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Collection

David Greene letterbook, 1777-1785

225 pages

The David Greene letterbook contain copies of the outgoing correspondence of an American loyalist and merchant from his wartime exile in Antigua and postwar residence in Connecticut. The letters record his business affairs, including the West Indies trade of his firm, Rose & Greene, as well as personal reflections on his experiences as a Loyalist exile.

David Greene's letterbook contains copies of Greene's outgoing business correspondence, almost evenly divided between his period as a Loyalist refugee in Antigua (ca.120 letters) and his stay in Norwich, Conn., awaiting permission to return to Boston (ca. 110 letters). The final twenty letters are written from Boston. The bulk of the letterbook consists of letters written by Greene, and are either unsigned, signed by Greene, or in a few cases, signed in the name of the firm, Rose & Greene. Most of the letters in the first half of the letterbook appear to be full text copies of letters sent, with most in the second half consisting only of brief excerpts or paraphrases.

Greene's business affairs form the core concern of the majority of letters in the letterbook. These letters include discussions of the usual round of commercial topics: the shipment of cargo to or from Antigua, East Florida, or Boston, the status of various markets, prices current, and shipping accidents. Greene occasionally records bills of lading, invoices, and insurance requirements, as well. The letters from Antigua (1777-1781) include an interesting account of an accident involving ships captained by John Callahan and William Blake and rumors of the scandalous activities of Richard Leake, a merchant indebted to Greene. In addition to his correspondence with the firm Lane, Son & Fraser, Greene corresponded with William Gardiner Greene, a Boston merchant living in Demerara, William Cowell from Grenada, William Priddie, and William Hubbard, a Loyalist merchant from Boston and old compatriot of Greene's, now conducting his affairs from New London, Conn. Greene's letters from Norwich (1781-1785) continue his correspondence with former partner and father-in-law John Rose as well as with Lane, Son & Fraser. Several letters from this period relate to a dispute over the misplacement of a debt payment to John Smith, Jr.

In Antigua, Greene was personally and financially absorbed with an interest in the course of the Revolutionary War in the West Indies. One of his letters discusses the activities of armed merchantmen capturing American ships and claiming them as prizes (p. 5, 13 February 1777), and several later letters record naval skirmishes between the French and English fleets, beginning in the Fall of 1778 (p. 99, 27 September 1778; p. 101, 21 October 1778; p. 107, 13 January 1779; p. 115, 12 November 1779; and p. 154, 29 June 1781). In a letter dated 29 June 1781 (p. 154), Greene comments on the British command. Several letters offer particular insight into the effect of the War on trade, both in Antigua and Connecticut. Letters dated 6 September 1777 (p. 63), 27 September 1779 (p. 113), and 18 August 1780 (p. 130) reveal the stagnation of commerce in the West Indies, and later letters from Norwich discuss the difficulties in exporting goods from America prior to the signing of a commercial treaty between Britain and America (see esp. p. 215, 30 March 1783; p. 216, 10 May 1783; p. 224, 16 July 1783; and p. 239, 11 December 1783).

Throughout the letterbook, Greene interweaves business matters with personal reflections on his experience as a Loyalist exile in Antigua or, later, as a former exile living in Norwich, not yet permitted to return home to Boston. Such reflections are quite common in the letters written to his friend and colleague, Thomas Fraser, but may be found in letters addressed to other individuals as well. Safely removed in Antigua, but still concerned, Greene often muses about the state of the War, yearning for a stable peace so that the can return home (see p. 106, 13 December 1778; and p. 132, 19 August 1780), worrying about the conditions of Loyalists who chose to remain in America during the War (p. 82, 17 December 1777; and p. 96, 30 July 1778), and, in one letter, offering his opinion of "his countrymen" (p. 112, 11 June 1779). Greene was displeased with the social climate on Antigua where, he felt, "every man seems to live... with a View to some other Place to which he hopes to remove at some future Period." (p. 125, 15 June 1780).

Once in Norwich, Greene quickly became frustrated at not being allowed immediately back into Boston and with the steps required to gain permission (p. 234, 20 October 1783; p. 241, 19 February 1784; and p. 243, 17 April 1784). Prior to the signing of the Peace of Paris, Greene notes that he felt restrained from speaking freely (p. 171, 12 February 1782), and thereafter, he carefully tracks the evolution of public sentiment with regard to Loyalist exiles (see esp. p. 234, 20 October 1783; p. 236, 5 November 1783; and p. 237, 22 November 1783).

