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

This collection is made up of letters addressed to Charles Humphrey, a New York lawyer and politician (39 items), and to his son William (7 items). Charles Humphrey's incoming correspondence concerns his legal career, his financial and business affairs, and state or national political issues. William Humphrey's incoming letters primarily concern his finances relating to his law practice in Ithaca, New York.

This collection is made up of letters addressed to Charles Humphrey, a New York lawyer and politician (39 items), and to his son William (7 items). Charles Humphrey's incoming correspondence concerns his legal career, his financial and business affairs, and political issues. William Humphrey's incoming letters primarily concern his finances relating to his law practice in Ithaca, New York.

Charles Humphrey received 39 letters between April 14, 1811, and June 3, 1843, most of which date from his terms in the United States House of Representatives and the New York State Assembly. His correspondents, many of whom were lawyers and politically active persons, discussed state and national issues, such as the Missouri Compromise (March 9, 1820), the Locofocos (August 9, 1837), a fire in New York City (January 21, 1836), the New York salt industry (February 25, 1834), and Humphrey's speeches and political actions. They also wrote about office-seekers and nominations for various public positions. Some letters relate to specific legal cases around the state of New York; for example, Alvin Bradley wrote a lengthy letter about Catharine, who had been seduced and impregnated while working as a family's domestic employee (January 14, 1835). Charles Humphrey also received a personal letter co-written by Charles H. Cooke, his nephew, and "S. Cooke," his sibling (January 10, 1842).

William Ross Humphrey received 7 letters between January 11, 1845, and October 11, 1847, of which his father, Charles Humphrey, wrote 5. These letters pertain to Will's financial and business affairs while he worked as a lawyer in Ithaca, New York.

Future grocer and amateur botanist Charles A. S. Robbins kept these two pre-printed daily diaries at the ages of 13 through 15, while living in Stoughton, Massachusetts, 1887-1888. Robbins attended school and frequently found himself in trouble for conversing, whispering, laughing, playing with matches, drumming on his desk, and otherwise disrupting class. He regularly checked books out of the local library and wrote about books and reading. He enjoyed time with his male and female friends, sleighing, sledding ("coasting" on town streets), and skating. Sometimes he fought with or threw stones at other boys. He played marbles, baseball, football, and hockey (played with a "polo stick"). Robbins also roamed about, watched local ball games, visited the beach, and went sailing and kite flying. He worked on local farms, picking cherries and grapes, and chopped wood. At home, his family played checkers and young "Gertie" got into mischief.

Future grocer and amateur botanist Charles A. S. Robbins kept these two pre-printed daily diaries at the ages of 13 through 15, while living in Stoughton, Massachusetts, 1887-1888. Robbins attended school and frequently found himself in trouble for conversing, whispering, laughing, playing with matches, drumming on his desk, and otherwise disrupting class. He regularly checked books out of the local library and wrote about books and reading. He enjoyed time with his male and female friends, sleighing, sledding ("coasting" on town streets), and skating. Sometimes he fought with or threw stones at other boys. He played marbles, baseball, football, and hockey (played with a "polo stick"). Robbins also roamed about, watched local ball games, visited the beach, and went sailing and kite flying. He worked on local farms, picking cherries and grapes, and chopped wood. At home, his family played checkers and young "Gertie" got into mischief.

The Charles B. Armstrong diary details the religious aspects of a Methodist minister's daily life during the late 19th century.

The Charles B. Armstrong diary details the religious aspects of a Methodist minister's daily life in New York during the late 19th century. Armstrong composed the volume between September 1, 1877, and April 1880, and stated, "to the…interests which pertain to my work and what-ever may be [desirable] to remember…will this record be kept." The diary consists primarily of brief entries encapsulating his work in the ministry. Armstrong often mentioned ideas for sermons, including relevant Biblical passages, and occasionally transcribed longer excerpts from these sermons. Throughout this period, Armstrong was involved in many aspects of his church, and detailed church meetings, prayer meetings, and his involvement in local life; for example, he often recorded funerals he attended or at which he preached. At the end of the diary, Armstrong kept several financial records, including accounts with parishioners and lists of gifts and collections.

• List of Names of Those for Whom I Pray Daily
• Rechord of Funerals Attended at Clintonville 1878-1880 [sic]
• Rechord of Baptism on Clintonville [Charge] 1878-8[0] [sic]
• Marriage Rechord of Clintonville NY [1878-1880] [sic]
• Calls Made on Clintonville Charge 1878-9

This collection contains six letters by Charles Barrell to his sister Mary and father George, while he attended the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria (1855) and while he traveled to Beirut and London (1857, 1859). The primary topic of his letters to Mary was the search for his own personal understanding of Christian religious belief. At the seminary, he expressed his deep frustrations with churches and rejected authoritative interpretations of scripture by clergymen. He explored Episcopalian evangelicalism, reflected on "Second-Advent" ministry, and traveled in the near East to find peace in his "heart & mind" and to seek independence from his family and financial support. Barrell harshly judged people who did not believe or practice religion "right," treated skeptically those who followed "the multitude," and expressed regular concerns about his reputation. His relationship with his father and his father's opinions of him and his activities are a regular topic of discussion.

This collection contains six letters by Charles Barrell to his sister Mary and father George, while he attended the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria (1855) and while he traveled to Beirut and London (1857, 1859). The primary topic of his letters to Mary was the search for his own personal understanding of Christian religious belief. At the seminary, he expressed his deep frustrations with churches and rejected authoritative interpretations of scripture by clergymen. He explored Episcopalian evangelicalism, reflected on "Second-Advent" ministry, and traveled in the near East to find peace in his "heart & mind" and to seek independence from his family and financial support. Barrell harshly judged people who did not believe or practice religion "right", treated skeptically those who followed "the multitude," and expressed regular concerns about his reputation. His relationship with his father and his father's opinions of him and his activities are a regular topic of discussion.

Please see the box and folder listing for details about the content of each letter.

The July 1, 1874 kidnapping of four-year-old Charles Brewster "Charley" Ross from a sidewalk in front of the family home in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania became the first nationally publicized kidnapping for ransom case in the United States. This collection contains six items: one letter, a manuscript reward advertisement, handwritten notes, a pencil sketch portrait of Charley, a manuscript account of experiences with the main suspects, and an undated newspaper clipping related to the continuing investigation of the child's abduction, ca. 1909.

The July 1, 1874, kidnapping of four-year-old Charles Brewster "Charley" Ross from a sidewalk in front of the family home in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania became the first nationally publicized kidnapping for ransom case in the United States. This collection contains six items: a letter, a manuscript draft of a reward advertisement, handwritten notes, a pencil sketched portrait of Charley, a manusscript account of experiences with the main suspects, and an undated newspaper clipping-related to the continuing investigation of the child's abduction, ca. 1909.

The one Letter in the collection is from Charley Ross's father Christian K. Ross to Rev. Henry Whitney Cleveland, October 20, 1877; Philadelphia. 2 pages. In it, Mr. Ross states that he cannot help Cleveland publish a book as his time is spent searching for his missing son. Ross mentions the book he published on the case, lamenting that he published it using a subscription service as it limited its circulation.

Written on the verso of printed, illustrated stationery of the Haynes Hotel, Springfield, Massachusetts, the manuscript draft of a Reward Advertisement stipulates a $10,000 reward for the return of Charley Ross alive, promising not to seek out or discover the identity of the kidnappers. The page is headed "For Local Article."

Notes: Six pages of pencil notes on checkbook stubs, measuring approximately 9x4 inches. Dating from July 1, 1874, to an unknown point in 1909, the notes begin from the point of Charley's kidnapping, chronicling accounts of the case. First remarking that Christian Ross had "run down false clews [in a] vain attempt" to locate Charley, the unidentified writer continues with a sparse summary of the alleged kidnappers capture "at Fort Hamilton, L.I. [Long Island]" and Joseph Douglas's confession that "Mosher & I stole Charly [sic] Ross." The next entry, dated 1909, discusses one Wm. G. Eyster, whose claim to be the lost Charley Ross was rejected.

