circa post 1907

Westcott, Allen, fl. 1907

Typed manuscript

Title: [Biography of John Grimes Walker]

Typed biography of Rear Admiral John G. Walker by Westcott (whose relation to the Walker family is unknown). Commences from his birth in New Hampshire in 1835 and goes to his death 1907. Provides a quick summary of his Civil War service, work in the Navy after the war, and his work in retirement as the President of the Isthmian Canal Commission. Corrections made throughout in several different inks. Stapled in upper left corner with 2 hole punches at the top of the document.

GLC03804.50

7 November 1860

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West [incomplete]

Says he arrived in Foochow on 26 October after a 14 day voyage from Hong Kong. Ran into a northeast monsoon along the way. Says "Foochow is one of the few places I have never visited before on the coast of China." Goes on to describe the city, saying it only recently became an important city in the tea trade and that the Min River, which empties at Foochow, is very dangerous. Says the first thing he did upon arriving in port was a "regular house cleaning," and says the ship now looks like "a pretty girl rigged up for a ball, the handsomest craft, here!" Has taken on 200 tons of tea after…

GLC03836.01

14 March 1856

Miller, George S., fl. 1856

Printed document signed

Title: [Pass allowing Lewis West to leave the Victorian Docks in London]

Pass permiting Mr. Lewis West, the mate of "the Ship Screamer @ Calcutta to enter or quit the Dock up to 9 o'Clock, so long as the Vessel remains in Dock." Signature is sloppy and might not say "George S. Miller."

GLC03836.02

6 June 1860

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

References his mother's and Mary's letters. Says he is finally in Shanghai "after one of the hardest passages I ever made, to, or from, the Indies." Says their sails froze to the mast in January and they could barely get them set. Goes on to describe the bad weather of the voyage in detail, including running into a hurricane after rounding the Cape of Good Hope. Says the voyage to China took 142 days and said "It is a relief to find other people worse off than yourself, so I was exceedingly pleased to learn that the, Magenta, a rival clipper, which sailed 8 days before us, was not yet arrived…

GLC03836.03

23 April 1861

Glapson, John J., fl. 1861

Autograph document signed

Title: to Lewis West

Written by Commander Glapson of the U.S. Brig "Perry" to West. Co-signed by the Lieutenant and commanding officer of the "Perry," whose signature is illegible. Document appointing West as Master's Mate aboard the "Perry."

GLC03836.04

12 May 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Tells his mother that he is sailing for the Chesapeake tomorrow. Says they have an entirely new complement of officers on his ship, except for him. Says the changes are for the better. The captain is from New Hampshire and is "sound on the goose question." Says he will write when they get to the seat of war "where I believe every body belonging to the brig is anxious to get, to relieve the monotony of our lives, which is perfectly disgusting in such stirring times as these." Hopes to "do my share of maintaining the honor of the flag."

GLC03836.05

21 May 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Says they were supposed to leave earlier, but had to wait for the paymaster. They might leave tomorrow. Says the "secessionists" got some batteries up on both sides of the river and fired on the "Monticello" (West says she was also called the "Star") and goes on to describe the firefight. Six shots hit the ship, but no one was hurt. Says an English ship tried to pass through the blockade, but the USS "Minnesota" stopped her. Says his ship is a "contemptible little brig" in comparison to the "Minnesota" and the "Star." Reports that the "officers of the larger vessels kindly assure us we will…

GLC03836.06

3 June 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Says nothing has happened recently except coming across a vessel from Bremen, Germany that was bound for Charleston. The "Minnesota" ordered it off and sent it to Baltimore. It is understood that they will be stationed off Fernandina, near the mouth of the St. Mary River in Florida. Speaks poorly of his captain, who "acted as if he was totally ignorant of the existence of such a thing as the Gulf Stream." Says they captured a ship with a cargo of cotton a few days before. Continues the letter on 4 June. Says the "Perry" captured its first privateer yesterday. Describes the 5 hour chase. The…

GLC03836.07

8 June 1861-16 July 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter

Title: to R. West

Letter begins on 8 June at sea and continues on 17 June (he writes July 17, but that is impossible) at Fernandina, Florida; 27 June; 8 July; and 16 July at Hampton Roads, Virginia. On 8 June says he is 30 miles south of Savannah and near their destination of the boundary between Georgia and Florida. Says their departure from Charleston was sudden and was not able to tell her that he was put in charge of the privateer that was captured a week earlier. Was overhauling her and found the signal book, which gave them the ability to read Confederate signals from the shore. Tried to trick another…

GLC03836.08

16 July 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Signed twice by West. A follow up letter to GLC03836.08. Says his ship will resupply at Hampton Roads and then cruise between there and Cape Hatteras. Hopes that "we shall do our duty more efficiently than we have so far, as the blockade we established of the St. Mary's river was nothing but a ridiculous farce, had there been any vessels in there they could have got out at any time." Says this was partially because of their captain "having the most extraordinary ideas of blockading ever heard of." Goes on to say "he was afraid of being becalmed inshore and having a steamer come out to attack…

GLC03836.09

23 July 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Says the news about the Battle of Bull Run has been confirmed, "Our army has suffered a most shameful and bloody defeat." Says all the fugitives streamed into Alexandria and "at one time it was thought it would be expedient to set fire to the buildings containing government stores at this place." Was glad it did not come to that. Reports that "The troops as they came in, although entirely disorganized did not appear to be so much panic stricken, as dejected and ashamed. All who have come into this place have their arms with them." Believes it will come to light that the defeat was caused by…

GLC03836.11

21 October 1822

Milnor, William, 1769-1848

Printed letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Desires to be appointed to the now vacant post "the office of Clerk of the House of Representatives." The office of the Clerk is filled by a vote among the Representatives, and Milnor was requesting Hobart's vote. States he has served as a Representative for many years previously, and believes this has prepared him well for the post. Milnor was not elected as Clerk.