Greene's letters to Thomas Fraser in particular demonstrate Greene's clever wit and a sensitivity to those to whom he is close (see esp. p. 214, 30 March 1783; and p. 216, 10 May 1783). Also of interest are two letters that refer to the treatment of and attitudes toward slaves shipped to the United States from the West Indies (p. 257, 30 October 1784; and p. 263, 7 January 1784).

Collection

David Hartley papers, 1783-1785

5 volumes

The David Hartley papers primarily contain contemporary copies of Hartley's incoming and outgoing correspondence concerning the negotiation of the Treaty of Paris and various aspects of the United States-Great Britain trade relationship.

The David Hartley papers contain approximately 200 letters and documents bound into 5 volumes and spanning April 10, 1783-January 25, 1785. The materials are primarily contemporary copies of Hartley's incoming and outgoing correspondence related to various aspects of the negotiations of the Treaty of Paris, including international commerce, territory disputes, and the rights of American Loyalists. Nearly half of the correspondence is to or from Charles James Fox, who served as British secretary of state for foreign affairs from April to December 1783. Other frequent correspondents include Fox's successor, Lord Carmarthen, as well as Benjamin Franklin.

The collection opens with instructions from King George III for Hartley to go to Paris tp begin negotiations with the American plenipotentiaries and to conclude "a definitive Treaty of Peace" (Volume 1: pp. 1-2). Many of the earliest letters, primarily between Hartley and Fox, concern issues with wording and provide suggestions of potential revisions to several articles of the treaty. In one letter, Hartley proposed possible changes to Article I about the acknowledgement of the sovereignty of the United States and the relinquishment of British claims (Volume 1: p. 24). Fox responded with hope "that the 1st article was meant in a less extensive sense than the words of it seem to convey" (Volume 1: p. 55). Other letters focus particularly on Article V (Volume 1: p. 9) and mention proposals relating to Articles II through VII (Volume 2: pp. 54-56).

Additional letters in the collection refer more generally to the issues at stake in the negotiations. Of particular interest are the many discussions of international commerce and the policies regulating trade between North America, Europe, and the West Indies.

These include:
  • Fox's commentary on the importance of British exports to America: "the admission of our Manufactures into America is an object of great importance & equally productive of advantage to both Countries while on the other hand the Introduction of American Manufactures into Great Britain can be of no Service to either, & may be productive of innumerable frauds…" (Volume 1: pp. 3-6)
  • Fox's discussion of policies concerning American ships in British ports (Volume 1: pp. 45-47)
  • Hartley's comments on the strong American desire for trade with the British and the viability of the alliance between the Americans and French (Volume 1: 80-84)
  • Discussion of trade between North America and the West Indies by Hartley (Volume 2: p. 9)

The American perspective on commerce is also represented in the collection, in letters to Hartley by Benjamin Franklin, American plenipotentiary and Hartley's longtime friend. In a brief reflection entitled "Thoughts concerning the Sugar Colonies," Franklin stressed the burdensome expense of defending sugar-producing areas in the western hemisphere and recommended that "the Nations now possessing Sugar Colonies…give up their Claim to them, let them govern themselves and put them under the Protection of all the Powers of Europe as neutral Countries open to the Commerce of all" (Volume 2: pp. 63-64). In two other writings, Franklin argued against privateering, claiming that it damaged the countries that authorized it, and urging the British to ban the practice voluntarily (Volume 2: pp. 57-58; Volume 2: 61-62). Also included is an unattributed "Proposed Temporary Convention of Commerce" for September 1783 (Volume 4: pp. 32-33).

Letters in the collection also address questions of territory and of the status and entitlements of American Loyalists. In a particularly revealing letter to Fox, Hartley claimed of the Americans, "Canada has always been in their thoughts. I can shew you letters from Dr Franklin to me upon this subject before the French Treaty…." Hartley went on to state that the Americans "would give any thing" to acquire Canada and "make their own situation complete" (Volume 1: pp. 95-96). Several additional letters pertain to the grievances of those who suffered losses during the war on both sides of the conflict. These include a copy of a letter by Thomas Walker of Philadelphia, expressing indignation at the difficulty of reclaiming slaves taken by the British (Volume 2: pp. 75-76), as well as a letter from Franklin to Richard Oswald, advising against his requests for reparations to the American Loyalists. Franklin noted that British insistence upon redress would "recall to View" scenes that "must inflame instead of conciliating and tend to perpetuate an Enmity" (Volume 3: pp. 44-45).

