discussing various courses of treatment; he strongly advised her not to take calomel and suggested that she adopt a different diet or take numerous baths to relieve her suffering. Alicia wrote twice to William. Her letter of August 19, 1845, responds to his concern about her illness, which had improved significantly despite lingering back pain, and contains news of the Audubon family, with whom she was staying in New York City. She also reported that bathing had been suspended on account of the presence of sharks. Alicia's undated letter regards her journey on an Ohio River steamer from Ohio to Pennsylvania. She mentioned the ship's propensity for running aground, a fellow passenger who was a musician, and her fear that people in Louisville would approach her husband with unfounded claims of debts against her.

Collection

Allaire-Gibbons papers, 1822-1963 (majority within 1822-1856)

28 items

The Allaire-Gibbons papers contain letters, receipts, and other material related to the early steamboat industry and, more specifically, to the 19th-century business affairs of James P. Allaire, Thomas Gibbons, and William Gibbons.

The Allaire-Gibbons papers contain letters, receipts, and other material related to the early steamboat industry and, more specifically, to the 19th-century business affairs of James P. Allaire, Thomas Gibbons, and William Gibbons.

The Correspondence series (16 items) consists primarily of business correspondence addressed to Thomas Gibbons, William Gibbons, and James P. Allaire. The earlier material in the series (1822-1837) is related to the Gibbons family's business affairs and often pertains to the legal disputes between Thomas Gibbons and Aaron Ogden. These include several letters from William Gibbons to his father, in which he discusses the impending court case as well as his own personal affairs. The majority of the series consists of later material (1837-1849) related to James P. Allaire's business interests, including the manufacture of steamboat engines. Interspersed with these items are receipts for parts related to Allaire's industrial operations.

The Documents series (12 items) contains receipts related to steamboats owned by James P. Allaire as well as 20th-century material about the early steamboat industry and the town of Allaire, New Jersey. The series includes 5 receipts for steamboat supplies (1828; 1856), including material for the Swan, the Thistle, and the Emerald, all Gibbons-owned ships whose engines were supplied by Allaire. The series also includes a document signed by the crew of the Swan affirming the receipt of their wages for April 1828. Later material in the collection includes two postcards of watercolor pictures of Allaire, New Jersey, and two articles, from the Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society (January 1949) and American Heritage (October 1963), respectively. These relate to the early steamboat business, and to the role of Thomas Gibbons in its development.

Collection

Allaire papers, 1762-1873 (majority within 1782-1831)

0.25 linear feet

The Allaire papers contain business correspondence, legal documents, and financial documents related to New York City resident Peter Alexander Allaire and his children, Calicia Allaire Wood and George Young Allaire. The collection also includes an anonymous account book from the 1830s, possibly kept by Pennsylvania merchant Thomas Wood.

Several early items in the collection relate to the post-Revolution business and legal affairs of Peter Alexander Allaire, and include a French document authorizing the shipment of several ingredients, including alkali and soap, for the manufacture of white lead (1783). The majority of the collection consists of material related to the financial interests of Calicia Allaire (m. Thomas Wood) and George Young Allaire. Many of these items reflect ongoing financial disputes between the siblings and Calicia's husband, and involved a third party, Cornelius Bogart. In addition to correspondence, financial records, and indentures related to the Allaire family, the collection includes scattered personal items. Also part of the collection is an account book, possibly kept by Thomas Wood, in which the author recorded financial information, including several accounts for everyday goods, "Farming Concerns," and items "Arrived from Foreign Ports." Many of the book's accounts relate to wood and a few mention stock held jointly with George Young Allaire.

Collection

Allen family papers, 1814-1893

0.25 linear feet

Online
The Allen family papers contain personal correspondence of the family of Northborough, Massachusetts, preacher John Allen. Allen and his sons, Joseph Henry Allen, Thomas Prentiss Allen, and William Francis Allen, often discussed antebellum politics and other matters, including slavery and abolition.

The Allen family papers contain personal correspondence of the family of John Allen, a preacher in Northborough, Massachusetts. He and his sons, Joseph Henry Allen, Thomas Prentiss Allen, and William Francis Allen, often discussed antebellum politics and other matters of intellectual concern, including slavery and abolition.

The Correspondence series (260 items) consists primarily of personal correspondence between family members. Thomas Prentiss Allen composed many of these letters, though his brothers and their sister Elizabeth also contributed. The well-educated Allens discussed a wide range of personal and political topics, and their letters provide a vivid picture of the politically charged antebellum era. They often shared opinions on local and national politics, emphasizing the conflicts over slavery that eventually erupted into secession and Civil War. Notably, Thomas Prentiss Allen expounded at length on Daniel Webster's famous speech urging support of the Compromise of 1850 and offered his own opinions on the political issues involved, including the Wilmot Proviso (March 24, 1850). Other letters of particular interest concern the Free Soil party and the Fugitive Slave Act (December 10, 1850 and January 9, 1851). Elizabeth Allen wrote a majority of the later items in the collection to Joseph Allen, her father, communicating a view of her life on the home front during the Civil War and occasionally mentioning the war and domestic politics.

The Pamphlets series (2 items) contains the following two items:
  • Fathers and Children, containing manuscript essays based on Biblical verses (September 1842)
  • A Discourse on Occasion of the Death of Hon. John Quincy Adams..., by Joseph Henry Allen (1848)

The Photographs series (2 items) contains two 19th-century portraits printed on thick cards.

The Miscellaneous series (5 items) contains a newspaper clipping regarding the death of William Francis Allen, as well as four manuscripts about various topics.

Collection

Alvan Boyden papers, 1806-1828

19 items

This collection contains official U.S. Army documents and correspondence received or written by Alvan Boyden from his time in the United States Army's 45th Regiment of Infantry.

This collection contains official U.S. army documents and correspondence received or written by Boyden. These include regimental inventories, letters reporting inventories, and recruiting accounts. Post-war documents include two professional certificates: one for teaching and one for serving as a justice of the peace.

The donor has collected, arranged, transcribed, and annotated each document and has written a well-researched collection description.

Collection

Alvin Hoffa letters, 1918-1919

5 items

This collection is made up of letters that Jewish Sergeant Alvin Hoffa wrote to his uncle, Isaac Heidenheimer, and his cousin, Howard Heid, while stationed in France with the United States Army's 325th Infantry Regiment immediately after World War I.

This collection (5 items) is made up of letters that Jewish Sergeant Alvin Hoffa wrote to his uncle, Isaac Heidenheimer (4 items), and to his cousin, Howard Heid (1 item), between December 3, 1918, and March 5, 1919. At the time, Hoffa was stationed in Chambéry and Cerons, France, with the United States Army's 325th Infantry Regiment, Company A. Hoffa described his postwar time in France, where he and other American soldiers were "leading the life of Riley" (March 5, 1919). He mentioned activities such as YMCA-sponsored sightseeing trips, a vaudeville show, daily band concerts, and bike riding. He reported that the army provided soldiers with hotel rooms, free haircuts, and new, clean clothing for the journey home. Though he was "so use to hearing shells & bullets, that I am lost in this quiet little village" (January 18, 1919), Hoffa was content to remain in France while other troops embarked for home. Some of the letters are written on stationery of the Red Cross and the YMCA.

Collection

Amelia Lippincott and Esek Hartshorne Williams letters, 1833-1848 (majority within 1838-1841)

23 items

This collection is made up of the incoming and outgoing correspondence of Amelia Lippincott Williams of New York City and her husband, Esek Hartshorne Williams of Red Bank, New Jersey. The bulk of the collection is comprised of 15 letters that Esek wrote to Amelia during their courtship and while traveling for business reasons during the first few years of their marriage. Amelia and Esek received the remaining 7 letters from friends and family members in New York and New Jersey.

This collection is made up of the incoming and outgoing letters of Amelia Lippincott Williams and her husband, Esek Hartshorne Williams. Esek wrote 16 love letters to Amelia during their courtship and early married life. Amelia also received 2 letters from friends and 1 from a niece named Mary. Esek received 1 letter from Amelia, 2 from his brother George, and 1 from a friend.

Amelia Lippincott was living in New York City when she received 7 letters from Esek H. Williams of Red Bank, New Jersey, between April 22, 1833, and November 10, 1834 (including 1 undated). His letters are affectionate and flirtatious, and often refer indirectly to the couple's romantic relationship. Esek Williams shared news from Red Bank, occasionally mentioned his work in a local store, and, on November 4, 1834, joked about Amelia's political awareness and her support of the Whigs.

After their marriage, Esek wrote 9 letters to his wife while he traveled west for business reasons; he sent 6 of these letters from Michigan in the winter of 1840-1841. He described his experiences near Fredonia, New York (December 13, 1840); Cleveland, Ohio (December 19, 1840); and Kankakee, Illinois (February 14, 1841). He mentioned his lodgings and modes of travel, and often remarked about his love for his wife and children, who remained in New York City. He spent much of his journey in southeast Michigan, where he had financial interests, and provided Amelia with news of his arrival and activities in Detroit (January 1, 1841, and January 10, 1841) and Ann Arbor (March 7, 1841). He discussed financial matters, including his difficulties with state-issued currency, "Michigan money," which he referred to as the only currency in regular circulation in Ann Arbor (March 7, 1841). On a later trip to Michigan, he noted the economic conditions in Detroit (January 1, 1843). On July 2, 1848, he composed his final letter, written from Marshall, Michigan; he expressed his intent to sell his farm in Ann Arbor. Two of his letters have pencil sketches of horses.

Amelia Lippincott Williams received dated personal letters from R. Montgomery, who shared her thoughts on fashionable hats (May 26, 1835), and a woman named Catherine Lent, who hoped Amelia could soon visit (October 1, 1835). Undated letters include 3 from friends and acquaintances, including one in which Amelia's niece Mary mentioned an outbreak of measles and a large social gathering in Shrewsbury, New Jersey. Esek H. Williams received two brief personal letters from his brother George.

Collection

American Bible Society papers, 1819-1855 (majority within 1828-1855)

100 items

This collection consists of American Bible Society reports from agents, often located in rural or frontier areas, and Bible distribution orders from affiliate Bible societies. These letters provide evidence of American Bible Society activity in Georgia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri, Indiana, and Maine, and several letters provide the names and officers of local Bible societies.

The bulk of this accession consists of orders from subsidiary or affiliate Bible societies, often located in rural or frontier areas, for Bibles for distribution and sale. These orders came from societies ranging in location from Farmington, Maine, in the east to Bainbridge, Georgia, in the south, to societies in the western states and territories. The great number of local societies represented as correspondents and the quantity, quality, and cost of Bibles they ordered can be used to reconstruct patterns of evangelical activity and success on the fringes of the country during the 1840's and '50's. This correspondence provides evidence of American Bible Society activity in Georgia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri, Indiana, and Maine, and several letters provide the names and officers of local Bible societies.

Included in the correspondence are a few informal reports from local societies of their situation vis-à-vis the needs of the evangelist, their finances, and the success of their efforts to date. Some of these societies served ethnic communities (Welsh, French, German, Native American) or frontier areas where contact was difficult. "You would find that lonely rides with your own conveyance over extensive Prairies and through forrests, is somewhat different from visiting important points by public Conveyances" (April 26, 1842).

A series of correspondence from the Wisconsin Territory to John Brigham in the late 1830's and early 40's is particularly detailed in describing plans for evangelizing in Wisconsin and reveals something of the mentality of the evangelists. The reports, orders, and letters from this quarter are detailed in terms of the numbers and types of Bibles distributed, the means used to distribute them, the finances of the local society, and the clientele served. The correspondents paint a fairly thorough picture of evangelical activity in Wisconsin and their personal experiences as evangelists.

Among their clientele were substantial numbers of Oneida Indians, the 'remnants' of the Iroquois, whom the correspondent, Julius Field, suggests 'are a peacible, Moral, - Industrious, and enterprizing People, - And the best of all Many of them give Satisfactory evidence of conversion & ardent piety' (May 20, 1842). Field continues at some length on the Oneidas and, in other letters, on the Oneida West Mission, 12 miles west of Green Bay. His descriptions of evangelizing among the Oneida are among the most complete in this collection, and his opinions on their life style and future prospects are particularly notable.

Collection

American Home Missionary Society collection, 1835-1851

10 items

This collection contains ten letters written between 1835 and 1851 to American Home Missionary Society Secretary John A. Murray and Associate Secretary Milton Badger. The primary topics are missionaries' efforts in western and central New York, their quarterly and annual reports, appointment approvals, and the requesting of funds for pastors' salaries.

This collection contains ten letters written between 1835 and 1851 to American Home Missionary Society Secretary John A. Murray and Associate Secretary Milton Badger. The primary topics are missionaries' efforts in western and central New York, their quarterly and annual reports, appointment approvals, and the requesting of funds for pastors' salaries. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for more information about each item.

Collection

Amis A. Madry letters, 1918

24 items

This collection is made up of 24 letters that Amis A. Madry wrote to his brother while serving in the United States Army at Camp Pike, Arkansas, during World War I. Madry commented on African American soldiers, influenza, and aspects of military life.

This collection is made up of 24 letters that Amis A. Madry wrote to his brother while serving in the United States Army at Camp Pike, Arkansas, during World War I. Madry commented on African American soldiers, influenza, and various aspects of military life.

Madry regularly corresponded with his brother throughout his military service, beginning just after his induction and ending shortly before his discharge. He wrote about daily life at the camp and provided some of his opinions on military life. Madry encouraged his brother to attempt to avoid army service, and discussed the possibility of his brother receiving an operation for an unspecified ailment. In some of his early letters, he mentioned his distaste for other enlisted men, whom he called "Rubes," and for African American soldiers. He shared anecdotes about an encounter with a "Yankee sergeant" who treated African Americans the same as white soldiers, and about interactions between white enlisted men and African American officers. In mid-1918, Madry's duties included training African American and white soldiers in drill exercises, as Camp Pike became a replacement center for troops headed overseas. During the fall of 1918, Madry's unit was quarantined after an outbreak of influenza; he later reported that several men from his unit had died during the epidemic. Madry occasionally wrote about his siblings, the draft, and war news. By December 1918, he anticipated his upcoming discharge from the military.

Collection

Amos Beebe Eaton collection, 1822-1867 (majority within 1822-1836)

59 items

This collection contains letters that United States Army lieutenant (and later general) Amos Beebe Eaton wrote while training at the United States Military Academy and traveling in New York, Connecticut, Ohio, and Michigan. His early letters reflect the daily life of cadets at West Point in the mid-1820s, and his later letters to his wife provide family news, as well as information about the Army and contemporary politics.

This collection (59 items) contains letters that United States Army lieutenant (and later general) Amos Beebe Eaton wrote to his grandmother, Tryphena Cady of Canaan, New York, and to his wife, Elizabeth Selden Eaton.

Eaton wrote 6 letters to his grandmother between September 14, 1822, and March 26, 1826, while attending the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He described cadets' daily lives at the academy, including their physical regimen, and discussed the possibility of remaining in the military after graduation. Though he considered applying for the marine corps or becoming a doctor, he stayed with the army, and wrote 3 letters to his grandmother between April 16, 1828, and October 21, 1830, while he served at the Hancock Barracks near Houlton, Maine. A group of 5 letters, written to his sister and grandmother from Fort Niagara, New York, between February 21, 1831, and November 8, 1833, concern his movements with the army and his family life, including news of his new wife and young daughters. He also described Fort Niagara and shared some of his opinions on enlisted men. He wrote to his grandmother from Fort Gratiot, Michigan Territory, on July 7, 1834, commenting on his distrust of the pursuit of recognition.

Between 1832 and 1836, Eaton wrote to his wife Elizabeth ("Betsy") while he traveled in New York, Connecticut, Ohio, and Michigan, on military and personal business. He often mentioned family members, religious sentiments, and general details of his daily life. Two letters were written from Detroit during the Black Hawk War, in which he briefly mentioned ill soldiers, his opinion about the mistreatment of Native Americans, and the military's pursuit of Black Hawk (July 24 and 30, 1832). In another he discussed foreign relations with France as well as abolitionism (February 12, 1836). The collection also contains 2 letters that Eaton wrote while serving as Commissary General of Subsistence in 1867.

Several letters are addressed to Amos Eaton. One, written by "Gordon" on August 10, 1832, comments on the public reaction to and possible consequences of a recently published letter of Amos's, wherein he attributes the cholera outbreak in the military during the Black Hawk War to the mistreatment of Native Americans. Also included is a letter that Amos Beebe Eaton's father wrote to his son with extracts of his communication with New York Senators about the motivations behind Eaton's statements, a partial copy of the offending letter, and the impact it had on his military career (September 21, 1838). Other material includes one letter addressed to Elizabeth Eaton from a sibling (July 3, 1836) and a copied document signed by several recruits, stating that they had recently received pay (June 9, 1835).

Collection

Amos Bradbury papers, 1848-1863

67 items

The Amos Bradbury papers contain letters largely from Amos Bradbury to his mother Miranda Stanhope and brother Samuel Bradbury, Jr., which provide a valuable account of life in central California during the Gold Rush era.

