April 7, 1853

Chase, Salmon P. (Salmon Portland), 1808-1873

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lizzie Ellicott

Jocular letter where he talks of mutual acquaintances, taking a trip east in June, and other trivial matters. Promises her that when he becomes President, Mr. Pike will receive a diplomatic appointment "and you shall enjoy old world sights for me."

GLC01473

1782

George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820

Broadside

Title: Epitaph [mock epitaph on George III, "Button-Maker"]

Satirical epitaph on King George III. Compares George III to various dictatorial rulers, including Caligua and Cesar, Printed by F. Bailey. Inscribed at top to "Mrs. Rebecca Treat at Yorktown -- From Sam: Leatney [?]."

GLC01531

18 September 1788

Von Steuben, Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin, 1730-1794

Letter signed

Title: to William North

Whimsical letter written by Von Steuben in retirement and in debt in New York to his former aide North, who was also in retirement at Duanesburg, New York. Refers to North as "my dear Bill." Looks back on the last year. Mentions that "you did cut your name & mine, in a Big tree" and that the Constitution was signed. Says ten years ago Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga. Says nothing is decided by Congress, in reference to an application for a pension still pending before that body. Says he is going to winter with Armstrong and that they are going to take the corner house at Nassau Street…

GLC02542.12

19 April 1862

Adair, George Washington, 1823-1899

Newspaper

Title: Southern confederacy [Vol. 3, no. 57 (April 19, 1863)]

Published by Adair and J. Henry Smith (1820-1897). B.C. Smith is the associate editor. Tag line below masthead says "The Public Good Before Private Advantage." Masthead vignette depicts an industrialized Southern Confederacy. Announces the beginning of the Vicksburg campaign on page 3. Front page has a mocking description of "A Model Yankee Officer." Various letters printed on page 2-3, including one from British Minister to America, Lord Lyons, to Earl Russell. Several advertisements for a reward for the return of deserters. Also ads for slave sales. With ownership stamp of the "Tennessee…

GLC08492

January 23, 1848

Lover, Samuel, 1797-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to J.M. Dawson

Describes the reception of his poem in New York City and Philadelphia. Discusses Broadway and the New York theatre scene. Affixed to verso is a satirical letter from Dawson dated February 25, 1854 presenting Lover with a diamond ring.

GLC00496.189

January 2, 1830

Placide, Henry P., 1799-1870

Autograph note

Title: to H.W.R.

Signed in text and likely written by Henry Placide, in the third person (based on a handwriting comparison). Writes that Henry Placide cannot give an opinion of a farce without having read it and asks the recipient to send a copy. Written on paper imprinted with "J.H. Walsh & Sons, Newburgh."

GLC00496.218

August 10, 1824

Smith, Horace, 1779-1849

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Colburn

Signed "Horatio Smith." Discusses two satirical articles he wrote that Colburn may want for the New Monthly Magazine.

GLC00496.227

December 29, 1828

Fox, Charles Richard 1796-1873

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Pringle

Discusses an etching entitled "Mr. Fox and his Friends" by William Lane housed at Holland House. Fox thinks it would be fitting for an upcoming work and says his father has no objection to having it engraved. Whigs depicted in the etching include William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire; William Wentworth Fitzwilliam, 2nd Earl Fitzwilliam; John Crewe, 1st Baron Crewe; Frederick Ponsonby, 3rd Earl of Bessborough; Henry Richard Vassall Fox, 3rd Baron Holland; John Fitzpatrick, 2nd Earl of Upper Ossory; Richard Fitzpatrick; Dudley Long North; Andrew St John, 13th Baron St John; Lord Robert…

GLC00496.157

August 11, 1799

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James McHenry

McHenry served as Secretary of War. Mentions appointment of ambassadors to France during Quasi-war and newspaper accusations by William Duane against federalist officials (in a July editorial) for supposedly accepting bribes. Humorous letter (on bribery) with hinted approval of Sedition Act. Marked "Confidential" in the text.

GLC00604.01

1813-1815

Green, Joseph W., fl. 1812-1815

Diary

Title: [Journal of a privateer and of prisoner of war during the War of 1812]

Diary written while aboard the privateer Alfred and as a prisoner of war in Melville Island Prison, Halifax, and Dartmoor Prison. Records many sightings and occasional capturing of ships. Entry on 22 February 1814 records the capture of Green's privateer by the British and being brought to Melville Island Prison at Halifax. Records writing to family and the arrival of new prisoners. Notable entries include mention of a prisoners' petition to General John Mason on 28 April 1814, the reduction of rations on 1 May 1814, the release of 90 prisoners on 23 July 1814. There are also…

GLC00498.01

July 22, 1901

Van Valkenburgh, Franklin Butler, 1835-1924

Typed letter

Title: to Faith Van Valkenburgh

Unsigned, with a short postscript hand-written on page 3. Several corrections made in pen throughout. Written on letter head of Van Valkenburgh's own law firm. Letter written by Frank to his daughter, Faith, in Buffalo, New York. A funny letter with many puns throughout. Filled with esoteric information of family and friends. Pages 2-3 are the size listed in the extent field. Page 1 is 26 x 20.7 cm. Contains a small, undated newspaper clipping about Faith's trip west.

