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Diaries of Alexander B. Weeks, photograph of Weeks and wife, Sarah, and biographical materials.

The collection consists of three of Weeks’ diaries, volume 1) January 1, 1851- September 20, 1851, volume 2) September 21, 1851- February 29, 1852, and volume 3) October 2, 1853- December 15, 1857. The collection is organized alphabetically In the first diary, Weeks noted social and family news, visitors, the weather, major newspaper stories, and patrons or “sitters” who sat for “their likenesses.” He also commented several times about his daughters, particularly little Manty who was teething, learning to talk, walk, and was inoculated.

In the end of volume 1 and all of volume 2, Weeks vividly described his voyage to Brazil with Charles Deforest Fredricks, his fellow passengers, weather, other ships seen, seasickness, etc. Once in Brazil, Weeks noted his busy business, social activities, his friends Charles Saturnino Masoni and George Penabert, the natives, landscape, religious and other customs, slavery, and the local political struggles between Rosas, the Provincial Governor of Buenos Aires, and Gen. Urquiza. Similarly, he describes the beginning of his return voyage home and Montevideo, Uruguay, as well as correspondence with his family, and how much he misses them.

The first two diaries have some of Week’s poetry in the rear of the volumes and a few notes and doodles on the inside covers. The name of the printers who created the book in Pernambuco, Brazil, is pasted on the inside front cover of volume 2.

In his third diary Weeks documented his domestic life and business transactions in Toledo, Ohio, and Detroit, covering the same topics as in the first diary, before his voyage. The third diary is missing its front cover. The first page is divided into columns to serve as an account book. The headings of the columns are: Date, Names, Residence, Size, Price, Case, D/P (D/P probably means: Daguerreotype/Photograph).

Biographical Materials include: Week’s business cards from Poughkeepsie, undated (circa 1841?), a bill to an estate for money owed to Sarah Ann Weeks, August 5, 1870, and a photograph (copy) of Sarah and Alexander Weeks.

The Kidder Randolph Breese logbook covers Breese's daily activities as an aide to Commodore George W. Storer onboard the United States Frigate Brandywine along the eastern coast of South America between November 20, 1847, and October 18, 1850. The logbook, written primarily from various South American ports, records salutes given and received, the arrivals and departures of other ships, and visits by international naval personnel and other dignitaries.

The Kidder Randolph Breese logbook covers Breese's daily activities as an aide to Commodore Jacob J. Storer onboard the United States Frigate Brandywine along the eastern coast of South America between November 20, 1847, and October 18, 1850. The logbook, written primarily from various South American ports, records salutes given and received, the arrivals and departures of other ships, and visits by international naval personnel and other dignitaries.

During its South American travels, the Brandywine laid anchor in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Montevideo, Uruguay; and Pernambuco, Brazil. In these ports, the Brandywine regularly gave and received salutes from foreign ships, often for a related leader's birthday or other important national event: the Brazilian royal family frequently received salutes, and the Brandywine joined British ships in celebrating the anniversary of Queen Victoria's ascension to the throne (June 19-20, 1848). Breese also recorded the many visits Commodore Storer made to foreign ships, as well as those of visiting dignitaries to the Brandywine. Officials from Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, and from British, French, and Spanish vessels boarded the ship. Breese carefully noted the position of various international flags hoisted during salutes and visits, and the logbook provides insight into contemporary naval protocol. Following the journal entries, which conclude on October 18, 1850, are an illustrated essay on numerical naval light signaling (3 pages), colored illustrations of various naval flags (3 pages), and a pen sketch of a rocky shore. An undated enclosed document contains a "List of sails made for U. S. Frigate U. States," including the type of sail and the number of yards of fabric used in its construction.