Search

Back to top

Search Constraints

Start Over You searched for: Formats Poems. Remove constraint Formats: Poems.
Number of results to display per page
View results as:

Search Results

Collection

Lyman Trumbull family papers, 1799-1924 (majority within 1859-1890)

approximately 1.75 linear feet

The Lyman Trumbull family papers contain personal correspondence of United States Senator Lyman Trumbull and of the family of his second wife, Mary Ingraham Trumbull. Letters primarily pertain to personal matters and family life during the 19th century, with a focus on Chicago, Illinois, during the Civil War, and Saybrook, Connecticut, home of the Ingraham family. The collection also contains a number of school notebooks, legal and financial documents, two watercolor paintings, photographs, and ephemera.
The Correspondence series is currently divided into the following five subseries:
  • Trumbull Family Letters
    • Lyman Trumbull Miscellaneous letters (1838-1895)
    • Lyman Trumbull to Julia Trumbull (1844-1855)
    • Julia Trumbull to Lyman Trumbull (1860-1866)
    • Lyman Trumbull to Mary Ingraham Trumbull (1869-1884)
    • Letters to Mary Ingraham Trumbull (1859-1914)
    • Miscellaneous Trumbull family letters (1850-1903)
  • Ingraham-Rankin Family Letters
    • Julia Ingraham and George Rankin letters (1868-1899)
    • Miscellaneous Ingraham family letters (1824-1913)
  • Letters to J. F. Uhlhorn (1860-1869)
  • Mather Family Letters (1837-1893)
  • Miscellaneous Letters (1834-1908)

The Trumbull Family Letters subseries contain the letters of Lyman Trumbull, Julia Trumbull, Mary Ingraham Trumbull, and various other family members.

The Lyman Trumbull Miscellaneous letters (1838-1895) contain personal correspondence, both written and received, by Lyman Trumbull. Among the items written by Trumbull are a letter describing a trip to the Minnesota wilderness, and a draft of a telegram congratulating president-elect Benjamin Harrison. Incoming correspondence includes letters from his siblings and cousins, as well as copies of letters from Abraham Lincoln and J. F. Buchanan. General Nelson Miles sent an invitation to Lyman and Robert Lincoln wrote a lengthy letter regarding the financial history of his late mother, Mary Todd Lincoln.

The Lyman Trumbull to Julia Trumbull letters (1844-1855) contains 12 letters written by Lyman to his first wife. The letters primarily discuss his health and occasionally refer to his social life.

The Julia Trumbull to Lyman Trumbull letters (1860-1866) consist of Civil War-era letters from Julia to her husband regarding her life in Chicago, where she remained while Lyman served in the United States Senate. Most of the letters focus on local social life and on the couple's children. Though some of these letters contain brief remarks on political matters, the focus on family is maintained throughout.

The Lyman Trumbull to Mary Ingraham Trumbull letters (1869-1884) are primarily personal, and include letters written both before and after Lyman's marriage to his cousin, Mary Jane Ingraham. Prior to their courtship and marriage, Lyman's letters show a certain degree of affection, and he often mentioned sending photographs and gave Mary updates about his life in Chicago. Lyman's letters following his wedding recount life in Chicago, while Mary was away visiting her family in Saybrook, Connecticut; he often asked when she planned to return to Illinois. Of particular interest is his letter of February 1, 1881, in which Lyman described the decline and death of "brother John" near Jackson, Michigan.

The Letters to Mary Ingraham Trumbull (1859-1914) comprises the largest unit of correspondence in the collection, containing approximately 290 items. It consists primarily of family letters written to Mary Ingraham (later Trumbull) throughout her life; frequent correspondents included her mother Almira, and sisters Annie and Julia. The center of the Ingraham family was Saybrook, Connecticut, where most of the letters originated. After the 1880s, friends and acquaintances wrote more letters than family members, including a letter of condolence sent on the death of Lyman Trumbull. A letter of May 8, 1910, from Emma Sickles of the Domestic Science Association includes a description and typed copy of a bill to fund educational programs for housewives, a bill the organization attempted to push through the United States Congress. The large volume of letters provides a rich family chronicle.

