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Collection

Emerson C. Ives collection, 1932-1970

0.25 linear feet

This collection is made up of about 140 letters that New York resident Emerson C. Ives wrote to President Franklin Roosevelt, United States congressmen and public officials, and several newspaper editors between 1932 and 1970. Ives provided his opinions on a variety of contemporary issues, such as Roosevelt's economic policies during the Great Depression, the Lend-Lease program, solutions for the aftermath of World War II, and the presence of United States forces in Vietnam in the late 1960s. Some newspaper clippings, including reprints of Ives's editorials, are present in the collection.

This collection is made up of about 140 letters that New York resident Emerson C. Ives wrote to President Franklin Roosevelt, United States congressmen and public officials, and several newspaper editors between 1932 and 1970. Ives provided his opinions on a variety of contemporary issues, such as Roosevelt's economic policies during the Great Depression, the Lend-Lease program, solutions for the aftermath of World War II, and the presence of United States forces in Vietnam in the late 1960s. Some newspaper clippings, including reprints of Ives's editorials, are present in the collection.

The bulk of the collection consists of retained copies and drafts of Ives's outgoing correspondence regarding domestic and international political issues affecting the United States in the mid-20th century. Ives pasted around 90 of the letters in a scrapbook, most of which were written between 1932 and 1945; he also added newspaper clippings. He sent essays to several New York newspaper editors, particularly to those at the Sun, Herald-Tribune, and New York Times. Many correspondents sent brief notes acknowledging the receipt of Ives's letters and commenting on his views.

Ives, who worked for a Wall Street firm, frequently commented on economic affairs throughout the Great Depression, and often attacked President Roosevelt's policies, including the New Deal. In his earliest letters, he defended the character of Wall Street brokers, and shared his belief that they were not solely to blame for the economic crisis. He also discussed the gold and silver currency standards and the presidential elections of 1936 and 1940. Later in the 1930s, he wrote about the Lend-Lease program, and, in at least one letter (December 12, 1940), he directly advocated support for Great Britain's military efforts against Nazi Germany. During the war, Ives offered his opinions on how the United States should treat Germany after the war, and dismissed Russia's potential as a postwar military threat. In 1943, he also voiced his opposition to a threatened railroad strike. After the war, he wrote less frequently, but continued to comment on economic and military affairs, such as a proposal to ensure universal military training in the United States. During the late 1960s, Ives strongly advocated the unconditional removal of U. S. troops from Vietnam, and in one letter he anticipated China's potential as a dominant international political force (February 3, 1970).

Collection

Examination of Benjamin W. Greene scrapbook, 1866

1 volume

This scrapbook, titled "The Examination of Benjamin W. Greene," contains clippings of three short articles published in the Hartford Courant newspaper of testimony given at the trial of accused murderer Benjamin W. Greene in early 1866. Greene was charged with the murder of Eunice North Greene, his wife, on November 5, 1865, and the court sought to determine whether the homicide (and Benjamin's subsequent suicide attempt) was due to insanity.

This scrapbook, titled "The Examination of Benjamin W. Greene," contains clippings of three short articles published in the Hartford Courant newspaper of testimony given at the trial of accused murderer Benjamin W. Greene in early 1866. Greene was charged with the murder of Eunice North Greene, his wife, on November 5, 1865, and the court sought to determine whether the homicide (and Benjamin's subsequent suicide attempt) was due to insanity.

An investigation of the Greene household allowed witnesses to piece together the progression of events on November 5, 1865. As Eunice was reading, Benjamin approached her from behind and cut her neck with a razor. She was able to call for help after Benjamin fled and to name him as the perpetrator, but her wounds were too severe to overcome. After a brief search, two men found Benjamin inside of a locked room, lying next to the same razor used to kill Eunice. Despite having cut his own wrists and neck in a suicide attempt, he was able to be stabilized and survived.

The loss of Eunice and Benjamin's eldest daughter, Harriet North Day (1831-1864), was consistently cited as the reason for the sharp decline in Benjamin's mental and physical health. The family physician, Dr. Beresford, held Benjamin's "singular and peculiar delusions with regard to his domestic affairs" (p. 2) as evidence of his mental instability. Often centered around Eunice, or supposed financial burdens, the validity of those claims was challenged by what Dr. Beresford and other witnesses observed prior to the homicide (p. 7, 11, 12, 14).

Before the murder, Benjamin repeatedly denied help from his family and friends, blocking at least one attempt by physicians to inform Eunice (p. 4) of his mental state. His nephew, William D. Wyatt (1828-1884), tried several times to intervene and help his uncle—both at his own behest and at Eunice's—but ultimately failed. William did not deem it safe to be alone with Benjamin, and testified that during one visit, Eunice told him that her husband was "a crazy man" and "had been a deranged man for years" (p. 11).

The scrapbook does not include the final ruling of the court, but the following is a quotation from an article [not present] containing the verdict, published in the Hartford Courant on March 14, 1866:

"The finding that Mr. Greene was insane at the time he killed his wife, will undoubtedly render his will, which was made in July last, and which was referred to in the testimony offered during his examination, of no account. In this will he bequeathed all his property to Robert E. Day, his son-in-law, and Mr. Day's little daughter. His action, in this respect, would seem to show that he labored under the delusion claimed that his whole family, with the exception of Mrs. Day, was leagued against him. After her death he said he had lost his best friend, and from that time forward declined in health rapidly."

