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The Charity Hospital (New Orleans, La.) Lunatic Asylum admission book contains admittance records compiled from July 1841-December 1848. The patients, who included men, women, and children from multiple states and countries, were admitted for mental health issues and contagious diseases.

The Charity Hospital (New Orleans, La.) "Admission Book" contains around 208 pages of admittance records for the New Orleans Charity Hospital's lunatic asylum, compiled from July 31, 1841-December 16, 1848. Each entry spans 2 pages and contains the patient's name, place of nativity and most recent residence, length of residence in New Orleans, age, and marital status, as well as information about their illness and the date of their death, discharge, or abscondence; some patients were transferred from the Lunatic Asylum to the Charity Hospital. Many patients originated from other countries, often in Europe, and some are identified as slaves. Frequent ailments included delirium tremens, general insanity, and epilepsy. Some records contain a proposed cause of the patient's disease, such as "liquor." In 1847, the hospital admitted a large number of children with infectious diseases; some of the children's mothers occupied the hospital's numbered wards. Clerks recorded monthly and yearly reports regarding the numbers of patients the hospital had admitted, the number who had been discharged, and the number who had died.

The Cross-Country photograph album contains photographs taken in various locations throughout the United States, including travel photographs of scenery and buildings in Washington, Colorado, Louisiana, and Massachusetts, among other states, and family photographs taken in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and elsewhere.

The Cross-Country photograph album (26cm x 32cm, 59 pages) contains around 340 photographs taken throughout the United States between 1896 and 1907, including 15 cyanotypes and 10 panoramas. The items represent numerous printing processes in a variety of sizes. Some have captions, often providing information about the place and the date. Several reference the Gill family. The album has the title "Photographs" printed in gold on its front cover and its pages are bound with a thick string.

Many of the photographs are casual group portraits of men, women, children, and family dogs taken outdoors, often in front of large houses and cottages; some of the same individuals are present in multiple pictures. Included are a portrait of an African American woman holding a Caucasian infant (p. 1), two young boys in dress military uniforms with a collection of toy soldiers (p. 3), and a wedding party (p. 46). Some men and women are pictured golfing at Bass Rocks in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Most of the remaining images are views of landscapes, city streets, buildings, and natural scenery in locations such as Spokane, Washington; Tacoma, Washington; Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; Pikes Peak, Colorado; New Orleans, Louisiana; Hampton, New Hampshire; Boston, Massachusetts; Gloucester, Massachusetts; Beacon Falls, Connecticut; and Washington, D.C. Included are a small number of commercial photographs of the area around Pikes Peak in Colorado including views by William H. Jackson. City views often feature prominent buildings and other landmarks. Other photographs show the rocky coast of New England, harbors, sailing vessels of various sizes, and large homes. Of note are a group portrait of Spokane Native Americans (p.14); views of the Tacoma waterfront (p.15); the New England coast, with aspects of the Gloucester fishing industry including a view of salted cod laid out to dry (p.24-29); pictures of Victorian home interiors (p. 20, 34, 47, 55, 56); and panoramic landscape views taken near Spokane (p. 47, 48). The album includes one print and a hand-colored collotype of the home of Senator George Turner in Spokane, Washington (inside front cover).

This collection contains 17 letters that former Congregational minister Daniel Grosvenor of Petersham, Massachusetts, wrote to his son, Reverend Moses Gill Grosvenor, and to a relation, Payson Grosvenor, between 1819 and 1833. He provided local news, shared advice, and commented on his religious views. Also included is a descriptive travel letter by "Lansingh" from Darien, Georgia (1838), and a satirical essay by Charles J. Wood entitled "Portrait of an Alarmist" (1848).

This collection contains 17 letters that former Congregational minister Daniel Grosvenor wrote to his son, Reverend Moses Gill Grosvenor (16 letters), and to a relation, Payson Grosvenor (1 letter), between 1819 and 1833. Also included is a travel letter by "Lansingh" from Darien, Georgia (1838), and a satirical essay by Charles J. Wood entitled "Portrait of an Alarmist" (1848).

Grosvenor frequently commented on the health of family members and on the affairs of acquaintances in Petersham, Massachusetts. His reports often concerned illnesses and deaths, and he sometimes mentioned his attendance at funerals. Grosvenor wrote about religious topics, such as devotion to God, and gave news of the local church. He reflected on his advanced age, discussed the effects of his children leaving his household, and anticipated his own death. Daniel and his wife Deborah jointly wrote a portion of the later letters. Grosvenor's final letter, addressed to Payson Grosvenor, "Eunice," and "Sarah," concerns his brother's death. Two of Grosvenor's letters include additional copied correspondence: a letter from Alvan Whitmore, who discussed commerce around New Orleans, Louisiana (September 19, 1818, copied in Grosvenor's letter of January 27, 1819), and a letter from D. H. G. Newton to Moses Gill Grosvenor, his uncle.

