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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

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1861-1865

Poem

Title: to Bell

Four line love poem to Bell lamenting being apart. Probably from Joseph Maitland.

GLC03523.10.252

19 June 1875

Hemans, Daniel Wright, fl. 1872-1881

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander Shiras

Discusses his wife Nancy's illness with rheumatism, a book he received, and the threat to his garden posed by grasshoppers.

GLC02429.39

January 20, 1878

Hemans, Nancy A., 1843-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frances B. Shiras

Discusses her husband's declining health and how she recovered her own health, which became bad after her daughter Mary died, while camping. Notes visiting the sick via horseback. Comments on the local school, Christmas, and a visit by whites to Bazille Creek, where they heard a church service in Dakota.

GLC02429.41

27 November 1881

Hemans, Nancy A., 1843-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander Shiras

Explains that she did not intend to alienate her friends in the east by re-marrying and justifies the re-marriage. Discusses the children, her two and her sister's three, who also live with them, the four oldest of which are in school. Thanks an unnamed woman for money. Indicates that she has not moved from her home, as Daniel and her deceased children are buried there. Inquires about Mrs. Shiras and discusses her own health, which has improved with the coming of winter. Notes that her new husband would like to write a long letter, but cannot write well in English. Two short notes on separate…

GLC02429.51

30 March 1796

Sargent, Winthrop, 1753-1820

Manuscript document

Title: [Book list and inventory]

Date inferred from a pencil note that states, "With letter of W Sargent 30 March 1796" (GLC02437.06682). Apparently continued from another page. Contains sections 3, 4, and 5, each referring to inventories of trunks or boxes. No. 3 is a book list indicating the number of copies of "More's France, Domestic Memoirs, Roman's Floridas, Stewarts political Economy, Franklin's polil Works... Principles of Taxation, Anderson's Institute's, Mirabeau's Portrait," and others. No. 4 notes uncataloged books and swords. No. 5 lists sconces and papers from the right and left hand side of the bookcase…

GLC02437.10325

28 August 1771

Longman, Thomas, 1731-1797

Manuscript document

Title: [List]

List of goods ordered and bought by Henry Knox to be shipped to Boston. Consists of books on a variety of topics, including Bibles, grammar and spelling books, and dictionaries.

GLC02437.10367

10 April 1772

Longman, Thomas, 1731-1797

Manuscript document

Title: [List]

List of goods ordered and bought by Henry Knox to be shipped to Boston. Consists of books on a variety of topics, including the sciences, essays, commentaries and travel diaries.

GLC02437.10374

18 July 1772

Longman, Thomas, 1731-1797

Manuscript document

Title: [List]

Appears to be the original of GLC02437.10376. List of goods ordered and bought by Henry Knox to be shipped to Boston. Consists of books on a variety of topics, including the sermons, dictionaries, the sciences, medicine and others.

GLC02437.10377

February 15, 1773

Longman, Thomas, 1731-1797

Manuscript document

Title: [List]

List of goods ordered and bought by Henry Knox to be shipped to Boston. Consists of books on a variety of topics, including travel diaries, Classic literature, philosophy and others.

GLC02437.10378

10 March 1774

Longman, Thomas, 1731-1797

Manuscript document

Title: [Invoice]

List of goods ordered and bought by Henry Knox to be shipped to Boston. Consists of books on a variety of topics, including medicine, sermons, Classical literature, and others.

GLC02437.10384

10 March 1774

Longman, Thomas, 1731-1797

Manuscript document

Title: [List]

List of goods ordered and bought by Henry Knox to be shipped to Boston. Consists of books on a variety of topics including, poetry, novels, dictionaries, and others.

GLC02437.10385

February 23, 1871

Hemans, Daniel Wright, fl. 1872-1881

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frances B. Shiras

Thanks Frances for her help and interest in his missionary work. Describes his mission work at the Yankton Agency with Reverend James Cook. Notes his improving health. Discusses teaching, singing, and language issues. Comments on privations at the mission and dependency on provisions from Sioux City. Describes his log house next to the chapel.

GLC02429.05

17 April 1871

Hemans, Daniel Wright, fl. 1872-1881

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frances B. Shiras

Inquires about the money his friends sent. Describes the Christian, English-speaking Indian girl he is engaged to. Notes his salary of $150/year, and indicates it will be insufficient. Discusses his log house and preparing his home for housekeeping, referring to his upcoming marriage. Comments on his upcoming ordination and Rev. James Cook's desire for him to remain a while longer at the Yankton mission to continue as interpreter. Discusses family news, including an uncle planning to preach at Crow Creek.

