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Collection

New Jersey carte-de-visite album, 1860s-1870s

1 volume

The New Jersey carte-de-visite album contains studio portraits of men, women, and children taken in New York and New Jersey in the late 19th century, as well as three chromolithograph "scraps" mounted on visiting cards.

The New Jersey carte-de-visite album (17cm x 13cm) contains 36 cartes-de-visite, 10 tintypes, and 3 chromolithograph "scraps" mounted on visiting cards. The cartes-de-visite and tintypes are studio portraits of men, women, and children taken in New York and New Jersey in the late 19th century. A small number have hand coloring. Most items show adult men and women photographed individually, with one picture of an adult couple, two pictures of young children, and one picture of an infant sitting in a chair. Eight mounted gem tintypes are included. Three lithograph "scraps" depict a young girl pictured with a friendship album, an open envelope, and an artist's palette with the captions "Friendship," "Devotion," and "Forget Me Not." Each scrap is mounted on a visiting card with a raised decorated border and the names "Mrs. George Carmers" and "Morriss Algoe" printed in script. The volume's brown cover has a raised geometric design, and it has two enameled metal clasps.

Collection

Newspaper and periodical scrapbook, 1860-1890

1 volume

This self-adhering scrapbook contains a blend of illustrated and non-illustrated clippings from various printed sources (newspapers, periodicals, books, etc.), originating mostly from New England in the 1860s-1890s. Topics include religion, politics (American and British), the assassination of U.S. President James A. Garfield (1831-1881), health and wellness, eulogies, and other articles. The volume is bears the printed manufacturers label "Mark Twain's Scrap Book Registered April 23rd. 1878 . . . Published by Slote, Woodman & Co."

This self-adhering scrapbook contains a blend of illustrated and non-illustrated clippings from various printed sources (newspapers, periodicals, books, etc.), originating mostly from New England in the 1860s-1890s. Topics include religion, politics (American and British), the assassination of U.S. President James A. Garfield (1831-1881), health and wellness, eulogies, and other articles. The volume is bears the printed manufacturers label "Mark Twain's Scrap Book Registered April 23rd. 1878 . . . Published by Slote, Woodman & Co."

A selection of topics represented in the scrapbook include:
  • Material relating to religion (primarily Christianity, but also Islam, Mormonism, etc.). Some clippings are derogatory towards non-Christian groups or peoples. Enclosed is an issue of Our Prison Missionary (Vol. II, Dec. 1890, no.2), a publication from the Christian Aid Association "devoted to Christian work in penal institutions." Hymns, religious poetry, baptism, and Martin Luther's will (page 56) are also present.
  • Politically related clippings include stories about the U.S. Congress and senators, the British House of Parliament, Queen Victoria, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and General Grant's illness. Many of the volume's pages are dedicated to the assassination of President James A Garfield, with updates on the President's health after he was shot (page 33). Additional clippings with messages from world leaders expressing their sympathies, information about Vice President Chester A. Arthur, and the background of President Garfield's assassin Charles J. Guiteau.
  • Health and wellness-related content ranges from life advice, the dangers of children eating snow, mental health, vaccination, and more. An issue of the Land of Hope Review includes a brief article warning "juveniles" of the danger of smoking tobacco.
  • Eulogies for President Garfield, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and other "In Memoriam" articles and hymns are spread throughout the volume. A music sheet of a song called "Rest, Sweetly Rest" (credited to a publication called The Watchword is noted as being suitable for the death of a scholar.

An advertisement for the scrapbook itself includes information and prices about other variations of "Mark Twain's Self Adhering Scrap Book," such as a druggists' prescription book, a child's scrapbook, and a pocket scrapbook.

Collection

New York, Michigan, and Vermont carte-de-visite album, 1865-1881

1 volume

This carte-de-visite album primarily contains formal studio portraits of men, women, and children taken in various locations in northeast North America from the 1860s to 1880s. One photograph shows an artistic rendering of the text of the Lord's Prayer, and a colored cutout is pasted into the volume.