The final items in the collection are a descriptive travel letter by "Lansingh" to Miss Angelina Warden, from Darien, Georgia (April 19, 1838), and a 3-page essay attributed to Charles J. Wood entitled "Portrait of an Alarmist" (February 1848). The satirical piece criticizes a noted "alarmist" and his opinions on the Irish and Catholics, and the possibility that arguments over slavery might dissolve the union.

The Divie and Joanna Bethune collection contains correspondence, religious diaries, and an autobiography pertaining to the New York couple.

The Divie and Joanna Bethune collection contains correspondence, religious diaries, and an autobiography pertaining to the New York couple.

The Correspondence series is made up of 59 incoming letters to Divie and Joanna Bethune, which primarily relate to Divie's business interests, and 1 letter by Joanna Bethune to George Duffield (February 9, 1837). Arthur Dalton of New Orleans, Louisiana, wrote the bulk of the early correspondence, discussing the local tobacco trade and ships' movements near the city. Divie Bethune & Co. received letters from Thomas Masters about financial affairs in Liverpool and London, England. Personal letters include letters between members of the Bethune family, such as a letter from Joanna Bethune to her daughter Isabella, which alludes to the possibility of Canadian annexation (January 6, 1850).

The 22-volume Diaries series comprises the bulk of the collection, and contains material written by both Divie and Joanna Bethune. Divie Bethune filled the first 17 volumes with devotional prayers, religious poetry, hymns, and occasional daily diary entries. Each of these volumes has an identical inscription. Joanna Bethune kept 6 diaries after her husband's death, in which she reflected upon her emotions and wrote about her charity work and religious life.

Joanna Bethune's Autobiography, written in 1814, concerns her early life, emphasizing her religious conversion and religious convictions.

This collection is made up of letters addressed to Doris M. Fletcher of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, during World War II. Her most frequent correspondent was her boyfriend, Harold R. Bertholf of the merchant marine; she also received letters from "Wayne," a soldier serving in Italy, and Marie Babilis, a resident of Detroit, Michigan, who mourned Wayne's death in 1944.

This collection is made up of 40 letters addressed to Doris M. Fletcher of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, during World War II. Harold R. Bertholf wrote 35 letters to Doris, his girlfriend, from July 5, 1944-January 7, 1946. He discussed aspects of his service in the merchant marine, including travels between unnamed ports, leisure activities, and his anticipation of being assigned to a new ship. In several letters, he reassured Doris of his dedication to her and mentioned the possibility of marriage. After spending time at sea in 1944, Bertholf went to New London, Connecticut, where he took classes at the United States Maritime Service Officers' School at Fort Trumbull. He was stationed in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas, before receiving future assignments. From December 1945-January 1946, he worked for Christopher Gadsden and Street Brothers of Charleston, South Carolina.

Doris M. Fletcher's other wartime correspondents included "Wayne," a member of the United States Army who wrote 3 letters to Doris in June and July 1944. He briefly described Rome and mentioned his growing boredom with army life. After his death on July 19, 1944, Doris received 2 letters from Marie Babilis of Detroit, Michigan, who had been close to Wayne. She reflected on Wayne's death and requested that Doris ask a mutual friend to share details about the accident that killed him.

The Durant-Hornor correspondence consists of manuscript letters between attorneys Thomas J. Durant of Washington, D.C., and Charles W. Hornor of New Orleans, Louisiana, bound into a single volume. The legal partners discussed court cases, finances, and current events between 1848 and 1850.

The Durant-Hornor correspondence (1 volume) consists of over 300 manuscript letters, between attorneys Thomas J. Durant of Washington, D.C., and Charles W. Hornor of New Orleans, Louisiana, dated July 11, 1848-October 21, 1850. The legal partners discussed court cases and other legal affairs, as well as their finances and local news. Durant occasionally described travel in the southern and middle Atlantic states. Many of the letters refer to local and national affairs, such as migrants passing through New Orleans on their way to California, disagreements over the future of slavery in California, the death of Zachary Taylor and the appointment of a new Cabinet, and Cuban political struggles. Some of the letters pertain to family news and health. The first 2 pages contain information about Durant and Hornor, the letters in the volume, and the book's provenance.

This collection is made up of letters that brothers Edward K. Burdette, Jr. ("Ken"), and Huddleston York Burdette ("York") wrote to their parents during their service in the United States military during World War II. Ken served in the army and York served in the coast guard. Each wrote primarily about their everyday experiences and upcoming assignments.

This collection is made up of letters that brothers Edward K. Burdette, Jr. ("Ken"), and Huddleston York Burdette ("York") wrote to their parents during their service in the United States military during World War II. Ken served in the army and York served in the coast guard. Each wrote primarily about their everyday experiences and upcoming assignments.

