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This diary contains personal reflections and stories from the life of James Shields Coon, a lawyer who practiced in Salem, New York, before the Civil War. Coon commented on contemporary political issues, life as a lawyer, and his family; he noted the births of his three children, reflected on the deaths of family members, and kept some genealogical notes about his family.

This diary (approximately 178 pages) contains personal reflections and stories from the life of James Shields Coon, a lawyer from Salem, New York. The volume opens on July 1, 1840, with a three-page dedication statement devoted to Coon's reflections on the historical record. Coon wrote his first entry on July 3, 1840, as he sought treatment in Albany for ill health. He kept entries fairly regularly throughout the next few months, and described a trip to New York City in July; there, he stayed with his uncle's family, relaxing and taking in some of the local atmosphere while he recorded his impressions of the city. After his return to Salem, he mentioned a series of fires, possibly a case of arson, that ravaged the town, and wrote about his daily life.

In many entries, Coon commented on contemporary political affairs; he devoted five pages (November 2, 1840, and November 18, 1840) to the 1840 Presidential election, which he believed would be of great historical significance. He also described a debating club meeting about slavery, which led to a three-page entry in his diary (January 11, 1841). After beginning his legal education in April 1841, he wrote less often, but continued to reflect upon his personal life, career, and current events; on May 11, 1846, for example, he wrote of his marriage to Jane Clegg. As his entries became less frequent, he began to concentrate more on the deaths of families and friends, and he described several funerals throughout the 1840s. Toward the end of the diary, he focused on the births of his three children, their birthdays, and his devotion to his family. In the final entry, dated July 13, 1858, he mourned the death of his youngest son, Charles.

Additional material in the journal includes two poems, a four-page list of books Coon read and studied, and genealogical records of the Poole and Coon families.

Eight letters of recommendation for Fisher from fellow officers relating to his Civil War service; correspondents include Melvin Brewer (Sept. 18, 1863), John W. Geary (June 31, 1863), W. D. Mann (Aug. 27, 1863), Angelo Paldi (Oct. 7, 1863), C. H. Town (Oct. 17, 1863), and C. I. Walker (Aug. 13, 1861); also one letter (April 21, 1863) from George C. Gordon of Company I, 24th Michigan Infantry. Collection also includes a typescript of excerpts from Fisher's diary describing a Michigan boat trip from Detroit to Ontonagon via Sault Ste. Marie in 1850, and student days at the University of Michigan in 1860; also diary of an overland trip to California in search of gold and the return trip by sea, with comments on mining; three University of Michigan student notebooks on courses by James V. Campbell, Thomas M. Cooley, and Charles I. Walker; and notes on the James Fisher family by Max Fisher.

This collection is comprised of 11 letters by James Sproat Green of Princeton, New Jersey, to a longtime friend and future United States representative, John Jones Milligan, of Wilmington, Delaware, between 1813 and 1818. The letters concern Green's ideas about and experiences with romance, Milligan's financial affairs, and personal and political news.

This collection is comprised of 11 letters by James Sproat Green of Princeton, New Jersey, to a longtime friend and future United States representative, John Jones Milligan of Wilmington, Delaware, between 1813 and 1818. Green wrote 2 letters from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in August 1813, and 9 letters from his home in Princeton, New Jersey, between November 1813 and April 1818.

In his first 2 letters, written in August 1813, Green focused on his ideas about and recent experiences with romance and relations with women. On August 10, he shared his personal "theory of love," and both letters mention his relationship with a Lancaster native named Julia. The remaining letters, all written from Princeton, New Jersey, concern a variety of personal and political topics. The recent death of his brother caused Green to reflect on the subject as he dealt with his late sibling's financial affairs (November 2, 1813). He frequently shared his personal opinions on life. Many letters mention recent news, such as the peace negotiations following the War of 1812 and a visit by Christopher Hughes (April 8, 1815), the election of U.S. Representative Louis McClane (November 6, 1816), a riot at the College of New Jersey (February 24, 1817), and a recent scandal involving the Dupont family (April 27, 1818). Several letters concern Milligan's financial affairs and legal career. In Green's letter of July 3, 1817, he discussed the possibility of moving west to practice law and inquired about Milligan's plans. The letters also provide news of mutual acquaintances and of Green's family, and reflect a strong male friendship in the 1810s.