This carte-de-visite album (15cm x 13cm) primarily contains formal studio portraits of men, women, and children taken in various locations in northeast North America from around the mid-1860s to early 1880s. The pictures are comprised of 42 carte-de-visite and 2 tintype portraits, as well as an additional carte-de-visite photograph collage. Two of the items are dated November 3, 1865, and September 3, 1881; few of the people pictured are identified. One woman is shown holding an infant in her lap. One tintype shows a young man dressed in costume wearing a plumed hat. The additional carte-de-visite depicts a printed version of the Lord's Prayer that utilizes several ornate fonts; a picture of Jesus Christ appears amidst the text, which is surrounded by drawn scenes of angels. A cutout pasted into the volume is a colored drawing of a woman standing next to a grazing sheep, framed by three large flowers. The album's brown leather cover has geometric designs stamped in gold and metal clasps; a floral design is carved into the sides of the pages. "Photographs" is stamped in gold on the spine.

Collection

New York (N.Y.) Elevated Railway collection, 1866-1872

20 items

This collection contains documents, circular letters, essays, and newspaper clippings related to efforts to construct a suspended elevated railway in New York City. The collection details the technical aspects of the proposed system and provides contemporary perspectives on mass transit.

This collection contains 20 documents, circular letters, essays, and newspaper clippings related to efforts to construct a suspended elevated railway in New York City.

One document is a three-page printed report, with 4 copies and 1 extra page, entitled "Synopsis of Project for an Elevated Railway," which M. D. Moore presented to a New York State Senate committee headed by James F. Ruggles on December 8, 1866. The report provides details of the proposed railway, including its route and its mode of construction, and proposes the advantages of such a system, which was anticipated to cost about $1,500,000. The 4 copies contain additional manuscript notes pertaining to engineering and constructing the railway. On one copy, Moore's name is crossed out and replaced by that of Joseph W. Morse.

Another document is a manuscript copy of an unsigned affirmation in which Morse claimed to have invented an elevated railway system and pledged half of the railway's profits to his partners, George F. H. Youngs, Samuel Bromberg, and James E. Beers (August 25, 1870). Bromberg wrote a brief note to Youngs on April 26, 1872; its envelope bears a logo for Morse's Elevated Rail Road, which depicts a steam-driven rail car suspended from an elevated track, passing over a man driving a horse-drawn carriage loaded with hay. The letterhead of a printed circular letter requesting opinions on the feasibility of the railway proposal (1870s) and a broadside advertising a model railroad exhibited at a local fair (undated) also contain this logo.

The collection contains 2 essays on mass transit in New York City and Brooklyn; newspaper clippings on the New York Railroad Company and underground transportation systems, including statistics related to New York ferries and railroads for the year 1870; and a lithograph of T. W. H. Moseley's "Improvements in Metallic Screw Piles."

Collection

Norton (Mass.) property inventories, 1850-1876

10 items

This collection is made up of 10 inventories of the personal and real property of one person or family in and around Norton, Massachusetts, over the course of 26 years. The entries include objects and land ownership, along with valuations. The property owner began with four heifers/steers/bulls, around 10 acres of woodland, carpenter's tools, and a selection of clothing items. The following inventories reflect the expansion of a carpentry business, accumulation of more and higher quality clothing, aging of livestock, acquisition of horses, lambs, and oxen, improved tack, neck stocks, wagons, plows, shovels, chains, and more. In the late 1850s and 1860s, they gained a "detach Lever silver watch," picture frames, a checkerboard, a sword cane, pocketknives, firearms, lanterns, and other household goods. After the Civil War, they started saving money in a bank account, purchased bonds, and held cash and currency. By 1876, the real property expanded to over 43 acres in Norton, Easton, and Mansfield. The concluding inventory is a list of real estate, a selection of objects, and an entry for "Houshold Stuf to numerous to mention." In 1850, the total assets were $760.50. By 1876, they were $17,076.25.

This collection is made up of 10 inventories of the personal and real property of one person or family in and around Norton, Massachusetts, over the course of 26 years. The entries include objects and land ownership, along with valuations. The property owner began with four heifers/steers/bulls, around 10 acres of woodland, carpenter's tools, and a selection of clothing items. The following inventories reflect the expansion of a carpentry business, accumulation of more and higher quality clothing, aging of livestock, acquisition of horses, lambs, and oxen, improved tack, neck stocks, wagons, plows, shovels, chains, and more. In the late 1850s and 1860s, they gained a "detach Lever silver watch," picture frames, a checkerboard, a sword cane, pocketknives, firearms, lanterns, and other household goods. After the Civil War, they started saving money in a bank account, purchased bonds, and held cash and currency. By 1876, the real property expanded to over 43 acres in Norton, Easton, and Mansfield. The concluding inventory is a list of real estate, a selection of objects, and an entry for "Houshold Stuf to numerous to mention." In 1850, the total assets were $760.50. By 1876, they were $17,076.25.