Collection

Florence Romaine collection, 1822-1985 (majority within 1843-1907)

0.75 linear feet

The Florence Romaine collection is comprised of correspondence, documents, genealogies, photographs, scrapbooks, and newspaper clippings related to the Brossard, Draper, and Smith families throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and to the acting career of Florence Smith Romaine.

The Florence Romaine collection (1 linear foot) is comprised of correspondence, documents, genealogies, photographs, scrapbooks, and newspaper clippings related to the Brossard, Draper, and Smith families throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and to the acting career of Florence Smith Romaine.

The Correspondence series (59 items) contains personal letters between members of the Brossard, Draper, and Smith families; many are written in French. Most of the material is dated from 1843-1907; the collection also includes 3 early letters to members of the Brossard family, as well as postcards that Florence Smith Romaine wrote to Grace Maxwell from 1962-1963. The series includes letters to Claude Ferdinand de Brossard from various correspondents; to Ferdinand de Brossard and Jenny de Brossard Draper from their mother, Elizabeth de Brossard; to Elizabeth Brossard from her sister-in-law, Julie de Brossard; to Jenny de Brossard Draper from Seth Enos Smith; and to Florence Smith Romaine from her mother, Jenny Draper Smith, and grandmother, Jenny de Brossard Draper. Other items include 6 letters to C. C. Randall.

The Writings series consists of 3 items by Florence Smith Romaine: a rumination on night written around 1905, a play entitled "The Silver Bell of Hat-Shep-Sut's Cat," and Whistling Bill, a children's book published in 1937.

Documents are divided into three subseries: Legal Documents (7 items), Business Documents (3 items), and Awards and Diplomas (2 items). Legal documents include birth certificates, marriage certificates, and passports related to Claude and Elisabeth Brossard and their descendants, as well as a copy of Florence Smith Romaine's will. Business documents are related to Brossard family accounts. The award and diploma concern Jenny Draper's academic achievements at the Chegaray Institute and a Brossard family member's receipt of the Fleur de Lys.

The Photographs series has two subseries: Photograph Album and Loose Photographs. The photograph album (26 pages) contains 104 cartes-de-visite and tintype studio portraits, including portraits of members of the Brossard, Draper, and Smith families. Two pages from a photograph album of the Romaine family are housed separately. Loose photographs (32 items), including 2 cased items (one housed in the Graphics Division), mostly show Florence Romaine in theatrical costumes; several photographs show members of the Smith and Draper families.

Two Scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings, programs, notes, and other items regarding Florence Romaine's acting career, as well as articles, children's stories, and puzzles that she wrote for The Christian Science Monitor in 1924 and 1925. The Newspaper Clippings (3 items) concern the career of Worthington L. Romaine and the deaths of Seth and Seth E. Smith.

Genealogies and Family Histories consist of a pamphlet about the descendants of Henry and Elizabeth Smith, including Seth Enos Smith and Florence Smith Romaine; manuscript and typed notes pertaining to the Draper and Stull families and to the life of Florence Romaine; and pages from Thomas Waln-Morgan Draper's 1892 genealogy The Drapers in America.

Miscellaneous Items and Fragments (17 items) include notes and poetry (in French), 2 invitations, a copy of a recommendation letter for Father Marie-Joseph de Geramb to the governor of Cairo, and a promotional pamphlet for "Florence May Smith."

Collection

Frank H. Schofield collection, 1891-1935 (majority within 1913-1923)

0.5 linear feet

This collection is made up of correspondence and other items related to United States Navy Admiral Frank H. Schofield and his wife, Claribel. The bulk of the collection consists of personal letters that Frank and Claribel Schofield received from acquaintances, family, and each other between the mid-1910s and the early 1920s.

This collection is made up of correspondence and other items related to United States Navy Admiral Frank H. Schofield and his wife, Claribel.

The Correspondence series, which comprises the bulk of the collection, largely consists of personal letters that Frank and Claribel Schofield received from 1913-1923. Frank wrote to Claribel while stationed in Italy, Mexico, Washington, D.C., and other locations; in 1914 and 1915, he served on the Delaware along the East Coast and in Veracruz, Mexico. His letter of March 26, 1918, pertains to military developments during World War I. Frank Schofield's incoming correspondence includes many letters from personal and professional acquaintances, who discussed his career, navy personnel and affairs, the U.S. Naval War College, and nonmilitary subjects. Perry Schofield occasionally wrote to his father about his schooling and everyday life. In July 1923, Frank Schofield received several letters of congratulation after the announcement of his promotion to rear admiral. The series includes an early letter from Anna L. Peck to her cousin Mary (July 6, 1891) and a letter by E. L. Schofield about family genealogy (March 16, 1935). Some of the letters are in French.

The Receipts, Printed Program, and Cards series contains a group of receipts from the Army and Navy Club restaurant and barber, a list of lecture courses and conferences offered by the Institute of Politics in the summer of 1923, cards from friends, and an invitation to a reception at the U.S. Naval War College. One item includes pencil drawings of Frank H. Schofield's monogram.