The Amos Bradbury papers contain 67 letters largely from Amos Bradbury to his mother Miranda Stanhope and brother Samuel Bradbury, Jr., written between 1848 and 1863. His letters provide a valuable account of life in central California during the Gold Rush era. The collection holds 51 letters from Bradbury, 2 early letters from his brother Samuel, 9 letters from his mother, and 4 letters from Bradbury's friend Joseph B. Leonard. The letters track Bradbury’s movements between San Francisco (1850), Stanislaus (1851), Mountain Ranch (1852), Indian Gulch (1853-1857), Stanislaus River (1856-1860), and Mokelumne City, California (1862).

Bradbury’s earliest letters were addressed from Boston, where he worked in the shipping trade as a first mate. He first mentioned the idea of going to California in a letter to his mother from July 11, 1849. By September 28 of that year, he was at sea on his way to California and, by the next letter, dated January 3, 1850, was in Valparaiso, Chile, after traveling around Cape Horn. In his letter of April 28, 1850, written from San Francisco, he stated his intention not to pan for gold, but to start a store near the mines.

Along with Bradbury’s letters from 1850 and 1851 are 4 items from Joseph B. Leonard, Captain of the Boston ship Grotius, who was in San Francisco at the same time as Bradbury. These letters a were addressed to Miranda Stanhope and, for the most part, reported the safety and well being of her son Amos, and described some of the dangers of California life. Leonard's son, and a man named George Moore, accompanied Bradbury to the mines.

Amos settled in Stanislaus, California, in early 1851. In his letter of March 13, 1851, he described women near the mines: "Excepting indian squaws they are very numerous, although not any handsome." By 1852, Amos was running a successful public house in Mountain Branch, California, with George Moore, though by the end of the year, their business partner had abandoned the establishment. By early 1853, Amos owned three claims around Indian Gulch, California, and expressed renewed confidence to his family that he would discover gold. In his letter to his brother Samuel, of February 10, 1853, he explained the work involved in prospecting. On February 22, 1853, however, he mentioned to his mother that he was finding little gold. He continued prospecting this plot for a number of years and in the November 5, 1854, letter wrote "the height of my ambition is to get gold enough to make us all comfortable."

Bradbury scraped by on meager findings over the next five years. As early as July 13, 1860, in a letter to his brother, he mentioned the idea of running a ferry on the Stanislaus River, and by April 22, 1862, Bradbury reported to his mother that he had, in fact, pursued this line of work in Mokelumne City, California. By then he had made two trips up to Lockeford, California, which was 60 miles further up stream than any steamer had gone before. In his next letter, he mentioned that he had been made master of the Pert and intended to travel to San Francisco on a weekly basis. Bradbury was also master of the steamer the Fanny Ann (August 14, 1863). By February 25, 1863, he discussed buying a store, and that he had chopped off his "little toe."

This collection also includes 9 letters from Miranda Stanhope, Amos's mother, who expressed relief at hearing of her son’s good health, and shared news from Old Town, Maine. Her letters are emotional and demonstrate deeply-held religious beliefs. These letters may be unsent drafts, since they rarely contain signatures or addresses, and some of them are unfinished and two are undated. Of note is her letter to Amos of June 15, 1863, in which she discussed "the beautiful war" and the effect it has had on "the poor Negroes…[who] tear with their teeth, when deprived of their arms. Their very instinct, prompts to liberty or death." She went on at length about the desire of the Southerners to "perpetuate slavery...the worst system the world ever knew" and described slavery as an eternal sin: "Yes greatly have they injured us; but theirs is infinite, not ours."

The lone item in the Miscellaneous series is a two-page document written by Bradbury, which is possibly a fragment or draft of a letter, which is dated but not directed to a specific person.

Collection

A. Munro correspondence, 1872-1873

9 items

The A. Munro correspondence contains nine letters written by the Michigan laborer from 1872-1873, addressed to his wife in Ohio. The letters describe the timber industry and the challenges presented by harsh Michigan winters.

The A. Munro correspondence contains nine letters written by the Michigan laborer from 1872-1873, addressed to his wife in Ohio. In his letters, Munro described the challenges facing timber industry workers in Michigan's harsh winter climate. Though he was happy to be employed by Holden & Loney, Munro initially planned to return to Ohio in the spring of 1873. His most frequent complaints were about the weather, as he told Mary, "I hate to leave Mr. Loney but what can I do it's a pretey hard place to live hear" (January 26, 1873). Munro described his financial difficulties and frequently promised Mary that he would send her a portion of his wages. By March 1873, Munro's thoughts on moving seemed to have changed, and he wrote, "Mary I have no great liking to go to Ohio[.] Some how or other & if do go it will be to stay the summer season & return hear in the fall when cold weather coms" (March 25, 1873). In the final letters, Munro indicated that he was making arrangements for Mary and their young son to live in Michigan City, Indiana. His letter dated November 15, 1872, contains a child's pencil sketch.

Collection

Andrew Adams papers, 1763-1797

45 items

The Andrew Adams papers consist primarily of letters addressed to Adams, an attorney and politician, by his legal clients and colleagues.

The Andrew Adams papers consist primarily of letters, contracts, and bills addressed to Adams by his legal clients and colleagues. Letters come from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Among the letter writers are country store owner Samuel Sheldon, concerning the transfer of land through a deed; lawyer and Connecticut politician Elizur Goodrich, with a request to appear as John Blackburn's attorney; and legal correspondence from fellow Yale graduate and Continental Congress member Jedediah (Jedidiah) Strong.

Collection

Andrew S. and Jacob S. Jessup letters, 1864-1865

3 items

Brothers Andrew and Jacob Jessup wrote 3 letters home to their family while serving in the Union Army during the Civil War. They discussed the possibility of death, visits home, family news, and finances.

Brothers Andrew and Jacob Jessup wrote 3 letters home to their parents and siblings while serving in the Union Army during the Civil War. In letters from Grand Rapids (January 20, 1864) and Jackson (September 17, 1865), Michigan, Andrew Jessup discussed the possibility that he would be killed during the war; his intention to read the Bible, abstain from gambling, and keep good company; and a $30 fine he incurred while attempting to arrest a pair of deserters. Writing from MacDougall Hospital at Fort Schuyler, New York, on July 30, 1864, Jacob Jessup anticipated his return home for a furlough and commented on news of his siblings. He believed that his sister Alida might stand to lose 40 acres of land if "Seth" did not return.

Collection

Andrew T. Goodrich family correspondence, 1802, 1810-1813, 1816

7 items

Seven letters exchanged by members of the Goodrich family primarily concern news from New Haven, Connecticut, in the early 19th century. Andrew T. Goodrich, a publisher in New York City, also provided his mother and sister with thoughts on his church and recent War of 1812 victory celebrations.

Seven letters exchanged by members of the Goodrich family primarily concern news from New Haven, Connecticut, in the early 19th century. Andrew T. Goodrich, a publisher in New York City, received 3letters and 1 fragment from his mother Eunice and sister Sarah, and wrote 1 letter each to Sarah and his mother. Eunice Goodrich also wrote 1 letter to Andrew's sister Frances.

Andrew's incoming correspondence includes a 3-page letter from his sister Sarah M. Goodrich, in which she presented her opinions on an unidentified mutual acquaintance (August 4, 1810). She wrote of her high regard for the man, influenced by his mannerisms and religious views, and expressed her pleasure upon hearing that her brother felt the same way. She also included a brief poem. In a second letter, (September 21-25, 1816), Sarah described activities on board the the sloop Franklin as she traveled from a New York harbor up the Hudson River. Andrew's mother Eunice (2 pages) shared social news from New Haven, Connecticut, where his family continued to live after he moved to New York City. Eunice Goodrich addressed an additional letter (1 page, written in 1802) to her daughter Frances ("Fanny"), and lamented the death of her son Charles. Andrew also received a copied fragment of a letter regarding his brother's death.

Andrew T. Goodrich's letter to his mother concerned a recent business opportunity, and the effects of their separation (November 16, 1811). In a letter dated October 24, 1813, Andrew discussed a recent sermon by John Brodhead Romeyn; a potential substitute preacher, Alexander McLeod, who would only preach if they permitted him to use a Scottish psalter (Goodrich noted he would rather sell his pew and quit the church); and celebrations of recent War of 1812 victories.

Collection

Andrew Turnbull collection, 1786

4 items

This collection of four letters relate to the post-Revolutionary War reputation of Dr. Andrew Turnbull, founder of the New Smyrna colony in East Florida. They were principally written by former Governor of East Florida Patrick Tonyn to British officials and include opposition to Turnbull receiving a government salary.

Please see the Contents List for individual item descriptions.

Collection

Anne Belden letters, 1851-1852 (majority within 1852)

7 items

This collection is comprised of 7 letters Anne Belden received from her friend Clara in 1851 and 1852. Clara wrote of her social life in New York City and detailed her travels through upper New York to Niagara Falls and into Canada.

This collection is comprised of 7 letters Anne Belden received from her friend Clara in 1851 and 1852. Clara wrote of her social life in New York City and detailed her travels through upper New York to Niagara Falls and into Canada. In her first letter, dated December 31, 1851-January 2, 1852, Clara wrote of her New Year's resolution "to commence writing more legible and, I hope, more interesting letters." Her subsequent letters, frequently compiled over the course of several days, provide details her social life in New York City, which involved group gatherings and more intimate meetings with acquaintances, as well as her trip across northern New York and into Canada. From July through August 1852, Clara traveled by railroad and steamship first to Trenton Falls, New York, and thence to Niagara Falls. Along the way, she described the scenery, her companions, and her modes of transportation; she also spent time in Canada near Lake Champlain and in Montreal, where she focused again on her natural surroundings. Clara continued to write after her return to New York City, and on November 18, 1852, described the plight of the Gallia, recently wrecked in the Bahamas, on which a friend had originally intended to travel.

Collection

Anne Dickson Porritt family letters, 1849-1859

8 items

This collection is made up of eight incoming letters to Scotland-born Anne Dickson Porritt and her husband David Porritt in Bury, Lancashire, England, between 1849 and 1859. They received letters from siblings who emigrated from Scotland and England to Buffalo, New York, and Janesville, Wisconsin. Their correspondents shared their perspectives on immigration to the United States, cynical reactions to liberty and equality in a slave-owning and class-divided society, labor (farmers, joiners, carpenters, etc.), industry, wages, child rearing, hired servants, land speculation, and other subjects. Letter-writers include A. W. Dickson (1 item, Buffalo, New York, 1849), farmer Eliza Cross Dickson Bleasdale (2 items, Janesville, Wisconsin, 1855 and 1857), and John Dickson (5 items, Janesville, Wisconsin, and Leeds, England, 1857-1859).

This collection is made up of eight incoming letters to Scotland-born Anne Dickson Porritt and her husband David Porritt in Bury, Lancashire, England, between 1849 and 1859. They received letters from siblings who emigrated from Scotland and England to Buffalo, New York, and Janesville, Wisconsin. They shared their perspectives on immigration to the United States, cynical reactions to liberty and equality in a slave-owning and class-divided society, labor (farmers, joiners, carpenters, etc.), industry, wages, child rearing, hired servants, land speculation, and other subjects. Letter-writers include A. W. Dickson (1 item, Buffalo, New York, 1849), farmer Eliza Cross Dickson Bleasdale (2 items, Janesville, Wisconsin, 1855 and 1857), and John Dickson (5 items, Janesville, Wisconsin, and Leeds, England, 1857-1859).

See the box and folder listing below for detailed descriptions of each letter.

Collection

Anne-Louis de Tousard papers, 1659-1932 (majority within 1777-1820)

3.75 linear feet

The Tousard papers contain the correspondence of the army officer and military engineer Anne-Louis de Tousard, relating to his plantation in Saint-Domingue (Haiti), military service, and family life.

The Correspondence and Documents seriescontain 3.75 linear feet of material, arranged chronologically, and spanning 1659-1932 (bulk 1778-1820). The collection contains both incoming and outgoing letters, covering Tousard's service in the American Revolutionary War, his management of a coffee plantation in Haiti, family life, settlement in the United States beginning in 1793, and military activities in Haiti and America. The majority of the material is in French, with a few scattered items in English. Most of the letters have been translated into English; quotes in this finding aid draw from those translations.

After a 1659 inventory of property owned by "M. Touzard," an ancestor of Louis Tousard, the collection opens with several letters pertaining to Tousard's time in North America during the American Revolution. These include several lengthy letters items by Tousard himself with commentary on his French and American Army officers, the progress of the war, his attempts at learning English, and his impressions of several cities. In a long letter dated August 3, 1777, he noted the capture of Fort Ticonderoga by the British and the desire of Americans to put General Philip Schuyler on trial for its surrender. He also stated that everything in Philadelphia cost "a dreadful price" and that "the money here is discredited." In the same letter, he discussed the major generalship that had been promised to, and later taken from, Philippe Charles Tronson de Coudray and called the Americans "vain, disunited, envying and detesting the French." Tousard's relatives, including his mother, wrote the bulk of other letters during the period. These primarily share news of the Tousards' social circle in France and occasionally make brief reference to political turmoil there.

Beginning in 1786, the focus of the collection shifts to the courtship and eventual marriage partnership of Marie-Reine St. Martin, a young widow and native of Saint-Domingue, and Louis Tousard. Their affectionate sequence of letters begins December 23, 1786. In addition to revealing details of their personalities and relationship, the letters also shed light on their shared management of several coffee plantations and dozens of slaves. Louis' letters to Marie discuss politics in Haiti and France, show the difficulty of importing desired goods to Haiti, and express regret that he must frequently spend time away from her. The couple frequently articulated the idea that together they formed an effective partnership; in a letter of January 26, 1788, Louis wrote, "On my arrival I shall tell you my plans. You will tell me yours and from the two we shall make a single one." In another letter, he stated his dependence "entirely on [Marie's] good judgment" in managing their coffee workforce (May 3, 1789). The letters also provide details of plantation life, including the preciousness of wine and bacon and difficulties of obtaining them (June 20, 1787), Marie's hobbies and entertainments on the plantation (May 3, 1789), and the difficulties of feeding the slaves and workmen (April 3 and 6, 1789).

In their letters, the couple also wrote frankly about their slaves. Escape seems to have been a frequent occurrence; after a particular incident, Louis urged Marie not to become discouraged and assured her that "[t]he slaves will soon stop running away…. Try to make them be afraid of me" (December 28, 1787). In another letter, presumably after a similar event, Louis wrote to tell Marie that he had sent "two collars to help the Maroon negroes to walk in the woods or at least able to feel their stupidity in creating enduring shame for themselves" ([No month] 27, 1787; filed at the end of 1787). The Tousards also complained that their slaves stole from them ([1787]) and inspired each other to rebellion (January 17, 1788). In addition to doling out punishments to them, Louis and Marie also sometimes expressed affection for various slaves, and presented them with gifts of clothing and food. In one incident, Marie went further and defended a slave, referred to repeatedly as "The African": "The poor African was beaten by a driver. I have complained, but I could not obtain justice" (January 10, 1793). Louis also commonly worked alongside the slaves that he oversaw, and sometimes even noted, "I worked like a slave," as in a letter of May 3, 1789. The letters are especially valuable for the detailed information they provide on the complexities of the master-slave relationship.

Although Tousard's regiment attempted to put down the Haitian Revolution, the collection contains only a handful of references to fighting. The most direct, dated "September 1791," likely refers to an engagement at Port-Margot. On the subject, Tousard wrote, "I gave a lesson to the cavalry. I taught them to charge. Two cannon shots were fired at us and they had not time to fire again. In one minute we were upon them and cut them down." Thereafter, the collection documents Tousard's imprisonment in France and contains some material concerning his later military career and family life, including letters between Tousard, his daughters, and their husbands. Also among the later items are a small number relating to his consular appointments in Philadelphia and New Orleans. Two letters concern the quarantine imposed on ships arriving in Philadelphia during the yellow fever epidemic of 1798, the first of which (Timothy Pickering to Tousard; June 27, 1798) informs Tousard of the decision of Congress to prevent ships from Saint-Domingue landing at Philadelphia, ordering him to stand by in his capacity as Major of Artillery. The second is a copy of orders to Stephen Decatur to prevent the landing of a ship manned by "Frenchmen and Negroes," the latter of whom "have discovered a Disposition to outrage" (June 28, 1798). Tousard's letter of July 25, 1814, includes a detailed discussion of the attitudes of the French residents of New Orleans toward the Bourbons. Suffice it to say that Tousard, the Royalist, elicited the negative attention of the "Jacobins" of New Orleans. The collection closes with letters between Tousard's daughters, Caroline and Laurette, and several items concerning his death on March 4, 1817.

The Tousard papers also contain many undated items, which have been placed at the end. These include a significant number of letters by Marie, who frequently left date information off her letters, as well as a small printed portrait of Tousard. Also present is an uncut bookplate, showing Tousard's coat-of-arms, motto, liberty cap, artillery, and the right arm that he lost during the Battle of Rhode Island in 1778. Also of interest is a biographical sketch of Tousard, written by one of his nieces sometime after his death.

The Account Book series includes one account book with entries dated from 1813 to 1816. Louis and Laurette Tousard appear several times throughout the volume.