Other letters and documents in the collection provide details concerning the progress of the treaty negotiations and the ratification process. These include an exchange of the ratifications of provisional articles (Volume 3: pp. 67-68), Hartley and Fox's agreement that no negotiation of any points between the British and Americans "should be conducted under the eye of a French Minister" (Volume 3: 69-72), and several letters concerning the place of the treaty signing. One of these Hartley wrote to Franklin, informing him that the signing would take place at the Hotel d'York and expressing hope that it would not be an "inconvenience" for him (Volume 3: p. 82). An additional item is a notification that the signed treaty had arrived in Paris from across the Atlantic, after delays caused by the severe winter in North America (Volume 4: p. 78).

Hartley wrote many of the later letters in the collection to Fox's successor, Francis Osborne, 5th Duke of Leeds, who was styled "Lord Carmarthen" until 1789. Copies of some of Carmarthen's outgoing letters to Hartley are also present. A significant part of the correspondence relates to Hartley's return to England, requested by Carmarthen in August 1784 (Volume 5: p. 15), to which Hartley initially objected (Volume 5: p. 16-18). Of particular interest is a lengthy report by Hartley urging the British government to form a trade alliance with the United States and cautioning them against driving the Americans into a commercial pact with France. In this document, he also noted America's vast potential for wealth and the magnitude of the western territories (Volume 5: pp. 31-61). Along with the report, he enclosed a copy of a map by Thomas Jefferson showing Jefferson's preliminary thinking about the division of the newly acquired western lands.

Collection

David H. Hall medical notebook, 1851-1852

1 volume

This volume contains David H,. Hall's essays and notes on medical cases, which he composed while studying medicine at the University of Pennsylvania between 1851 and 1852. Hall's notes are organized by the types and details of patients and cases, and his essays pertain to treatments of various diseases and ailments.

This volume (131 pages) contains David H. Hall's essays and notes on medical cases, which he composed while studying medicine at the University of Pennsylvania between 1851 and 1852. Hall wrote "Dr. Darrach's Office, vol. i" on the opening page of the volume, referring to William Darrach (1796-1865), professor and president of the University of Pennsylvania's medical college.

The notebook begins with a two-page index, which includes entries for a second volume (not present). Hall wrote notes on individual case studies, tracing the development of diseases or other conditions in specific patients and noting treatment methods. Conditions include obstetric issues, diseases of the skin, tuberculosis, scarlet fever, influenza, typhoid fever, pneumonia, and dysentery. One study followed a "colored girl" afflicted with swelling (pp. 34-39). Hall also discussed post-autopsy phenomena (pp. 78-85). Topics of additional reference lists and essays include "Classifications of the Matteria Medica" (pp. 67-68), "Parts of the Body to which Medicines are Applied" (p. 69), apothecary weights (p. 70), nosology (p. 112), "Modern Doctrines" (p. 121), and the "Destructive Principle" (pp. 122-124). Other topics include "Lectures on the Principles & Practice of Medicine" (p. 117) and a discourse on fevers (pp. 118-119).

Collection

David Holmes papers, 1845-1856

25 letters

In 1845, John Manning of Lebanon, Conn., brought charges against Dr. David Holmes for medical malpractice. This collection contains letters concerning the trial, which was held by the First Ecclesiastical Church of Lebanon.

The David Holmes papers contain 10 letters written by Holmes to church members, primarily Nichols and Wetmore in Lebanon, and 2 letters written by his wife, Betsy Holmes, to Nichols and Calhoun, pastors at the Lebanon church. Nine letters were written by Nichols to Holmes regarding his trial by the church committee. The collection also includes two letters were written by Manning, the instigator of the case, and one letter by written by the church committee to Holmes. The bulk of the correspondence is concentrated in 1845-1847.

There are two main areas of interest in the Holmes papers. First, the letters between Holmes and members of the church illustrate church discipline and the relationship of the church with its members. An individual brought initial charges against Holmes to the church for justice. The church had the authority to charge and try individuals. Nichols tells Holmes that he can appeal the outcome of his case to the New London county council. The prominence of the church in public and private life is apparent in this collection.