The collection includes three Scrapbooks. The first volume (85 pages) contains newspaper clippings, with articles about science and medicine, horses, Shakespeare, Swedenborgianism, opium usage, and American history. A large number of clippings are poems about various subjects, sometimes related to religion. Manuscript quotations were written directly onto the first few pages. Visual materials include portraits of members of the Polk family, historic homes and churches, horses, and the stages of development for trilobites. Several items pertain to Frank H. Schofield, including an article about his travels with the navy, photographs from his trip to Guam in 1903, and informal portraits of his wife and son. M. H. P. Cox received the volume from "Miss McGill" in April 1887.

Two large scrapbooks, both with canvas colors, bear the titles "U.S. Fleet Visit to Melbourne, August 1925" and "U.S. Fleet Visit to Lyttelton and Christchurch, New Zealand, August 1925." Each contains programs, invitations, visiting cards, and other ephemera related to the voyage, commanded by Frank H. Schofield. The bulk of each volume is newspaper articles and entire newspapers concerning the fleet's destination. The clippings frequently include information about the sailors' relationships with local residents. The New Zealand volume includes clippings from The Star, The Press (Christchurch), The Sun, and The Lyttelton Times, as well as a full issue of The Weekly Press and N.Z. Referee. The Australia volume contains full issues of The Sun, Punch, Table Talk, The Leader, and The Australasian. The New Zealand album also contains images of native Maoris and others in Maori costume.

Collection

Frank J. Hecker papers, 1868-1908 (majority within 1898-1905)

1.75 linear feet

The Frank J. Hecker papers are primarily made up of official letters and documents pertaining to his service during and following the Spanish-American war (1898-1899) as Chief of the Division of Transportation, Quartermaster's Department, and as a member of the Isthmian Canal Commission (1904). The collection also contains scrapbooks and newspaper clippings related to his work in these capacities, plus miscellaneous photographs, printed items, and ephemera.

The Frank J. Hecker papers are primarily made up of official letters and documents pertaining to his service during and following the Spanish-American War (1898-1899) as Chief of the Division of Transportation, Quartermaster's Department, and as a member of the Isthmian Canal Commission (1904). The collection also contains newspaper clippings related to his work in these capacities and miscellaneous photographs, printed items, and ephemera.

Frank Hecker's correspondence and documents begin in June 1898, as he began to manage the purchase of transport ships. Correspondents include Hecker, Russell Alexander Alger (Secretary of War), Charles Patrick Eagan (Commissary General of Subsistence), George D. Meiklejohn, Nelson A. Miles (Commander, U.S. Army), William Giles Harding Carter, and many representatives of companies in business with the government. The letters are all official, mostly regarding the purchase and charter of ships; the inspection of ships; and the procurement of laborers, construction materials, and equipment throughout the campaigns in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere.

The letters and documents include Frank Hecker's appointment as Chief of the Division of Transportation within the Quartermaster Department; J. M. Ceballas and Company's report of expenses for the transportation of prisoners of war from Santiago de Cuba to Spanish ports, September 1898; correspondence regarding proposed stations for U.S. troops in Cuba and the construction of railways and piers; and other communications respecting transportation, supplies, and storage.

Frank Hecker's two letter books consist of retained copies of his official War Department letters to governmental and military personnel and various businesses. This correspondence contains additional detailed information on the purchase, charter, and maintenance of transport ships and equipment, as well as administrative and financial decisions related to them.

From 1899 to 1903, the collection's correspondence and documents follow up on Hecker's work during the Spanish-American War. Among these are legal documents regarding the John C. Calhoun v. Atlantic Transport Company case (including Hecker's testimony before the Supreme Court, New York County). John Calhoun brought suit with the transport company for commission related to the sale of several vessels to the U.S. government during the war. The correspondence and documents also include one small, undated, Spanish-American War-era notebook, marked "Col. F.J. Hecker. U.S. Vols." Each of approximately 50 pages in this volume contains a ship's name, owning company, tonnage, size, speed, claimed capacity, and cost of charter.

The correspondence and documents dated 1904ff. begin with President Theodore Roosevelt's appointment of Col. Hecker to the (second) Isthmian Canal Commission and a letter specifying the responsibilities of the Commission. The bulk of this material is made up of the proceedings of the Isthmian Canal Commission. The proceedings (meetings 1-49, 53-55, 60) consist of minutes and resolutions, awarded contracts, financial distributions, subcommittee appointments, and other administrative paperwork. Hecker's letter of resignation to Theodore Roosevelt (November 11, 1904) is present, as is the President's letter of acceptance and a series of letters to Hecker, lamenting his decision to leave the commission. Several of them (particularly Russell Alger's of December 1, 1904, and George W. Davis' of January 17, 1905) suggest that Hecker's resignation was in part the result of confusion and turmoil caused by the allegations made against him by the newspapers.

The collection also includes two scrapbooks with content largely related to Frank Hecker's unsuccessful run for Congress (Detroit, Michigan) in 1892, his service on the Isthmian Canal Commission (1904ff.), and the World War I service of his son Christian Henry Hecker, in the 338th Infantry. Other materials include loose clippings from Detroit and New York newspapers with content concerning Hecker's resignation from the Isthmian Canal board. Please see the detailed box and folder listing for a complete list of photographs, printed items, and ephemera.