This collection is made up of correspondence and photographs related to James Shearer's life in South America in 1921 and 1922 as an agent for the Bay City Industrial Works. Shearer's letters to his family concern his trip from New York to Chile; daily life and customs in Santiago, Chile, and other locations; and visits to Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil.

This collection is made up of correspondence and photographs related to James Shearer's travels and life in South America in 1921 and 1922.

The Correspondence series (67 items) includes letters that Shearer wrote to his family in Bay City, Michigan, between June 27, 1921, and September 3, 1922. Shearer's first letters concern his voyage from New York City to Santiago, Chile, by way of the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Ecuador, and Peru; he described his trip through the canal and other aspects of the locales he passed or visited. The bulk of the correspondence pertains to Shearer's life in Santiago, Chile, which he discussed in his frequent letters to his mother and, less often, his sister-in-law Winifred. He wrote about local customs and language, his work and the economy, historical influences on Chilean culture, and other aspects of his daily life. Shearer traveled in Peru and Bolivia in February and March 1922 and briefly returned to Santiago before traveling by railroad to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in June 1922. He compared Buenos Aires to Santiago and mentioned his attempts to locate potential clients for the Industrial Works of Bay City, Michigan. In the fall of 1922, he also wrote from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The Writings series (2 items) includes an undated description of the collection's contents written by Shearer, with brief notes about his work at the time, and a typed article regarding earthquakes in Coquimbo and La Serena, Chile.

The Photographs and Postcards series (77 items) consists of 40 photographic prints, 28 picture postcards, and 9 photographic negatives; the negatives correspond to a group of prints. The photographs, which include Shearer's captions, show scenes from Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, including views of the Coquimbo harbor, views of railroad lines running through mountains, overhead views of cities and surrounding scenery, and street-level pictures of buildings and street scenes. Some images feature groups of people and, in one instance, a flock of llamas; 3 show a well-dressed man holding open a very large, manuscript musical book. The series includes a portrait of James Shearer from his South American trip and a formal portrait of Shearer taken in 1956. The postcards, many of which have captions by Shearer, feature pictures of Santiago landmarks; Chilean railroads; the town of Sewell, Chile; Chilean women; a mountain monument in Mendoza, Argentina; La Paz, Bolivia; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Some of the postcards and photographs have numbers written on the back that appear to correspond to Shearer's letters.

This collection is made up of correspondence and other items related to Philadelphia resident James Shields, particularly concerning his interest in 19th-century American author Eugene Field.

This collection (59 items) is made up of correspondence and other items related to Philadelphia resident James Shields, particularly concerning his interest in 19th-century American author Eugene Field.

The Correspondence series (45 items) contains incoming and outgoing letters of James Shields, primarily from July 1917-October 1932. Many are the writers' responses to Shields's inquiries about Eugene Field manuscripts and writings, Field's possible acquaintance with Patrick Lafcadio Hearn, and the possible location of a Field death mask. Some of Shields's correspondents had been personally acquainted with Field. An article about Hearn from The New Republic (October 7, 1972) is enclosed with Shields's draft letter of December 10, 1917. Later items, dated 1939-1942, pertain to a donation that Shields made to the Free Library of Philadelphia and the publications of the Aitkin-Kynett Company.

The Eugene Field Manuscripts (5 items) include fragments of 4 personal letters that Field wrote to his "Aunt Alice" from October 1894-October 1895, mostly about family news. The series also contains a manuscript copy of Field's poem "The Dreams."

The Poetry, Photographs, and Ephemera series (14 items) includes pamphlets containing remarks about Eugene Field by Eugene V. Debs and a brief poem by Field, a manuscript poem about hermit crabs attributed to Francis Sedgwick Child, a brief essay about Ralph A. Lyon, a name card, and other items. The photographs include images of a woman laying flowers on Field's grave and of Francis Wilson playing theatrical parts "Young Rip" and "Old Rip."