The Printed Items series contains two items, Histoire des Six Dernières Années de l'Ordre de Malte (1805) and Justification of Lewis Tousard Addressed to the National Convention of France. Written and Published from the Bloody Prisons of the Abbaye, by Himself. The 24th of January, 1793 (Philadelphia: Daniel Humphreys, 1793).

Collection

Ann Meech Williams Collection, 1809-1865

51 items

This collection contains 55 letters and legal documents related to attempts by Ann Meech Williams (ca. 1776-1857) to secure a widow's pension for the service of Timothy Meech (ca. 1741-1825), lieutenant in 10th Company, 2nd Regiment, Massachusetts Militia (Hampshire Company), during the American Revolution.

This collection contains 55 letters and legal documents related to attempts by Ann Meech Williams (ca. 1776-1857) to secure a widow's pension for the service of Timothy Meech (ca. 1741-1825), lieutenant in 10th Company, 2nd Regiment, Massachusetts Militia (Hampshire Company), during the American Revolution.

The bulk of the collection is 48 letters related to Ann's pension claim, including 27 between Ann's executor and son-in-law Hosea Allen, and attorney Horatio S. Noyes. The remaining items are legal documents, supporting or related to the pension claim.

The documents include:
  • Certificate of marriage, for Timothy Meech and Ann Caldwell (m. April 19, 1809).
  • Partially printed certificate of marriage, for Hosea Allen and Lydia Beech (m. April 8, 1834).
  • Title leaf of the New Testament with genealogical information on the verso, [after 1835].
  • Last Will and Testament of Ann Williams, May 31, 1843.
  • Partially printed widow's pension deposition form, State of Massachusetts, March 11, 1856.
  • Partially printed "Affidavit and Power of Attorney" form for "Revolutionary Pension Claims," 185-.
  • Marriage notice, for Timothy Meech and Mary Brumbly (1743-1807), undated.

The Clements Library holds the Hosea Allen and Rodman Palmer Collection, which is comprised of additional documentation related to Ann Williams's pension claims and Hosea Allen's efforts on her behalf. Finding aid: Hosea Allen and Rodman Palmer Collection.

Collection

Ann W. Morris letters, 1817-1818

4 items

This collection is made up of 3 letters that Ann W. Morris of Germantown, Pennsylvania, received from her friend Mary in 1817 and 1818, as well as one letter to her mother, Ann Willing Morris. Mary, who had recently moved to West Point, New York, from Germantown, primarily discussed her social life and family news.

This collection (4 items) is made up of personal letters to Ann W. Morris and her mother, also named Ann, of Germantown and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The younger Ann W. Morris received 3 letters from her friend Mary between June 10, 1817, and March 4, [1818]. Mary wrote about her life in West Point, New York, where she often attended parties and balls, though she missed her friends in Pennsylvania and encouraged Morris to plan a visit. Mary occasionally referred to cadets and officers from the United States Military Academy, promising Ann that, should she visit, many men would take interest in her, though she reported that their hours of liberty were severely restricted. In her letter of June 10, 1817, she mentioned an upcoming visit by President Monroe, for whom she intended to bake a cake.

The final letter, written to Morris's mother, also named Ann, pertains to family and personal news (May 12, 1818). Her correspondent mentioned an uncle who had effectively raised several of his siblings and noted that people educated in England tended to have significantly different political views than people educated in the United States.

Collection

Anson Burlingame collection, 1849-1870 (majority within 1865-1870)

34 items

The Anson Burlingame collection, compiled by Elliot C. Cowdin, holds correspondence, graphic material, ephemera, and a pamphlet related to the life and death of Burlingame, a United States diplomat. Much of the material relates to a dinner Cowdin gave in Burlingame's honor in June 1868.

The Anson Burlingame collection, compiled by Elliot C. Cowdin, holds correspondence, a photograph, an engraving, a pamphlet, and ephemera related to the life and death of Burlingame.

Several letters in the Correspondence series are personal letters Burlingame wrote to Cowdin, a friend, during his diplomatic career; on October 13, 1866, for example, Burlingame described his recent trip from New York to Shanghai, via California, the Sandwich Islands, and Japan. A number of items relates to a dinner Cowdin gave in June 1868, honoring Burlingame and his success in trade negotiations with China. These include a May 23, 1868, letter from a number of prominent residents of New York City, urging the diplomat to attend the banquet; several letters signed by those invited, either accepting or declining the invitation; and Burlingame's own acceptance (May 30, 1868). Other correspondents mentioned their own appointments with Burlingame, often set up by Cowdin, and their esteem for his accomplishments. On January 31, 1870, Burlingame told his friend of his imminent departure for Russia; a month later, he died there, and many of the later letters concern personal grief over his death, as well as to Cowdin's tribute to Burlingame's memory. Among other remembrances, Cowdin wrote a letter to his own wife on April 21, 1870, describing Burlingame's funeral.

The Photograph and Engraving series contains a cartes-de-visite photograph of Anson Burlingame, and an autographed engraving of Elliot C. Cowdin.

The Pamphlet is entitled Banquet to His Excellency Anson Burlingame And His Associates of the Chinese Embassy by the Citizens of New York On Tuesday, June 23, 1868.

The Ephemera series contains calling cards for Mr. and Mrs. Anson Burlingame, and a menu for Burlingame's honorary banquet, given on June 23, 1868.

Collection

Ante papers, 1941-1945

4 linear feet

The Ante papers consist primarily of the World War II-era correspondence of 1st Lieutenant Frank G. Ante, written to Betty Jane Jacober, his sweetheart and, later, wife, throughout his time in the army.

The Ante papers consist primarily of the World War II-era correspondence of 1st Lieutenant Frank G. Ante, written to Betty Jane Jacober, his sweetheart and, later, wife, throughout his time with the army. The earliest letters in the Correspondence series date to Ante's time in New Albany, Indiana, where he worked for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company; these reveal his loneliness and desire to return to Betty in Cincinnati. Soon after the war broke out, Ante attempted to enlist and, though initially unsuccessful, entered training at Camp Barkeley, Texas, in the late summer of 1942. Ante wrote to Betty daily and shared numerous anecdotes about life in the army, including a description of his time in Officer Candidate School and his experience with censored correspondence. Ante left for England on October 8, 1943, and once in England was assigned to censorship duty; he occasionally mentioned the Army's mail policies, particularly in relation to censorship. In early 1944, Ante frequently commented on the Allied military efforts in Europe, including the D-Day invasion and his experiences as the army marched eastward into Germany. On May 7, 1945, the "very bitter" Ante provided his frank reaction to the massive celebrations that followed the German surrender, criticizing Americans for their joy at an outcome purchased at a heavy human cost. Throughout his letters, Ante was warmly affectionate toward Betty, and he continuously looked forward to his return to Ohio.

Other material in the collection includes V-mail addressed to Ante from his sister, Mary, during his time in Europe, numerous Greeting Cards Betty sent to her husband, and Miscellaneous material including orders for soldiers occupying Germany, two poems, and a newspaper clipping.

Collection

Anthony H. Hoskins letter books, 1860-1861, 1869-1872

2 volumes

This collection is made up of 2 letter books, which contain over 270 secretarial copies of Captain Anthony H. Hoskins's official outgoing correspondence. His letters pertain to service aboard the H.M.S. Hecate (May 22, 1860-January 1, 1861), H.M.S. Plumper (January 1-July 2, 1861) and the H.M.S. Eclipse (July 20, 1869-September 27, 1871, and September 25, 1871-October 20, 1872) in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Hoskins corresponded with superior officers and fellow captains about his ships' movements, personnel, upkeep, and orders. P.H.W. Mayow and Henry F. Nicholson, acting captains on the Eclipse, wrote the letters dated between July 20, 1869, and September 20, 1869.

This collection is made up of 2 letter books, which contain over 270 secretarial copies of Captain Anthony H. Hoskins's official outgoing correspondence. His letters pertain to service aboard the H.M.S. Hecate (May 22, 1860-January 1, 1861), H.M.S. Plumper (January 1-July 2, 1861), and the H.M.S. Eclipse (July 20, 1869-September 27, 1871, and September 25, 1871-October 20, 1872) in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Hoskins corresponded with superior officers and fellow captains about his ships' movements, personnel, upkeep, and orders. P.H.W. Mayow and Henry F. Nicholson, acting captains on the Eclipse, wrote the letters dated between July 20, 1869, and September 20, 1869.

Hoskins wrote his first letters from the Hecate while stationed at Woolwich and other English ports between May and July 1860. The ship then traveled to Madeira and, after rounding Cape Horn, to the Pacific Ocean, where it spent time at Valparaíso, Chile, and the Hawaiian Islands. In his letters to Commodore James R. Drummond and other officers, he reported on aspects of the ship's daily operation, including its arrival at different ports and travels around the Pacific. He frequently informed his superiors about disciplinary measures for the sailors onboard, and often mentioned financial reports, which are not copied into the volume. On January 1, 1861, Hoskins transferred to the Plumper, which traveled from near Esquimalt, British Columbia, back to Valparaíso, around Cape Horn to Rio de Janeiro, and finally to Portsmouth, England, where he arrived in June. In addition to reports on disciplinary measures, changes in rank, and ship movements, the commander's letters include content respecting the search for information about the missing gunboat Forward and the lost crew of the Charles Tupper. A 4-page report respecting the Forward documents interactions with the crew of the trading yacht Templar and with Nootka (Nuu-chah-nulth) natives in November and December 1860. A 2-page letter provides a summary of the Plumper's search for information about the Charles Tupper near the Straits of Magellan (April 22, 1861). Although they discovered the shipwreck, the fate of the crew remained ambiguous. The commander wrote that they probably did not take refuge with Indians and that they likely perished while attempting to reach a settlement.

The remainder of Volume 1 (roughly 3/4 of the volume) and the entirety of Volume 2 were composed while the Eclipse served in the Caribbean and along the eastern Canadian coast between September 1869 and October 1872. The first letters in Volume 2 are attributed to P. H. W. Mayow and Henry F. Nicholson, and relate to the recent sudden death of the ship's commander, Captain Harvey. Hoskins assumed command in late September 1869. The Eclipse spent much of its time at Barbados, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Halifax, St. John's, and other ports. In letters addressed to superior officers and colonial governors, Hoskins reported on the ship's sailors, courts martial and other disciplinary actions (for desertion, theft, drunkenness, etc.), ship movements, repairs, and daily operations. Hoskins served as a regional commander in the Caribbean, and some of his letters are sailing orders for subordinate captains. One such order is a response to a request from Belize, British Honduras, for assistance against an attack by natives (May 3, 1870). Others report interactions with French, Spanish, American, and other ships (including prizes). Though the volumes overlap slightly, only one letter is common between them.

A copy of a recommendation letter Hoskins wrote for David O'Sullivan is laid into the first volume (October 11, 1872).

Collection

Anthony Wayne family papers, 1681-1913

7 linear feet

The Anthony Wayne family papers contain correspondence, diaries, documents, and accounts relating to several generations of the Wayne family of Pennsylvania. Of particular note is material concerning Anthony Wayne's service in the American Revolution and the Northwest Indian War, and William Wayne's service with the 97th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment in the Civil War. The Manuscripts Division has created a list of the names of the letter-writers in the collection: Wayne Family Papers Contributor List.

The Correspondence and Military Documents series (Volumes 1-17) contains approximately 1,450 items (3.5 linear feet), spanning 1756-1853, and arranged chronologically. The bulk of the series is correspondence, but it also contains various types of documents, including legal materials, military returns, land surveys, and lists.

Anthony Wayne

The 18th-century material in the collection (Volumes 1-10) relates primarily to the career of Anthony Wayne, including his surveying activities; acquisition and maintenance of a plantation near Savannah, Georgia, and the activities of Native Americans in its vicinity; service in the Revolutionary War; and leadership as commander-in-chief of the Legion of the United States during the Northwest Indian War. It includes incoming correspondence from numerous notable government and military officials, as well as a considerable amount of Wayne's outgoing correspondence and memoranda.

A portion of materials in the collection shed light on Wayne's activities and opinions during the American Revolutionary War, in which he served as a brigadier general. On November 22, 1777, Wayne wrote to Thomas Wharton, the "president" (i.e., governor) of Pennsylvania, on the subject of recruitment, arguing that allowing the hiring of substitutes and the paying of an "enormous bounty" would hinder efforts to attract soldiers. He also discussed the importance of uniforms to morale, arguing that they caused "a laudable pride which in a soldier is a substitute for almost every other virtue." Additionally, Wayne exchanged several letters with a friend, Colonel Sharp Delany, in which they discussed various war-related matters. On July 26, 1780, he provided a defense of his raid on Bull's Ferry, which failed and resulted in substantial American casualties. Other letters pertain to Wayne's injury from a musket-ball lodged in his thigh (November 12, 1781), his uniform (May 10, 1783), and the concerns of Savannah merchants who feared the loss of protection after the British evacuation (June 17, 1782). Also of interest is a memorandum spanning the dates June 20, 1777-October 21, 1780, in which Wayne gave his criticisms of the decisions of the Executive Council and of the Continental army in Pennsylvania, and complained of demoralization of the troops, especially the Pennsylvania Line.

A large number of letters and documents, particularly in the late 1780s, pertain to Wayne's rice plantation in the vicinity of Savannah, called Richmond and Kew, which was given to him by the state of Georgia for his wartime service there. Wayne took out large loans in order to revive the estate in 1785, two years after he left it "in a depreciating state" (June 29, 1783) to return to Pennsylvania. Wayne's letters describe his great difficulty in purchasing affordable slaves to work the land, his efforts to produce and sell rice and corn, and the scarcity of currency in Georgia, which compounded his troubles turning a profit. The papers also document Wayne's struggle to repay his loans and his dispute with his creditors, which became particularly intense in 1787, and resulted in his loss of the plantation in 1791. On that subject, he wrote, "I have been in treaty with my Persecutors" (March 1, 1791). His primary correspondents on these matters were William Penman, James Penman, Adam Tunno, Samuel Potts, Sharp Delany, and Richard Wayne.

Several items during this period also refer to the ongoing conflict between white settlers in Georgia and Native Americans there. One letter to Wayne from Benjamin Fishbourn concerns a Creek uprising in Georgia, during which the natives burned homes and absconded with corn and rice ([October 1786]). Although Wayne claimed that "the Indian depredations in this State have been so much exaggerated as to deter any purchasers" (February 20, 1788), he nonetheless kept track of many strife-filled incidents. On October 7, 1788, he wrote, "We are all confusion here on account of the Indians and Spaniards - the first carrying off our Negroes and other property - the latter Countenancing and protecting them!" He also described the imprisonment of his tenants by Native Americans (October 7, 1788), the abandonment of plantations by white settlers out of fear of "depredations" by natives (December 5, 1788), and the arrival of troops in the south to challenge the Creeks (December 5, 1791). On October 21, 1789, he wrote that he and his neighbors expected an "Indian war" at any time. After Wayne left the south permanently, he continued to receive periodic reports on conflicts between natives and white settlers, including an attack on Creeks at "Buzzard Town," during which whites killed and imprisoned many natives, as described in letters dated October 26 and December 17, 1793. Also of interest is a list of settlements in the Upper and Lower Creek Nation, including towns and villages called "The Buzzard Rost," "New Youga," "Swagelas," and "Cowetaws" (July 2, 1793).

The collection also documents several aspects of Anthony Wayne's political career, and includes his notes on the Constitutional Convention, including his assertion that "The Constitution is a Dangerous Machine in the hands of designing men" (filed at the end of 1788). Also of note are his several letters to President George Washington, requesting favors for himself and his friends, and a letter describing Washington's visit to Savannah, during which Wayne escorted him around the city (May 18, 1791). Well-represented is the conflict between Wayne and James Jackson over the election of 1791 for a seat in the 2nd United States Congress to represent the 1st District of Georgia.

A large portion of the collection concerns Wayne's prosecution of the Northwest Indian War as commander-in-chief of the newly created Legion of the United States between 1792 and 1796. Early letters and documents record the Legion's travel across Pennsylvania, gathering recruits en route (June 8, 1792); the smallpox inoculations for the soldiers (July 6, 1792); the arrangement of men into sublegions (July 13, 1792); Secretary of War Henry Knox's decision to delay operations until after the winter (August 7, 1792; August 10, 1792); and the foundation of Legionville, Pennsylvania, the first formal military basic training facility in the United States (November 23, 1792). Numerous letters concern military administration, including provisioning, appointments and promotions, furloughs, and other routine matters. Discipline of the troops was also a frequent concern, and Wayne and his correspondents frequently made references to desertion, disciplinary measures, the distribution of whiskey as a reward for successful target practice, and courts martial. Examples of the latter include the court martial of Captain William Preston, whom Wayne called "a very young Officer-with rather too high an idea of Equality" (June 25, 1795); the case of a private, Timothy Haley, who was convicted but released under pressure from the civil courts (July 1, 1795); and the proceedings against Lieutenant Peter Marks for "ungentleman and unofficer-like conduct" (July 20-21, 1794). A booklet covering July 19-August 2, 1793, contains a number of court martial proceedings, for such offenses as drunkenness while on guard duty and use of abusive language.