Collection

George Edward Burr Scrapbook, ca. 1840s-1850s

1 volume

The George Edward Burr scrapbook contains over 130 labels for various alcoholic products, assorted clippings mainly related to facets of the alcohol industry, handwritten notes including recipes for alcoholic beverages, and several patent designs by Burr.

The George Edward Burr scrapbook contains over 130 labels for various alcoholic products, assorted clippings mainly related to facets of the alcohol industry, handwritten notes including recipes for alcoholic beverages, and several patent designs by Burr.

The scrapbook (33.5 x 21 cm) has marbled paper covers with "Spiritual Guide No. 1" written on the front and contains approximately 100 pages. Labels for an extensive array of different alcoholic products can be found pasted in between pgs. 1 and 52. The majority of labels are for various French wines and brandies, though other alcoholic products (predominately spirits) from the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, England, Italy, Jamaica, Switzerland, Mexico, and the United States are also represented. Of particular note are a number of labels for products imported by George Edward Burr into Mexico. While it remains unconfirmed, this may have been the same George Edward Burr who was involved with the management of the Pedrigal Mining Company in Mexico.

Other items of note include the following:
  • Clippings mainly related to various aspects of alcohol production such as the manufacture of syrups, vinegars, acids, the use of yeast, etc.; use of essential oils, extracts, bitters, sweeteners, etc.; clarifying, bottling, and barreling processes; and descriptions of various types of spirits such as Tuscaloosa whiskey, apple brandy, New York gin, Jamaica Rum, etc.
  • A set of clipped engravings illustrating the stages of bottling champagne
  • Handwritten recipes (including several credited to other individuals including B. A. Auger of New Orleans) for various alcoholic products including absinthe, Jamaica rum, Scotch whiskey, Curacao, pale ale, stout, Eau de Noix, and more. Recipes for non-alcoholic products such as colored inks, sealing waxes, salted meat, Duffield hams, toilet soap, candles, etc. are also included
  • Handwritten descriptions in English and Spanish for various patent designs by Burr including cylindrical candles, white wax, and yellow wax. The candle descriptions also contain illustrations
  • A hand-drawn diagram of a 150 gallon still
  • A tipped-in advertisement from 1856 for Dr. H. James's tincture made from cannabis indica that includes a recipe, description, and testimonials
  • Clippings and labels related to various patent medicines

Collection

George Howland Cox scrapbook, 1860-1928 (majority within 1860-1914)

47 items

This collection contains unbound material from a scrapbook compiled by George Howland Cox, a banker in Cambridge, Massachusetts, around the turn of the 20th century. Materials include a series of letters written by cadet William A. Simpson during his time at the United States Military Academy as well as Cox family correspondence, newspaper clippings, and ephemera.

This 47-item scrapbook was compiled by George Howland Cox, a banker in Cambridge, Massachusetts, around the turn of the 20th century. The book contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, and ephemera.

The first 38 pages contain 21 letters that Cox received from cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Elbert Wheeler wrote the first letter on July 26, 1872, and William A. Simpson wrote the remaining letters between 1872 and 1873 and on June 17, 1914. Wheeler and Simpson discussed life at the academy, as well as the pursuits of their classmates; Simpson also related news of officer appointments and class rankings. Other correspondence includes letters to Cox from his parents and his letters to his father. One item is a letter of introduction for James Valentine Cox from Charles W. Seabury, which mentions the elder Cox's service in the Civil War and his desire to visit his son in the army (January 19, 1865). One partially printed letter from the United States Treasury Department grants George H. Cox permission to receive money owed to his recently deceased mother (September 6, 1886).

Other material includes a financial account, a concert program, and a menu, as well as newspaper clippings and 2 printed copies of speeches: a talk delivered by William H. Seward to the United States Senate on February 29, 1860, regarding Kansas, slavery, and other issues in domestic politics; and an annotated copy of a speech that George Howland Cox delivered at a school reunion in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. Newspaper clippings concern local interests, such as state of the schoolhouse in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, around 1902 (2 pictures), and a small facsimile of the Chicago Evening Journal from February 7, 1878. The collection also contains the front pages of 2 newspapers: the Republican Standard of New Bedford, Massachusetts, which reported on a reunion of the Nye family (August 13, 1908); and The Cambridge Tribune, about Cox's plan to continue composing a series of reminiscences for the newspaper (September 15, 1928).

Collection

George T. and Harriet Stevens papers, 1850-1920

5.5 linear feet

The collection consists of correspondence, primarily between George T. Stevens and Harriet W. Stevens of Essex County, New York , as well as documents, writings, a scrapbook, printed materials, and realia reflecting the Civil War service of surgeon George T. Stevens of the 77th Regiment N.Y. Volunteers, Harriet W. Stevens' experiences on the home front, and George T. Stevens' post-Civil War medical career in Albany and New York City, New York.