The notes conclude with a sketch of a man wearing glasses and a bow tie, with the caption "3 days to get it ready, $20,000," followed by what appears to be notes related to other kidnappings and reference to a "Jessy James."

Manuscript: On October 9, 1932, James H. Hall wrote a nine-page summary of George W. Murdock's recounting of his experiences with the main suspects in the Charles Brewster Ross kidnapping case, Bill Mosher and Joe Douglas, while his mother was in charge of the lighthouse in the Hudson River. Murdock recalled Mosher and Douglas attempting to sell them a boat, described the two men, and described encounters with detectives who searched their premises and read their mail. Hall speculated about the possible role of the boat in the kidnapping.

Newspaper Clipping: An undated clipping regarding one Mr. W.C. DeWitt, claiming to be the lost Charley Ross and giving a lecture, titled "The True Story of My Abduction."

Portrait: A pencil sketch of Charley with an inscription that reads,"at the time of his abduction. Then 4 yrs. and Walter, his 6-yr-old brother. Disappeared from the sidewalk, near their home. July 1, 1874."

The Charles Caldwell lectures are manuscript notes taken by an observer of Caldwell's medical lectures - most likely in Lexington, Kentucky in 1825.

The manuscript lectures in this collection are unsigned, but are circumstantially attributed to Caldwell on the basis of internal references to a 30 year career in medicine, including an association with the Pennsylvania Hospital, to experience and research in pestilential epidemics, and to the author's "timely investigation of the sanguiniferous system." The manuscript probably represents a student's notes taken during a series of Caldwell's lectures in about 1825. They are not in Caldwell's hand.

The lecture series represented by this manuscript comprises an introductory course in medicine, covering nutrition, blood and the circulatory system, pathology, the nervous system, etc. Of particular interest are lectures on dreams, pleasure, memory and understanding, and differences between the sexes

This volume contains copies of letters sent from Charles Cameron, British officer and governor of the Bahamas. The letters concern dealings with prisoners, interacting with officers, courts martial, colonial law and the state of the colony, crops on the islands, small pox and other sicknesses, and preparing ships for service.

The Charles Cameron letterbook (359 pages) contains copies of letters sent from his governorship in the Bahamas spanning from 1805 to 1807. The volume has an index of recipients, organized alphabetically by last name. Most letters are written by Cameron (signed C.C.) though some are from R. Roberts, possibly Cameron's assistant. Topics include descriptions of dealing with prisoners, interactions with officers, courts martial, orders from governors, colonial law and the state of the colony, crops on the islands, small pox and other illnesses, and the preparation of ships for service. The volume also contains many examples of Cameron's written orders to various naval officers. Several letters are to Major Charles Henry Darling, lieutenant-governor of Tobago, who married his eldest daughter Isabella. Many items are copies of "cover letters," created to accompany documents not present in the letterbook. Of note is mention of a mulatto prisoner named Tannis (September 23, 1805), and discussion of legal issues concerning transporting a group of slaves from Turks Island (August 2, 1806).

Locations mentioned include Jamaica, Crooked Island, Turks Island, Harbor Island, Eleuthera, Santo Domingo, Nassau, Ragged Island, New Providence Island, Andros Island, Cuba, Liverpool, New York, Philadelphia, Spain, and France. Ships mentioned include:

• Nassau, Felucca John Bull, Packet (page 260)
• Cartel (page 274)
• Havana (275)
• Vesuvius, Viper (page 284)
• Mars (page 304)
• Pitt (page 308)
• RedBridge (page 310)
• Patent (page 311)
• Favorite (324)
• Pike (page 326)
• Jamaica Mail (page 333)
• Atlanta (page 341)
• Swedish Schooner Ulrica (page 353)

Many letters note, in light purple writing, the date they were sent from the Bahamas and the name of the ship.