GLC00686.27

July 3, 1909

Van Valkenburgh, Franklin Butler, 1835-1924

Typed letter

Title: to Dr. W. H. Merritt

Written on stationary of the law office of Frank B. Van Valkenburgh. Written to Dr. Merritt, the Chairman of the Norwalk, Ohio Centennial Committee. He is flattered that he would receive an invitation to be present at the "Norwalk Home Coming Week Celebration." Says he remembers Norwalk as a "lovely village" where he sojourned as a printer 57 years before. Says he is not so much an "OLD SETTLER" as one of "the antiques" of the village. Says he would be proud to go since his grandfather, the Reverend David Higgins, settled there the year he (Frank) was born, but that circumstances will keep…

GLC00686.29

1900-1929

Unknown

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frank Van Valkenburgh

Illegible signature at end of letter. Pencil note at the bottom of the letter says it is Garrit [likely Gerrit] S. Van Valkenburgh, but it is too obscure to be certain. Pokes fun at his brother for such a bad letter to him. Says it is cold and that they are clustered around a rousing fire in the store. A dust storm is obscuring the day. Says mother is well and that their father is with Ed (another brother). Says Carrie Van Singer, probably a relative, gave birth to a son. Reports that there is peace in Europe and plenty in America. Mentions that crops are good. Gives update on family and…

GLC00686.30

1900-1929

Van Valkenburgh, Franklin Butler, 1835-1924

Document

Title: Robins and Robbins

Poem on two typed pages. The type is green instead of black. Size in the extent is for the larger sheet. The smaller sheet is 13.8 x 21.6 cm. Two stanzas on the smaller sheet and two longer stanzas on the the bigger sheet. Pencil note says the poem was by Franklin Van Valkenburgh. Several corrections made in pencil. Poem is a nonsensical and seems to revolve around a family story or an inside joke.

GLC00686.31

May 12, 1818

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Tudor

Adams, in retirement, writes to Tudor, who was clerk of Supreme Judicial Court in Massachusetts. Says he wants to make Tudor laugh. Sends Tudor a copy of Jemmibullero's (probably Samuel Waterhouse) "The Song of the Drunkard," which is not included here. He compares the work to James Otis's Latin and Greek prosody. This is part of a series of letters Tudor and Adams sent back and forth between 1816 and 1819.

GLC00693.04

30 April 1863

Curran, William, fl. 1863

Newspaper

Title: The Opelousas Courier. [Vol. 11, no. 3 (April 30, 1863)]

On front, humorous soldiers' letters and descriptions. printed: "William Curran, Co. "D," Forty First Regt Mass Vols". On back, blue, brown, gray striped wallpaper pattern, number 289.

GLC00677

November 17, 1910

Harding, Warren G. (Warren Gamaliel), 1865-1923

Typed letter signed

Title: to William D. Street

Written after his defeat in the 1910 Ohio gubernatorial election to thank Street for his support in the campaign. He cheerfully accepts defeat and recounts humorous misconceptions of his positions. Letter typed on personal stationary in purple ink with penned corrections.

GLC00782.09

August 3, 1857

Lee, Robert E., 1807-1870

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Capt. Nathan G. Evans

A humorous letter to his friend from West Point. Also concerns fighting Indians and paying for a gun. Lee remained in Texas by order of General Twiggs. The letter also mentions A.S. Sydney going to Utah to fight Mormons, army news, debt settlement, and a keg of water.

GLC01031

December 23, 1932

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945

Typed letter signed

Title: Memorandum for D. Basil O'Connor

Roosevelt advises in humor that the Knickerbocker Ice Company has a cold storage plant in Brooklyn that O'Connor can rent, commenting that "After visits from your old friends like Gus and Meyer and Julian, a night spent in the cooler will restore you to health." He states that he promised Gus a place in the cabinet to take him off O'Connor's hands and remarks, "You should give me a medal for this." He humorously mentions that the difference between him and O'Connor, "Certain contacts make you so hot that you need to sit on a cake of ice; in my case I have a longing to take a Turkish bath!"…

GLC00894

June 21, 1767

Moody, Morton, fl. 1767

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Waite

Moody seems to be a teacher writing a reassuring letter to Waite, a resident of Watertown, Massachusetts, who sent his son to Moody's school. Mentions that his son is in good health and high spirits. Says he has a good sense of humor, but that he would rather confine himself with his books than socialize. Hopes the son will live up to his father's expectations. Says he will do everything he can for the boy. He would like Waite to send his son a copy of "Boyers French Dictionary." Sends compliments to General Preble, saying Preble's son is doing well.

GLC01450.209.02

18 July 1776

Knox, William, 1756-1795

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Remarks on Henry's talent for burlesquing William's writing. Expresses sympathy for Lucy's situation, in which she has to stay in Connecticut away from Henry. Offers to leave the bookstore in someone's care and go to Fairfield to bring Lucy back to Boston. Mentions that the Declaration of Independence will be read in Boston on the day of this letter's writing. Remarks that he heard the British sailed up the Hudson, which they did on 12 July 1776, and conjectures "it to be by way of experiment." Mentions that Captain Harry Johnson came in from Halifax. Also mentions that two persons were…

GLC02437.00383

circa 1940-1945

Scrapbook

Title: Scrapbook, Vol. III.

1 Adjutant General's Office. Official announcement of the establishment of the Civil Affairs Division 4 May 1943 2 Beta Theta Pi Magazine. Clippings: "The Second Military List of Beta Theta Pi (World War II);" Columbia University; and "Civil Affairs Division, USA." Oct 1943 3 a. Clipping from [?]: "News & Comments." [n.d.] b. Clipping from [?]: "Gen. Hilldring to Head Civil Affairs Division." [n.d.] c. Clipping from [?]: "Army and Navy Legion of Valor." [n.d.] d. American Relief for Italy, Inc. List of the Board of Directors and members. [n.d.] 3 e. Washington Post.…

GLC06196.107

20 April 1863

Cook, Gustave, 1835-1897

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Eliza Cook

Fuss about Cook's lack of mail: "I will venture that no other wife in Texas, or sweetheart even, gets half as many letters from her lover as you do. Is it not so? And yet I do not get letters from you as often as many do from others. How come this? