Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

This collection is made up of the correspondence and business papers of Andrew Law, composer and compiler of tune books. Dating primarily during his most productive professional years, these papers also contain manuscript sheet music and printed proof sheets.

The Law papers contain over 500 letters written during the most productive years of Andrew Law's professional career as a singing master, composer, and compiler of tune books, 1780-1821. Most of the correspondence relates to Law's musical publications, his ideas on music, and family matters, and together, they form an invaluable archive of the mind and work of one of the most prolific tunesmiths of the Early Republic.

In addition, the collection includes approximately 700 accounts, receipts, and other business papers; personal memoranda relating to Law's travels and financial affairs (350 pp.); 35 lists of students; and miscellaneous sheet music (368 pp.).

Andrew Robinson Giddinge , a Pejepscot, Maine, innkeeper, kept this diary between January 1 and February 28, 1835. His descriptive entries pertain to everyday aspects of his life, such as household chores, Christian Bible reading, newspaper and periodical reading, hearing difficulties, trips to New Gloucester, and visits with friends and family. Giddinge filled the margins of this diary with numerous small sketches pertinent to their accompanying entries.

Andrew Robinson Giddinge, a Pejepscot, Maine, innkeeper, kept this diary between January 1 and February 28, 1835. His descriptive entries pertain to everyday aspects of his life, such as household chores, Christian Bible reading, newspaper and periodical reading, hearing difficulties, trips to New Gloucester, and visits with friends and family. Giddinge filled the margins of this diary with numerous small sketches pertinent to their accompanying entries.

Andrew Giddinge's frequent visits with neighbors and family, including Parsons in-laws and daughter Anna (married to Nathan Ingersoll), sometimes included helping neighbors with tasks such as chopping wood or shaving a disabled friend. He also recorded the illnesses and deaths of persons in his family and social circles. On January 6, 1835, Andrew took wheat to be ground in Lewiston for a "Graham" meal (Sylvester Graham's regimen was also used by a family he visited on January 14, 1835). His discussions of family dynamics included reflections on whether or not callers came to see him or his son's wife Deborah Tarbox Giddinge, and whether or not he was "at home" or merely enjoying the hospitality of others. Giddinge also commented regularly on postal deliveries, with hopes for letters from his son George, who lived in Kentucky. He discussed different periodicals and interspersed quotes from works he read.

His descriptive entries include weather notations, and small sketches related to the day's entries fill the margins. Among the illustrations are razors, scissors, irons, buckets, a casket, manicules, clothing, people warming feet in hot water, clothes being washed, barrels, the moon, a mole, a musical instrument, an ax and grinder, kettles, wash tubs, baking and food, a goat, letters, logs being pulled, a butchered calf and a fish, a hearth, an umbrella, a heart with arrows, a copy of an illustration of scene from Tristram Shandy, and others.

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

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

In February, 1864, Andrew S. Parsons left his farm to become a recruit in a veteran regiment, the 33rd Wisconsin Infantry for the duration of the Civil War. His letters to his wife Louisa give detailed accounts of battles and campaigns, and provide glimpses into his home life and relationships with his wife and children.

The Andrew S. Parsons papers document the life of a recruit added to the rolls of a veteran regiment of the western theatre. The 47 letters written by Andrew Parsons to his wife, Louisa, comprise the bulk of the collection, along with two letters to his children and one to a temperance society of which he was a member. In addition, there are two letters from Parsons' nephew Charles Spencer to Louisa Parsons, and one letter from a friend named Laura to Andrew Parsons. Well written and eventful, Andrew Parsons' letters have many strong points. Among the letters are detailed accounts of skirmishes in northern Mississippi, the battles of Blair's Landing, Franklin and Nashville, and Spanish Fort, as well as the Red River, Tupelo, Missouri, Franklin and Nashville and Mobile Campaigns.

Equally interesting are the glimpses that emerge through Parsons' letters of his home life and his relationships with his wife and children. His letters are laced with a fine sense of humor, and convey a sense of concern for the well being of his home and family. The occasional hint of jealousy that peers subtlely through some letters is leavened by his advice to Louisa on managing the farm, caring for the children, and seeing to the family finances. He seemingly accepts the trying circumstances of a wartime separation, and tries to make the best of the situation, all the while eager to return home.

The Andrews' Raid scrapbook and telegraph ledger contains newspaper clippings dating from 1887 that recount the story of Andrews' Raid written by William Pittenger. Other clippings, almost all of which focus on the United States Army, are also included in the scrapbook. The majority of these clippings are glued onto the page, but some are loose. This scrapbook, whose compiler is unknown, was originally used as a telegraph ledger book for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and more than half of the volume still has these records visible.

The Andrews' Raid scrapbook and telegraph ledger contains newspaper clippings dating from 1887 that recount the story of Andrews' Raid written by William Pittenger, a Union soldier who survived the raid and was awarded the Medal of Honor. Other clippings, almost all of which focus on the United States Army, are also included in the scrapbook. Most of these are Civil War related but they include some Indian Wars material as well, including an account of Sitting Bull and Running Bear's raid on Fort Buford on August 20, 1868. The majority of these clippings are glued onto the page, but some are loose. This scrapbook, whose compiler is unknown, was originally used as a telegraph ledger book for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and more than half of the volume still has these records visible.