Charles Child of New York, New York, filled out this pre-printed daily diary from January 1 through August 21, 1860, recording his social visits, correspondence relating to matrimonial newspaper advertisements, activities with the Cadets of Temperance, and his work as an engraver. The back of the volume includes "Cash Accounts" and "Bills Payable" filled out for the entire year.

Charles Child of New York, New York, filled out this pre-printed daily diary from January 1 through August 21, 1860, recording his social visits, correspondence relating to matrimonial newspaper advertisements, activities with the Cadets of Temperance, and his work as an engraver. The back of the volume includes "Cash Accounts" and "Bills Payable" filled out for the entire year.

Child recorded his social engagements, visits, and conversations with both men and women, and he commonly used slang terms in his entries. He noted his attendance at parties, dances, skating excursions, card games, picnics, and performances, providing a glimpse into the social life of a young New Yorker. Charles Child was an active member of "Excelsior Section No. 7" and the "Mount Vernon Section" of the Cadets of Temperance, and he wrote about the meetings and work he undertook on their behalf.

Beginning in March, Child referenced "insert[ing] matrimonial advertisements" in local newspapers (March 15), receiving letters in response, and writing replies. He joked with his peers about the endeavor and discussed responses. It appears in some of his ads he may have been posing as a woman as he notes receiving letters "directed to 'Minnie' " (March 17) and "Emma Gray" (May 12 and 29) and replying "in a feminine hand" (March 20). He appears to have taken up a substantive correspondence with a woman named Nellie.

In addition to daily affairs, Child commented on events like fires (January 13), a suicide (January 28), and referenced the Japanese delegation in New York City (June 16, June 23, June 25). He made occasional references to the sectional conflict and political events (see January 15, February 27, March 1). On August 6, he joined the New York Zouaves, and several pages at the back of the volume list out members of Company A of the First Regiment of the New York Zouaves. A note written on the back flyleaf by Charles Child's mother, Sarah O'Dell Child Willets, reads, "gone to the war[.] June 5th 1861 started for fortress Monroe as 1st Lieut. Co A. 9th Regt New York Zouaves."

Child's entries also document his professional life as he took up engraving under Jacob Hyatt. On January 16, Child noted that he "engraved the first card plate I ever did," and throughout the volume noted jobs he took on, including engraving cards, utensils, a "brass plate for a fiddle-box" (April 2), a watch, a door plate, a wedding card plate, a seal, a diploma plate, and others. On May 9, he noted getting a copy of "the History of the US. for the purpose of placing the plates correctly." On June 6, his uncle provided him with a steel plate "to try my hand on," and Child noted when he tried new scripts, providing glimpses into how he was learning the art.

The Cash Accounts and Bills Payable sections at the end of the volume include details about his personal expenses, financial affairs with the Cadets of Temperance, and his salary for engraving.

This collection consists of approximately 1,250 business letters and financial documents concerning the professional affairs of Charles P. Cogswell, a banker and investor based in Norwich, Connecticut, in the latter half of the 19th century. Included are roughly 1,180 letters and financial records, 77 checks and receipts, and 1 photograph. In addition to serving as president of the Second National Bank of Norwich, Connecticut, Cogswell owned stock in several railroads, lumber companies, and other firms in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Cogswell's incoming business correspondence and documents pertain to his relationships with other bankers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York, and to his financial interests in the western states.

This collection consists of approximately 1,250 business letters and financial documents concerning the professional affairs of Charles P. Cogswell, a banker and investor based in Norwich, Connecticut, in the latter half of the 19th century. Included are roughly 1,180 letters and financial records, 77 checks and receipts, and 1 photograph. In addition to serving as president of the Second National Bank of Norwich, Connecticut, Cogswell owned stock in several railroads, lumber companies, and other firms in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Cogswell's incoming business correspondence and documents pertain to his relationships with other bankers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York, and to his financial interests in the western states.

