circa 1861-1865

Ray, Mae De, fl. 1861-1865

Newspaper clipping

Title: [Four newspaper clippings]

Newspaper clippings of jokes, poems and advice. Poem written by Mae De Ray. No author noted for the other three clippings.

GLC03523.52.12

26 September 1863

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth N. Kessler

Writes to his sister from Camp Douglas. Reports 1500 Confederate prisoners have arrived in camp over the last two days. Discusses two men who were killed in camp. The first was a sharpshooter who shot himself. The other was a "negro boy" who was shot by a guard. Writes, "… He felt getting Rather careless He was going to His quarters and crossed the gard [sic] when the gard [sic] Halted him 3 times and He did not stop the 4th time shot him…" Thanks her for the stamps. Encourages her to go to school this winter. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner. Addressee name…

GLC03523.52.15

1 December 1863

Kessler, A.P., fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary L. Kessler

A. P. Kessler, the father of Thomas J. Kessler, writes to his wife. Informs her to visit all of their friends and to let him know a few days in advance when she is ready to come home. Comments that they will kill and roast a turkey for her return. Instructs her where they will meet her. Writes that they had a good Thanksgiving dinner that was put on by the "Union Leak" [League] for the benefit of war widows. Relays a story about a young man who was injured from the mill. Discusses various townspeople and family members.

GLC03523.52.25

27 December 1863

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth N. Kessler

Writes to his sister from Camp Douglas. Complains about the rainy weather. Describes a dance that the sharpshooters had with the wash women. Requests that she send him his razor when his father sends him a turkey. Discusses the theater and the women showing their knees. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner.

GLC03523.52.27

18 January 1864

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth N. Kessler

Writes to his sister from Camp Douglas. Complains about not receiving any letters from home. Requests she begin making him a red quilt. Informs her he was unable to get a furlough. Provides her with a list of items to send him. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner. A small fragment of paper is included.

GLC03523.52.30

7 February 1864

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth N. Kessler

Writes to his sister from Camp Douglas. Requests that she send him a shirt and a pair of boots. Informs her that another soldier wants her picture after seeing his picture of her. Discusses his picture and other soldier's pictures. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner. A small fragment of paper is included. Signs with his middle name Jefferson.

GLC03523.52.34

1 May 1864

Belden, Josephine S., fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Libby Kessler

Writes to her friend. Discusses traveling to Mishawaka, Indiana. Writes of the townspeople. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner.

GLC03523.52.53

5 July 1864

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth N. Kessler

Writes to his sister. Complains about having to wash his clothes in cold water. Comments he does not care how he looks or what he wears; however, she would find him dirty and ragged. Describes being sick with a bad case of dysentery. Notes he has cured it with cheese ginger snaps and brandy. Reports he was within 30 rods of the rebels line this morning. Writes they trade tobacco and coffee with each other and they all bathe in the same creek. Believes the two sides struck a deal not to fire at each other. Requests she writes him with all the news.

GLC03523.52.58

22 September 1864

Wirt, John, fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Bill Kessler

Writes to his cousin. Provides direction to California. Explains he cannot join him because of his job. Complains about his new stepmother. Writes, "thare never was a bigger fool than my father when he married that girl whenever thare is any work to be done she plays off sick she dont care about anything but dress…please never call her my mother again I wont own her…" Discusses the "Hundred day boys" who just arrived home.

GLC03523.52.66

5 October 1864

Wirt, Matilda, fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Cyrus Wirt

Writes to her brother and sister. Informs them that Elles, their brother, has volunteered for the service. Requests they come down and visit before he leaves. Asks them to send two gallons of molasses down with whoever comes. Discusses the cold weather and making a fence. Jefferson is listed as the city but state is not listed. The letter is signed by Matilda, "your loving sister and brother Elles & Matilda." Surname is not given. Assuming she is not married, Matilda's surname should be Wirt since the letter is addressed to her brother, Mr. Cyrus Wirt.