The Miscellaneous Trumbull family letters (1850-1903) contain correspondence of various Trumbull family members, particularly the children of Lyman Trumbull and Julia Jayne. Several letters are from the couple's sons Perry and Walter, who described various occurrences and interests. Of note are a letter from Julia to her father describing a dinner she had with Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, and a lengthy letter regarding economics from W. H. White, who had recently read Coin's Financial School.

The Ingraham-Rankin Family Letters subseries contains the letters of Julia Ingraham, George Rankin, and various other Ingraham family members.

The Julia Ingraham and George Rankin letters (1868-1899) are the correspondence of Lyman Trumbull's cousin and sister-in-law Julia Ingraham and her husband, George Rankin. The majority of letters date from the 1880s or later, and include a letter describing a family visit to the Trumbulls in Chicago in the summer of 1889. Though most of the letters are between Julia and George, the couple's children as well as George's mother and a cousin also corresponded.

The Miscellaneous Ingraham family letters (1824-1913) contains correspondence of the Ingraham family of Saybrook, Connecticut. Two of the Ingraham daughters, Mary (m. Lyman Trumbull) and Julia (m. George Rankin), are represented extensively elsewhere in the collection, and many of these letters relate to their father, John D. Ingraham, and brother, John D. Ingraham, Jr. John D. Ingraham wrote one letter, dated 1856, to Lyman Trumbull, and various nieces and nephews also sent letters. Much of the correspondence relates to family news and social life during the Civil War. Of particular interest is an envelope dated June 27, 1865, which contains "Folwers [sic] bought the day of Annie's funeral."

The Letters to J. F. Uhlhorn subseries (1860-1869) contains letters between James Uhlhorn; Lyman Trumbull's nephew, John Frederick Uhlhorn; and a woman, Maria, addressed as "sister." John's letters date from the early Civil War period and discuss business matters and his frequent related visits to Washington. Maria, writing from New York after 1862, discussed the declining health of their mother and other family-related news.

The Mather Family Letters subseries (1837-1893) consists primarily of letters written and received by Almira Mather Ingraham, wife of John D. Ingraham and mother-in-law of Lyman Trumbull. Her brother, Samuel Rogers Selden Mather, was one correspondent; he provided family and social news from New York. Almira wrote a letter to her brother and sister-in-law that contains a short description of proceedings surrounding a nearby execution (January 10, 1843). One item is a printed advertisement for an upcoming publication of the genealogy of the Mather family.

The Miscellaneous letters subseries (1834-1908) contains letters that are difficult to attribute, and include several unsigned items. The letters of identified authors are from John Bond to his uncle, from Charlie to a grandmother (one mentioning a death within the Ingraham family), and from M. J. Rankin to an "Aunt Mary." The collection also includes a short poem entitled "A Memory."

The Letter Book series consists of four small notebooks containing manuscript copies of official letters written by Lyman Trumbull, and copied by his second wife, Mary Ingraham Trumbull (1837-1903). Each book is only partially filled, and the volumes have additional writing that does not appear to originate with Trumbull. Several brief thoughts and sayings appear in one volume, as well as a small number of personal financial accounts. Childlike pencil drawings of houses with a few correspondence copies and a short poem are in another. The correspondence in these volumes is not duplicated elsewhere in the collection.

The Diaries, Notebooks, and Autograph Books series (1853-1914) consists of eight items:
  • The Annie Ingraham school report book (1860-1864) of various reports from the author's time at school, with a number of personal inscriptions and reminiscences in the back.
  • The John D. and Annie Ingraham journal (1853; 1859) is 2 pages of journal writing from John D. Ingraham and one page of journal writing by his daughter Annie.
  • The Mrs. John D. Ingraham diary (1900) has entries for the first half of 1900, which focus primarily on family visits and daily life in Saybrook, Connecticut. The diary also includes a page of accounts, several loose pages of additional entries, and letters addressed to the author.
  • The Julia Ingraham autograph book (1866-1892) contains autographs from various acquaintances around Saybrook Sound, Connecticut.
  • The Julia Ingraham Rankin journal and commonplace book (1883-1890) primarily documents family life in Saybrook, Connecticut, and includes entries on poetry, copied excerpts, and inserted clippings.
  • The Mary J. Trumbull diary (1887-1890) documents daily life and has approximately 17 items inserted, including several letters, newspaper clippings, and ephemera.
  • The Julia Ingraham Rankin notes on Shakespeare (1892) consists of various personal notes and thoughts compiled from various works of Shakespeare, including some of his most famous plays, such as "Romeo and Juliet."
  • The [Julia Rankin] notebook (1911-1914) contents primarily consist of academic essays on a variety of topics, readings, and lectures. Laid in the book were a large number of manuscript poems, many attributed to other authors, and four newspaper clippings. One clipping contains a poem dedicated to "La Grippe," written by John Howard, M. D.