The second area of interest in the collection relates to medical practice. The charges against Holmes are finally revealed as malpractice. The malpractice charges are sustained by the church, but no disciplinary action resulted other than suspension. "I think it much cheaper and easier to live down suspicion and prejudice than to quarrel about the matter" Holmes wrote to Wetmore. Holmes wrote a compelling article about pharmacists who dispense medicine carelessly in his newsletter dated nine years after the case with the church was settled: "Most druggists have fallen into the foolish and dangerous practice of preparing different qualities of the same medicine to suit the taste of their customers, the consequence is that no reliance can be placed in their preparations."

While this collection is small, the case against Holmes is fully documented, providing information about church discipline and medical practice in the 1840s.

Collection

David Holtz company book, 1814-1815

1 volume

The David Holtz company book (274 pages) contains personal information for every service member of the 17th Regiment Infantry from 1814-1815, as well as a ledger of materials and supplies held by the company.

The David Holtz company book (274 pages) contains personal information for every service member of the 17th Regiment Infantry in 1814 and 1815, and includes the company’s ledger of materials and supplies. The volume opens with a table of contents that lists each soldier in the regiment. The register of company members includes the following information: name, rank, joining date, where furloughed, deserted, died, sick, and other absences. The register also provides payment information, details on trade or occupation, and a physical description of each service member with notes on height, age, birthplace, eye color, hair color, and complexion (light, fair, brown, dark). The ledger of materials and supplies details each individual's issuances of clothing, arms, and accoutrements.

See the Additional Descriptive Data section for a complete list of the men named in the roster.

Collection

David Houston diary, 1854-1858 (majority within 1854)

1 volume

This diary (4.5"x7.5") consists of 57 pages of entries and notes composed by Scotland native David Houston, who emigrated to the United States with his wife and children in the summer of 1854. The first 41 pages (May 29, 1854-July 7, 1854) recount the Houstons' journey from Glasgow to New York onboard the President Fillmore. Later groups of entries report some of the family's expenses after arriving in North America (3 pages, May 24, 1855-September 28, 1855) and contain copied documents regarding Houston's religious affiliation, additional religious notes, and other brief entries about the family's lives in Philadelphia and New York City (13 pages, July 1854-January 4, 1858).

This diary (4.5"x7.5") consists of 57 pages of entries and notes composed by Scotland native David Houston, who emigrated to the United States with his wife and children in the summer of 1854. The first 41 pages (May 29, 1854-July 7, 1854) recount the Houstons' journey from Glasgow to New York onboard the President Fillmore. Later groups of entries report some of the family's expenses after arriving in North America (3 pages, May 24, 1855-September 28, 1855) and contain copied documents regarding Houston's religious affiliation, additional religious notes, and other brief entries about the family's lives in Philadelphia and New York City (13 pages, July 1854-January 4, 1858).

David Houston began his diary on May 29, 1854, after loading his family's trunks in a stateroom onboard the President Fillmore, an 870-ton sailing ship bound for the United States from Glasgow, Scotland. His wife, Margaret, and their three sons William, David, and Robert joined him soon thereafter, and the ship set sail on June 1. Houston described life onboard the ship in daily entries composed regularly until his arrival in New York on July 7, 1854 (pp. 1-41). He covered topics such as the distribution of sugar, tea, flour, oatmeal, beef, and other foodstuffs to passengers; his frequent attendance at, and leadership of, passenger-organized religious services; the ship's progress; and the weather, including a series of rough storms. Houston's diary also recounts the passengers' efforts to commend their captain, Peter Nelson, for his conduct during the voyage; after hearing several proposals, they wrote and orally presented a brief tribute, which Houston copied (pp. 34 verso-35 verso). Of note are entries describing the ship running aground (May 29, 1854, pp. 3-4), the effect of storms on the ship's sails and crew (June 8, 1854-June 12, 1854, pp. 12-15), a bird flying onto the boat (June 21, 1854-June 22, 1854, pp. 20-21), and the near death of an infant due to an accident (June 30, 1854, pp. 31-32). He also reported that he inserted a message in a bottle and dropped it in the ocean (June 24, 1854, p. 21 verso).

Though he stopped writing regularly upon his arrival in North America, Houston continued to record sporadic diary entries until January 4, 1858. These notes reflect several aspects of his life in Philadelphia and New York, such as the cost of rent, his regular correspondence with his father, who remained in Scotland, and his strong religious beliefs. On two occasions, he copied documents certifying his membership in the Presbyterian Church, and in one entry, dated June 3, 1856, he recalled his wife's delivery of a stillborn child.