The collection consists of correspondence, primarily between George T. Stevens and Harriet W. Stevens of Essex County, New York, as well as documents, writings, a scrapbook, printed materials, and realia reflecting the Civil War service of surgeon George T. Stevens of the 77th Regiment N.Y. Volunteers, Harriet W. Stevens' experiences on the home front, and George T. Stevens' post-Civil War medical career in Albany and New York City, New York.

The Correspondence Series is divided into two sub-series. The Chronological Correspondence Sub-Series spans from 1859 to 1866 with over 560 letters. While a few other correspondents are represented, the bulk of this series reflects both sides of the correspondence between George T. Stevens and Harriet ("Hattie") W. Stevens. Beginning with their courtship in 1859, the letters reflect George's early efforts to set up medical practice in Keeseville, New York, in 1861, his entry into the army, and their relationship and experiences throughout his service during the Civil War.

George's letters give a detailed glimpse into the practices of Civil War surgeons. Beginning with his efforts to secure an appointment as an Assistant Surgeon and the internal jockeying for position that caused infighting, George's letters to Hattie provide insight into the interpersonal conflicts and partnerships that undergirded his experience as an officer. Miscommunications about a medical furlough he took from May to October 1862 due to a case of typhoid fever led to his dismissal, and George's letters speak frankly about his efforts to reenlist as well as his frustrations with barriers to accomplishing this goal. Writing reports, securing transportation and goods, and tending to administrative details also pepper George's correspondence, shedding light on the clerical demands on his time.

George wrote frequently of daily life and tasks in camp, noting food, music and reading, camaraderie, mud, weather, camp health, and more. His detailed descriptions of camp life and activity also provide glimpses of others, including those who worked for him, like Dall Wadhams, who entered the army with him and stayed until March 1862, and James Mages, a young German-American, who worked for George from September 1863 to around June 1864 when he was taken prisoner of war.

George's commentary on camp life also at times reflects information about African Americans' experiences and white soldiers' opinions on race, slavery, and emancipation. Example references include:

  • African American workers (March 12, 1863; September 6, 1863; November 23, 1863; December 20, 1863; June 25, 1864)
  • "Contrabands" and refugees (March 25, 1862; June 20, 1863; August 2, 1863; October 17, 1863)
  • African American residents in Virginia who George encountered during marches (April 9, 1862; April 13, 1862; April 25, 1862)
  • Rumors of arson in Charleston (December 19, 1861)
  • Emancipation Proclamation (January 3, 1863; January 7, 1863)
  • African American soldiers (June 27, 1864)
  • Violence perpetrated against African American soldiers at Plymouth and Fort Pillow (April 26, 1864; May 3, 1864)

George T. Stevens' letters also reflect on marching conditions, as well as details about setting up hospitals and tending to the sick and wounded. Letters describing battles reflect not only on military movements and engagements but also on the fieldwork undertaken by surgeons, amputations in particular, and the dangers to which they were exposed. He commented on medicine, transport of the wounded, illness, and death. For much of May 1864, he was stationed in Fredericksburg tending to soldiers wounded during the Overland Campaign, before returning to his regiment late in the month, and his letters reflect this work.

In addition to passing references to additional battles, the military engagements or their aftermath that George T. Stevens' letters reflect on include:

  • Siege of Yorktown and Battle of Lee's Mill (April 1862)
  • Battle of Williamsburg (May 1862)
  • Chancellorsville Campaign and Second Battle of Fredericksburg (April and May 1863)
  • Battle of Franklin's Crossing (June 1863)
  • Battle of Gettysburg (July 1863)
  • Bristoe Campaign (October 1863)
  • Battle of Rappahannock Station (November 1863)
  • Battle of Mine Run (December 1863)
  • Battle of the Wilderness (May 1864)
  • Battle of Spotsylvania Court House (May 1864)
  • Battle of Cold Harbor (June 1864)
  • Siege of Petersburg (June 1864)
  • Shenandoah Valley Campaign (August 1864)
  • Third Battle of Winchester (September 1864)
  • Battle of Fisher's Hill (September 1864)

George and Harriet discussed their own health in good detail. George experienced a difficult bout of typhoid fever beginning in May 1862 and another illness in April 1864, which brought Harriet to tend to him during his recoveries. George and Harriet both commented on military and political events. Harriet was an avid reader of the news, tracking the 77th Regiment's movements and engagements. George commented several times that she was better informed than he was. "The rumors you have in regard to our moving are only the reports of the soldiers in camp who know as much of our future movements as they do of the next arctic expedition in search of Sir John Franklin," he wrote on January 24, 1862. Both were candid in their criticisms of military leaders.

As his regiment was periodically stationed near Washington, D.C., including for several months in late 1861 and early 1862, George's letters contain commentary about conditions in the city. Harriet's occasional trips to visit George in camp or to tend to him during bouts of illness also found her staying in D.C. She remained in the city hoping to visit George while the Battle of Gettysburg was being fought. Her letters during these times provide additional insight into how women and camp followers experienced D.C. and how residents responded to war news.