The Documents series (1799-1897) is a selection of items related to the career of Lyman Trumbull, including list of candidate endorsements he made, as well as various certificates. Other documents are powers of attorney, a manuscript copy of "The Whole Finance Bill," and a school report for Julia Ingraham.

The Financial papers series (1838-1913) covers a variety of topics, some of which concern the Ingraham family's involvement in shipping. A handful of documents regard the sloop Connecticut, though the majority consists of various receipts and invoices, many addressed to Mary Ingraham Trumbull after the death of her husband Lyman. Other items of interest are an inventory of Lyman's estate (February 1, 1882) and a cure "For Ivy Poisoning," written on the back of a document dated May 24, 1902.

The collection's Photographs (8 items) include a tintype, a cabinet card, and 5 photographic prints, most of which are informal pictures and studio portraits of unidentified women and children. The cabinet card photograph shows a group of men posing outside of a hardware store.

The Photographs series consists of the following items, many of which are unlabeled:
  • Several people in front of Vose & Co. Hardware Store
  • A portrait of two girls
  • Two small, individual photographs of babies
  • Three children waving American flags
  • A woman in a garden
  • A woman accompanied by a dog
  • William W. Patton photograph album

The final item, a carte-de-visite album belonging to William W. Patton, contains 159 captioned photographs and prints, including studio portraits, pictures of Renaissance statues, reproductions of religious paintings, and illustrated views of the Alps and Switzerland; captions are also present for items that are no longer extant. Groups of studio portraits show famous persons such as John Ruskin, Thomas Carlyle, and Charles Dickens; residents of Edinburgh, Constantinople, and Cairo in native dress; and members of Patton's traveling party during an 1866 visit to Palestine. Also present are 3 images of Venetians with vibrant artificial coloring and a picture of a "Chinese Convert, Ah Ting, San Francisco." Pictured works of art include statues and paintings from collections in Venice, Florence, Rome, and the Vatican, including items by Raphael and Michelangelo; one carte-de-visite shows an early version of Thomas Ball's Emancipation Memorial statue, differing slightly from the version erected in Washington, D.C. The remaining items consist of groups of photographs and artificial illustrations of Alpine mountains and Swiss scenery; some of the Swiss scenes are colored. Additional items include a carte-de-visite collage of several landmarks within the Giant's Causeway (Ireland), a photograph of Cairo, photographs of monuments in Alexandria, and a print labeled "Procession over human bodies in Egypt."

The Watercolors series (2 items) is comprised of two paintings of pastoral scenes.

The Ephemera, Cards, and Invitations series (13 items) contains four invitations and wedding announcements (1874, 1893, 1909, and undated), two greeting cards (1900 and undated), a 1912 postcard, five calling cards (1879 and undated), and a cooking pamphlet entitled "One Master Recipe for Ten Delicacies, with many serving suggestions," by "the Lady with an Apron."

The Miscellaneous series consists of printed materials, writings, and billfolds. The printed materials (1858-1924) are newspaper clippings, a printed copy of a petition, four speeches made by Lyman Trumbull, advertisements for the Mediterranean Express Line and "The Ormond," an astrological booklet called "Were You Born in September?" (1909), reports and a constitution of the Washington Union Brotherhood, a recipe book, and a 1924 recipe card with various recipes for gelatin desserts. Several of the writings are related to Lyman Trumbull, the Ingraham family, and housekeeping. Of note are an account of the brief life of Alma Ingraham Trumbull, daughter of Lyman Trumbull and Mary Ingraham; a set of knitting instructions; several poems, including a child's work entitled "The Cake Shop Romance;" and an astrological chart. Also present is a leather Billfold with metal adornments that contains a small newspaper clipping and a calling card for Mrs. Lyman Trumbull.