Collection

David McCreary receipts, 1837-1931 (majority within 1837-1862)

113 items

This collection is made up of 113 receipts for purchases and sales by David McCreary, a New York State mason, carpenter, and construction worker. These receipts are largely from in and near Caledonia, New York. McCreary's records are primarily for carpentry work, such as wheelbarrows, benches, common bedsteads, fancy bedsteads, rocking chairs, tables, Windsor chairs, little chairs, oak chairs, sewing chairs, a hearse body, coffins, and more. Wood, supplies, tools, machines, foodstuffs, cloth, labor, barter, medical care, and many other goods and services are represented in the collection.

This collection is made up of 113 receipts for purchases and sales by David McCreary, a New York State mason, carpenter, and construction worker. These receipts are largely from in and near Caledonia, New York.

David McCreary's receipts include sales and purchases related to his carpentry and cabinet making business. Items include various wood and lumber, such as white wood, beech, maple; and materials such as screws, files, varnish, bolts, rings, handles, nails, turpentine, and linseed oil. Fabrics include black velvet and calico. A variety of foodstuffs include molasses, tea, sugar, candles, soda crackers, eggs, cheese, apples, herring fish, salt, rum, whiskey, and more. Tools and machines include a vegetable boiler, corn sheller, beehive, root puller, pruning scissors, "self acting" cheese press, churn, and plow. A few records pertain to a loan, the purchase of a book, and a subscription to the Buffalo Sentinel.

Products represented include wheelbarrows, benches, common bedsteads, fancy bedsteads, rocking chairs, tables, Windsor chairs, little chairs, oak chairs, sewing chairs, a hearse body, coffins, children's coffins, etc. The receipts also document labor, such as sawing wood, posts, and logs, drawing lumber, digging a well, gluing up a block for a cider mill, filing and setting, painting a set of blinds green, etc.

Payments represented include cash and barter with potatoes, flour, and wheat. The final receipts are a payment to a physician for medicine and addressing a cancer in his cheek (June 11, 1860), and a payment to S. Barrett for assisting Dr. Baker with an unspecified operation (October 23, 1861).

Collection

David McKinney papers, 1776-1921 (majority within 1863-1865)

82 items

The David McKinney papers consist primarily of letters written by McKinney while serving as a quartermaster during the Civil War and include detailed descriptions of his work.

The bulk of the McKinney papers, 57 items, consists of letters written by David McKinney to his sister, Jeanette, and other siblings between June 25, 1863, and December 9, 1865, covering most of the period of his military service. As quartermaster, McKinney had little combat experience, though his descriptions of conditions during the siege of Vicksburg (13) and the battles of Sabine Cross Roads and Pleasant Hill (30) are detailed and colorful. He comments frequently and forthrightly about generals, generalship, and Copperheads and often alludes to the French presence in Mexico. McKinney's letters are perhaps most noteworthy for the interesting and unusual glimpse they offer into the workings of the Quartermaster's Department. Particularly in his letters from Mouth of White River (47-63), McKinney provides detailed discussions of his responsibilities and his brushes with the ubiquitous profiteers. In a later letter (66), he describes his personal role in the reconstruction of the South -- the hiring of a former Rebel colonel as a teamster.

The remainder of the collection, 24 items, consists of miscellaneous materials relating to various members of McKinney's family. Among these items are two Revolutionary-War-era letters (1, 2), a will from 1796 (3), and a series of five letters of recommendation written for David McKinney by his professors at Jefferson College (5). In the post-war period, three items relating to Abraham Smith McKinney's involvement with the Ingleside Plantation are noteworthy (70-72), as are three short letters written by David McKinney just prior to his death (78). Genealogical charts and material regarding the provenance of the papers are located in the last folder of the collection (82).

The most important of these family letters is one written in December, 1859, that includes a discussion of the role of Chambersburg, Pa., as headquarters for John Brown's forces prior to the raid on Harper's Ferry, and an account of the fate of some of the insurrectionists (11).

Collection

David Nash collection, 1928-2008

3.25 lin. ft.

This collection is made up of diaries, correspondence, documents, scrapbooks, photo albums, negatives, yearbooks, awards, artifacts, and regalia of career U.S. Navy officer David Nash. Much of the content relates to Lieutenant Nash's naval career and his time as a prisoner of war in the Pacific during World War II.