Harriet's letters written while she was staying with family at Wadham's Mills and Crown Point provide information about the home front. Discussions of finances, family news, anxiety for George's wellbeing, military events, health, music and reading, and more pepper her letters. As she and George wrote each other frequently, both sides of their conversation are often represented, showing the back-and-forth dialog that the couple sustained throughout the war. Notes written on envelopes by Harriet W. Stevens in later years identify letters that were of interest to her or provide clarifying information, hinting at George and Harriet's ongoing consultation of their wartime correspondence. George and Harriet's interest in botany is also well represented in the series. They discussed plants and sent each other pressed flowers and leaves.

Frances ("Frankie") Wadhams Davenport Ormsbee is also well reflected in the series. While she contributed only a small handful of letters, George T. and Harriet Stevens commented regularly on her and her husband George Davenport, beginning with a reference to their courtship in a letter from May 13, 1859. George T. Stevens discussed visits with George Davenport while they were both in active service, as well as with Frances while she was visiting him in camp. Letters referencing Frances, as well as George's own letters detailing his preparations for Harriet to visit him in camp, provide insight into officers' wives' experiences staying in the military encampments. Upon George Davenport's death at the Battle of the Wilderness, George T. Stevens wrote home with news he had about the nature of his death and burial, and corresponded with Harriet and Frances as they worked to recover his body and process their grief.

Several letters from other members of the Stevens and Wadhams families are also present. Additionally, as Wadham's Mills was located near the Canadian and Vermont borders, the series at times reflects on affairs in those regions. For example, Harriet W. Stevens' letter from December 19, 1861, states, "...the most prominent business men in Canada were drilling men three times a week. Frankie & I think that if we go to war with England, we shall just put on pants & go to." She also wrote of news regarding St. Albans Raid (October 20, 1864; October 23, 1864; October 30, 1864; November 2, 1864).

Correspondence from after George's service is far less frequent. It includes a letter from a former patient whose arm he saved during the war (February 19, 1865), a few letters from other members of the 77th Regiment, and material relating to the Stevens's move to Albany. One item written by James McKean on May 3-June 8, 1865, outlines reactions to news of the Civil War in Honduras, including references to an African American man and young indigenous Honduran boy.

George T. Stevens included sketches and drawings in some of his letters to Harriet. Letters that include pen-and-ink illustrations are listed below:

  • February 20, 1861: wedding ring designs
  • December 17, 1861: George T. Stevens' furnishings at the Regimental Head Quarters
  • December 29, 1861: decorated encampment of the Vermont 4th
  • January 8, 1862: sketch of Fredericksburg and vicinity
  • January 12, 1862: map of cross-roads where he got lost in D.C.
  • January 21, 1862: portrait of Dall Wadhams to illustrate weight loss
  • January 29, 1862: sketch of his quarters
  • February 2, 1862: possum
  • February 5, 1862: sketch map of Washington and Georgetown area
  • February 9, 1862: hospital wards
  • December 19, 1862: principal building of the Soldiers' Home in Virginia; chain bridge that slowed their march
  • March 11, 1862: makeshift tent while on march near Fairfax Courthouse
  • March 18, 1862: camp scene with makeshift tent near Alexandria
  • March 29, 1862: agricultural tools used by African Americans; wooden gun with hog's head placed in the muzzle
  • April 3, 1862: sketch map of march route in Virginia
  • April 9, 1862: musical notations and sketch of buildings
  • April 25, 1862: birds-eye-view of three farms and sketch of a farmhouse's steps and door
  • April 25, 1862: sketch of three farms
  • November 18, 1862: pattern for chevrons and illustration of where they will be attached to sleeves
  • November 27, 1862: steaming plum pudding served at Thanksgiving
  • December 25, 1862: camp for the 77th Regiment decorated for Christmas
  • February 24, 1863: snowball fight in camp
  • April 9, 1863: sketch of military insignia on the hat worn by a young girl who accompanied Abraham Lincoln on a review of the army
  • October 17, 1863: sketch map of troop positions
  • September 8, 1864: traced floral patterns

The Bundled Correspondence Sub-Series reflects the original bundling of these sub-sets of letters, with each then arranged chronologically. One bundle consists of nine letters and documents from ca. 1859-1860, as well as undated items, relating to Miss Slater's School for Young Ladies in Lansingburgh, New York. The other bundle includes six letters from 1868 relating to resolving an incident when George T. Stevens received double payment while in the service in 1864.

The Documents Series is divided into four sub-series. The Chronological Documents Sub-Series consists of eleven items ranging in date from 1856 to 1864, including Castleton Medical College admission tickets; a subscription receipt toFlag of Our Union ; a partially printed notebook listing voters in the town of Keene in 1858; a small leather wallet containing notes documenting George and Harriet's travels in 1861, money received, and letters; an 1864 document from the Office of the Chief Medical Officer relieving Stevens of duty; General Orders 222 from 1864; a partial copy of the regiment's participation in military campaigns from May to July 1864; undated GAR Roster; and an undated list of three people, "not paid."