Charles P. Cogswell's incoming Correspondence and Documents (about 1,250 items) cover many of his financial interests and monetary investments between 1877 and 1899, such as the affairs of the Second National Bank of Norwich, Connecticut, and its relationships with other banks throughout the state and in New York and Massachusetts. Early items include receipts and bills for labor and other expenses, dated between 1870 and 1877. In and after 1877, most items are business letters, often brief, related to banking and to Cogswell's financial investments in firms such as the Sibley Machine Company, lumber companies, railroads, and harvester manufacturers in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Later correspondence often concerns stock Cogswell held in various companies, as well as those companies' financial standing and value.

One group of letters from attorney Charles L. Mitchell in Cincinnati, Ohio, written in 1883 and 1884, pertains to a legal action in which Mitchell and other executors of the late Charles D. Coffin's estate sought to invalidate several mortgages; a copy of the action is also included (January 12, 1884). The bulk of the collection ends in 1899. Four later items, dated between 1912 and 1921, are related to C. C. Sterling of Hartford, Connecticut, and to the Hart & Hegeman Manufacturing Company of Hartford. At least two items are personal letters Cogswell received from a member of the Miner family.

The Checks and Receipts series contains 77 checks and receipts signed by and issued to Charles P. Cogswell. His checks were drawn on the Second National Bank. Receipts include 4 for Cogswell's use of naturall gas provided by the Norwich City Gas Company.

The Photograph is a 5.5"x3" black-and-white print mounted on thick cardboard. The picture depicts six people standing in front of a house, identified as grandparents and aunts.

The Charles Collins diary consists of accounts, both credit and debit, between Collins, a carpenter, and his customers and suppliers in frontier California during and after the gold rush. The volume also contains twelve pages of a fragmented diary describing travel from Iowa to California, and life as a prospector, farmer, and carpenter.

The Charles Collins diary and account table is a leather-bound notebook that was purchased in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1844. The bulk of the book is made up of accounts, both credit and debit, between Collins, a carpenter, and his customers and suppliers. The last twelve pages, written back-to-front, constitute a diary covering the dates June 11, [1852]-July 4, 1853. Several pages have been ripped from the volume and the diary resumes in July 1867.

The first eight pages of the account book contain accounts from 1846 to 1849, when Collins was a carpenter in the East. After a number of cut-out pages, the accounts pick up again in 1855, when Collins was in California after an unsuccessful attempt to profit from the gold rush. Starting in Fort "Desmoin" (Des Moines, Iowa) on June 11, [1852], he makes entries in the diary through July 23, as his group headed west in wagons. After leaving Des Moines, they traveled 12 to 18 miles a day, arriving at Council Bluffs on the Missouri River on June 24, where they joined 11 other wagons. Twenty wagons in all crossed the Elkhorn River on June 29th and headed for the Platte. They celebrated the 4th of July by raising a flag and firing 13 guns. Since they were in Indian country, they circled the wagons and posted guards at night. Approaching Grand Island, they found two graves of individuals who died of cholera. They sighted Buffalo on July 22, and the next day they lost their cattle, which halted their travels for nearly three weeks.

The next diary entry starts on November 13, 1852, when Collins and his companions agreed to rent 15 acres of land from the local priest in exchange for giving him 1/5 of any productions. He reported almost daily rain. They killed deer every few days, encountered many drunken Indians, and tried, unsuccessfully, to prospect for gold. On January 10, John Richardson killed two bears and wounded two others.

On February 5, 1853, Collins stated that their search for gold had been unsuccessful. That day, John Richardson took off secretly with the white horse, complete with saddle and bridle, a blanket, a dog, a gun, and shot. Collins made a coffin for an old lady who died; he and the remaining “John” planted wheat and barley, and on February 24, the priest gave them the vineyard in exchange for half of all fruit it produced. They grew potatoes, cucumbers, melons, and buckwheat and supplemented this work by repairing various appliances for the priest and other people in the area, such as wheels and buggies, doubletrees, and cheese presses. A doctor named Page lived with them for two or three days, taking notes on the Mission for publication. The last diary entry is dated July 4, 1853.