Collection

Lyman Wheeler diaries, 1852-1855

2 volumes

Lyman Wheeler of western New York wrote two diaries from February 1852 to June 1855, recording his experiences as a house painter, teacher, and adherent of medical practices like phrenology, hydrotherapy, and vegetarianism. He wrote of his social, intellectual, and professional activities in the region, and described trips he took to cities and towns in western New York and New York City. The second volume includes much content related to his involvement in the "water cure," including time as both a patient and worker at the Forestville Water Cure, and a visit to the Orange Mountain Water Cure in New Jersey.

Lyman Wheeler of western New York wrote two diaries from February 1852 to June 1855, recording his experiences as a house painter, teacher, and adherent of medical practices like phrenology, hydrotherapy, and vegetarianism. He wrote of his social, intellectual, and professional activities in the region, and described trips he took to cities and towns in western New York and New York City. The second volume includes much content related to his involvement in the "water cure," including time as both a patient and worker at the Forestville Water Cure and a visit to the Orange Mountain Water Cure in New Jersey.

Volume 1 opens in February 1852 with Lyman Wheeler working as a house painter in Buffalo, New York. In addition to describing his work and its negative impact on his health, Wheeler also commented on the social scene in Buffalo, including religious services, lectures, concerts, and steamer arrivals. He occasionally described buildings in detail and mentioned notable events, like the visit of Lajos Kossuth (1802-1894) in May 1852, viewing "Mr. Craven's Panorama of a voyage to California..." (June 6, 1852), a funeral procession for Henry Clay (July 6, 1852), and events like fires, trials, and cholera (June 29, 1852).

In July 1852, Wheeler took up residence in Villenova, New York, where he helped family with farming, painted houses and buggies, and in November 1852 secured a teaching position, which he held through March 1853. While in Villenova, he wrote about his daily activities; religious activities; visits to nearby towns like Dayton, Fredonia, and Forestville; his dissatisfaction with the town's morals, education, and intemperance; lawsuits; and musings about women and marriage. In January 1853, Wheeler appears to have been participating in a debate group, which discussed issues like capital punishment, immigration, the relative merits of Christopher Columbus and George Washington, the abolition of slavery, and others. In mid-July 1854, Wheeler travelled to New York City, and he described his journey there and back. While in the city he saw a procession with President Franklin Pierce (1804-1869); visited P. T. Barnum's Museum, describing the "Whiskered woman" in detail; went to the Crystal Palace; attended Fowlers & Wells Phrenological Cabinet and had L. N. Fowler perform a phrenological exam of his head; and visited other tourist attractions.

Throughout the volume, Wheeler commented about temperance efforts and his displeasure at alcohol usage, and occasionally referenced other reform movements like the Graham diet (April 12, 1852) and abolitionism. He wrote frequently about his health, describing himself as an "invalid" (June 14, 1852), and wrote of his efforts to manage his wellbeing, including purchasing medicines. On May 4, 1853, Wheeler commented about his interest in phrenology, calling it "one of the sciences that is to aid much in the great work of reform that must be carried on to ameliorate the condition of mankind." His investment in the field appeared to be growing, as he noted arguing with "opposers" (May 27, 1853; June 1, 1853), attending the "Phrenological Cabinet" in New York City, and having an exam performed (July 18, 1853 and July 21, 1853).

This volume also includes a description of the Crystal Palace on the first page, and several original poems composed by Wheeler are interspersed.

Volume 2 begins with Lyman Wheeler in Hanover, New York, on December 3, 1853. Wheeler was engaged with teachers' institutes, which gave lectures and debates on instructional issues, and he was teaching his own school. Throughout the volume, he continued to visit school districts and attend lectures and meetings relating to education, including a lecture by Horace Greeley (December 9, 1854). He actively attended religious services, critiquing the social scene, and engaging with temperance affairs.

Lyman Wheeler continued to experience poor health and was often frustrated at being unable to pursue steady work. He attempted to find medical remedies. On January 7, 1854, Wheeler made the acquaintance of Dr. Charles Parker of Forestville, who presided over a water cure program, and by April 9, 1854, Wheeler had begun treatment. Wheeler described the treatments he received, their impact on his health, other patients, and his general thoughts on the water cure and the connection between the mind and body. At several times throughout the year, he made agreements with the doctors and administrators to allow him to stay on the premises, possibly in exchange for labor. He commented on the sense of community he experienced at "the cure." He also explored other medical avenues, including vegetarianism (May 10, 1854; February 1, 1855) and phrenology. He subscribed to phrenological journals and critiqued people's diets regularly.