The James Silver papers consist of 12 letters, each of which is several pages long, composed by Silver during his 1872 visit to New Orleans, Louisiana, recounting his journey from New York, where his family resided, to Louisiana, as well as his time spent in and around New Orleans. Silver included 39 ink sketches of people and scenery throughout his letters.

The James Silver papers consist of 12 letters, each of which is several pages long, composed by Silver during his 1872 visit to New Orleans, Louisiana, recounting his journey from New York, where his family resided, to Louisiana, as well as his time spent in and around New Orleans. Silver included 39 ink sketches of people and scenery throughout his letters. The rough voyage took him past Havana, Cuba, before he entered the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River Delta. In New Orleans, Silver wrote about the sights and sounds in detail, paying particular attention to the peculiarity of hearing French in the French Quarter, of taking a train ride to Lake Pontchartrain, and of seeing the Mardi Gras celebrations. The young traveler frequently mentioned African Americans, and included some ink sketches of them in his letters. Also of interest is Silver's discussion of the city's unique burial practices and the social implications of them (February 7). The 39 sketches, interspersed throughout his letters, show buildings, farms, the streets of New Orleans during Mari Gras, and beaches along the Gulf Coast, as well as portraits. Along with the natural and man-made scenery, Silver drew scenes involving local people of all races, including trips to the market, families, fellow passengers on his railroad journeys, and couples dining in restaurants. Additionally, he sketched different events he witnessed during his travels, such as a man with a gun approaching him, a production of Hamlet that included a severed head, a drunkard being arrested by an African American police officer, a bowler hitting him with a ball, and a cluster of "hackmen" arguing about the price of a ride.

The James Spelman collection contains correspondence and documents related to the career and finances of Royal Navy officer James Spelman, who served onboard the HMS Ruby and HMS Monmouth during the early 18th century. Spelman corresponded with John Vanden Bempde, a wealthy relative who promoted Spelman's naval career and provided financial assistance. Later material concerns the Spelman family's debts and financial difficulties.

This collection is made up of 16 letters, 2 manuscript financial documents, 4 official documents, and 1 personal inventory related to Royal Navy officer James Spelman, who served onboard the HMS Ruby and HMS Monmouth during the early 18th century. The material concerns his early naval career, his financial affairs, and his family's later debts.

James Spelman wrote 7 letters to James Vanden Bempde, a wealthy relative in London, while serving onboard the Ruby along the English coast and in the Caribbean between 1701 and 1703. He described aspects of seafaring life such as his upcoming assignments, his attempts to study navigation, his opinion of his captain, and news of recent deaths, and also requested assistance in receiving a discharge or a transfer to a different vessel. Vanden Bempde received an additional letter from John Lucie Blackman, who thanked Vanden Bempde for recent assistance and agreed to look after Spelman (November 16, 1701). Other items related to Spelman's naval career from 1704-1710 include a form in which he requested a discharge, partially printed documents regarding the disbursement of his salary to James Vanden Bempde, and an inventory of Spelman's belongings in Portsmouth, England. Vanden Bempde also wrote to a patron about Spelman's salary and naval service. The printed documents bear seals and illustrations of the royal coat of arms and two additional crests.

Later items include correspondence concerning the Spelman family's debts and financial difficulties in 1723 and 1724. John Spelman wrote 3 letters in which he sought to uphold his brother's character, and E. Spelman sent 2 letters to John Vanden Bempde about the family's recent misfortunes.

The James Sterling letter book contains the outgoing letters of Sterling, a prominent trader at Fort Detroit, concerning transactions, prices, demand for goods, as well as accounts of events during Pontiac's War.