GLC02429.06

25 May 1871

Hemans, Daniel Wright, fl. 1872-1881

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frances B. Shiras

Discusses a visit by Bishop Clarkson during which he was ordained a deacon and many Indians were baptized. Notes his plans to stay at the Yankton mission through the summer because he is needed to translate for Rev. James Cook. This is the first letter in the collection signed "Rev" Hemans.

GLC02429.08

8 December 1871

Hemans, Daniel Wright, fl. 1872-1881

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frances B. Shiras

Comments on the length between their correspondence. Reports the freezing death of Rev. Philip Johnson. Discusses preaching with Rev. Cook at Santee. Indicates his cousin Paul was sick. Discusses his missionary work at Yankton, including the baptisms of chiefs, preaching and translating. Comments on the log house and furnishings they bought with money received (likely from Shiras).

GLC02429.12

January 13, 1872

Hemans, Nancy A., 1843-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frances B. Shiras

Writes about how they are getting along, discussing her health. Comments on a potential visit by Shiras. Explains why her upbringing (part with Indians, part with whites) has resulted in her only being to make Santee moccasins with beads and not porcupine quills. Mentions that they have a girl in their house who only speaks Dakota. Discusses their women prayer meetings.

GLC02429.14

February 26, 1872

Hemans, Daniel Wright, fl. 1872-1881

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frances B. Shiras

Thanks her for a box of clothing from Mrs. Clement. Indicates they will use some for their new baby and have already given some away. Mentions the Indian agent, a physician who gave him medicine. Discusses his desire for wrappers. Comments on speaking English with his wife and a mixed race adolescent girl in their household. GLC02429.19 is a copy.

GLC02429.18

February 26, 1872

Hemans, Daniel Wright, fl. 1872-1881

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Frances B. Shiras

GLC02429.19

9-12 June 1872

Hemans, Nancy A., 1843-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frances B. Shiras

Discusses a visit from Daniel's aunt and the porcupine quill moccasins she had made for Frances. Comments on her sister, a visitor named Mrs. Rumney, and her husbands adoration for their baby. Continues the letter on 12 June, comments on intervening chores, and a visit to a sun dance. Gives the Dakota word for mother and explains that she speaks English to her baby daily. Mentions that Daniel, her husband, sometimes speaks to her in English. Comments on her husband's pay.

GLC02429.25

21 July 1872

Hemans, Daniel Wright, fl. 1872-1881

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frances B. Shiras

Reports than his family will leave the Yankton Mission for the Santee Mission. Explains that the Yanktons are sorry to see him leave, but he must go because of health problems related to his work on Sunday and the opportunity to make a prayer book in Santee.

GLC02429.26

15 July 1873

Hemans, Daniel Wright, fl. 1872-1881

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frances B. Shiras

Discusses building a house and garden on his land in Bazille, his health, and his work. Mentions a possible transfer to the Chapel at Bazille Creek, on the recommendation of Bishop William Hare. Comments on the growth of his son, who he speaks to in both English and Dakota.

GLC02429.35

7 January 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Asks if she has received his previous letter (GLC02437.00511). Details the fighting from 2 January onward. Discusses the American retreat from Trenton, for which the artillery provided cover, Washington's decision to next attack Princeton where "about 1200 men" were stationed by the British, and the late night march to Princeton. Admits "we did not take them by surprise as at Trenton," because the British soldiers were already marching when the Continentals encountered them, whereas in Trenton they had been totally out of order. But still thinks the enemy "were as much asstonish'd as if…

GLC02437.00514

May 1786

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: [drafts of rough minutes delivered to Doctor Ramsey who is writing the history of the late war & who furnished to me his Sketches & Materials for that purpose. May '86]

Later copy of Knox's notes which he delivered to Doctor David Ramsay to use as reference for his book, History of the American Revolution. Note at top states, "(Inclosed) Notes and explanations of Doctor Ramsay's history respecting the campaign 1777- & the affair of Trenton 1776." Title is from document. Includes historical notes on the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. Asserts, "It was not a general opinion by any means that Sir William Howe would attack Philadelphia by means of the Chesapeake. The first object was supposed to be the complete possession of Hudson River, so as to…

GLC02437.00680