GLC06313.04.192

6 November 1822

Sampson, Zabdiel, 1781-1828

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Election results for five towns in Massachusetts in the race for Congress. Notes how many votes Hobart and his opponent C. Otis recieved in five small Massachusetts town in the election for the eighteenth Congress. Believes the Federalists are giving up, and that Hobart will win the election, which he did.

GLC06313.04.194

15 November 1822

Gay, Ebenezer, 1771-1842

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Discussing property claims resulting from a bankruptcy. Requesting Hobart's help in making sure he secures the amount of the property he desires. Also discussed a bankruptcy bill that may come up for vote again in Congress soon, and hopes Hobart's vote on the bill is "unbiased by local or partial considerations & influenced only by your conceptions of the probable effect of that measure upon the nation at large."

GLC06313.04.195

29 October 1822

Chambers, B. S., fl. 1822

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Desires to be appointed to the now vacant position of Clerk of the House of Representatives. The office of the Clerk is filled by a vote among the Representatives, and Chambers was requesting Hobart's vote. States his desire to fill the post honorably, and gives a number of references. Chambers was not elected as Clerk.

GLC06313.04.196

19 November 1822

Hayward, Elijah, 1786-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Soliciting Hobart's help in an attempt to secure an "appointment as publisher of the Laws of Congress." Hayward has already contacted Secretary of State John Q. Adams in the hope of securing this appointment for "Looker & Reynolds printers" to publish the laws in Cincinnati. But he also requests Hobart's assisstance in persuading Adams. Informs Hobart that Looker and Reynolds operate a free state paper in the city, and one that may decide to support Adams in the upcoming election. States expressely that Adams will not automatically win their support by choosing them, even though this…

GLC06313.04.197

25 November 1822

Skinner, John Stuart, 1788-1851

Letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Requesting Hobart's support for the publication of "The American Farmer" a paper intended to disseminate information about agricultural advances and technology. The paper has been a success so far, but requests Hobart's support in any way possible.

GLC06313.04.198

23 November 1822

Saunders, Judith Foster, 1772-1841

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Asking Hobart to vote for Colonel William Beach for the office of Collector of the town of Gloucester. Refers to Beach as "a near relation and friend" of Hobart's. Signed with the names of both Beach and Saunders, but appears to be written in the same hand. The two women established and were the proprieters of Saunders' and Beach's Academy for Girls on Meeting House Hill. Beach did serve as the Collector for Gloucester.

GLC06313.04.199

25 November 1822

Hayward, Elijah, 1786-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Asking Hobart to pass information along to John Q. Adams regarding his involvement with a newspaper. Hayward had previously written Hobart (GLC06313.197) requesting that he try to persuade Adams to award the rights to print the laws of congress in Cincinnati to a particular paper. Now writes to inform Hobart that he has become a writer for this paper, but that he has no financial stake, and that this employment should not affect his strong recomendation of the paper. Wishes Hobart to pass this information on to Adams. Also informs Hobart that the paper that currently prints the laws in…

GLC06313.04.200

25 November 1822

Crafts, Frederick, fl. 1822

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Wishes to become an instructor at a school, and hopes Hobart will write a testimonial for him and help him gather students. If teaching does not work out, hopes Hobart can help him secure other work. Written at Kingston, most likely either Virginia or Massachusetts.

GLC06313.04.201

19 December 1822

Peirce, Peter H., 1788-1861

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Hoping to win Hobart's support for a pension for Leonard Briggs, since Hobart was on the Committee of Revolutionary Pensions. Briggs can no longer works, served in the army, and was taken prisoner, and Peirce believes he is deserving of a pension.

GLC06313.04.205

20 December 1822

Jacobs, Nathaniel, 1782-1861

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Discussing who should be appointed in charge of the post office in Canandaigua. Believes Mr. Heartnell, who has just won the office, does not deserve it, and is not supported by the village. Reccomends Mr. Gooding for the position, and requests Hobart's help in getting him into office.

GLC06313.04.206

20 December 1822

Winsor, Nathaniel, Jr., 1775-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Requesting Hobart's assisstance regarding a law that will pay them for the loss of their ship. "If the result should be in our favor, and you have any voice or influence...you will request the law to authorize the Collector to pay the allowance to the Owner of the Ready Rhino." The Ready Rhino was a ship that belonged to the Winsor's that had been lost at sea, for which they were seeking compensation. In February Hobart petitioned Congress on behalf of Winsor's. The Journal of the House of Representatives states "Monday, February 11, 1822...Mr. Hobart presented a petition of Nathaniel…

GLC06313.04.207

20 December 1822

Ritchie, William, fl. 1822

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Introducing "my old friend, Mr. Elliot," discussing the trial of Mr. Maffit, and says there is no other news of note.

GLC06313.04.208

21 December 1822

Hobart, Nathaniel, 1758-1838

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Describes the allotment of a widow's dower. "The Gentlemen appointed to set off the widows dower...have executed that business, they have set off 1 acre...on the West side of the lot..." Also relates family news.

GLC06313.04.209