The correspondence and documents created during this period also shed some light on various Native American tribes in the Midwest and their encounters with Wayne's forces. In a letter to Wayne, Henry Knox frets over the yet-unknown fate of Colonel John Hardin, who died in an ambush by the Shawnee (August 7, 1792).

Also addressed are the following conflicts:
  • Attack on Fort Jefferson by a Potawatomi force (September 9, 1792)
  • Attack on a forage convoy near Fort Hamilton by Native Americans (September 23, 1792)
  • Attack on Fort Washington, resulting in the capture of three prisoners by native forces (October 2, 1792)
  • Attack on Fort St. Clair by 250 Native Americans under Little Turtle (November 6, 1792)
  • Skirmishes with Native Americans in southern Ohio (October 22, 1793) in which "the Indians killed & carried off about 70 officers leaving the waggons & stores standing"

Also of interest is a description by Israel Chapin of a Six Nations council at "Buffaloe Creek," which lists some of the attendants: "the Farmer's Brother, Red Jacket and Capt Billy of the Senkas; the Fish Carrier, head Chief of the Cayugas,; Great Sky head chief of the Onondagas; and Capt Brandt of the Mohawks; and great numbers of inferior Chiefs" (December 11, 1793). On January 21, 1794, Wayne voiced his suspicions concerning peace overtures from "Delaware, Shawanoes and Miami tribes" and accused them of buying time in order to "secure their provisions, and to remove their women and children from pending distruction." Jean-Francois (sometimes known as John Francis) Hamtramck, commandant of Fort Wayne, wrote very informative letters to Wayne, discussing the Native American traders in the area and the possibility of starting a trading house at Fort Wayne (February 3, 1795), the arrival of Potawatomi at the Fort (March 5, 1795), and a meeting with the Le Gris, chief of the Miamis, whom he called a "sensible old fellow, in no ways ignorant of the Cause of the war, for which he Blames the Americans, saying that they were too extravagant in their Demands in their first treaties" (March 27, 1795).

The Battle of Fallen Timbers receives only minor attention in the collection in the form of letters, expressing praise for Wayne's victory, from army paymaster Caleb Swan (October 19, 1794) and Francis Vigo (February 22, 1795). However, efforts to end hostilities are well documented with such items as a copy of the Treaty of Greenville (August 3, 1795), Wayne's account of the signing and its impact on various tribes and their leaders (August 14, 1795), and letters from several civilians requesting help in locating family members captured by Native Americans (June 1, 1795; July 27, 1795).

Isaac and William Wayne

After Anthony Wayne's death in December 1796, the focus of the series shifts to his son, Isaac Wayne, and then to Wayne's great-grandson, William Wayne (née William Wayne Evans); the activities of the two men occupy much of the material in Volumes 11-16. Early letters mainly pertain to the family matters and finances of Isaac Wayne, including the ongoing settlement of his father's estate and various claims against it. Several items relate to his career, including an acceptance of the resignation of a soldier from Erie Light Infantry Company during the War of 1812 (March 27, 1813), and a circular letter urging support for his candidacy for governor of Pennsylvania (October 3, 1814), which was ultimately unsuccessful. Other topics include his refusal of a nomination to Congress (February 1824); requests for information about his father by historians and biographers; the August 1828 death of his son Charles, who served in the navy; and other political and family matters discussed by Wayne. His primary correspondents include William Richardson Atlee, Charles Miner, Callender Irvine, Samuel Hayman, and various members of Evans family, to whom he was related through his sister Margaretta.

The bulk of the letters postdating 1850 relate to William Wayne. Early correspondence concerns his courtship with his future wife, Hannah Zook, in 1852, the death of Isaac Wayne on October 25, 1852, and various social visits and family concerns. On March 14 and 15, 1860, Wayne wrote to his wife about travel through Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Erie to Meadville, Pennsylvania. Though he stayed in the prominent Monongahela House, he described Pittsburgh as a "dirty village," and unfavorably compared the "Western Penitentiary" to its counterpart in Philadelphia, "the Castle on Cherry Hill." He noted that Cleveland "is said to be the handsomest City in the Union," but reserved his opinion on this point.

The collection also contains six letters written by Wayne during his Civil War service with the 97th Pennsylvania Infantry. On June 27, 1862, he wrote to his wife from James Island, South Carolina, concerning his regiment's role in building fortifications and mounting guns. He also commented on General George McClellan and his cautious strategy. Wayne wrote the remainder of the letters from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. On October 13, 1862, three days after the Confederate raid on Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Wayne wrote about rumors concerning "the movements of 'secesh' along our border" in what he suspected was an attempt to interfere with the election of 1862. In another letter, he expressed disappointment that he had arrived at camp too late to accompany a group of new recruits to Washington (November 3, 1862). Of interest are four letters from Wayne's friend, Joseph Lewis, which relate to Wayne's attempt to resign from the army, as well as five items relating to General Galusha Pennypacker. The Pennypacker correspondence includes a sketch of his service, written by Edward R. Eisenbeis (December 24, 1865), and letters concerning his recovery from severe wounds received at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher in 1865. Also of interest are several postwar letters to and from General George A. McCall concerning his meetings with Wayne.

The Manuscripts Division has created a list of the names of the letter-writers in the collection: Wayne Family Papers Contributor List.

The Letter Books series contains three volumes of Anthony Wayne's outgoing military correspondence. The periods covered are June 4, 1792-October 5, 1793 (Volume 30), April 12, 1792-June 21, 1794 (Volume 31), and October 23, 1793-September 20, 1794 (Volume 32). The letters are official and semi-official in nature and pertain to army administration, encounters with Native Americans, troop movements, provisioning, and other topics.

The Land Documents series (Volume 17) contains land indentures, surveys, and deeds relating to several generations of the Wayne family, 1681-1879. This includes numerous documents relating to the Waynesborough estate and illustrating its possession by various family members. The surveys pertain to such matters as the line between Easttown and Willistown in Pennsylvania, several surveys performed for James Claypool in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and a drawing (including several trees) of the land of James Rice. Also included is a vellum land indenture dated October 3, 1732, between Anthony Wayne's father, Isaac, and a widow named Mary Hutton.

For other land documents, see the following surveys by Anthony Wayne in the Correspondence and Documents series:
  • Land in Tredyffrin Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania (December 15, 1764)
  • Wayne property in Easttown and Willistown, Pennsylvania (January 12, 1767)
  • Newtown, Chester County, Pennsylvania (January 12, 1767)
  • Waynesborough, Chester County, Pennsylvania ([ca. 1784])
  • Survey notes on a tract of land reserved by Wayne on the Little Setilla River, Georgia (July 23, 1786)

The Other Legal Documents series (Volume 17) spans 1686-1868 and contains wills, inventories, certificates, financial agreements, and other document types. Included are several documents related to the death of Samuel K. Zook, brother-in-law of William Wayne, at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863; certificates related to the Ancient York Masons, Pennsylvania Society of the Cincinnati, and the American Philosophical Society; and several articles of agreement concerning financial transactions between various members of the Wayne family. Also of note are the wills of Anthony Wayne, Mary (Penrose) Wayne, Elizabeth Wayne, William Richardson, and others.

The Diaries and Notebooks series (Volumes 17-20) contains 19 diaries and notebooks written by various members of the Wayne family between 1815 and 1913. Of these, Charles Wayne wrote one volume, an unknown author wrote one, William Wayne wrote ten, and William Wayne, Jr., wrote seven. The books have been assigned letters and arranged in chronological order. The Charles Wayne notebook, labeled "A," covers 1815-1816 and contains algebraic equations and notes from Charles' lessons at Norristown Academy in Pennsylvania. Volume "B," written by an unknown author, dates to about 1820 and contains a number of medicinal cures for ailments such as cholera, snakebite, consumption, jaundice, and dysentery, as well as notes on the weather and references to agriculture and a few daily events.

William Wayne, the great-grandson of Anthony Wayne, wrote volumes "C" through "L," documenting the years 1858 to 1872, with a gap from November 11, 1861-August 13, 1862. The volumes record Wayne's pre-Civil War agricultural pursuits, his service with the 97th Pennsylvania Infantry, and his postwar activities. Of particular interest are the entries that Wayne wrote while posted on Hilton Head Island in August 1862, as well as his brief descriptions of the arrival and processing of recruits at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in October of the same year. He also referenced Pennsylvania politics, the elections of 1863 and 1864, and the reaction of Philadelphians to the news of Lincoln's assassination. Also worth noting are Wayne's accounts of the Confederate cavalry raids on Chambersburg in November 1862, the Gettysburg campaign, and Wayne's attempts to recover the body of his brother-in-law after Gettysburg. Postwar, Wayne wrote on such topics as Reconstruction (August 14, 1866), a cholera outbreak in New York (November 4, 1865), and election fraud and rioting in Philadelphia (October 14, 1868).

William Wayne, Jr., wrote diaries "M" through "S," 1883-1913, with a gap between September 30, 1902, and April 19, 1911. These contain near-daily brief entries on weather, family life, health, and Wayne's interest in politics. Included is a description of an unveiling of a Sons of the Revolution monument (June 19, 1893), the illness of his wife, Mary (Fox) Wayne (February 28, 1884), and Wayne's work during an election (February 19, 1884).

The Account Books series contains 24 volumes, spanning 1769-1856. The earliest volume ("A") covers approximately 1769 to 1780, and contains accounts for unknown transactions, as well as scattered memoranda concerning travel between Ireland and North America and several references to schooling. Volume "B" is Anthony Wayne's military account book for 1793-1794, which lists monthly pay to various members of the Legion of the United States. Volumes "C" through "S" encompass a large amount of financial information for Anthony Wayne's son, Isaac, for the years 1794-1823. Volumes "T" through "X" are overlapping financial account books for William Wayne, covering 1854 through 1877. Also included is an account book recording tannery transactions and activities of the Wayne family in the 18th century (Volume 29), and a book of register warrants drawn by Anthony Wayne on the paymaster general in 1796 (Volume 34)

The Anthony Wayne Portait and Miscellaneous series contains an undated engraved portrait of Wayne by E. Prud'homme from a drawing by James Herring. Also included are various newspaper clippings, genealogical material, and printed matter representing the 19th and 20th centuries.

Collection

Antonio C. and Kathleen Duryea Maden collection, 1895-1932 (majority within 1895-1912)

1.5 linear feet

This collection contains correspondence between Antonio C. Maden of Cárdenas, Cuba, and Saratoga Springs, New York, and his wife, Kathleen Duryea of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York. The couple exchanged letters about their lives in Cuba and New York in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

This collection (1.5 linear feet) contains correspondence between Antonio C. Maden of Cárdenas, Cuba, and Saratoga Springs, New York, and his wife, Kathleen Duryea of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York. The couple exchanged letters about their lives in Cuba and New York in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Correspondence series (around 350 items) mainly contains personal letters that Maden and Duryea exchanged from 1895-1912, before and during their marriage. In 1895 and 1896, Maden reported on life in Cárdenas and Varadero, Cuba, during the Cuban War of Independence, commenting on military developments, political issues, and his plans to travel to New York. In his letter of October 13, 1895, he enclosed a chart from the New York & Cuba Mail Steamship Co., including his notes about the journey to Cuba. Duryea wrote about her social life, friends, and family in Bensonhurst, and both frequently enclosed newspaper clippings containing quips, verses, and cartoons about relationships between men and women. In 1897, Maden moved to Tampa, Florida, and periodically visited Saratoga Springs, New York, while Duryea remained in Bensonhurst. In 1899, Maden wrote about his return to Cárdenas and his hemp plantation. After the couple's marriage, Duryea's siblings Robert, Edna, and Florence occasionally sent letters to the Madens in Saratoga Springs and Cárdenas. In one letter, Robert Dureya told his sister of their father's death (January 17, 1904). During Duryea's visits to Brooklyn, Maden provided her with updates about the plantation's production and about finances; one later series of letters concerns her poor health. Items dated after 1912, several of which are written in Spanish, include personal letters, newspaper clippings, prayer cards for Rosa Maden Samson, and a late letter to Kathleen Maden regarding a tax payment.

Documents and Financial Papers series (10 items) includes lists of the Maden family's expenses in Cuba, as well as receipts, accounts regarding the Madens' hemp plantation, and a Catholic Church document (in Latin).

The Photograph and Newspaper Clipping series (2 items) contains a black-and-white photograph of the Havana Cathedral and a clipping titled "Whining and Complaining Wives Often Drive Husbands from Home."

Collection

Antonio María de Bucareli y Ursúa collection, 1772-1778

23 volumes

This collection is comprised of 23 volumes containing manuscript copies of letters, documents, and more relating to New Spain, primarily in the 17th and 18th century. The original sources (dating 1583-1778) were selected, arranged, and copied between 1772 and 1778 under 46th Viceroy Antonio María de Bucareli y Ursúa. The correspondence of the viceroy deals primarily with the administration of New Spain, government revenue, encouragement of agriculture and industry, development and fortification of frontier provinces, church matters, and diplomatic affairs. These volumes also relate to many aspects of social and everyday life in the 17th and 18th centuries, with content on hospitals, prisons, factories, educational institutions, and indigenous peoples of Mexico, California, Florida, and Cuba. Several volumes have ornate and illustrated title pages; the majority bear a printed bookplate of Mateo Seoane.

Please see the box and folder listing for more information about each volume in the collection.

Collection

Appleton-Aiken family papers, 1806-1934

1.5 linear feet

The Appleton-Aiken papers contain letters and documents relating to the family of John Aiken and his wife Mary Appleton of Lowell and Andover, Massachusetts. The collection contains correspondence about textile mills at Lowell, collegiate education, and the development of the towns of Lowell and Andover, Massachusetts, and Brunswick, Maine. The family letters also include numberous personal references to Mary Aiken's sister, Jane Appleton, both before and after her marriage to the future 14th president of the United States, Franklin Pierce.

The Appleton-Aiken papers contain over 575 letters and documents relating to the family of John Aiken and Mary Appleton, his wife, of Lowell and Andover, Massachusetts. The collection contains correspondence documenting family life among the upper classes in Massachusetts in the early industrial age, and contains useful information on the textile mills at Lowell, collegiate education, and the development of the towns of Lowell and Andover, Massachusetts, and Brunswick, Maine.

The correspondence centers on the interests of a large and powerful family. Mary and John Aiken's children were all well-educated and wrote erudite letters. Many of the Appletons and Aikens were professionally involved in education, and several series of letters include valuable information on college life and curricula at mid-nineteenth century. Charles and William Aiken attended Dartmouth College in the 1840s and 1850s, and their letters are filled with an undergraduate's opinions on coursework, professors, and education. There are also several examples of secondary school writing assignments from John and Mary Aiken's children and grandchildren.

In a different vein, the letters of Alpheus Spring Packard written while he was professor of natural history at Bowdoin College, offer a unique perspective on the development of that institution, and particularly of its science curriculum. There are many other letters relating to Bowdoin College, since the entire Appleton family seems to have retained a strong interest in the college for years after the death of Jesse Appleton, its former president. For example, Mary Aiken's mother, Elizabeth, writes particularly interesting letters about the progress of the college after the death of her husband, in 1819. Also worthy of note are several letters written by Jennie Snow, whose husband was on faculty at the University of Kansas during the 1870s.

The Aikens were heavily involved in capitalizing textile mills throughout northern New England. A few items provide particularly interesting information on the mills at Lowell, including an October, 1836, letter in which Mary describes a walk-out and strike at the mill, and a letter from her brother, Robert Appleton (1810-1851), describing a shipment of cotton arriving at the mill in 1835 from London. Robert also inspected Governor William Badger's (1799-1852) new cotton factory at Gilmanton, New Hampshire. In 1871, Mary and John's daughter Mary describes a book, Lillie Phelps' The Silent Partner, designed to improve the condition of the mill "operatives." Two other items are of some interest for the study of mill life, one a letter from J. Whitney regarding the acts of sabotage against the mill performed by Edward Webb, an employee (1834 May 1) and the other a letter in which a woman suggests women learn sewing, a skill badly deteriorating under industrialization.

The collection includes a letterbook with 25 letters written by John Aiken to his family from Europe. He wrote these letters during one of his business trips to examine textile operations; along with general travel descriptions, he reported information about cloth production and marketing. Additionally, the collection contains a diary kept by John Aiken during this trip. In the volume, which covers the dates September 1, 1847, to December 20, 1847, Aiken briefly recorded his current location or recent travel, the weather, and any sightseeing or social activities that occupied his day. Aiken noted visits to tourist attractions, including the Tower of London and the Tuileries Garden, and also used the volume to track several financial accounts accrued throughout the period. Detailed notes at the back of the volume also reflect his keen interest in the textile industry and the mills he visited while abroad.

On a more general level, the Appleton-Aiken papers are an useful resource for studying family dynamics among the upper class. The letters are filled with discussions of family members, relations between husband and wife or parent and child, and include some interesting commentary on local religious life, revivals, church meetings, and family piety.

Two photographs have been transferred to the Clements Library's Graphics Division for storage. Photocopies of these are included in Box 6 in the folder containing Miscellaneous items.

