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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.

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).

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.

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.

• 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

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).

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.

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.”

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).

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).

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).

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.

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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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

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.

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).

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.

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"

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."

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.

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).

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.