Ken Burdette wrote the first 5 letters ([June 2, 1942]-August 2, 1943), often commenting on his various instructional assignments and personal news. In his first letter, he asked his father for an opinion on his girlfriend Mary, whom he later married. After his wedding, he occasionally referred to domestic affairs, such as the couple's search for housing near Washington, D.C., and the high cost of living there (September 11, 1942). He also mentioned Mary's sightseeing in New York City (August 2, 1943). In one later letter, which encloses a memorandum with a religious joke, he discussed an upcoming cross-country train trip from San Francisco to Augusta, Georgia (January 25, 1945).

York Burdette wrote 7 letters to his parents from [September 13, 1945]-[October 29, 1945], primarily about life in the coast guard, his friends, and finances. He trained at the United States Coast Guard Training Station in St. Augustine, Florida, and served near New Orleans, Louisiana, and Pensacola, Florida. While in Louisiana, he often took leave in New Orleans, though he found it difficult to enjoy the city on a limited budget ([November 13, 1943]). In his final letter, he wrote of the various ships in port for the Navy Day celebrations.

This collection is made up of personal letters between members of the Ely family of Huntington, Connecticut, written primarily in the late 1830s and 1840s. Louisa M. Ely received letters from her brother David Henry, in Athens, Georgia, and her sister Harriet, who wrote from Mount Holyoke Female Seminary.

This collection is made up of personal letters between members of the Ely family of Huntington, Connecticut, including many addressed to Elisha Ely, Eloise Ely, and their daughter Louisa. Early items include letters from relatives in New York City, including one from Louisa about her journey from Connecticut to New York and her experiences teaching school (December 25, 1833). In 1836 and 1837, Louisa Ely received letters from her brother David, who lived in New Haven, Connecticut, and from her uncle, Harry Curtis. Harry described a visit to Niagara Falls in his letter of November 13, 1837, and later discussed his life in New Orleans, Louisiana. David Ely wrote about his life in Athens, Georgia, in 1838 and 1839, and John M. Ely wrote from Wilmington, North Carolina, in December 1840 and December 1841. Harriet Ely sent six letters to her sister from Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in the late 1840s; her letter of March 9, 1849, includes a description of Mary Lyon's funeral.

The Fish Family papers contain the personal letters of Harry S. Fish of Williamson, New York, and his children who, over the course of the 19th century, scattered throughout the United States, fought in the Civil War, and suffered sickness and poverty during the postwar period. Also present are letters to J. Clifford Robinson from his mother and sister, and letters written annually from Franc Edith Aldrich Arnold to her friend Maud Bradley Robinson, from 1887 to 1933.

The Fish family papers (417 items) contain the personal letters and writings of a family from Williamson, New York, whose members, over the course of the 19th century, scattered throughout the United States, fought in the Civil War, and suffered though sickness and poverty during the postwar period. The bulk of the letters (336 in all) concern Harry S. Fish and his children: Dan, Carlton, Selby, and Julia Fish. Also present are letters to J. Clifford Robinson from his mother and sister, and 47 letters written annually from Franc Edith Aldrich Arnold to her friend Maud Bradley Robinson, spanning 1887 to 1933. The collection also contains 25 calling cards, 9 social invitations, 2 documents, 1 essay, 13 miscellaneous items, and one lock of hair.

Correspondence series :

The Fish family letters subseries (336 items) largely document the lives of Dan, Carlton, Selby, and Julia Fish. Throughout, the siblings discuss their deep animosity toward their father. The first four letters (1847-1850) are between Wright R. Fish, in Poughkeepsie, New York, and his father Isaac Fish, in Williamson, New York. Letters written during the Civil War-era include 18 letters from Carlton, 27 from Selby, 14 from Daniel, 9 from Judson Rice (all addressed to Julia), and 49 letters from Julia to Carlton (with 3 additional, post-war letters). These include descriptions of the Peninsular Campaign (Yorktown and the Seven Days Battles, particularly Gaines's Mills) by Selby, and Judson Rice's account of 1st Winchester. Both Selby and Carlton commented on their regiment’s occasional ill discipline and low morale. Selby described his experience in army hospitals and sometimes reflected on death, war, and the hard life of a soldier.

Dan’s letters, written mostly from California and Oregon, provide commentary on the life of an itinerant (and sometimes vagrant) traveler in the gold fields of the Far West. Julia described local events and family news, frequently discussing family strife. She occasionally discussed the politics and society in Williamson. In a particularly notable incident onJuly 17, 1864, Julia consulted a psychic to diagnose Carlton’s mysterious illness, which appeared during the siege of Yorktown in May 1862. Many Civil War era letters contain illustrated letterheads.