When not undergoing treatment, Wheeler continued to work as a painter and at shingling. In June 1854, he travelled to Bolton, Connecticut, where he helped with farm labor and visited nearby locales. He described stops along the way, including in Buffalo where he and his travelling companion made make-shift baths using a washtub. While in New York City, he visited Fowlers & Wells Cabinet and Bookshop, and in Connecticut, he visited several cities, including Hartford and New Haven, where he attended events like 4th of July celebrations, a balloon ascension, and religious services. On his return journey, he again stopped in New York City, where he contracted as a book agent for Fowlers and Wells (see July 13-15, 1854) and proceeded to attempt to sell books in New Jersey, unsuccessfully. He went on to stay at the South Orange Water Cure, also called the Orange Mountain Water Cure. He described the facilities, the labor he performed there, and other patients (July 17-31, 1854), before returning to New York where he investigated other publishers he could contract with as a book agent and visited the Crystal Palace. On his travels back to western New York, Wheeler noted a circus at Bridgewater, New York (August 8, 1854).

Wheeler again took up residence at the Forestville Water Cure in late September 1854, working as “Bath Man & Servant of the Sick & the Afflicted” (September 26, 1854), and he wrote commentary on the patients. On December 8, 1854, Wheeler described the accidental burning of the Forestville Water Cure due to a stove fire. Wheeler stayed in the area, maintaining his interest in baths, vegetable diet, and temperate living. He commented on social visits and occurrences, including the trial of Elam Hoag for assault and battery on Rosaltha House, and the books he was reading (February 3, 1855). After a tour around several sites in western New York, Wheeler briefly stayed in Jamestown, New York, in March 1855, working at the new water cure Dr. Parker had established, before returning to Villenova.

Additional content in volume two includes a recipe for medicinal treatments for warts and corns (on the inside front cover), an entry for a "Great Rail Road Route To the Pacific," and an original poem penned by Wheeler (July 9, 1854). Near the end of the volume, Wheeler copied three articles from the "Universalist Code of Faith" and listed out details of his students in Hanover from November 23, 1853, to February 8, 1854.

Collection

Mamie P. Schultz notebook, 1891

1 volume

Mamie P. Schultz of Worcester, Pennsylvania, kept this notebook while a student at "Metz's School" in Worcester, Pennsylvania, in 1891. It contains notes pertaining to American and English literature, providing biographical information about various poets and authors and details of their published works. The volume also contains a list of twenty-four English and American writers and a poem entitled "History" detailing the progression of American presidents.

Mamie P. Schultz of Worcester, Pennsylvania, kept this notebook while a student at "Metz's School" in Worcester, Pennsylvania. It contains notes pertaining to American and English literature, providing biographical information about various poets and authors and details of their published works, distinguished between prose, poetry, and novels.

Schultz included content on figures such as William Cullen Bryant, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, John G. Whittier, James Russel Lowell, Edgar Allan Poe, Benjamin Franklin, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Bayard Taylor, Washington Irving, Alice Cary, George Bancroft, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, and Oliver Goldsmith. The volume also contains a list of twenty-four English and American writers and a poem entitled "History" detailing the progression of American presidents. Schultz's examination marks for all her school subjects are recorded near the end of the volume, with her highest mark of 100 being received in literature. The inside front cover and title page bear three colored stamps of butterflies and two male laborers.

Collection

Manuscript Sheet Music collection, 1801-1923 (majority within 1850s-1890s)

0.25 linear feet

The Manuscript Sheet Music collection is made up of manuscript music scores, correspondence, and composers' autographs.

The Manuscript Sheet Music collection (approximately 140 items) contains manuscript music scores and composers' autographs, as well as correspondence and other items.