The bundled documents sub-series represent the original bundling of the documents as they arrived at the Clements, but each grouping was then arranged chronologically. The Bundled Military Documents Sub-Series consists of:

  • Five Civil War Passes, 1861-1862
  • Six Reports of Sick and Wounded, compiled by George T. Stevens, December 1861- May 1862
  • Approximately 66 documents relating to "Monthly Reports of Hospital Supplies &c," February 1863- March 1865
  • Seven lists of casualties and enlisted men, primarily for the 77th Regiment, 1864-1865

The Bundled G.A.R. Documents Sub-Series consists of the following bundles:

  • "Papers relating to Soldiers & Sailors Union," with three petitions, 1866-1867, to charter subordinate unions in Eastchester, Utica, and Newburgh, New York, respectively, and one letter stating why the Yonkers Soldiers' and Sailors' Union would not be represented in a convention. A note written by Harriet W. Stevens in 1920 states that the Soldiers' and Sailors' Union merged into the Society of the G.A.R. in George T. Stevens' Albany office in 1867.
  • "Papers relating to the formation of the society of the Grand Army of the Republic of the state of New York," with approximately 23 documents dating between December 1866 and December 1867. These include general orders and circulars from the Headquarters Department of New York as well as undated petitions to apply for a charter for a post of the G.A.R. All of the petitions are blank, except one with a single signature.
  • "Special Orders [GAR], 1867," with 11 documents, written by Frank J. Bramhall or George T. Stevens regarding G.A.R. procedures
  • "1867," with approximately 25 documents dating between September 1866 and November 1867, many relating to G.A.R. charters, membership applications, reports and rosters, and other business.

The Miscellaneous Bundled Documents Sub-Series consists of two rolled bundles:

  • 8 appointments, certificates, and diplomas for George T. Stevens, 1864-1881, including his Army appointments to Assistant Surgeon and Surgeon, Army discharge, diploma from Castleton Medical College, certificate for his honorary degree from Union College, as well as several certificates for medical societies and the military organizations
  • 3 genealogical documents, including a blank genealogical form, "Ancestral Chart, 1879;" a copy of the chart filled out for Charles Wadhams Stevens' ancestry; and a small version of the Charles Wadhams Stevens genealogy.

The Writings Series includes:

  • George T. Stevens manuscript drafts of autobiographical writings. Dated notes range from 1910 to 1914. Sections include: Childhood; The School at Chazy; Elizabethtown; Personal Reminiscences: My First Wage Earning; My First Engagement as Schoolmaster; School at Keeseville; My First Field of Practice; [Leaving Keeseville and Entering the Army]; My Time as a Soldier; Notes of the Life in the Army; Williamsburgh; Albany Beginnings of Botanical Experiences; The Nature Club; [A Trip to Europe].
  • George T. Stevens biography, a brief two-page manuscript outlining his Civil War service and professional and academic achievements, particularly in relation to ophthalmology.
  • George T. Stevens typed reply to a G.A.R. questionnaire with manuscript additions, providing information about his military service and post-war career. Includes additional text, "Beginnings of the Grand Army of the Republic in the State of New York."
  • Harriet W. Stevens, "Some War Time Recollections by the Wife of an Army Surgeon," a 42-page typed draft with manuscript corrections of a paper she read before the National Society of New England Women. Particular attention is paid to the Peninsular Campaign of 1861, her visits with George T. Stevens in camp in 1863, stays in Washington, D.C., and tending to George during his bouts of illness. A shorter, 13-page copy is also present.
  • Frances Davenport Ormsbee, "A War Reminiscence," a 12-page typescript that relates George Davenport's service, her visits with him during the war, his death, and efforts to locate his grave and recover his body. Also includes a photocopy of a transcribed letter from June 10, 1865, from Frances describing the retrieval of George Davenport and Captain Ormsbee's bodies.
  • "Army Papers Written by Members of the Sixth Corps," with three different unattributed and undated items: "June 20th Fight at Mechanicsville," 2 pages, and two partial military recollections, 4 pages and 16 pages respectively.

The Scrapbook Series consists of one volume with material primarily relating to George T. Stevens' post-Civil War life and career tipped or pasted in. Dated items range from 1861 to 1918. Material relates to his work with the Albany Medical College, Nature Club of Albany, the Albany Institute and its Field Meetings, the Grand Army of the Republic, military reunions, the Troy Scientific Association, the Soldiers and Sailors Union, and some references to his publications. Some material relates to his medical career, primarily ephemera from medical associations, lectures, and notices of his awards and achievements. Two Civil War-era items include an 1861 newspaper clipping from Keeseville announcing George T. Stevens' appointment in the Army and an 1861 printed circular calling to organize a Bemis Heights Battalion. Only a handful of items relate to Harriet W. Stevens and their social life. Formats include newspaper clippings, postcards, disbound pages, fliers, programs, advertisements, business or calling cards, and circulars, among others.

The Photographs Series features the following:

  • 10 cartes-de-visite of "Officers of the 77th Regt. NYS Vols." Named individuals include Winsor B. French, Henry J. Adams (of the 118th Infantry), David J. Caw, [Isaac D.] Clapp, Martin Lennon, and "Robert."
  • Approximately 12 photographs of George T. Stevens appear in a variety of formats, including cartes-de-visite, cabinet cards, studio portraits, a framed photo, among others. The tintypes, ambrotypes, and daguerreotypes are detailed separately below.
  • 10 photographs of Harriet W. Stevens dating from 1861 into her older age.
  • 15 photographs of Frances Virginia Stevens Ladd, ranging from when she was a baby through her older age. Dated items range from 1866 to 1922, and several show her wearing theatrical garb.
  • 5 photographs of Charles Wadhams Stevens, ranging from when he was a baby into his middle age. Dated items range from 1868 to 1880.
  • 2 photographs of Georgina Wadhams Stevens, one a tinted reproduction of a photo on a cabinet card, and another a cyanotype of an interior scene displaying a framed painted portrait of her, likely anteceding her death.
  • 3 photographs of George Trumbull Ladd.