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

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

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

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

These two volumes contain complementary financial records kept by Andrew Thompson, a merchant in Chester County, Pennsylvania, who traded foodstuffs and alcohol, particularly whiskey, in the early 1800s. One volume lists daily transactions and the other tracks running accounts with specific individuals. Each contains additional laid-in items such as receipts, financial records, and notes.

These two volumes contain complementary financial records kept by Andrew Thompson, a merchant in Chester County, Pennsylvania, who traded foodstuffs and alcohol in the early 1800s. The first volume holds chronological accounts of Thompson's daily transactions between April 2, 1816, and August 28, 1821. Each entry typically reflects an individual purchase, and corresponds with a running account kept in the accompanying volume. Thompson most frequently sold whiskey, which constituted the entirety of his sales on several occasions. Other entries reflect the costs of labor, including sawing work; at least one regards a "coloured man" who assisted in "diging for pipes in meadow" (February 25, 1817). Receipts and financial records laid into the volume often correspond with the dates of accounts; one loose item also contains a poem (June 10, 1820). Two pages in the back of the volume document Thompson's accounts with "Stiles," from whom he bought oats, rye, and whiskey in bulk.

The second volume contains similar accounts for the same types of goods, kept as running totals with specific individuals, as well as an index of Thompson's customers, who included several women. Entries in this volume correspond with those in the first, and some are accompanied by signed notes verifying that they had been settled. Receipts and other financial records are similarly laid into this volume, and they include an unofficial copy of a court summons, signed by Samuel Wilson of Chester County, Pennsylvania (February 28, 1818; p. 130). Every other page of this volume is numbered, and it contains in total approximately 532 total pages.

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

Please see the Contents List for individual item descriptions.

This bound manuscript contains the text of a sermon delivered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in December 1783, about a desirable political future of the United States from a Christian point of view.

This bound manuscript contains the text of a sermon delivered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in December 1783, about a desirable political future of the United States from a Christian point of view. The 31-page volume, entitled "An Exhortation to Peace under the American Revolution, addressed to the Inhabitants of Lancaster in the State of Pennsylvania, December 11, 1783," is divided into several sections, each copied by a distinct, clear hand and signed, though the text runs unbroken throughout the book. The first page of the address indicates that it is based on Jeremiah 24:7, and it begins by examining the situation of the Jews in ancient Babylon, and comparing that to the situation that led to the American colonies' fight for independence. From there, the sermon continues to expound upon religious and political themes, encouraging a "cordial union among the members of each particular state, as well as among the United States in general" and arguing that a Christian ethos would serve as a strong foundation for the new nation. The treatise weaves together themes of Christian faith and contemporary politics to create a vision of a positive future for the United States.

The Anglo-Mexican mining photograph albums are a three-volume set containing approximately 446 images of southern English beaches, architecture of Mexico City, mining operations in Zacatecas, Mexico, and portraits of the Pott family of England.

The Anglo-Mexican mining photograph albums are a three-volume set containing approximately 446 images of southern English beaches, architecture of Mexico City, mining operations in Zacatecas, Mexico, and portraits of the Pott family of England.

Volume one (24 x 16 cm) contains approximately 223 photographs replete with detailed inscriptions as well as two clippings. On the inside front cover are portraits of Cyrus Pott taken in 1906 and 1908 while an image of his son Dennis, who frequently appears throughout all three volumes, can be seen on the first page. Subsequent images of interest include pictures of a 1915 trip to Bournemouth, England; an Easter Monday picnic near Mexico City in 1912; Pott family friends Marquarita and Gorden McCloskey; an interior photograph of the Pott residence at 165 Calle de Londres in Mexico City; and a British Boating Club regatta. Also of note are photographs of the steamer Furst Bismarck; a trip to Bognor Regis, England; a couple on their honeymoon in Bournemouth, English; beachgoers; the Firth of Forth in Scotland; and pictures and clippings related to Cyrus Pott’s service in the National Motor Volunteer Corps.

Volume two (18 x 24 cm) contains approximately 103 photographs and has fewer inscriptions than volume one. Images of interest include views of a trip to Brighton, England, in the fall of 1913; a group of people standing behind a wall captioned “Fleeing from Mexican shells, Feb. 1912”; a group of cooks captioned “Chinese and Mexican cousins. / Louis-Maria-Angela”; a trip on the Furst Bismarck on April 16, 1913; a 1913 trip to Havana, Cuba; a trip aboard the Corcovado on the Viga Canal; Mrs. Pott and friends at La Fe Mine in Guadalupe, Zacatecas; the vantage point from Adolf Goerz’s Mexico City office; and various sites in A Coruña, Spain.

Volume three (18 x 24 cm) contains approximately 120 photographs and has the fewest amount of inscriptions of all three albums. Images of interest include pictures of a bull fighting ring; Villistas at La Fe Mine; more views of the house at 165 Calle de Londres; Christmas at the University Club in Mexico City; Alfred Pott in a cradle on his christening day in 1913 in Stow, England; and Cyrus Pott at La Fe Mine. On the inside back cover there are two photographs of outdoor activities.