This collection is made up of diaries, correspondence, documents, scrapbooks, photo albums, negatives, yearbooks, awards, artifacts, and regalia of career U.S. Navy officer David Nash. Much of the content relates to Lieutenant Nash's naval career and his time as a prisoner of war in the Pacific during World War II.

The Diaries include two volumes (380 pages) by David Nash, detailing his experiences as a prisoner of war for over three and a half years during World War II. These are illustrated copies made after the war from original diaries and notes (one of his shipmates buried the first portion of the original diary in a 5-gallon tin can on Luzon in order to recover it later). Lieut. Nash's almost daily entries reveal his activities, health, mentality and moods, plus information on the activity around him and any rumors or gossip. Most entries conclude with a note to his "darlings," his wife Honoria and daughter Julie. Detailed illustrations of the prison camps and ships appear throughout the diaries. Nash also included relevant drawings in the margins (guards, a shower, turkey dinner, himself reading, playing cards, etc.).

The first diary is an alphabet-sectioned ledger with 300 lined pages, covering December 1, 1941, to May 29, 1944. It also contains lists of USS Mindanao personnel and occupants of Barrack #9 Camp. The diary opens with two watercolor maps of the China Sea entitled "Cruise of U.S.S. Mindanao, 1941" and "Corregidor and Vicinity, 1942." David Nash described his time on Mindanao, stationed at Corregidor during its surrender and capture by the Japanese forces, and as a prisoner of war at Bilibid Prison, Cabanatuan, USAFFE Camp 91st Division, a second time at Bilibid Prison, and the Davao Penal Colony.

The second diary has 80 lined pages and spans October 13, 1944, to October 10, 1944. This volume continues Nash's account of life as a prisoner of war. He described his experiences on the hell ship Oryoku Maru, at Hoten Camp in Mukden, Manchuria, and during the camp's liberation on August 19, 1945.

The Naval Documents, Correspondence and Articles series contains letters, reports, newspaper clippings, personal notes, awards, an illustration, and ephemera relating to David Nash's naval career and POWs in general; the bulk of which ranges between 1934 and 2005. A portion of the documents in this series relate to the family of a fellow naval officer named Heisinger.

  • USS Hornet files: Nash's correspondence requesting aircraft reports, aircraft action reports from the Hornet's carrier air group 11 bombing the hell ships Nash was held on, and Hornet Club ephemera, 1944-1945, 1972-2000.
  • Prisoner of War files: Nash's postwar correspondence with a fellow POW, who wrote on the band and entertainers at one of Nash's camps. Other papers include reports on how to survive as a prisoner of war, healthcare for survivors, articles relating to prisoners of war, pamphlets on American Japanese internment camps and the misuse of the term 'internment,' and Nash's personal notes, 1972-2008.
  • Heisinger files: Correspondence between the Heisinger family and David Nash, printed materials relating to World War II, official Navy photographs, and personal photographs.
  • Awards and Commendations: Awards given to David Nash by the Navy and the President of the United States and correspondence upon his retirement from the Navy.
  • Illustration of USS Mindanao
  • Map of a Western Pacific Cruise and a pin-up.

The Scrapbooks series consists of two scrapbooks.

  • [Personal Moments, 1928-1948]. This scrapbook tracks David and Honoria's life from high school until 1948. Much of it focuses on David Nash's career and his time as a prisoner of war. It contains photographs, newspaper clippings, letters, awards, telegrams, and ephemera, with captions or notes on most pages. Of particular note are letters and telegrams to Honoria Nash from the Navy informing her on her husband's status as missing and later as prisoner of war.
  • "Scrapbook, Hong Kong 1939-Dec. 1964." This scrapbook primarily traces David Nash's naval career through photographs, newspaper clippings, invitations, and ephemera from 1939 to 1964. It includes a few references to his wife Honoria's volunteer work and his daughter Julie's engagement.

The Photographs series contains four photo albums and many negatives.