The bulk of the collection is comprised of around 80 music scores, which range in length from one line to several pages; some are complete works, and some are fragments. Most of the brief melodies are accompanied by the composers' signatures and may have been intended as autograph gifts. The longer works are mainly piano and/or vocal scores, and some include lines for violin with piano accompaniment. Lyrics, when present, are written in English and German. Some of the scores are dated and signed, and a few were written in German cities. The cover of the score for "Barcarola" includes an engraving of "The Great Western crossing the Atlantic," and Harry Keyser's "Two Etudes for Pianoforte" is accompanied by a letter by the composer. A manuscript music book belonging to "Th. Hämb, Junior" contains several short pieces with lyrics in a Nordic language.

Additional autographed items include 25 autograph cards, 8 autograph musical quotations, 10 sheets of paper (some with inscriptions), and a photograph of violinist A. Rivarde. Many of the autographed cards, which are the size of business cards or visiting cards, are dated at Chicago in the mid- to late 1880s. The collection's 8 letters (in English, German, and Italian) include one man's opinion of a performance of "Wanda" and a letter illustrated with lines of music. Additional items are a program for a Manchester, New Hampshire, performance of the comic opera Jonah, an ink drawing of a decaying stone building, and lines of poetry or musical lyrics.

Collection

Marge Piercy Papers, 1958-2004 (majority within 1966-2003)

54 boxes, 8 oversize boxes, and 3 portfolios (approximately 54 linear feet) — Photographs are found in box 49 and oversize box 4. — Artwork in box 35, oversize box 7, and portfolio 3. Videotapes in box 54. (DVD copies are available.) — Audio material is in boxes 50-53. — Printed material is in boxes 46 and 47. Published books and serials have been cataloged separately.

Marge Piercy is an internationally recognized feminist poet and writer. A University of Michigan alumna, Piercy is the author of over thirty published works and a contributor to numerous journals and anthologies. The collection documents Piercy’s work as a writer, through manuscripts, literary correspondence, printed ephemera, videotapes, and audio material, as well as a small number of photographs and personal artifacts. Also present are works of others based on or relating to Piercy’s writings. The bulk of the collection is comprised of thirty-four feet of manuscripts and nine feet of correspondence.

The Marge Piercy Papers were deposited with the Special Collections Library by the author in 1987. Since then, she has continued to make frequent additions to the collection. The collection offers insight into Piercy’s literary career from the late 1950s through the present, primarily by way of manuscripts of nearly all of her works, present in early drafts through to production stages. Audiovisual material, photographs, artifacts, and artworks supplement the picture.

Besides documenting the professional life of one of America’s leading feminist writers and activists, the collection offers a glimpse at the literary magazine publishing scene of the 1960s and following, particularly the feminist presses and magazines (such as CALYX and 13th Moon) which Piercy wrote for and championed. Correspondence with other poets and writers, as well as to fans, reveals Piercy’s development as a writer, her views on important issues, and her influence on others. The collection also steps beyond the literary world (mainly through correspondence) to show Piercy’s collaborations with and support of artists, musicians, and activists (especially women in these fields)--thus reinforcing the fundamental connection for Piercy between her writing and all other aspects of her life.

With roughly fifty-four linear feet of materials, the Marge Piercy papers are divided into eight series: Writings; Correspondence; Other Activities; Personal; Ephemera; Works by Others; Photographs and Negatives; and Audiovisual. Researchers should note that books and serial publications by or from Piercy have been separated from the collection and cataloged individually.

Collection

Maria Marsh hair album, 1850-1853

1 volume

Between 1850 and 1853 Maria Marsh collected over one hundred hair samples from friends and family. She affixed them to the pages of this handmade album with pieces of fabric or paper, including decorative papers with metallic finishes, some cut into the shapes of hearts. The hair samples are predominantly identified with a number, the name of the individual, and the place of their residence. While the bulk of the entries are from people living in various places in New York state, several from Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Michigan are also present. Most of the hair samples are arranged in simple loops, but some are shaped in ornamental hairwork styles. Various shades of hair color are represented, include blonde, brunette, and one red. One entry is for an unnamed infant who died at four months old, and whose hair was too short to be able to loop or work. Some entries include brief lines of verse relating to remembrance.

Between 1850 and 1853 Maria Marsh collected over one hundred hair samples from friends and family. She affixed them to the pages of this handmade album with pieces of fabric or paper, including decorative papers with metallic finishes, some cut into the shapes of hearts. The hair samples are predominantly identified with a number, the name of the individual, and the place of their residence. Pages sometimes include multiple members of the same family. While the bulk of the entries are from people living in various places in New York state, several from Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Michigan are also present. Most frequently named places include Otisco, Beakman, and Williamsburg. Some entries for Otisco specify it as Otisco, Michigan, but it is possible some are also from Otisco, New York.