Collection

Oberlin College carte-de-visite album, [ca. 1860-1870s]

1 volume

The Oberlin College carte-de-visite album contains formal studio portraits of professors and students associated with the college in the middle to late 19th century.

The Oberlin College carte-de-visite album (13cm x 11cm) contains 32 formal studio portraits of men and women who were associated with the college in the middle to late 19th century. The volume includes pictures of students, professors, and two of the college's presidents, Charles Grandison Finney (1851-1865), and James Harris Fairchild (1866-1889). Most individuals pictured are identified in captions, and were associated with the school from the early 1860s to the 1870s. Many photographs were taken by A.C. Platt (1828-1884) in Oberlin, Ohio. The volume's brown leather cover has a geometric design, partially colored gold, and a floral design appears in relief on the edges of the pages. It has two metal clasps.

Collection

Oberlin, Ohio Photograph Album, ca. 1860s-1900s

11 photographs in 1 album

The Oberlin, Ohio photograph album contains 11 studio portrait photographs, including several images of family members and friends apparently related to a biracial family based in Oberlin, Ohio.

The Oberlin, Ohio photograph album contains 11 studio portrait photographs, including several images of family members and friends apparently related to a biracial family based in Oberlin, Ohio.

The album (13.5 x 10 cm) has embossed leather covers and a broken metal clasp. The album spine has completely deteriorated and all pages are completely detached from one another. For conservation and preservation purposes, all original photographs have been removed from their album page slots and replaced with facsimile copies. The original photographs are stored in a separate container along with the album.

Most of the individuals represented in this album have been tentatively identified through the presence of inscriptions made on album pages; all or most of the subjects appear to have been biracial/African American. Many page captions appear to be associated with friends and family members of the Vaughn family (alternatively spelled “Vaughan”) of Oberlin, Ohio. One group portrait of two boys present in the page captioned “John & Louis Vaughn” may depict brothers John Sewell Vaughn and Wendal Louis Vaughn, the latter of whom went on to become a professional photographer. While it remains unclear who the original compiler of the album was, it is possible that it was assembled by either a member or close friend of the Vaughn family.

The following list includes inscriptions present on album pages (in order of appearance) and/or descriptions of the portraits associated with each inscription:

  • “Oscar Viney Dolph Viney’s father”: Carte de visite portrait of a bearded man with a hat. Possibly Oscar F. Viney (approximately 1830-1904) of Gallipolis, Ohio, who had a son named Adolphus E. Viney (1873-1947)
  • “Aunt America Vaughn Clark”: Tintype portrait of a young woman. Possibly America Vaughn Clark (approximately 1845-?) of Gallipolis, Ohio. Includes revenue tax stamps on verso dated January 16 1866 as well as pasted-on clipped newspaper obituary for a woman named Maude Cooper Horton (1880-1903). The obituary mentions a surviving three-year-old daughter by the name of Louise; a Columbus, Ohio, death certificate for a Louise Horton (1900-1918) with parents listed as “Maud Cooper” and “William Horton” indicates that this family was "colored."
  • “Will Vaughn”: Carte de visite portrait of a man with a large mustache by H. M. Platt of Oberlin, Ohio. Possibly William Craddock Vaughn (approximately 1835-1912)
  • “John & Louis Vaughn”: Carte de visite group portrait of two boys by H. M. Platt. Possibly John Sewell Vaughn (1857-1931) and Wendel Louis Vaughn (approximately 1860-1918).
  • “John Vaughn": Carte de visite portrait of a young man by H. M. Platt. Possibly John Sewell Vaughn, though also appears to possibly resemble older version of Wendel Louis Vaughn when compared to preceding group portrait.
  • “Aunt Margaret”: Carte de visite portrait of a woman with curly hair.
  • “Aunt Margaret”: Tintype portrait of a woman with curly hair. Same woman photographed in preceding image.
  • “Thresa Madey”: Carte de visite portrait of a woman by C. W. Howland of Cincinnati, Ohio.
  • “? Cooper”: No photograph in page slot.
  • “Mary Hamilton”: Tintype portrait of a young African American woman.
  • [Unidentified African American infant]: Carte de visite portrait of an unidentified infant by an unidentified photographer of St. Louis, Missouri.
Collection

Olean (N.Y.) cabinet card and carte de visite album, ca. 1860-1903

1 volume

The Olean (N.Y.) cabinet card and carte de visite album contains 3 cabinet cards from ca. 1880s and 12 cartes de visite from ca. 1860s. The album likely dates to ca. 1880s.