GLC03523.52.69

11 April 1831

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriet Buchanan

The only U.S. president who never married, to his sister Harriet: "When you have determined (as I trust you will not) never to marry I shall cheerfully provide you a comfortable home. It would afford me great pleasure & promote my own comfort & happiness to have you for a house keeper. Still I think you ought to marry, should a favorable opportunity offer. There is nothing very desirable in the situation of an old maid; still it is less comfortless than that of an unhappy wife."

GLC09367

22 August 1871

Autograph letter signed

Title: to her cousin

Alabama woman writes to her cousin in Michigan about family news and her mother's illness, and how life has changed since Emancipation: "It does not seem possible that I could go through the same amount of labor and endure the anxiety and suspense of the past two months again. But one has not the most distant idea of what they can perform until circumstances forces them to exertion. Until our servants were freed, I was considered entirely too delicate to perform any kind of household work. And had any one told me that I could, or would in a few years, perform the entire work that was then…

GLC09375

4 January 1862

Holly, William H., ?-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Ann Davis

Written at Camp Lyon to a friend. Talks of mutual acquaintances, (including a death, one in an "insane retreat" and one who goes down town and returns "pretty tight"), Christmas (when he hears a sermon by an African missionary on "what shall be done with the Black race,") and often of God and Church. Mentions having his photo taken, and the "Boys" needing the mittens that Mary's Sewing Society has made. Finally, he acknowledges Mary's invitation to spend next New Year's with her, adding, however, that "soldiers can not tell whether or what they will do much before hand." Written on military…

GLC02165.01

circa October 1945

Goldberg, Mildred, 1923-2008

Typed manuscript

Title: Personal recollections of Mildred Goldberg, secretary to the theoretical group, SAM Laboratories, The Manhattan Project; 1943-1946

Goldberg, a secretary working in the Substitute or Special Alloy Metals (S.A.M.) Laboratory at Columbia University, recalls the people and events that were part of her work experience. Mentions various scientists and other colleagues at the laboratory, including Drs. Richard Present, Francis Bonner, Andre J. De Bethune, Howard Levi and William Nierenberg. Worked under Drs. John Ray Dunning and Irving Kaplan at what Goldberg calls "the Nash building" (a previous automobile showroom on 137th St. and Broadway in New York City). Notes that the entire enterprise was supervised by Dr. Harold…

GLC03152.01

28 August 1863 - 29 August 1863

Fuller, Franklin W., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary

Written at camp near Stephenson, Alabama. They again have marching orders and are liable to leave at any time. Writes that he has received some of the items Low's family had sent him. The boots and socks were most appreciated. He is very thankful for Mary for her years of devotion. He feels that she will be subject to "ridicule and unpleasant remarks by ill natured and unsympathizing people" for helping him so much. He is very grateful for all that she has done for him. He is also thankful for Mary's mother doing all she can to help him. Writes that he will do all he can as Mary's husband and…

GLC03523.42.29

5 September 1863

Fuller, Franklin W., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary

Written at camp in Wills Valley, Alabama. He thanks her for remembering him in his "soldier life" and for writing him as much as she can. Explains that her letters arrive every four or five days while his take as long as two weeks to be delivered. This is because of the large number of letters leaving camp. He has time to write as they have stopped their march to wait for a train of supplies. He explains that since the troops are unsure of when the mail will leave they must have the letters written and ready to go whenever the mail arrives. Writes of the hardships of marching and being away…

GLC03523.42.30

6 September 1863

Murdoch, Ella, fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to her cousin

Written to him by his cousin Ella Murdoch. She writes that everyone at home is doing well. She does not have any news to report to him. She thinks it must be a hard life being a soldier. Write that she has not heard from Uncle Jason or Owen for some time now. She is said to say that she has not been able to visit their families as she has had so much to do. Writes about all the things she did over the past summer and wishes she could do something for the "poor soldier boys." She explains that she has been steadily busy throughout the summer. Her father and mother were very glad to hear from…