The collection contains material concerning southern perspectives of the Reconstruction and post-Reconstruction eras, including 59 letters written to Julia Fish by Selby Fish and/or his wife, Josephine, from New Orleans (1864-1871); 7 letters from Selby to Carlton (1867-1869); and letters from Carlton to Julia: 7 written from Grant City, Missouri, (1868-1869); 27 from New Orleans, Louisiana (1869-1883); and 3 from San Antonio, Texas (1883). Of note are two letters written by Carlton from Grant City, Missouri, in which he described the surge of population in a "back woods" town in northwestern Missouri, as post-war westward expansion peaked (October 18, 1868 and October 24, 1869). Also of interest are Carlton’s accounts of his struggles with poverty and unemployment (November 8, 1889), and Dan’s report on joining the Good Templars in 1867; he described a wild ceremony that featured riding a goat backwards and climbing a greased pole with bare feet.

The J. Clifford Robinson letters consist of 63 letters and postcards, written to J. Clifford Robinson by his mother and sister Gertrude in 1895 and 1896. These offer a perspective on an intensely close mother-son relationship in the 1890's, and contain many remarks of motherly advice.

The Fish family letters subseries ends with 13 condolence letters addressed to Maud Bradley, comforting her on the death of her mother, Julia Fish Bradley, in 1905.

The Arnold-Robinson letters subseries contains 47 letters written annually, on New Year's Day, by Franc Edith Aldrich Arnold to Maud Bradley Robinson, reflecting on the events of the year, and reminiscing about their childhood together in Pultneyville, New York (1887-1933). These letters were written every year from 1887-1933, from their teenage years through retirement. In these, Arnold discussed her concerns about remaining unmarried, her inability to have children, and her desire to adopt a child.

The Ephemera, Photographs, and Miscellaneous series (55 items) is comprised of 5 items of ephemera concerning Julia Fish Bradley and her relatives; 25 calling cards from friends of Julia Fish Bradley; 9 invitations to parties and balls addressed to J. Clifford Robinson, (1890's); 13 miscellaneous writing fragments; and 3 cartes-de-visite of Selby Fish (c. 1869), Joseph E. Johnston (c.1863), and Nathaniel Lyon (c.1861).

Frederic Olmsted’s pocket journal contains brief, almost daily entries of his life in the Union Army from January 1, 1863, to September 5, 1863. During this time, he was assigned the task of overseeing slaves on several Louisiana sugar plantations. Olmsted was taken as a prisoner of war at Brashear, Louisiana, after which he spent several weeks on Ship Island (as a parolee) before returning home to Connecticut in August 1863.

Frederic Olmsted's journal contains an account of his service with the Union Army’s 23rd Connecticut Infantry, which was attached to the defenses of New Orleans and the district of Lafourche, Louisiana. The journal is 3"x5" and is made up of brief, almost daily entries.

For January and February, his entries describe the daily life of a Union soldier while not engaged in active combat -- foraging for food, hunting, and endless drilling. Beginning in March 1863, he was involved in overseeing slaves on several sugar plantations near Houma, Louisiana. His responsibilities included shipping hogsheads of sugar and barrels of molasses, retrieving runaway slaves for return to the plantations, and sometimes delivering punishments. If he had any qualms about his duties, they are not recorded in his journal. An entry for March 14, 1863, reads: “this morning I was sent by the captain to take a Negro up to Gibson plantation and see the negro whipt 50 lashes. stayed… and had a butifull dinner.”

On June 22, Olmsted took part in a battle at Brashear City (now Morgan City), Louisiana, where he and other Federals were taken prisoner. After their parole on June 25, 1863, Olmsted described being marched to the point of exhaustion in the sweltering heat, with many parolees dying on the journey. The Union men were held briefly at the Belleville Iron Works before making their way to Ship Island, where Olmsted noted that the rations were scarce and that they lived in tents on the blazing sand. On July 29, Olmsted wrote: “This morning went into the woods 9 miles from camp for wood, had to float it down to camp by wading up to our arms in water. Sun so hot that we burnt our legs to a blister but love of country overpowers all this.” Olmsted departed Ship Island on August 4, traveled upriver to Cairo, Illinois, boarded a train for Indianapolis, and eventually made his way back to Connecticut. He returned home sick and exhausted. “I had not been shaved in over 8 months, my wife did not know me at first, but I am overjoyed to meet her and my little boy. I am ragged and dirty, have an old straw hat with only a part of [the] brim, am entirely worn out with my army service.” (August 25, 1863). On September 5, Olmsted traveled to New Haven to obtain his discharge papers, and ended his service with the Union Army.

The journal also includes several brief entries regarding financial accounts; one notation from July 3, 1889, records a meeting in Bridgeport; and a separate document gives Olmsted permission to “pass the lines at all hours.” On a "Memoranda" page at the end of the diary is a very brief note concerning an A.W.O.L. fling on November 23.