Collection

Aronson-Grant papers, 1921-1934

2 linear feet

Online
The Aronson-Grant papers contain correspondence, financial records, photographs, and ephemera related to Calvin Aronson and his wife, Pearl Goldblatt (later Grant) Aronson.

The Aronson-Grant papers contain correspondence, financial records, photographs, and ephemera related to Calvin Aronson and his wife, Pearl Goldblatt (later Grant) Aronson.

The Correspondence series, which comprises the bulk of the collection, mostly consists of letters addressed to Pearl Goldblatt between 1921 and 1934, as well as some letters that she wrote to her husband. The letters reveal much about the couple's personal life and relationship, including Aronson's joyful reaction after hearing that Goldblatt had accepted his marriage proposal (February 14, 1924). Pearl Goldblatt Aronson tended to use her adopted surname, "Grant," in her later letters. In contrast to the couple's courtship correspondence, many letters by Grant's friends hint at marital difficulties between Aronson and Grant, including a brief threat of divorce. Some items have enclosures such as drawings and the couple's wedding certificate (February 26, 1927), and one letter is on stationery with the caption "Shh- Mr. Aronson is in deep thought" (April 6, 1926). Three letters enclose photographs (July 16, 1924; August 3, 1924; and May 14, 1929). Many of the postcards within the series have pictures of scenes in Europe.

The Business and Financial Papers series (57 items) contains receipts, bills, cancelled checks, and other items pertaining to the Aronsons' fiscal affairs, including their accounts with the Mechanics' Bank in Brooklyn, New York.

Most of the Photographs (61 items) show scenes around Como, Italy, and several are pictures of young women posing near water and in rowboats.

The Printed Items and Ephemera series contains greeting cards, newspaper clippings, invitations, calling cards, programs, and other items. The newspaper clippings concern politics, playwrights, and human interest stories. Other items include a printed map of the "Harbour of Nassau" and Act IV of Will Shakespeare, a play by Clemence Dane.

Collection

Artemas Hale correspondence, 1809-1881 (majority within 1839-1867)

1 linear foot

This collection contains approximately 430 items, nearly all of which are incoming letters addressed to Artemas Hale, a cotton gin manufacturer and politician from Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Hale received correspondence from acquaintances and political contacts throughout southeastern Massachusetts, as well as from politicians serving in Washington, D. C., and from family members who resided in Mississippi. Most letters concern mid-19th century politics on both national and local levels, and writers address issues such as the Whig Party, education, the Mexican War, and slavery. Approximately 10 items are letters by Artemas Hale, invitations, and a manuscript poem.

This collection contains approximately 430 items, nearly all of which are incoming letters addressed to Artemas Hale, an agent for a cotton gin manufacturer and a politician from Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Hale received correspondence from acquaintances and political contacts throughout southeastern Massachusetts, as well as from politicians serving in Washington, D. C., and from family members residing in Mississippi. Most letters concern mid-19th century politics on both national and local levels, and writers address issues such as the Whig Party, education, the Mexican War, and slavery. Approximately 10 items are letters by Artemas Hale, invitations, and a manuscript poem.

The majority of Hale's incoming letters concern political matters in Massachusetts and throughout the United States, particularly between 1839 and 1860. Most authors wrote from the area near Hale's home in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, or from Washington, D. C. Several politicians were frequent correspondents, and many discussed their involvement with the Whig Party, as well as other aspects of party politics. Others commented on local and national elections; the collection contains commentary on each presidential election between 1844 and 1860. Additional frequent topics include the Mexican War, slavery and sectionalism, and the affairs of the United States Congress. Early letters often concerned the budget and workings of the Massachusetts State Normal School (now Framingham State University), as well as national affairs. Notable contributors include Julius Rockwell, Horace Mann, Samuel Hoar, Samuel J. May, John S. Pendleton, Robert C. Winthrop, Daniel P. King, and Joseph Grinnell.

Personal letters Hale received from family and friends are interspersed throughout the collection, including family letters written before 1839 and 2 letters written in 1840 by Thophilus P. Doggett, a minister in Bridgewater, regarding his travels to Florida and throughout the Caribbean. Hale's brother Moses wrote of his life as a farmer in Westport, Mississippi (June 5, 1843). Another relative, Harrison Hale, wrote 4 letters between 1847 and 1851, providing his impressions of southern life and, particularly in his letters dated April 8, 1859, and February 3, 1861, about the upcoming Civil War. In addition, 2 of Thomas B. Lincoln’s letters concern railroad construction in Texas (December 23, 1855) and the outbreak of military hostilities (December 11, 1860), and [Keith A.] Bartlett wrote 1 letter about his Union Army service at Camp Brightwood (October 8, [1861]). The collection also holds two pages of indexes, possibly taken from a letter book, and a patriotic poem entitled "Sleeping for the Flag" (undated).

Collection

Arthur Bruhus papers, 1941-1945 (majority within 1943-1945)

1 linear foot

The Arthur Bruhus papers primarily contain incoming and outgoing letters and greeting cards that Sergeant Bruhus wrote and received while serving in the United States Army during World War II. Bruhus described his everyday life at military camps in Maryland and Texas between January 1943 and April 1945 and his service in France between April 1945 and September 1945.

This Arthur Bruhus papers contain over 200 incoming and outgoing letters and greeting cards that Sergeant Arthur Bruhus wrote and received while serving in the United States Army during World War II. Bruhus described his everyday life at military camps in Maryland and Texas between January 1943 and April 1945 and his service in France between April 1945 and September 1945. The collection also includes negatives for 24 photographs and 13 printed and ephemeral items.

The Correspondence series is comprised of letters, greeting cards, V-mail, and postcards. Arthur Bruhus wrote approximately 175 letters to his mother, Anna Bruhus of Palatine, Illinois, during his time in the military. Bruhus served at several domestic military bases throughout the war, and frequently described his travel between camps and during furloughs, his first impressions upon arrival, the surrounding scenery, and nearby cities (particularly in Texas). While stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, he occasionally visited Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Bruhus also discussed camp life and, to a lesser extent, his military assignments. After undergoing radio training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in June 1943, he worked with radio-controlled planes used for target practice. In November 1943, he noted Camp Barkeley's use of German prisoners of war for manual labor (November 12, 1943). Bruhus was deployed to France in April 1945 and served at Épernay until his return to the United States in 1945. While in France, he commented on the scenery and everyday activities. In one letter he recounted his experiences on V-E Day (May 25, 1945). He enclosed church programs in two letters. His final letter to his mother is dated September 4, 1915.

Bruhus also corresponded with his sisters, nieces and nephews, and acquaintances (about 25 incoming and outgoing letters). Anna Bruhus received several letters from her grandchildren.

The Photographic negatives series is made up film negatives for 24 photographs of unidentified military barracks, soldiers, camouflaged tents, and group exercises.

The 13 items in the Printed items and ephemera series include advertisements, programs, and an issue of the Camp Barkeley News (May 12, 1944).

Collection

Arthur B. Silverman letters, 1944

5 items

This collection consists of 5 letters that Private Arthur B. Silverman wrote to his parents in Hartford, Connecticut, while training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California, in August and September 1944. He discussed the importance of training, the Jewish New Year, and guard duty, among other subjects.

This collection consists of 5 letters that Private Arthur B. Silverman wrote to his parents in Hartford, Connecticut, while training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California, in August and September 1944. He described the Browning Automatic Rifle, rifle training, and guard duties; commented on the uncertainty of getting a furlough and the difficulty of making a cross-country telephone call; mentioned a USO show that included a performance by African-American minstrels; and noted a recent forest fire. In letters postmarked September 18, 1944, and September 24, 1944, Silverman apologized for not properly observing Rosh Hashanah but explained the high value that he placed on training, arguing that poor preparation had caused military personnel to be killed in the theaters of war and explaining that he had to follow orders.

Collection

Arthur MacLennan collection, 1917-1918

12 items

This collection is made up of correspondence and military documents related to Arthur MacLennan's service in the United States Army during World War I. MacLennan attended the Reserve Officers' Training Camp at the Presidio in San Francisco, California, in 1917 and later served in the 301st Cavalry Regiment and the 46th Field Artillery.

This collection is made up of correspondence and military documents related to Arthur MacLennan's service in the United States Army during World War I. MacLennan attended the Reserve Officers' Training Camp at the Presidio in San Francisco, California, in 1917 and later served in the 301st Cavalry Regiment and the 46th Field Artillery. The documents include War Department circulars regarding the training camp, uniforms, and equipment, as well as other items related to MacLennan's service. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for more information.

Collection

Arthur Richard Roussin correspondence, 1943-1946 (majority within 1944-1946)

1 linear foot

This collection contains 212 letters, postcards, greeting cards, and telegrams that Second Lieutenant Arthur Richard Roussin ("Dick") of Durand, Michigan, sent to and received from his parents during his service in the United States Army, February 1944-August 1946. Roussin wrote about life at Fort Benning, Georgia; Camp Stewart, Georgia; and Camp Robinson, Arkansas, from February 1944-April 1945, and about his experiences traveling to and serving in Yokohama, Japan, from October 1945-August 1946. His parents shared personal and local news and discussed their store in Durand.

This collection contains 212 letters, postcards, greeting cards, and telegrams that Second Lieutenant Arthur Richard Roussin ("Dick") of Durand, Michigan, and his parents exchanged during his service in the United States Army from February 1944-August 1946. Roussin wrote about life at Fort Benning, Georgia; Camp Stewart, Georgia; and Camp Robinson, Arkansas, from February 1944-April 1945, and about his experiences traveling to and serving in Yokohama, Japan, from October 1945-August 1946. His parents shared personal and local news and discussed their store in Durand. Roussin also received a few letters from other acquaintances.

The first letter, from Durand's high school, pertains to his academic affairs (May 21, 1943), and the remaining correspondence relates to his time in the military. The bulk of the collection falls within two time periods: February 19, 1944-April 25, 1945 (120 items), and October 12, 1945-January 31, 1946 (98 items); 6 additional items are dated February 4, 1946-August 24, 1946. Roussin wrote 122 letters to his parents, received 90 letters from his parents, and received 13 letters from other correspondents. Some envelopes contain multiple items or letters written over the course of several days, and some letters enclose newspaper clippings.

Roussin's earliest letters home concern training exercises at Fort Benning, Georgia; Camp Stewart, Georgia; and Camp Robinson, Arkansas, where he was stationed from February 1944-April 1945. He described specific tasks, such as his work with machine guns, and the everyday occurrences of camp life during infantry training. He sent his parents 3 picture postcards of sights in and near Camp Stewart, Georgia, in the summer of 1944, and commented regularly on his training experiences until mid-March 1945. Between March and April 1945, Roussin's parents wrote almost daily about their lives in Durand, Michigan. Their letters include updates on their son "Gene," war news, descriptions of social activities, and discussions about their store. On March 20, 1945, a friend sent Arthur R. Roussin a postcard depicting the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.

The Roussins resumed their correspondence in October 1945, when Arthur, then a second lieutenant with "Infantry Company B, 4th Platoon" (his mail traveled through the 194th Quartermaster Detachment APO), anticipated his deployment to Japan. He mentioned his duties as his unit prepared to sail from California, and described his journey from the United States to Japan onboard the USS General George M. Randall. After his arrival in Tokyo on November 1, 1945, he traveled to the Naval Air Facility Atsugi and to Yokohama, where he was stationed until the following August. While in Yokohama, Roussin wrote to his parents about his daily activities, such as bookkeeping duties for a post exchange (PX) store, visits to Tokyo, and his social life. He sometimes reported on his drinking habits and explained the army's rationing system for alcohol, which divided drinks into several classes before distribution. During this period, he occasionally received letters from his mother and father, who continued to discuss their daily lives and local news, including the possibility of labor strikes. On December 29, 1945, Roussin mentioned a fire in the PX warehouse, and on February 4, 1946, reassured his parents that he had not been seriously injured in a recent car crash, though a friend had been killed. He also sent postcards of Mount Shasta (California) and of a Japanese building. His final communications are three telegrams from late August 1946, in which he shared his expectation of an imminent journey home.

Arthur Richard Roussin often wrote on decorated U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, American Red Cross, or personal stationery. One letter has a humorous printed illustration of a family of birds (June 15, 1944), and Roussin drew a picture of a cyclone in his letter of October 22, 1945.

Collection

Arthur Welch letters, 1916

0.25 linear feet

This collection consists of letters, postcards, and photographs related to Private Arthur E. Welch of the United States Army, who served with the 1st Regiment, Company L, in and around Nogales, Arizona, between July and October 1916. Welch discussed everyday life along the United States-Mexico border, his work in a military ice house, and developments in the region's military conflicts.

This collection consists of 100 letters, 2 postcards, and several photographs related to Private Arthur E. Welch of the United States Army, who served with the 1st Regiment, Company L, in and around Nogales, Arizona, between July and October 1916. Welch wrote his first 2 letters to his mother, Mrs. M. J. Welch of Willimantic, Connecticut, while in training at Niantic, Connecticut, about his life in camp. His next 5 letters recount his journey to Nogales, Arizona, and describe the scenery in Ohio, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico.

The bulk of the collection consists of Welch's daily letters to his mother from July 4, 1916-October 2, 1916, about his experiences while stationed in Nogales, Arizona. He reported news of recent military developments, commented on his accommodations in camp, and discussed several aspects of his life in the army, including his training, his work in an ice house, and his attendance at Catholic religious services. He also described the area and discussed a lengthy march his unit made to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, where he remained for much of August. Welch occasionally mentioned relations with the Mexicans and their independence celebrations on September 16, as well as the actions of Pancho Villa. One of his friends, Ed Ryan, wrote a letter to Mrs. Welch about his experiences after being wounded in the arm; he also mentioned Arthur's work in the ice house (September 21, 1916). By early October 1916, Welch began to anticipate his return to the East Coast. Two photographic postcards depict Arthur E. Welch in uniform and in a pair of overalls.

The non-correspondence items are 1 photograph of a group of soldiers, as well as 3 scrapbook pages containing 31 photographs of Nogales, Arizona, and United States soldiers in uniform and at leisure.

Collection

Asa Grant letters, 1812-1813

21 items

Asa Grant wrote 20 letters to his parents while serving with a New York Militia regiment during the War of 1812. From September 1812-February 1813, Grant was stationed at Sacketts Harbor, New York, where he described recent battles, troop health, and other aspects of military life.

This collection (21 items) contains 20 letters that Asa Grant wrote to his parents while serving with a New York Militia regiment during the War of 1812. From September 1812-February 1813, he was stationed at Sacketts Harbor, New York, where he described recent battles, troop health, and other aspects of military life. The collection also contains a fragment from a report of prisoners at Sackets Harbor.

Grant first wrote to his family while traveling from Delaware County, New York, to Sacketts Harbor, which he reached around September 23, 1812. There, he mentioned the presence of other troops and commented on the strength of the American naval force and the presumed strength of British forces. He also discussed recent battles, including naval warfare, and other developments in the war; on December 13, 1812, Grant mentioned having attended an officer's funeral. Grant reported news of officers and other members of his regiment, and frequently referred to the effects of illnesses among the soldiers and local civilians. Other soldiers deserted, were discharged, or hired substitutes.

The collection also includes a fragment from a morning report of prisoners at Sackets Harbor, enclosed with a document about the strength of the United States' naval forces on Lake Ontario and the British military.

Collection

Ashbaugh family papers, 1873-1920 (majority within 1901-1911)

0.75 linear feet

The Ashbaugh family papers consist of the incoming correspondence of Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Ashbaugh of Brown County, South Dakota, written primarily by their children and other family members in Iowa and throughout the Midwest. The letters provide detailed depictions of daily farming life near Sac City and Terril, Iowa, in the first decade of the 20th century.

The Ashbaugh family papers consist of the incoming correspondence of Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Ashbaugh of Brown County, South Dakota, written primarily by their children and other family members in Iowa and throughout the Midwest. The letters, written from a number of Iowa locales, chronicle farm life in the early 20th century, and include detailed descriptions of a number of farming activities as well as news of the family, which remained close despite being somewhat scattered. Many of the Ashbaugh family members planted corn, and the letters reveal a good deal about the intricacies of growing and harvesting in the region. Several later letters in the collection originated from the South Dakota Ashbaughs' grandchildren, who provided delightful updates on their lives, including the games and other leisure pursuits that occupied their time away from school. The collection also includes several documents licensing E. E. Ashbaugh as "an Exhorter in the Methodist Episcopal Church" in Sac City and Fort Dodge, Iowa, from 1885-1889.

Collection

Asher Robbins papers, 1794-1813

22 items

The Asher Robbins papers consist primarily of letters by Robbins, a Rhode Island lawyer and politician, to Benjamin Bourne, concerning business and political matters.