The James Sterling letter book contains 164 pages and 175 letters in all, spanning July 1761 to October 1765. Sterling wrote all the letters while at Fort Detroit, and they deal mainly with business and occasional local political matters. His letters provide a picture of the fur trade and the consumer needs of Indians, French civilians, and the British military, as well as the day-to-day concerns of a prominent trader at Fort Detroit.

The volume opens with a 6-page record of a council held "at the Wiandot Town near Detroit" by the deputies of the Six Nations (Iroquois) in order to convince members of the Ottawa, Wyandotte, Ojibwa (Chippewa), and Potawatomi tribes to ally themselves with the French. Sterling acted as interpreter during the meeting, and kept its minutes. The document records the Iroquois' grievances with the British, whom they accused of having "Disrespect" for them and their lands, adding "their Behaviour towards us gives us the greatest Reason to believe that they intend to Cutt us off intirely." The Iroquois urged the more western tribes to take quick action against the British and stated that "our Warriors are already prepared." The document contains long quotes from several speakers, including an Iroquois deputy and a "Captain Campbell," likely Donald Campbell, who expressed astonishment at the belligerent attitude of the Iroquois toward the British. The following day, the western tribes reported the meeting to the British, maintaining their loyalty.

Sterling's outgoing letters commence on July 20, 1761. He mainly wrote them to trading partners and clients, discussing details of shipments, prices (generally calculated in beaver pelts), and the availability of goods. On page 11 of the book, in a letter to Captain Walter Rutherford [August 27, 1761?], Sterling listed numerous items for sale along with their prices in pelts. These include strouds, blankets, shirts, buckskins, wampum, brass kettles, gun powder, knives, bed lace, and thread. Letters also shed light on the destinations and methods of the transportation of goods. In the first years of the correspondence, goods were shipped by fleets of bateaux, sometimes belonging to the military. Later, several schooners and sloops plied Lakes Erie and Huron, and went as far north as St. Mary’s River at Sault Ste-Marie. All goods had to be portaged at Niagara ("The Carrying Place"), while those to and from Albany were similarly reloaded at Oswego on Lake Ontario.

Sterling sometimes encountered problems with other traders and colleagues, including unscrupulousness, drunkenness, and offensive treatment of Native Americans, which alienated them as trading partners. He criticized John Collbeck, the commissary at Fort Niagara, for allowing his staff and servants to drink without restraint and for keeping a "seraglio of Indians Squahs in the same condition" of intoxication (January 10, 1762). On May 31, 1762, he complained to his partner, James Syme, that goods had arrived from New York "wet, dirty, and broken." Other hazards included storms and theft, which Sterling noted on several occasions.

A few letters detail the events of Pontiac's War as well as its effect on trade. On July 25, 1763, Sterling noted the capture of Fort Venango in Pennsylvania and the continuation of the siege at Fort Detroit, and hoped for relief from the army. On August 7, 1763, he described the Battle of Bloody Run as "the damn'd Drubbing the Savage Bougres gave us" and lamented the death of an aide-de-camp, "Capt. Delyelle." In other letters, he reported that trade with Native Americans had been prohibited by British officials (August 7, 1763), and gave an account of an attack on the schooner Huron by 340 Native Americans, resulting in the death of its commander, Captain Walter Horsey (September 8, 1763). The volume contains a gap in the correspondence between October 1763 and September 1764.

The volume also contains occasional references to Sterling's personal life. In a letter of February 26, 1765, Sterling informed his associate, John Duncan, that he had married Angélique Cuillerier, "the best interpreter of Indian languages in Detroit;" her dowry of 1,000 pounds included houses in Fort Detroit. Sterling also frequently referenced his brother, John Sterling, who was stationed at Niagara. James did not feel that John was capable of running the operation there, but called him dependable.

This collection contains ten letters written between 1775 and 1778, by James Steuart Denham to Archibald Hamilton, 9th Duke of Hamilton. In these letters, Denham discussed his opinions regarding the British war with America, and its toll on the British economy.