GLC03523.42.31

27 September 1863

Stark, Lydia, fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to her brother

Signed by Lydia. She has read in the newspaper of the terrible battle [Battle of Chickamauga] that he was involved in. She is very worried about him and asks if he is safe and hopes that he is alright. Asks that he write to her immediately to let her know as soon as possible what his condition is. She has watched the Army of the Cumberland with "great interest" and has tried to keep herself informed of the army's status. Some of their relatives are visiting her and they hope that he will write them a letter as well. She writes that her and her family are well, as are their brothers and…

GLC03523.42.32

December 17, 1863

Fuller, Franklin W., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary

Writes that her letter was the first he received in four weeks since the regiment left here for Knoxville, Tennessee. He was upset that he was unable to write her as he knew she had written him. Most of the mail had gone to the regiment and the mail will probably not reach him until it first gets to the regiment. He has been surviving on half rations of hard tack. He has received a letter from one of his friends and he has been trying to send him mail as he does not want his friend to think he is dead. He is not surprised that so few letters have reached his family and friends due to all the…

GLC03523.42.35

27 Decemeber 1863 - 10 January 1864

Stark, Lydia, fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to her brother

Written and signed by his sister Lydia. Thinks that there are angels watching her children. Writes that Henry has gone to see his Aunt Phebe. She remembers the first time she held him, a few hours after he had been born. Writes of the many memories she has of him as a little boy. She has memories in her dreams of her brothers and sisters as children. States that she has heard rumors that he is engaged to a woman named Mary Cable [?] but she is unsure if that is her name. She tells her brother that she has written a letter to Mary but it was returned because there was no such P.O. in Illinois…

GLC03523.42.36

12 February 1864

Flower, May, fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to her uncle

Written at Penfield by May Flower. States that her mother will not let her write because she does not write well enough yet. Asks if he has to "work" on Sunday. Writes that her mother has told her about his childhood. Tells him that sometimes her uncle allows her to do his hair. She would like to do his hair for church. A note is added by May's mother explaining that the uncle whose hair May does is a man named Mr. Marvin [?].

GLC03523.42.37

1861-1865

Fuller, Franklin W., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary

Sends her two small knitted "presents" as a small token of his love for her. They are also for all of the wonderful things she has done for him while he as been away. Asks her to wear them and to think of him when she does. Enclosed are two small pieces of knitted yarn. One is red the other is yellow and purple with a star shape. Written underneath them is "The good luck twins."

GLC03523.42.39

1 March 1864

Stark, Lydia, fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to her brother

Letter is signed by his sister Lydia. Writes that they have had a very unpleasant winter. The roads were so muddy that they were nearly impassable and her family remained at home for most of the winter. The weather changed so suddenly and frequently that someone in the family almost always had a cold. Writes about the family members who visited her. She is sad to think of how their family seems to become separated further and further each year. His sister Cordelia visited and they read some of his old letters together. States that several more of his family members have written to him. She…

GLC03523.42.40

4 April 1864

Hogeland, Sally W., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to her brother

Written at Granby, with no state listed. She apologizes for not having written in so long. Writes that she has received his photograph. Tells him that he no longer looks like a boy but like a man. She is surprised at how many years have passed. Writes that both she and his sister Cordelia had their photographs taken but have yet to receive them. States that it has taken so long because the photographer and their cousin Beekman suggested that the photographs could be "larger" and more "life-like" if done separately. She is glad to hear that he is doing well. She wishes that the war was over so…

GLC03523.42.42

24 April 1864

Stark, Lydia, fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to her brother

Writes about the nice weather they are having and that the children are outside playing in the back yard while her husband plays the violin. Gives him a detailed description of her home. Draws a small floor plan of the house. She has been busy cleaning the house, making carpets, and getting the children ready to start school. Herbert and Willie were greatly excited to receive his letters and will be writing to him again soon. She has read his letter to her friend Susan. Writes that she would like to visit the western part of the country. She is also excited for when he gets married. His…

GLC03523.42.44