The Olean (N.Y.) cabinet card and carte de visite album contains 3 cabinet cards of women from ca. 1880s and 12 cartes de visite mostly of men, women, and children from ca. 1860s. The album likely dates to ca. 1880s. An inscription on the interior front cover reads "Merry Christmas, Harrington School, Dec. 25, 1903, Daisy May Spencer, Teacher," and does not appear to be related to the material within.

The images take place in a formal studio setting from photographers located in Olean (New York), Rock Island and Chicago (Illinois), Titusville (Pennsylvania), San Francisco (California), and Nashua (New Hampshire). Some photos include handwritten names on the bottom front of the mounts. One photograph of a structure is identified by a handwritten inscription as "Olean Baptist Church."

The album is 19.5 x 25 cm with decorative green celluloid covers.

Collection

Oliver P. Miller account and note book, 1831-1873 (majority within 1831-1833, 1871-1873)

1 volume

This volume contains financial accounts related to the sale of goods in the 1830s and to civil court cases heard in the 1870s.

This volume contains financial accounts related to the sale of goods in the 1830s and to civil court cases heard in the 1870s.

The first section of the volume contains an anonymous individual's accounts regarding the sale of various goods, including foodstuffs, household supplies, and tobacco, between 1831 and 1852; most entries are dated 1831-1833. These records are accompanied by notes about planting, a description of a flood, and a brief poem composed mostly of three-word lines (p. 81a).

The second section of the volume consists primarily of notes regarding proceedings and judgments in civil court cases in Berrien County, Michigan, between 1871 and 1873. These notes often include the names of involved parties and details about hearings. Oliver P. Miller, a justice of the peace from Lake Township, is frequently mentioned.

List of cases:
  • George Washburn vs. Darwin Wrathman
  • Samuel McLellan vs. Darwin Wrathman
  • George Ennis vs. George Boyce
  • Jacob Raas vs. Warren Nelson
  • George Neidlinger vs. William Ushaw and Phillip Meyer
  • Andrew Johnson vs. L. Carpenter
  • People of the State of Michigan vs. Charles Sterling
  • James Lewis vs. John Stiles
  • George Neidlinger vs. W. H. H. Long

Other entries in this section of the journal include a "Form of Security for costs by nonresident," illustrated with the case of John Doe vs. John Jones; a "Form of Confession of Judgment;" the poem "The Vacant Chair;" and a song entitled "O come with me in my little canoe" [sic].

The following items are enclosed in the volume:
  • Order for Solomon Neidlinger to surrender his residence and notes on a dispute between Joseph Beans and Melissa B[eans]
  • Order for George Ennis to surrender his residence
  • A poem, "Lines dedicated to H and M"
  • Four pages from the Elson Grammar School Reader Book One
  • A recipe for "Washing Fluid"
  • A newspaper clipping featuring the following "Lost and Found Poems:"
    • "Unity"
    • "Hang Up the Baby's Stocking"
    • "Annabel Lee"
    • "I Don't Want to Play in Your Yard"
    • "Kingdom Coming"
    • "The Boat Song"
    • "The Discovery of America"
  • A cure for whooping cough
  • A newspaper clipping featuring "Poetry Written at my Mother's Grave"
Collection

Ontario carte-de-visite album, 1865-1869

1 volume

The Ontario carte-de-visite album contains formal portrait photographs of men, women, and children, including members of the compiler's family. Many of the photographs were taken in southern Ontario cities such as Brantford, Simcoe, and Woodstock.

The Ontario carte-de-visite album (15cm x 11cm) contains 33 carte-de-visite and 9 tintype photographs of numerous men, women, and children, some of whom are identified as members of the compiler's family. The formal studio portraits were taken by photographers in cities such as Brantford, Simcoe, and Woodstock, Ontario, in the mid- to late 1860s. Some family members are identified by their relationship to the owner, including a sibling, a pair of grandparents, and "Grandmother Merrill." Some subjects were photographed in pairs, and some held objects such as hats. A few of the cartes-de-visite and tintypes have hand coloring, and two cartes-de-visite have colored background designs printed directly onto the cards. A gold design is stamped on a raised portion of the album's front and back covers, which are made of pebbled brown leather.