The Sir James Steuart Denham papers contain 10 letters written by Denham to Archibald Hamilton, 9th Duke of Hamilton, between 1775 and 1778. In these letters, Denham discussed his opinions regarding the British war with America and its toll on the British economy. In the first letters, Denham suggested that England should not engage the colonies militarily, but should instead cut off trade with America, and let the economic damage subdue the revolt. He also defended General Gage, governor of Massachusetts and commander of His Majesty's army, for not using his forces to crush the American mobs. Even after the outbreak of the war, Denham preferred using economic means, rather than using military resources, to control the colonies. He was pessimistic about committing troops to North America: "We have seen ten thousand men at Boston, who have not been able to penetrate one mile into the continent of N. America. How far will forty thousand be able to penetrate?" (February 12, 1776). Denham wrote extensively about the economic impact of the war on the value of paper money in the colonies and British and American fiscal irresponsibility.

Though Denham did not support military action, he had no doubt that the British Army would suppress the rebellion. Victory, he believed, would require a system of forts to keep North America under control. "While they are under the Parliament of Great Britain they are under a free Government and people who have made choice of Rebellion should have no choice afterwards with respect to governing themselves" (March 17, 1776).

Throughout 1775 and 1776, Denham anticipated that the American resistance would be crushed. In the few letters from 1777 and 1778, Denham focused on discussing personal and family matters, and in the letter of May 16, 1778, he expressed despondency at the country's state of affairs.

These letters are significant because they document the candid views of an important British thinker as he witnessed the events of the American Revolution.

The James Stewart diary covers the Civil War service of James Stewart, 1861-1863, including the battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson; his capture at Shiloh and imprisonment in Macon, Georgia; and his journey back to St. Louis after being released.

The James Stewart diary contains 106 pages of entries, covering September 7, 1861-April 6, 1863. Laid into the volume are an 1864 letter, a 1917 pamphlet entitled "Who Is a Christian?" and an undated newspaper clipping.

In his earliest entries, Stewart described his enlistment in the 12th Iowa Infantry, camp life, and his regiment's travels through Iowa, Missouri, and Tennessee by boat and rail. He dated entries using the Quaker system, although no other references to the Quaker religion appear in the diary.

In February 1862, Stewart wrote detailed descriptions of engagements at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. Regarding the former, he discussed the regiment's movements, the capture of property and prisoners, and the presence of gunboats (pp. 14-15). On February 12-16, he gave an account of the Battle of Fort Donelson, describing his proximity to the Confederate soldiers, a successful charge (p. 17: "we changed up through the fallen timber to the works & took them by storm & held them till night"), and his relief when the Confederates surrendered and he saw "the white flag coming to meet us" (p. 18).

On April 18, 1862, Stewart wrote an 8-page account of the Battle of Shiloh, including his capture after being "penned in" by Confederates (p. 29). He followed this with approximately 50 pages of entries concerning his imprisonment from April to October 1862. He described traveling through the towns of Corinth, Memphis, Jackson, Mobile, Montgomery, Columbus, and Macon, with 900 fellow prisoners (p. 36). Throughout his time as a prisoner of war, Stewart frequently commented on the quantity and quality of food available; the treatment of prisoners; and his activities in prison camp, including debates with Confederate soldiers (p. 43), interactions with German guards (p. 52), musical performances by slaves (p. 53), and the arrival of political prisoners who "would not take up arms against their country" (p. 62). He found conditions overcrowded and "unhealthy" (p. 41), but often remarked about his good care, particularly earlier in his imprisonment. By August, he observed that prisoners died at a rate of five to six per day (p. 72). After his release from prison, Stewart wrote fewer than 20 pages, in which he described his journey back to St. Louis, the death of his brother on March 6, 1863 (p. 104), and the receipt of new muskets (p. 106).

Also included in the volume is a letter from Captain Charles L. Sumbardo to John D. Stewart, of the 12th Iowa Infantry, offering sympathy at the death of James Stewart and providing remarks on Stewart's character. This is accompanied by a newspaper clipping about the double wedding of sisters Rachel and Hannah Stewart and a pamphlet entitled "Who Is Christian," prepared by Sarah Griscom.