In addition to the above, the Photographs Series also includes two tinted ambrotypes of George T. Stevens; one tinted tintype of George T. and Harriet W. Stevens with George and Frances Davenport; one tinted daguerreotype of Frances and George Davenport; and a ca. 1864 tintype of George T. Stevens in the field in Virginia, wearing his uniform while mounted on a horse, with his groom, Austin, standing with his mule.

The Printed Materials Series primarily consists of pamphlets dating from 1850 to 1915 and includes material relating to the Sons of Temperance, Castleton Medical College, the Independent Order of Good Templars, Masons, and an Ex-Soldiers' Handbook. One pamphlet includes George T. Stevens' address to the Survivors' Association of the 77th Regiment, "The First Fighting Campaign of the Seventy-Seventh N.Y.V." There are also 165 copies of the print, "The Chimneys - April 5, 1862. Drawing by George T. Stevens." Six books are located in the Clements Library's Book Division. Please see the list in the Additional Descriptive Data below for a complete list.

The Realia Series includes the following items:

  • Pair of white leather gloves, with note by Harriet W. Stevens: "These white kid gloves were G. T. Stevens worn when we were married."
  • George T. Stevens Civil War uniform items, including dark green silk surgeon's sash, white cotton gloves, blue shoulder strap, and golden hat ornament.
  • Pair of white cotton gloves, with note by Harriet W. Stevens, "worn by Chas. W. Stevens when he was a drummer boy at Albany Academy."
  • Pair of children's leather gloves and shoes. Note by Harriet W. Stevens suggests they belonged to Frances V. Stevens Ladd.
  • Pair of knitted white and blue socks with ribbon, in envelope labeled "These were Little Georgies socks," likely referring to Georgina Wadhams (1871-1882).
  • 1910 G.A.R. badge.

Collection

Grace Adele Pierce scrapbook, [1890-1894]

1 volume

Writer, lecturer, poet, and playwright Grace Adele Pierce compiled this stab-stitched volume of newspaper and other serial cuttings, autographs, manuscript texts, portraits, and drawings around 1890-1894 while she lived at home with her parents in Randolph, New York. The newspaper/serial clippings include announcements for Pierce's lectures, talks, and readings, as well as printed portraits of women writers and original poetry. Two drawings include a sailboat with very finely drawn seaweed; and a pencil portrait of Grace Pierce at her desk, reading a book (by Helen A. Winsoe). Several clipped autographs include those of Jane Mead Welch, Christine Terhune Herrick, and J. Ellen Foster. Pierce also pasted in a handwritten list of books by writer Margaret E. Sangster, titled "Best in my judgement."

Writer, lecturer, poet, and playwright Grace Adele Pierce compiled this stab-stitched volume of newspaper and other serial cuttings, autographs, manuscript texts, portraits, and drawings around 1890-1894 while Pierce lived at home with her parents in Randolph, New York. The newspaper/serial clippings include announcements for Pierce's lectures, talks, and readings, as well as portraits of women writers and original poetry. Two drawings include a sailboat with very fine seaweed; and a pencil portrait of Grace Pierce at her desk, reading a book (by Helen A. Winsoe). Several clipped autographs include those of Jane Mead Welch, Christine Terhune Herrick, and J. Ellen Foster. Pierce also pasted in a handwritten list of books by writer Margaret E. Sangster, titled "Best in my judgement."

The volume includes one pasted-in autograph letter signed by J. E. Croly, editor of The Home-Maker monthly journal, respecting a submission by Pierce (December 11, 1890).

Collection

Grace Chandler Footlight Club scrapbook, 1886-1898 (majority within 1894-1898)

1 volume

The Grace Chandler Footlight Club scrapbook contains correspondence, photographs, plays, and ephemera related to the club's activities in the mid- to late 1890s. The amateur theatrical company performed in Eliot Hall, a theater in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.

The Grace Chandler Footlight Club scrapbook contains around 45 pages of correspondence, photographs, plays, and ephemera pertaining to the club's activities in the late 19th century. Most items are dated between 1894, when Chandler joined, and 1898.

Chandler collected numerous programs from the Footlight Club's many performances, including several in which she participated as a member of the cast and a few that served as charity events for a convalescent home and other causes; tickets for performances and dress rehearsals are also included. Chandler received official correspondence regarding her membership and directors' reports, as well as manuscript letters congratulating her for recent performances; most are still in their original envelopes. Of particular interest is a letter from Horace Vale to "Miss Verrinder" calling off their engagement after hearing rumors of her "desperate flirtation" with another man (postmarked March 20, 1895). The album includes 7 photographs of sets on a stage. Other items include newspaper clippings, printed copies of plays, an advertisement, a dried rose, and copies of the Footlight Club's constitution as amended in December 1888 and January 1895.