Most of the hair samples are arranged in simple loops, but some are shaped in ornamental hairwork styles. Various shades of hair color are represented, include blonde, brunette, and one red. One entry is for an unnamed infant who died at four months old, and whose hair was too short to be able to loop or work. Some entries include brief lines of verse relating to remembrance.

The volume's covers were crafted out of Thomas Tillotson Superior Cutlery display boards, with small holes where the tableware was originally affixed.

Collection

Marianna C. Lanman Penmanship and Mathematics Exercise Books, 1814

2 volumes

This collection is made up of 2 volumes that Marianna Chandler Lanman composed while studying at Mrs. Rowson's Academy for Young Ladies in Boston, Massachusetts, around 1814. One concerns arithmetic, focusing on practical applications in bookkeeping, conversion, and monetary transactions; the other contains copied poems, calligraphic alphabets, and graphic illustrations.

This collection is made up of 2 volumes that Marianna Chandler Lanman composed while studying at Mrs. Rowson's Academy for Young Ladies in Boston, Massachusetts, around 1814. One concerns arithmetic, focusing on practical applications in bookkeeping, conversion, and monetary transactions; the other contains copied poems, calligraphic alphabets, and graphic illustrations. Lanman dedicated both volumes to her parents.

Lanman composed the first volume, entitled "Practical Arithmetic[:] Comprising All the Rules for Transacting Business" (10"x16", 60 pages), at Mrs. Rawson's Academy in 1814. Its sections, each labeled in calligraphy, concern mathematical operations, rules and theorems; weights and measures; and practical applications of mathematical principles. Many of the later pages concern subjects such as the calculation of simple and compound interest, the value of "federal money" against "lawful money" (state currencies), commission charges, and bookkeeping. The explanatory text is accompanied by finished exercises and problems. The volume also includes tables of weights and measures and an index.

The second volume, "Specimens of Penmanship" (16"x10", 23 pages), is undated. Lanman copied poetry and proverbs on the book's odd-numbered pages; most concern subjects such as happiness, rural living, and gratitude. The title of a poem on the "Pleasures of retired Life" is written on a drawing of a ribbon (p. 19). One poem, entitled "Virtue's Tears Embalm the Brave," is dedicated to the memory of American casualties of the War of 1812 (p. 21). The volume contains several drawings: a hermit in his home (p. 3), a bald eagle among patriotic decorations (p. 21), a sailing ship (p. 21), and a line drawing of a bird with the word "industry" in its feathers (p. 23). The volume also includes examples of cursive, German, and Old English alphabets.

Collection

Marie Duncan letters, 1919-1921

12 items

This collection is comprised of 12 letters (163 pages) that Marie Duncan, a teenager, wrote to Neal Blanchard, a male friend serving in the United States Navy, between September 1919 and May 1921. Duncan lived in Ancón, Panama, with her parents and siblings, and candidly commented on her education, leisure activities, family relationships, and local news.

This collection is comprised of 12 letters (163 pages) that Marie Duncan, a teenager, wrote to Neal Blanchard, a male friend serving in the United States Navy, between September 1919 and May 1921. Duncan lived in Ancón, Panama, with her parents and siblings, and candidly commented on her education, leisure activities, family relationships, and local news.

Marie Duncan's letters provide information on various aspects of the lives of Americans residing in the Canal Zone, particularly related to women. She made remarks about her schoolwork for a local commercial school, which she attended despite her initial desire to become a doctor. She often discussed her emotions and her perceived laziness (despite also expressing a fondness for some physical activities and types of housework). Duncan also provided news of her family and local social events, and occasionally mentioned her strained relationship with her father. Throughout her letters, she explicitly and implicitly commented on differences between men and women and on gender roles; she frequently referred to her own preferences for activities often ascribed primarily to men (chopping wood, playing baseball, hiking, etc.). She also wrote candidly about her friendship with Blanchard, which Duncan wished to keep platonic, and she stressed her opinion that he should not reenlist with the navy.

