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This collection is made up of letters that John Claude wrote to his brothers, Dennis and Abram Claude of Annapolis, Maryland, while serving with the United States Army at Plattsburgh, New York, during the War of 1812. He discussed his opinions on patriotism, the progress of the war, and contemporary European politics, particularly concerning Napoleon.

This collection is made up of 10 letters that John Claude wrote to his brothers, Dennis Claude (8 items) and Abram Claude (2 items) of Annapolis, Maryland, while serving with the United States Army at Plattsburgh, New York, in 1814 and 1815. He often referred to the progress of the war and to his strong sense of patriotism, and mused on topics such as contemporary European politics. He shared his opinions of domestic and foreign political issues, including the potential effects of Napoleon's defeat on the major European powers, and frequently included philosophical quotes and poetry in his letters. He also offered commentary on recent and possible military actions in the War of 1812, expressed his belief that a successful British attack in Maryland would prove disastrous (September 26, 1814) and lamented the destruction of Washington, D.C. (November 17, 1814). Though he commented most often on politics and on the general state of the war, Claude occasionally mentioned his own military activities and drew a map of the fortifications at Plattsburgh (January 7, 1815). He revealed some details about his personal religious beliefs and shared his grief upon hearing news of the death of his brother Abram (October 19, 1814).

The Richard P. Mallory sketchbook contains 80 pages of complete and incomplete sketches of various landscapes and buildings in Vermont and New York, drawn between 1855 and 1857.

The Richard P. Mallory sketchbook contains 80 pages of sketches of various landscapes and buildings in Vermont and New York, drawn between 1855 and 1857. Manuscript inscriptions on the inside cover indicate that the sketchbook belonged to R.P. Mallory and was rebound in 1888. A brief index is included in the front with the locations of many of the subjects in the sketches. The pages are inconsistently numbered, and not all pages contain drawings. Many of the drawings are incomplete. Captions and dates are included with most of the sketches, many containing the location of the subject in the drawing. These subjects are from various villages and cities in Vermont, including Burlington, Fairfield, Saint Albans, and Winooski. New York views include Dannemora, Keeseville, Malone, Ogdensburg, Plattsburg, Redford, and Rouses Point.

There are many detailed sketches of buildings: churches, schools, homes, hotels, banks, court houses, and train depots. There are also many landscape sketches, depicting farms, lakes, rivers, trees, mountains, and waterfalls. Of note are sketches of the Ausable River, including the Ausable Falls and Devil's Oven, on pages 74 to 87. Two ports are also depicted, Port Kent in Burlington and Port Jackson in New York.

Pages 30 to 44 are devoted to the Franklin sawmill in Plattsburgh, noted as the "largest mill in the state of New York." Included are views of the interior and exterior, and an introductory page with a history and details of the mill. Great attention is also given to the Clinton Prison and its related mining operations in Dannemora, New York, spanning pages 96 to 103. Of note are an overview of the prison facility and striking views of underground mining operations.

The style of the drawings throughout the sketchbook suggests the occasional use of an optical device such as a camera obscura.

The Thomas Tredwell papers contain letters and documents related to Tredwell, concerning New York politics, travel across New York State, and family news.

The Thomas Tredwell papers consist of four letters and one document, spanning 1769-1807. The earliest item, a document dated 1769, concerns the building of a schoolhouse, and contains a list of subscribers; Tredwell apparently served as treasurer of the endeavor.

Tredwell wrote three of the collection's four letters. On January 1, 1794, he wrote to his son, Nathaniel, concerning family matters, a shipment of kettles, and the purchase of a slave by an acquaintance. A letter dated February 8, 1804, to his daughter, Hannah (Tredwell) Davis, includes Tredwell's comments on New York gubernatorial candidates, the ratification of the 12th Amendment, and the unpopularity of Aaron Burr. Tredwell's final letter in the collection, also to Hannah, describes the rough month-long journey between Albany and Plattsburgh, across frozen Lake Champlain and provides instruction on how to make an ointment out of roots (May 29, 1807). A "D. Bennett" wrote an additional letter, dated June 12, 1800, to Tredwell's daughter, Mary, concerning news from Norwalk, New York, and expressing sadness at the distance that separated them.