The Asher Robbins papers consist of 22 letters from Asher Robbins, primarily to Benjamin Bourne, written between 1794 and 1813. The letters are concentrated in the period 1794-1800 and deal in particular with Robbins' and Bourne's mutual interests in land and currency speculation, and legislation regarding these matters. In a letter of January 20, 1795, Robbins revealed his suspicions of "some schemes" concerning a debt owed by the state of Rhode Island, about which he was "in the dark." He also shared his thoughts regarding the actions of the Governor, Arthur Fenner, on the matter. In a letter of January 28, 1796, Robbins praised Bourne's acquisition of 100,000 acres of land in an unspecified state as a "great purchase," and discussed the terms of the sale. A series of letters from 1800 concerns Robbins' lobbying efforts in Washington to effect changes in congressional redistricting. Letters also discuss business matters, mutual friends and acquaintances, and political matters. On December 25, 1795, Robbins wrote to Bourne concerning his client, Dirk Rhodes, an African American man who claimed that the United States owed him money for military services. In this letter and a subsequent one on January 28, 1796, Robbins provided some details of the case.

Correspondence between Robbins and Bourne ended in 1808, when Bourne died. The four items postdating this include letters of introduction and correspondence concerning sale of livestock (November 2, 1812).

Collection

Aubrey Mitchell letters, 1918-1919

4 items

This collection is made up of four letters written by Sergeant Mitchell to his mother and sister, dating between October 1918 and March 1919. Mitchell, serving in the Military Railway Service and Motor Transport Corps, Repair Unit 309, discussed his experiences in postwar Dijon, France, and briefly mentioned women mechanics. He wrote of loneliness and emotional isolation. His letter of March 27, 1919, encloses two snapshot photographs of his sister Alta Mae Mitchell in Salt Lake City. The letters have color, printed "American Y.M.C.A" and "American Expeditionary Forces" letterheads.

This collection is made up of four letters written by Sergeant Mitchell to his mother and sister, dating between October 1918 and March 1919. Mitchell, serving in the Military Railway Service and Motor Transport Corps, Repair Unit 309, Company B, discussed his experiences in postwar Dijon, France, and briefly mentioned women mechanics. He wrote of loneliness and emotional isolation. His letter of March 27, 1919, encloses two snapshot photographs of his sister Alta Mae Mitchell in Salt Lake City. The letters have color, printed "American Y.M.C.A" and "American Expeditionary Forces" letterheads.

Collection

Audrey McDougall correspondence, 1919-1921

0.25 linear feet

This collection is made up of letters that Audrey McDougall of Boothbay, Maine, received from a cousin between 1919 and 1921. "Racey" discussed his social activities and work life in Brookline and Boston, Massachusetts.

This collection (59 items) is primarily made up of letters that Audrey McDougall of Boothbay, Maine, received from a cousin between January 1919 and July 1921. The cousin, who signed himself "S. K. R.," "Shirl," and "Racey," discussed his social and work life in Brookline and Boston, Massachusetts. He frequently attended dances and often wrote of his love for music; in his early letters, he referred to his participation in a cabaret performance. "Racey" mentioned several women throughout his correspondence, including "Adeline," "Grace," the Kennedys, and "Carolyn," whom he occasionally called his wife. Some of the letters pertain to the author's work for a bank or financial firm; he discussed a possible relocation to Chicago or Philadelphia and potential work in public liability or automobile insurance. "Racey" occasionally traveled to Maine to visit his family. Additional materials include a menu from the Copley-Plaza's New Year's Eve celebration for 1920/1921, an undated Christmas card, and "An Ode" (an undated poem dedicated to Auddie [McDougall]).

Collection

Augusta and Francis R. Holland papers, 1818-1849 (majority within 1840-1849)

55 items

This collection contains correspondence between Augusta Wolle Holland and Reverend Francis Raymond Holland, regarding missionary life in Jamaica in the 1840s.

The Augusta and Francis R. Holland papers are comprised of 55 letters, which focus on Augusta Wolle Holland's and Reverend Francis Raymond Holland's missionary life in Jamaica in the 1840s.

Series I: These 12 letters, some quite lengthy, are between Francis (2) and family friend Mary Steiner Denke (10). Mary's letters provide a diverse and well-written discussion of politics, plants, scenery, and society from her life in a Moravian settlement in Salem, North Carolina, and from travels to Macon, Georgia, in 1840, and to France in 1845. In addition to thoughtful discussions on the treatment and conditions of slaves in North Carolina and Georgia, she wrote of a May 1 celebration at Mr. Napier’s school in Macon, Georgia; stage travel in Georgia (during which the passengers had a political debate between Whigs and Locos); a Cherokee Indian Mission and the building of schools there; trans-Atlantic travel; Protestant versus Catholic churches and doctrine in France; and travel around the French countryside near Montauban. She was also interested in academic and religious teachings.

Series II: The August and Francis Holland Correspondence with Parents series, which comprises the bulk of the collection, contains 33 lengthy letters written between 1842 to 1849 and passed between the Hollands in Jamaica and their parents in the United States. Though Augusta was the more prolific of the writers, both wrote extensively about life as missionaries, thoroughly detailing their surroundings, food, health, gardening, religious education, and interactions with fellow missionaries and Jamaica’s inhabitants. Augusta’s letters focused on home and garden; she expressed great interest in the local flowers and edible plants. She also taught Sunday school classes, cared for her children, and kept up-to-date on current events in the United States. Francis' letters often mention national American politics, including national appointments and the ongoing Mexican War. Letters from their parents concern the family's well being, local events in the town, and religious activities and viewpoints. The Hollands kept servants while in Jamaica, and discussed them in their letters.

Series III: The Miscellaneous Correspondence series contains 10 items, primarily letters addressed to Holland from his colleagues in the church. A few letters were also written to Augusta and one to her father Jacob Wolle. Another item, sent from Bergen, Norway, to Philadelphia, is dated 1818 and is written in German.

This collection includes three illustrations: the letter from September 3, 1842, contains a sketch of a garden plan in Fairfield, Jamaica; the letter from January 31, 1845, has a small paper seal with a black floral image; and the November 26, 1845, item features a rough illustration of a flower.

Collection

August F. W. Partz letters, 1864

16 items

The August F. W. Partz letters pertain to Partz's experiences while living and traveling in New York, Ohio, and western Illinois during the Civil War. Partz, a mining engineer, discussed a business opportunity in Santa Fe, guerilla warfare and attacks on trains traveling through the Midwest, and military news from Missouri.

This collection contains 16 letters that mining engineer August F. W. Partz wrote to his business partner, C. Elton Buck, between May 16, 1864, and October 31, 1864. Partz wrote from the Mamakating Mine in New York (3 items); Cleveland, Ohio (2 items); and Quincy, Illinois (11 items). The letters are drafts or writer-retained copies; some pages have more than one letter written on them.

Some of Partz's letters pertain to his business interests, particularly regarding a mining opportunity in Santa Fe, New Mexico; he also mentioned the possibility of bringing German laborers to the United States to work with nickel (October 3, 1864). Most of Partz's correspondence concerns his attempts to travel from New York to Santa Fe via Cleveland, Ohio, and Missouri. He spent October 1864 in Quincy, Illinois, waiting for an opportune moment to continue his journey, which had been rendered dangerous by guerilla attacks on trains in Missouri. Partz discussed the opinions of Missouri and Kansas residents and refugees, attacks on passenger trains, and military developments in Missouri, especially those related to General Sterling Price. For a time, Partz considered traveling to the Southwest by way of California. In one letter, he mentioned his fear of Native American hostility (October 1, 1864).

Collection

Augustus Porter papers, 1811-1888, 1948 (majority within 1811-1888)

0.5 linear feet

The Augustus Porter papers consist primarily of Porter's incoming business correspondence from the early 19th century. Porter, an early settler of Niagara Falls, New York, had business interests across a variety of industries. Other items include financial records related to Porter's businesses and personal letters written and received by Porter's son, Augustus Seymour Porter.

The Augustus Porter papers consist primarily of Porter's business correspondence from the early 19th century. Porter, an early settler of Niagara Falls, New York, had business interests across a variety of industries. The material pertains to Porter's business interests, mail in and around Niagara Falls, property disputes in northern New York, and an unnamed canal. Augustus Seymour Porter, a United States senator from Michigan, received several personal letters from his mother, Jane Howell Porter. Also present are a printed booklet entitled Notes on the Niagara River (1948) and a newspaper clipping entitled Fun and Miscellany, with a list of puns. The Augustus Porter papers chronicle the early history and development of western New York through the interests of a prominent businessman.

Collection

Aulder Watt correspondence, 1917

13 items

This collection is made up of 12 letters that Private Aulder M. Watt received and 1 letter that he wrote while serving with Company H of the 10th Regiment, Illinois National Guard, at Camp Lincoln, Illinois, in 1917. Olive Stone, his fiancée, wrote 11 of the letters from her home in Clinton, Illinois, about their separation, and an aunt composed 1 letter concerning family news. Watt's letter to Olive pertains to his wages and recent labor strikes.

This collection is made up of 12 letters that Private Aulder M. Watt received and 1 letter that he wrote while serving with Company H of the 10th Regiment, Illinois National Guard, at Camp Lincoln, Illinois, in 1917. Olive Stone, his fiancée, wrote 11 of the letters from her home in Clinton, Illinois, about their separation, and an aunt composed 1 letter concerning family news. Watt's letter to Olive pertains to his wages and recent labor strikes.

Olive's often lengthy letters focus on local news, her love for Aulder, and her loneliness. She discussed the possibility of meeting him, either while visiting the Illinois State Fair or when he returned home on furlough. She occasionally reacted to news of his life in the military camp, and expressed her fear that he would be injured in the line of duty. Aulder received 1 letter from an unidentified aunt (September 28, 1917), and wrote 1 letter to his fiancée, in which he discussed recent labor strikes and his upcoming payment schedule.

Collection

Avery family correspondence, 1841-1852

46 items

The Avery family correspondence consists of letters sent to Robert S. Avery and John Avery of Preston, Connecticut, in the mid-19th century. The letters display a strong Congregationalist religious sensibility and chronicle life in Connecticut during the pre-Civil War era.

The Avery family correspondence consists of letters sent to Robert S. Avery and John Avery of Preston, Connecticut, in the mid-19th century. The letters display a strong Congregationalist religious sensibility and chronicle life in Connecticut during the pre-Civil War era. A majority of the letters in the collection were addressed to John Avery, then a student at Yale College and, later, Yale Divinity School, from family members and friends. Avery's siblings, Robert S. Avery, Jr., and Sarah Avery, were some of John's most frequent correspondents, along with his friend James A. Darrah. Higher education was a prominent theme throughout the correspondence, and in a letter of February 14, 1842, John laid out an extensively detailed summary of his expenses at Yale for his brother Robert. The letters John received during his time in New Haven often originated from his siblings, who described weddings (February 15, 1847 et al.) and deaths, among other occurrences in their daily lives. His correspondents also displayed a pronounced religious fervor, discussing the nature of God and of Christianity in mid-19th century Connecticut; these ruminations often came to dominate their letters. Of particular interest among the religious correspondence is a lengthy letter from James A. Darrah, who described various religious denominations in Leesburg, Virginia, including Presbyterians and Methodists (June 21, 1848). John Avery received two printed commissions, dated May 1, 1851, and May 1, 1852, from the American Home Missionary Society and the Connecticut Missionary Society, both of which affirmed his position as head of the congregation of Exeter parish, in Lebanon, Connecticut.

Though the writers in the collection most frequently focused on daily life, higher education, and religion, political consciousness was not entirely absent from their thoughts. On March 22, 1841, John Avery wrote to his sister Sarah, "The Amistad captives who have been in New Haven till recently have now gone to Farmington to be brought to labor." Later, William L. Prather, one of Robert's acquaintances, provided his opinion on the Mexican War: "There is no news of importance…except the news from Mexico, which is glorious indeed, some of the most briliant [sic] victories are gained by the arms of the United States, there has been many valuable lives lost, which is to be lamented but the war with Mexico (in my humble opinion) is a just one in every sense of the word but it seems to be the opinion of every one [sic] that there will be no more fighting there now of any consequence" (April 4, 1847). Also of note is a letter dated April 11, 1848, in which F. D. Avery reported that he recently heard a "sermon by Henry W. Beecher of Brooklyn, he also preached 2 evenings. I liked him very much." Overall, the collection provides a detailed look at the religious and personal life of a Connecticut family in the mid-19th century.

Collection

Bacon family papers, 1805-1888

0.75 linear feet

The Bacon family papers contain correspondence, financial documents, and other material related to Delia Bacon, her siblings, her niece Katharine Bacon, and to other members of her family.

The Bacon family papers contain correspondence, financial documents, and other material related to Delia Bacon and to other members of her family. The Correspondence series, which comprises the bulk of the collection, contains several distinct groups of items; the first of these is a series of letters to Catharine Terry of Hartford, Connecticut, from her husband Nathaniel, composed between 1805 and 1818. A member of the United States House of Representatives, Nathaniel frequently wrote to her about his life in Washington, D. C., and though he occasionally discussed political affairs, the majority of his correspondence concentrated on news of his life and of his business affairs. The second group of letters consists of Delia Bacon's correspondence (1841-1853), much of which relates directly to the quarrel between Delia, her brother Leonard, and Alexander MacWhorter. During this period, Catharine Beecher composed 26 letters, most of which were letters of support to Delia, as the very public scandal took a toll on the latter's reputation. Many of the other correspondents offered similar sentiments, including Elizabeth P. Peabody, who wrote 10 letters. Among the undated Delia Bacon material is a letter in which she wrote a detailed self-defense. The third group of letters (1870-1888) relates primarily to Leonard's daughter Katharine, including a significant amount of material written just prior to her February 1872 wedding. Later items addressed to Katharine pertain to family news and updates from friends, and the collection also includes several letters from Katharine to her children, written in the 1880s. In addition to these three main groups of letters, the series also holds correspondence related to other members of the extended Bacon family.

The Bills and receipts series is comprised primarily of material directly related to Delia Bacon; among these are several receipts for printing circulars and for purchasing advertising in different publications. The collection's Miscellaneous material belonged to Delia Bacon, and includes several advertisements related to Bacon's historical lectures, manuscript essay drafts and notes about the MacWhorter scandal and her later interest in Shakespeare, poetry, a program from Vassar College's 1882 Class Day, and a notebook regarding her lectures.

Collection

Baker-Marshall papers, 1806-1926 (majority within 1806-1853)

125 items

The Baker-Marshall papers contain personal correspondence, financial documents, and other items related to Timothy Baker and Ichabod Marshall, two early settlers of Norwalk, Ohio, who became prominent local merchants.

The Baker-Marshall papers contain 19 personal letters, 100 financial papers and documents, 3 maps and diagrams, 8 printed items, 1 photograph, 3 additional manuscripts related to Timothy Baker and Ichabod Marshall, two early settlers of, and prominent merchants in, Norwalk, Ohio.

The Correspondence series contains personal letters written between members of the Baker family, including letters written by William Baker and Timothy Baker, Jr., to their parents during their time at college. The series also includes letters written between the siblings, providing news of their families, and a memorial poem written upon the death of Timothy Baker, Jr., in 1845. The collection also includes a 1926 letter inviting Willard H. Bennett, of Norwalk, Ohio, to purchase tickets for the University of Wisconsin's football games, along with two order forms.

The Financial papers and documents series regards Ichabod Marshall's land and business interests in Norwalk, Ohio, in the early 19th century. The series is comprised of 100 receipts, indentures, and accounts, including deeds and tax receipts for land in Trumbull and Huron counties. Several of the items are signed by Moses Kimball, an auditor in Huron County.

Three undated manuscript Writings include a draft of a petition "To the Mayor and Village Council of Fredericktown Ohio," requesting the removal of a local saloon; a 1-page religious essay; and instructions for making bricks.

The collection's single Photograph is a carte-de-visite of an unidentified man.

The three undated manuscript Maps and diagrams include a surveyor's map of Norwalk, Ohio; a floor plan for a house; and a seating arrangement for a Masonic lodge.

The Printed items series consists of 2 items related to Baldwin University; Mrs. Lewis C. Laylin's calling card; and newspaper clippings. The Baldwin University items are a program for the annual exhibition of the junior class, March 25, 1874, and a printed version of the "Alumni Song," June 7, 1876. The newspaper clippings include one regarding a lawsuit between Ichabod Marshall and several owners of the Norwalk Manufacturing Company.

Collection

Baker-Taintor papers, 1808-1869

1,080 items (2 linear feet)

The Baker-Taintor papers consist of correspondence and other papers of Colonel Rufus Baker, U.S. Army ordnance officer, and his father-in-law, Charles Taintor, revenue collector and postmaster of Windham, Connecticut.

The Baker-Taintor papers (1,080 items) consist of the letters and documents of Colonel Rufus Baker, U.S. Army ordnance officer, and his father-in-law, Charles Taintor, revenue collector and postmaster of Windham, Connecticut. The collection contains 1,041 letters and documents, 37 financial records and receipts, and 2 miscellaneous items.

Many of the Taintor papers, which comprise the bulk of the early years of the collection, are business letters discussing payments and receipts to the state. Taintor correspondence trails off in the 1830s and his last contribution is from 1837. Also in the collection are a few 1812 letters addressed to George Abbe and Charles Abbe, likely relatives of Taintor’s wife Mary.