In addition to her commentary on life in Panama, Duncan provided details about social activities, including a hiking trip to Corozal, Panama (March 24, 1920), Memorial Day celebrations for fallen soldiers (May 31, 1920), and a wedding (April 14, 1920). Two letters enclose additional items: a valentine (February 7, 1920) and a 3-page poem entitled "The Land of Beginning Again" (August 25, 1920). In her final letter, dated May 23, 1921, she responded to a letter from Neal after a lapse in correspondence. She described recent political changes, which resulted in her father losing his job, and congratulated Neal on finding a girlfriend.

Duncan addressed 5 letters to Neal while he was stationed at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba; 5 while he served onboard the USS Oklahoma; and 2 when he lived in Montpelier, Vermont, and Davenport, Iowa.

Collection

Martha Leach Packard commonplace book, 1837-1894 (majority within 1853-1862)

1 volume

The Martha Leach Packard commonplace book contains inscriptions, correspondence, autographs, and ephemera that Packard collected from the 1850s to 1890s. Inscriptions and autographs are written directly into the volume; additional items are pasted or laid in. The volume represents prominent individuals such as politicians and academics, as well as Packard's personal acquaintances.

The Martha Leach Packard commonplace book (200 pages) contains inscriptions, correspondence, autographs, and ephemera that Packard collected from the 1850s to 1890s. Packard used about half of the pages; additional items are laid into the volume.

Most inscriptions and autographs are written directly into the volume, and many are dated at Poughkeepsie, New York. Most entries are dated from the 1850s-1890s, though some letters pasted into the book are dated as early as 1837. Prominent individuals such as politicians, artists, and writers contributed autographs (see list below), and historian Benson J. Lossing provided a personal inscription (p. 39). Packard's other contributors included academics and personal acquaintances, 5 of whom mentioned participating in the Civil War (pp. 77, 145).

Laid-in letters include items by famous persons and personal correspondence to Martha Leach Packard and E. W. Packard. The volume also includes visiting cards, a menu from a dinner at the Stevens House (p. 157), a lock of hair (p. 178), and a swatch of fabric (p. 198). The album was originally published with printed illustrations, mainly portraits of women; some later pages contain cut-out colored illustrations of flowers.

Partial List of Prominent Contributors
  • Benson J. Lossing (inscription, p. 39; letter, p. 200)
  • John Jay Hyde (inscription, p. 41; calling card, front endpaper)
  • Henry P. Tappan (autograph, p. 45)
  • Thomas Nast (autograph on card, p. 61)
  • Samuel F. B. Morse (autograph, p. 97)
  • William W. Belknap (autograph, p. 99)
  • Henry Clay (autograph, p. 115)
  • Lydia Huntley Sigourney (autograph, p. 115)
  • DeWitt Clinton (autograph, p. 115)
  • Francis Napier (letter, p. 193)
  • P. T. Barnum (autograph, back endpaper)
Collection

Maryann B. Clark hair album, 1852

1 volume

Maryann B. Clark of Antwerp, New York, created this volume in 1852, inserting nine samples of hair of herself, her father, mother, siblings, other relatives, and possibly friends. The samples are arranged in various styles of ornamental hairwork and affixed to the page with pieces of ribbon or fabric. Each hair sample is accompanied by the individual's name, birth and death date (if applicable), and a verse. In the back of the volume, Clark copied the "Mourner's Lamentation," a poem written by her brother-in-law Joseph S. Foster upon the death of Persis Sabrina (Clark) Foster.

Maryann B. Clark of Antwerp, New York, created this volume in 1852, inserting nine samples of hair of herself, her father, mother, siblings, other relatives, and possibly friends. The samples are arranged in various styles of ornamental hairwork and affixed to the page with pieces of ribbon or fabric. One white lock of hair belonged to Clark's grandmother who died at the age of 90. Each hair sample is accompanied by the individual's name, birth and death date (if applicable), and a verse. Some of the verses relate directly to the individuals, such as those for her deceased brothers and sister whose hair samples are accompanied by poems about the death of siblings. Other poems relate to hair and remembrance. In the back of the volume, Clark copied the "Mourner's Lamentation," a poem written by her brother-in-law Joseph S. Foster upon the death of Persis Sabrina (Clark) Foster.

The volume is handmade. The cover is paper with fabric ribbon sewn along the edges.