Subseries: Photo Albums

  • "Aug. 1939 to 1941 En Route and at Hong Kong." This album consists of personal photographs from David and Honoria's honeymoon in the Grand Canyon in 1939, their travels to Hong Kong by way of San Francisco and Honolulu, life in Hong Kong up until the evacuation of dependents in 1940 and his assignment on USS Mindanao in 1941. Other locations photographed include Kowloon, Shameen, Canton, and New Territories. Each page is captioned with a date and/or description. Also included in this album is an envelope with duplicates and a telegram to David Nash's father informing him that his son's name was on a list of personnel at Camp Hoten in Mukden, Manchuria.
  • [Navy Photos, 1952-1960]. This album contains 40 photographs from 1952 to 1960, highlighting various events in David Nash's career, changes in command, reunions, an inspection trip, and naval ceremonies. It also includes individual and group portraits with fellow officers and staff. Some photographs include descriptions and dates.
  • [Navy Photos, 1960-1961, 1966]. This album is comprised of U.S. Navy photographs, largely from the period of David Nash's Naval Intelligence posting. Additional images include aerial photographs, Navy ships, two postcards from 1966, a Navy certificate, and an envelope containing miscellaneous negatives and photographs. Many of the photographs include notes with names and descriptions.
  • "Navy 1959-1965." This album consists of personal photographs from David Nash's Navy assignments. The three primary groupings include "Corregidor & Ft. Hughes 1959," "Comdesron 5 Deployment 1960," and "District Intelligence Officer 1961-65." Locations featured are Thailand (including Bangkok), Singapore, Saigon, Philippine Islands, Hong Kong, and California. Most photographs include notes on locations and names.

Subseries: Negatives. This subseries contains negatives from photographs of wide-ranging dates and topics, all related to David Nash's personal life and career.

The Yearbooks series contains four Lucky Bag United States Naval Academy yearbooks from 1932, 1933, 1934, and a 50 Year Rendezvous USNA-1935 anniversary yearbook.

The Artifacts and Regalia series contains objects from David Nash's career including his desk name plate, two plaques, a naval uniform belt, a bronze star, dog tags, and various other uniform accessories (ribbons, medals, pins, buttons, etc.).

Collection

David Ogden notebooks, 1812-1848

5 volumes

This collection is made up of five notebooks and diaries that Reverend David Longworth Ogden kept between 1812 and 1848. They concern intellectual debates, political and religious topics, and Ogden's life as a preacher in Whitesboro, New York, and Marlborough, Massachusetts.

This collection is made up of 5 notebooks and diaries that Reverend David Longworth Ogden kept between 1812 and 1848. They concern his intellectual life, such as his time at Yale University and his thoughts on numerous religious, political, and historical subjects, and his experiences in Whitesboro, New York, and Marlborough, Massachusetts.

Volume 1 ("Disputes") contains 87 pages of notes about debates held by members of Yale College's class of 1814 between February 23, 1814, and April 6, 1814. The debates are numbered 25-37. Ogden recorded each question and the often lengthy discussions that followed, sometimes days after the question was initially posed.

Debate topics:
  • Benefits of theaters
  • Benefits of lawyers
  • Whether a monarchy or republican government is more beneficial to literature
  • The possibility of establishing a permanent United States navy
  • The possibility of establishing a national university in the United States
  • Whether persons can expatriate themselves unilaterally
  • Benefits of studying dead languages
  • Benefits of an independent judiciary
  • Appearance of "spectres"
  • Whether temptation lessens the severity of a crime
  • Encouragement of domestic manufactures in the United States
  • Profitability of privateering
  • Legal regulation of interest on monetary loans

Volume 2 (approximately 300 pages, August 2, 1837-April 17, 1841), Volume 3 (approximately 285 pages, August 20, 1841-September 4, 1845), and Volume 4 (approximately 190 pages, July 8, 1848-November 10, 1850) are the second, third, and fifth installments of Ogden's diary, "Thoughts on Men and Things." Ogden composed diary entries and essays on numerous topics, often related to his daily experiences. Volumes 2 and 3 were primarily written at Whitesboro, New York, and Volume 4 was primarily written in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Ogden commented on current political issues, such as abolition and sectionalism; historical topics; and religious subjects, such as Baptists, Presbyterians, Christian life, missionaries, and his ministerial career. The entry dated September 30, 1844, has a copy of Ogden's letter to his congregation in Whitesboro about his desire to resign.

Volume 5 has around 60 pages of undated "Miscellaneous Observations and Extracts from various authors" compiled by David Ogden. These concern numerous religious topics, such as the Gospels and apostles, universal salvation, the divinity of Christ, the Holy Trinity, church personnel, and Church history. Some extracts are attributed to John Milton. One entry is dated at New Haven on September 29, 1812.