The first Baker letter is from 1814, but the majority of his correspondence date from after 1818. Baker's papers concern military matters, including changes in command at various posts, arsenal requests for supplies, exploratory expeditions in Florida and along the Mississippi, the war with Mexico, and problems with recruiting. Several ordnance lists are included. A letter from March 28, 1818, discusses establishing a new arsenal in Detroit and offers Baker the opportunity to be stationed there for its planning. Of interest is a letter from General Pratt, dated November 16, 1864, in which he discusses the Lincoln administration and the handling of the North-South dispute. Also of note is an 1838 letter from his son Charles at West Point, along with the rare return letter from Baker.

The bulk of the Financial Records and Receipts series are receipts of payments from Baker through the American Exchange Bank and the Importers and Traders’ National Bank; the receipts do not specify what the transactions were for. Of interest in this series are a number of itemized lists of tools, received by the Watervliet Arsenal between 1848 and 1851, that were used in an audit in 1853.

Collection

Barnard family papers, 1789-1876 (majority within 1817-1876)

0.25 linear feet

The Barnard family papers consist of correspondence, financial records, legal documents, and maps related to the family of John G. Barnard of Auburn, Massachusetts. The collection includes documents and manuscript maps pertaining to real estate in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the early 19th century.

The Barnard family papers consist of correspondence, financial records, legal documents, and maps related to the family of John G. Barnard of Auburn, Massachusetts.

The Correspondence series contains 2 copies of a letter from John G. Barnard to Andrew Sigourney relating to a dispute over payments on a mortgage Sigourney granted to Barnard (August 20, 1830). Additional letters addressed to John G. Barnard represent his other financial interests and concern his debts. Later items are addressed to Betsey Dodge Barnard from her son Charles and his family, who wrote of their lives in Prescott, Wisconsin, and St. Paul, Minnesota. Charles and Emma's provided news about their farm and about family health, and their daughter Hattie wrote a letter about her experiences at school (December 6, 1868).

The Documents series, which comprises the bulk of the collection, has two subseries: Financial records and Legal Documents. John G. Barnard's financial records include receipts and IOUs for various services; several of the receipts pertain to Barnard's tax payments. Most of the legal documents are indentures concerning property in Worcester County, Massachusetts, such as the holdings of Barnard's father-in-law, Daniel Dodge. Several items are signed by John Prentice, a justice of the peace. Manuscript maps illustrate property lines around Auburn, Massachusetts. Many refer to land owned by John G. Barnard.

Among the collection's Ephemera items are three medicinal cures, a calling card, and financial notes.

Collection

Barrett family papers, 1850-1866 (majority within 1850-1859)

0.25 linear feet

The Barrett family papers contain the correspondence between Joseph Chandler Barrett and his fiancée, Sarah A. Hillard, during their courtship and the early years of their marriage, as well as personal letters written by family members and friends.

The Barrett family papers contain the correspondence between Joseph Chandler Barrett and his fiancée, Sarah A. Hillard, during their courtship and the early years of their marriage, as well as additional letters written by family members and friends. Joseph often wrote and received letters about education in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and on one occasion mentioned attending a lecture about Germany delivered by Charles L. Brace (January 10, 1852). The enclosure in the March 3, [1859] letter is a four-page printed "Report of the Superintending School Committee" of Durham, New Hampshire. A large portion of the collection consists of the Barretts' correspondence during their courtship, and family letters about news and events, with occasional remarks about religious habits and views. Additional letters from family members and from acquaintances provide a picture of daily life in New England in the decade preceding the Civil War.

Collection

Bartlett family papers, 1839-1931

1.5 linear feet

The Bartlett family papers contain correspondence, documents, photographs, and a scrapbook related to Lieutenant Washington A. Bartlett of the United States Navy and to his descendants, including his granddaughter, author Lina Bartlett Ditson.

The Bartlett family papers contain correspondence, documents, photographs, and a scrapbook related to Lieutenant Washington A. Bartlett of the United States Navy and to his descendants, including author Lina Bartlett Ditson, his granddaughter.

The Correspondence series contains letters written to various members of the Bartlett family. The earliest items concern Washington A. Bartlett's naval career, including several letters between Bartlett and his wife Ruth. In a letter from May-June 1845, Washington Bartlett discussed political and military conflicts between the United States and Mexico. Much of his other correspondence is contained in a letter book, which covers the years 1835-1862.

Other items in the series are incoming personal and business letters to George L. Ditson, Bartlett's son-in-law. Some of these pertain to his appointment as United States Consul in Nuevitas, Cuba, a few of which are in Spanish. Later material includes a letter from Ronald Lodge to his mother, Oralie Ditson Lodge (Washington A. Bartlett's granddaughter) about his successful fitness examination for the United States Navy, enclosing a photograph of Lodge in uniform (April 17, 1917), and a letter on stationery from the White Star Line ocean liner Olympic (November 14, 1928).

The Documents and Financial Papers relate to several generations of the Bartlett family. Of note are a certificate about Washington A. Bartlett's qualification as a United States Navy midshipmen, signed by Martin Van Buren (November 20, 1839), and an authorized copy of Washington A. Bartlett and Ruth Budd Bloom's marriage certificate (June 17, 1861). The series also contains receipts and accounts.

The Writings series primarily contains typed copies of poems and stories composed by Lina Bartlett Ditson. Included are 8 poems, 1 group of poetry "Fragments," and 7 short stories. Two items, which may not be by Ditson, are in French, including an acrostic poem based on Ruth Budd Bartlett's name.

The collection's 8 Calling Cards and Invitations include manuscript and printed visiting cards for "Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett" and an invitation to the home of William H. and Frances Seward.

A single Illustration, dated August 1833, depicts the brig Mermaid at sea. A map of a portion of Albany, New York, shows the location of B. Lodge & Company.

The Photographs series has mounted and loose portraits, several cartes-de-visite and cabinet cards, a glass-plate positive of a young girl, and numerous snapshots. Early portraits depict Oralie Ditson Lodge and Lina Bartlett Ditson (occasionally in costume), and 130 20th-century snapshots were taken during a family vacation Eagle Lake in New York.

The Lena Bartlett Ditson Scrapbook contains newspaper articles, programs, and correspondence about Lina Bartlett Ditson, assembled by her sister Oralie after Lina's death. Most items pertain to Lina's artistic pursuits, such as vocal performances and published novels. Incoming correspondence to Lina and condolence letters to her family following her death are also present.

The Printed Items series is made up of postcards, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, and other items. Newspaper Clippings pertain to numerous topics, such as William S. Lodge's political career, interstate commerce legislation, labor news, and members of the Bartlett family.

The collection contains three Pamphlets:
  • Defence of Washington A. Bartlett, Ex-Lieutenant, United States Navy: Read and admitted to Record, by Naval Court of Inquiry... New York: Harper & Brothers, 1857.
  • International Association for the Total Suppression of Vivisection. "The Woman" and the Age: A Letter Addressed to the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P., First Lord of the Treasury. London: E. W. Allen, 1881.
  • Olcott, Henry S. The Spirit of the Zoroastrian Religion. Bombay: 1882.

Other printed material includes poems by Barrington Lodge; engravings of Washington A. Bartlett; a colored print showing a woman in a dress that Ruth Budd Bartlett wore during a royal reception; and a campaign poster for William S. Lodge's mayoral campaign in Albany, New York.

The Genealogy series contains information about Washington A. Bartlett's descendants and allied families, particularly the Lodge family.

Collection

Beach-Fessenden family letters, 1838-1850

20 items

This collection is made up of letters that members of the Beach family wrote to Reverend Joseph P. Fessenden and his wife Phebe about life in Sharon Township, Ohio, in the mid-19th century. Fessenden's correspondents described their journeys from Maine to Ohio via steamboat, railroad, and stage; discussed many aspects of life in Ohio, such as religious customs and agriculture; and commented on news of family members and friends in Ohio and New England.

This collection is made up of 20 letters that members of the Beach family wrote to Reverend Joseph P. Fessenden and his wife, Phebe, from 1838-1850; several include contributions from multiple authors. The Fessendens' correspondents included Sargent W. Beach, Martha Beach, Israel Bailey Beach, Sarah Barker Beach, and Thomas Parnell Beach. The letters pertain to the writers' lives in Sharon Township, Ohio.

The Fessendens' incoming correspondence pertains to many aspects of life in Ohio in the mid-19th century. Several letters mention agricultural practices, education, and religion, including Thomas Parnell Beach's request that Joseph P. Fessenden come to Ohio to promote the antislavery cause (December 1, 1845). Others include the writers' comments on local religious denominations and their personal beliefs. Several correspondents provided detailed descriptions of their journeys from New England to Ohio, including travel by railroad, steamboat, and stage, often through the state of New York. Many letters contain and respond to news of family members and acquaintances in New England and Ohio; Israel Bailey Beach reflected on family members' deaths in his later letters.

Collection

Beatrice and William Ebeling letters, 1942, 1944-1946

32 items

The Beatrice and William Ebeling letters concern the couple's life in China in the early to mid-1940s. They wrote to William's parents in Kalamazoo, Michigan, about their work for the China Inland Mission, the growth of their children, and current events.

The Beatrice and William Ebeling letters (32 items) concern the couple's life in China in the early to mid-1940s. Both Beatrice and William composed manuscript and typewritten letters to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Carl Ebeling of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Their first 2 letters pertain to the birth of their son, John Carl Ebeling, and their life in Wuyang Xi'an, Henan, in December 1942; the remaining items relate to their experiences after fleeing to "Pinshien" [Binxian?], Shaanxi, in the summer of 1944 and while living in Hancheng, Shaanxi, from around October 1944 to March 1946. They commented on their missionary work, finances, the progress and end of the Pacific war, the growth of their children, and their travels within China. William's letter of June 8, 1944, recounts a bombing raid. A birth announcement for John Carl Ebeling, with a colored drawing of a baby's head, is enclosed in the Ebelings' letter of December 7, 1942. The collection includes a short, undated note to Ebeling's grandfather.

Collection

Beatty family papers, 1831-1886

207 items (0.5 linear feet)

The Beatty family papers consist of correspondence and diaries that document a Pennsylvanian family's activities from May 20, 1831, to June 1, 1886. Included is a set of diaries from Mary Assheton Beatty, a short diary from her son, Joseph Henry Beatty, and letters addressed to Joseph Henry concerning the family and his activities in business and service in the Civil War.

The Beatty papers date from May 20, 1831, to June 1, 1886, with the bulk falling between February 2, 1855, and November 18, 1878. The papers touch on subjects such as the Tuscarora Academy, Steubenville Female Seminary, child rearing, homemaking, everyday life, education, and religion.

The correspondence is almost exclusively addressed to Joseph Henry Beatty (J. Henry or Henry) though a few are addressed to his parents and to his brother Reading. Joseph Henry received letters from his brother-in-law George Curwen, and letters to and from various family members relating news, giving advice, and asking questions about his schooling, his work in oil well management, his service in the Civil War, and farming. The letters also give substantial information about Joseph Henry's sister, Fanny, and her husband, Robert Holmes. A letter from George F.Curwen to J. Henry Beatty, January 12, 1861, contains a rough sketch of the layout of a plot of land [Bucks or Montgomery County?].

The diaries series consists of two sets of diaries: one written by J. Henry's mother, Mary A. Beatty, dated 1850-1854, and a 16-page diary written by J. Henry Beatty in 1855 while in boarding school. Mary's diaries detail the family's daily life as well as their experiences with education, marriage, childbirth, employment, and travel.

The miscellaneous items include several pages from The Press, a Philadelphia newspaper, regarding the oil industry in Northern Pennsylvania, a Calling card for Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Wiegand, and empty envelopes.

Collection

Beebee, Ludlow and Company papers, 1820-1852 (majority within 1846-1852)

0.25 linear feet

The Beebee, Ludlow and Company papers consist of business correspondence and financial documents related to the firm, which operated in New York City and Philadelphia in the mid-19th century. The company traded in bullion and specie.

The Beebee, Ludlow and Company papers consist of business correspondence and financial documents related to the firm, which operated in New York City and Philadelphia in the mid-19th century. The collection holds both incoming and, to a lesser extent, outgoing correspondence related to the company's trade in bullion and specie, which included specie from several foreign countries across Europe and North America, as well as gold from around the world. Most of the letters contain financial figures and account statements between the firm and their business partners, who wrote from locations across the country. Particularly well represented were firms located in Charleston, South Carolina, and Cincinnati, Ohio. Following the Ludlows' departure, the firm represented itself as Beebee & Co, Bullion & Exchange Bankers, after January 1851, but continued to do business with Ludlow & Co. in Philadelphia. The records trace the financial history of the company in its prime and provide insight into the bullion business, and business affairs in general, just prior to the Civil War.

Collection

Bellamy family papers, 1798-1910 (majority within 1812-1852)

0.5 linear feet

The Bellamy family papers consist primarily of the correspondence and financial documents of a Vergennes, Vermont, family whose members moved west during the early 19th century.

The Bellamy family papers consist primarily of the correspondence and financial documents of a Vergennes, Vermont, family whose members moved westward during the early 19th century. The collection includes 54 correspondence items, 12 legal documents, 132 receipts, 7 account books, 1 pocketbook and its contents, five scrap pages, and ephemera.

The Correspondence series contains items written by various correspondents to members of the Bellamy family of Vergennes, Vermont. Early in the 19th century, Rilla Bellamy received several letters from friends and extended family, who provided updates on their daily lives. On December 28, 1813, for example, a member of the Stowell family described a recent bout of illness in some detail. Later correspondence, often addressed to Edward Bellamy and Joseph Bellamy, occasionally concerned diseases, as well as other routine affairs, like farming, particularly in western Michigan. One late item is composed of scribbles, likely made by a child (January 1860).

The Documents series is comprised primarily of legal documents, many of which relate to Aaron Bellamy. In 1816, Andrew Dyer of Vergennes, Vermont, sold "all the land which I…have a right to claim from the Government of the United States by reason of my enlisting as a Soldier in the Army of the United States to serve during the War the 2nd day of March A.D. 1814" to Aaron Bellamy (January 27, 1816), but the documents more often related to Aaron's legal troubles. The series includes two court summonses, as well as a document ordering Bellamy's release from jail following a lawsuit filed by William Mattack (March 1837). This series also includes a deed made between William Pardee and Justus Bellamy, dated June 22, 1804.

Items in the Financial Records series are mostly receipts belonging to Aaron Bellamy, Samuel Bellamy, Edward Bellamy, and Nathan Holmes.

The Account Books series contains seven small receipt books of unknown ownership. The books consist primarily of numerical figures, but occasionally mention the names of merchants or other people with whom the owners made transactions.

The Pocketbook originally contained 28 items, mostly receipts and other financial items. Among its contents was a short note in which Lloyd Norris instructed Bellamy, "Sir I wish you to leave the following Premises now in your occupation…on my farm…Your compliance with this notice within ten days after its service will prevent any legal measures being taken of me to [obtain] possession" (September 7, 1847).

Miscellaneous items in the collection include a small card of a bird's nest and flowers, with a short poem about "Home," and a business card for sugar merchant W. M. Austin on Wall Street in New York City.

Collection

Belle Patterson Rosenberger collection, 1910-1912

41 items

This collection contains letters that Belle Patterson Rosenberger, her husband Absalom, and one other correspondent wrote to Belle's brother, Willard Patterson of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, and his family from 1910-1912. They discussed their work at the American Friends Mission in Ramallah, Palestine, and mentioned their travels in Palestine and the Mediterranean region. The collection also includes photographs and an advertisement.

This collection (41 items) contains items pertaining to the work of Absalom and Belle Patterson Rosenberger at the American Friends Mission in Ramallah, Palestine, in the early 1910s. Belle Patterson Rosenberger, Absalom Rosenberger, and an acquaintance named Laura wrote 34 letters to Belle's brother Willard and his family from 1910-1912, many of which are undated. The majority of the correspondence pertains to Belle's work at the mission and her travels in Palestine and the Mediterranean region. She and the Patterson family's other correspondents discussed fellow missionaries and described local customs, such as a funeral (February 12, 1911); they occasionally commented on current events, such as elections in the United States and the sinking of the Titanic (May 5, 1912). In one undated letter, Belle Rosenberger commented on her intention to resume her teaching career. Her letter of May 7, 1911, contains a sketched map of the coastline between Haifa and Acre.

The collection includes a printed facsimile of the handwritten "Bulletin No. 2," a 5-page document concerning missionary work that Absalom Rosenberger issued from the American Friends Mission on November 1, 1911. Five undated photographic prints show scenes from Palestine, such as men in a "gypsy tent," Palestinian women in formal dress, and girls lined up on their way to church. The final item is a printed advertisement for "Thuyoleum," a medicinal remedy.

Collection

Benedict Willis Law family correspondence, 1887-1913 (majority within 1897-1907)

0.25 linear feet

This collection is made up of correspondence between Benedict Law of Erie County, New York, his wife Docia, and members of his extended family. Law wrote to his wife and children about his work along the Wyoming-Colorado border from 1897-1902 and in the later years of the decade. Other family members and acquaintances corresponded about their lives in Texas, New York, and New Jersey.

This collection is made up of correspondence between Benedict Law of Erie County, New York, his wife Docia, and members of his extended family.

In letters to his wife and sons, Benedict W. Law discussed his life and work on mining projects in Wyoming and Colorado, particularly in the area around Dixon, Wyoming, and Fourmile, Colorado. He described the scenery around the border area and discussed aspects of camp life and his work, which involved dredging and digging ditches. In 1898, he shared local news and occasionally commented on the progress of the Spanish-American War, though he also mentioned the general scarcity of news in the area where he lived. His letters to Docia often concern the couple's finances and sometimes contain news about her sister, Grace Graley, who lived in Fourmile, Colorado. Law wrote at least one letter to his son Lito in Spanish (May 24, 1899). Law wrote from Routt County, Colorado, in 1902.

From 1897-1901, Benedict W. Law received letters related to his personal life, his travels, and the western mining work that continued after his temporary return to New York in 1901. A few items from this period pertain to Docia Law. After 1906, Grace Graley wrote to her mother about life in Queen City, Texas, and about her children. After 1909, Benedict Law resumed his correspondence with his wife, who also received late letters from her sister and mother

Collection

Benjamin A. Furman collection, 1917-1919

0.5 linear feet

This collection is primarily made up of 1st Lieutenant Benjamin A. Furman's outgoing correspondence during his service as a United States Army surgeon in France and Germany between August 1917 and early 1919, as well as picture postcards that Furman collected during his time in Europe. Furman discussed his voyage to Europe, work at an evacuation hospital, encounters with wounded African American soldiers, and postwar travels.

This collection is made up of 119 letters, most of them written by 1st Lieutenant Benjamin A. Furman during his service as a United States Army surgeon in France and Germany between August 1917 and early 1919; 2 photographs; approximately 290 picture postcards that Furman collected during his time in Europe; and 2 printed items. Furman discussed his voyage to Europe, work at an evacuation hospital, encounters with wounded African American soldiers, and postwar travels.

The Benjamin A. Furman Letters to His Parents subseries contains 97 letters that Furman sent to John A. and Emma C. Furman of Newark, New Jersey, about his experiences in the United States Army between August 1917 and March 1919. His letters form the majority of a numbered series that originally contained at least 87 items, plus additional unnumbered letters and postcards. In his earliest letters, Furman described his voyage from the United States to Europe, which included a close encounter with a German submarine, and his experiences with the 407th Telegraph Battalion. In July 1918, he transferred to the 2nd Evacuation Hospital, where he regularly treated patients suffering from wounds acquired at the front lines. On one occasion, Furman copied a portion of a soldier's letter about injuries sustained from a grenade explosion (August 11, 1918). By October 1918, he reported increased admissions of soldiers with illnesses, which included numerous cases of the mumps and the Spanish influenza. Furman occasionally treated African American soldiers and repeatedly shared his admiration for their bravery and dedication. After the war, he witnessed the plight of released British prisoners of war (November 17, 1918) and discussed his travels in France, which included a visit to no man's land. Furman spent much of early 1919 in Germany, and described trips to Koblenz, Köln, and cities across France.

The Other Correspondence subseries (22 items) is comprised of similar outgoing letters from Furman to other acquaintances, such as his brother John, friends, and a Boy Scout Troop. Several friends wished Furman good luck in a photographic postcard postmarked February 1918; the image depicts a building at Princeton University, his alma mater. Furman received a small number of other letters from friends in the United States during the war.

Two Photographs include a cabinet card portrait of Leon Unger, an American physician who also served in the war, and a snapshot photograph, which apparently depicts Benjamin Furman with his motorized ambulance and driver.

The Printed Ephemera and Map series contains an advertisement for the Hotel Atlantic & Annexe in Nice, France, and a map of the city of Nice.

Throughout his time in Europe, Benjamin A. Furman collected around 290 Picture Postcards of buildings and scenery in France and western Germany. He organized most of the postcards by place or region, and added brief notes.

Collection

Benjamin Brown collection, 1817-2000 (majority within 1829-1844)

Approximately 2 linear feet

The Benjamin Brown collection is made up of correspondence, documents, and artifacts related to the showman's career as a circus owner in the early 1800s. Many of the letters relate to his journey to Egypt between 1838 and 1840, as he attempted to procure giraffes for an American menagerie company; to his other travels; and to the contemporary American circus industry.

The Benjamin Brown collection is made up of correspondence, documents, and artifacts related to the showman's career as a circus owner in the early 1800s.

Letters, documents, and printed materials concern Brown's early ventures as a show owner, including correspondence and financial records pertaining to his travels in the Caribbean and to the northeast coast of South America in the early 1830s. These materials document the difficulties of transporting exotic animals by sea, the type of equipment necessary to run a circus, and other logistical issues.

A later group of letters and documents reflects Brown's experiences in Egypt, where he traveled as an agent of the June, Titus, Angevine & Company, attempting to purchase giraffes. Many of these letters are from Stebbins B. June, who was also in Egypt at the time, and several items relate to George R. Gliddon, United States consul in Cairo. Brown's friend Gerard Crane wrote about Brown's business affairs in New York, and frequently reported the increasingly frail health of Brown's father. Benjamin Brown received a letter from P. T. Barnum, who asked him to find a pair of fortune tellers for Barnum's museum. He also inquired about locating a pony small enough to accommodate his performer Tom Thumb (June 29, 1843). While in London, Brown frequently received letters from his sister, Eudocia Brown Noyes, who wrote of the Brown family farm and provided other news from Somers, New York.

The collection includes playbills and broadsides advertising Brown's circus; Brown's marriage license (March 20, 1841); a pencil sketch of Brown; two passports; and three fragments of an Arabic-language scroll, offering protection to the bearer. Later material includes newspaper clippings from 1879, 1880, and 1931, on Brown's life and career, as well as an audio tape of an interview with his grandson, Benjamin Brown.

Box 2 of the collection includes correspondence, documents, printed items, photographs, and audio recordings related to the history of Benjamin Brown, the circus, and Somers, New York. Principally organized around the career and research of Carrie Brown Rorer (1903-1969), President of the Somers Historical Society and Benjamin F. Brown's great-grandaughter, the material provides insight into public history, memory, and research on the circus. Included is a typed document, "Circus History: Recollections by Benjamin Brown (1877-1962) as told to Carrie Brown Roher, (1903-1969), who was one of his three daughters," which details memories of Benjamin F. Brown and family stories about him.

Benjamin Brown acquired clothing and artifacts, including the following:
  • Two shoes, [1800s]
  • Burnoose, [1800s]
  • Black circus jacket, [1800s]
  • Pipe stem and bowl
  • Two rocks
  • Fragments from an ostrich eggshell
  • Canopic jar lid
  • Two small boxes
  • Ushabti figure
  • Harpocrates figure

The Egyptian figures may date to around 600 BCE.

Collection

Benjamin Bussey collection, 1767-1872 (majority within 1800-1847)

0.5 linear feet

The Benjamin Bussey collection contains letters and financial records related to Bussey's shipping endeavors, loans and philanthropy, land holdings in Massachusetts and Maine, and his estate in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Though the collection reveals little about Bussey's personal life, it is a great source of information on his diverse business interests and his far-reaching network of friends and colleagues such as Henry A. S. Dearborn, Josiah Quincy, William H. Sumner, and Samuel Thatcher.

The Benjamin Bussey collection contains 198 letters, 38 financial records, and one biographical note. These primarily concern Bussey's shipping interests, loans and philanthropy, land holdings in Massachusetts and Maine, and his estate in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The papers document Bussey’s business dealings throughout New England, as well as in New York, Georgia, North Carolina, Philadelphia, Barbados, Jamaica, London, Rotterdam, Naples, and Madeira. The collection reveals little about Bussey's personal life but much about his diverse business interests, his far-reaching network of friends and colleagues, and philanthropy in the first half of the 19th century.

The bulk of the collection consists of letters written to Bussey concerning shipping and commerce and other business matters. Bussey's firm traded salt, pepper, sugar, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, flour, fish, saffron, and wine with various European nations. Many of the letters describe the state of trade with Europe and the challenges of shipping operations in the early 19th century, as well as the locations of the best markets for certain goods and the methods of making the most money off a shipment. For example, Bussey’s associate Jonathan Arnold described the volatility of the markets in New Orleans, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, and recounted many of the difficulties encountered in moving goods between these ports (June 2, 1796). In a letter from 1832, George Kuhn, his friend and partner in the Dedham Worsted Company, discussed the price of clothes (as well as Andrew Jackson's electoral prospects in Pennsylvania). Letters from March 22, 1806, and December 17, 1806, concern attempts to salvage barrels of wine from the wreck of the ship Hercules after it was damaged near Kingston, Jamaica.

The political climate concerning international commerce is also often discussed. A letter from September 20, 1810, is representative of how American traders saw the strained relationship between the United States and Europe. Napoleonic Wars were mentioned in several letters dated between 1807 and 1815, as they pertain to commercial interests, primarily the difficulty of American ships safely reaching European ports. Of particular interest are discussions of the British practice of boarding American ships, imprisoning passengers, and impounding cargoes. In a letter dated London, August 5, 1808, Fred Gebhardt described a British ship that seized and impressed non-American citizens aboard the Tyger, on which he was sailing. He was not impressed, because he held a passport, but he was detained for two weeks. He wrote, "Even private individuals can no longer travel or pass the seas without exposing their personal freedom and safety. In England they have become as arbitrary as on the continent." He also discussed Napoleon's violent invasion of Spain and the impending War of the Fifth Coalition. In another letter, he mentioned a particularly unfortunate confrontation in Spanish waters, where a ship was captured, the crew put in irons, and the captain had to stand for trial before the court of Spanish Admiralty (April 21, 1807). The incident resulted in Bussey and his partner Boardman losing $150,000 worth of goods. Along with the many business letters in the collection are receipts, accounts, inventories, and records of Bussey's business dealings, which list prices and destinations for goods. An 1804 note, for instance, contains information on the value of a shipment of coffee and sugar on board the Sampson.

The collection also represents Bussey's non-shipping interests. These include information on wool and sheep for his wool manufacturing facility in Dedham, Massachusetts (May 21, 1812), and details on the prosperity of the Middlesex Canal, which ran from the Merrimack River to Boston Harbor (January 20, 1816). Other items address Bussey’s interests in public office. In a letter, presumably to Bussey, ,dated January 27, 1841, B. Pierce mentions a meeting with John Quincy Adams regarding a petition to the Committee on Indian Affairs, an upcoming visit of "Tipicanoe and Tyler Too," and notes that he will only send the letter "if he can get Congress to pay for it…it isn't worth his own money for postage."

The collection holds a number of letters from acquaintances, organizations, and even strangers asking Bussey for loans and charity. Bussey belonged to the Unitarian Church in Roxbury but believed that other religious institutions also deserved his support. He donated to the Boston Baptist Church, the Summer Street Methodist Church, the First Church of Belfast, Maine, the First Church of Christ, Bangor's Theological Seminary, and to the Frankfort Village Religious Association. Bussey was not targeted for charity only by religious institutions. He received requests to support the Winslow Blues, a local light infantry unit (June 7, 1817); to give to the Massachusetts General Hospital (April 5, 1814); to fund educational institutions, such as a school under the Synod of New York and New Jersey that trained African American men become schoolmasters in America and in Africa (December 31, 1819); and to invest in Sarah Hale’s “Ladies Magazine” (September 26, 1837). He also gave land to the Congregational Female Academy in Augusta, Maine (June 28, 1827).

Bussey received loan and charity requests from individuals as well. Lucy Knox, widow of General Henry Knox, lobbied Bussey to supply books and money for her son's medical education (December 26, 1813 and January 20, 1822). Edward Robbins also asked for financial assistance for his son who was just starting out in life. Bussey was requested to support the arts by an Italian musician from Naples named Norberto Hadrava, who asked for a $100 loan to support his musical endeavors, such as printing and performing his opera The Island of Capri (March 6, 1812). Bussey was a supporter of multiple societies including the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association (1818), Prison Discipline Society (1830), the Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians, Massachusetts Charitable Meetings Association, and was the vice president of the Massachusetts Society for the Encouragement of American Manufacturing.

The collection contains only a few personal letters to Bussey and his family. Five are from Bussey's son-in-law Charles Davis, husband of Bussey's daughter, Eliza. In letters from August 2 and 13, 1816, for example, he gives Bussey an update on the construction progress of his Roxbury estate. The collection contains one lengthy letter from Eliza (married to Enos Stewart), dated September 27, 1837, in which she described her time in Florence, Italy, and mentioned current events in Europe. An letter from September 15, 1823, contains a report from Catherine Putnam about the health of Bussey's sick wife, and after Bussey's death, Josiah Quincy, president of Harvard, wrote a letter to Judith inquiring about the Gilbert Stuart portraits owned by the Bussey family. The collection also holds a few letters from Bussey's friends and acquaintances, including letters of introductions and a letter from Commodore William Bainbridge accepting an invitation for a social call to Bussey's estate (November 1819).

The collection contains many letters concerning prominent Boston citizens: many of Bussey's Roxbury neighbors such as General William Sumner (1780-1861), son of the prominent Roxbury merchant Increase Sumner and grandson of William Hyslop, a prosperous Boston merchant; lawyer philanthropist John Lowell; businessman Ebenezer Thatcher and his brother Samuel Thatcher, congressman from Massachusetts; secretary of war and Massachusetts congressman Henry A. S. Dearborn; and Harvard President Josiah Quincy. Other prominent people represented in the collection include Philadelphia lawyer and author William Rawle (November 5, 1831) and Joshua Bates, President of Middlebury College. While some letters from these men directly concern Bussey, many are only tangentially related in discussions regarding topics such as Boston shipping matters or Roxbury events and development. One notable item is from John Brooks, Governor of Massachusetts, to William Sumner about establishing military defenses stationed on Noddle's Island, Massachusetts (April 17, 1813).

The Benjamin Bussey papers contain a few miscellaneous items including notes for a biography or obituary for Roxbury lawyer, John Lowell, and an invitation to an annual visit for donors to "the African School."

Collection

Benjamin Franklin collection, 1766-1788

22 items

The Benjamin Franklin collection is made up primarily of letters that Franklin wrote to Joseph Galloway, when Franklin was an agent for the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly in Great Britain from 1764 to 1775.

The Benjamin Franklin collection is made up of 21 letters, 17 of which Franklin, as agent for the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly in Great Britain, wrote to Joseph Galloway from 1764 to 1775. Franklin addressed numerous political issues, including the Stamp Act, Galloway’s appointment to the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, the Currency Act, and other Parliamentary discussions. The letters contain evidence of Franklin’s frustration with British taxation leading up to the Revolution. Four additional letters by Franklin and one document signed by him comprise the remainder of the collection.

The box and folder listing below contains notes respecting contents of each item in the collection.

Collection

Benjamin Franklin correspondence, 1865-1866

120 items

This collection is made up of 120 incoming business letters addressed to Benjamin Franklin of Burlington, New Jersey, in 1865 and 1866, concerning the oil industry in Kentucky and Tennessee. The letters relate to the discovery of new wells and deposits, the purchase of oil fields, the cost and delivery of equipment, and other subjects.

This collection is made up of 120 incoming business letters addressed to Benjamin Franklin of Burlington, New Jersey, in 1865 and 1866, concerning the oil industry in Kentucky and Tennessee. The letters relate to the discovery of new wells and deposits, the purchase of oil fields, the cost and delivery of equipment, and other subjects.

Though Franklin lived in New Jersey, he occasionally traveled south to look after his business affairs. He primarily received letters from business partners in Louisville and Glasgow, Kentucky, who provided him with detailed descriptions of local oil lands, including physical characteristics, anticipated yields, and the interests of other prospectors. Writers frequently encouraged Franklin to consider purchasing various properties. Other correspondence pertains to the progress of Franklin's wells and to the delivery of machinery, such as steam engines. Most letters directly or indirectly concern Franklin's finances, including content about his stock holdings and costs associated with his oil interests. Partial copies of his draft responses accompany a portion of his incoming letters.

Collection

Benjamin Kite, Jr. correspondence, 1825-1828

4 items

This collection is made up of letters that Benjamin Kite, Jr., received from his parents and siblings in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, between 1825 and 1828. The Kite family, who were Quakers, shared news of Benjamin's siblings, discussed his father's retirement, and wrote about their religious views.

This collection is made up of 4 letters that Benjamin Kite, Jr., received from his parents, Benjamin and Rebecca Kite (September 28, 1825, and May 1, 1828), and from his siblings Nathan (March 30, 1827) and Mary (June 1, 1828). The Kite family lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rebecca Kite expressed her belief that married couples, such as Benjamin and his wife Eliza, shared a common interest; and she provided news of Benjamin's brother Joseph, who was suffering from a grave illness. Nathan Kite wrote a humorous letter of introduction for "W. Kite," remarking that the traveler would be renowned for his trip down the Delaware River.

Benjamin Kite's letter concerns his retirement and his son Thomas's printing establishment; he expected to move in with Thomas, becoming his bookkeeper and errand-man. Mary Kite's letter contains news of each of the Kite siblings and encourages Benjamin to contribute to financial support for their parents. She also wrote about the family's move away from their longtime residence and reflected upon the impermanence of the temporal world.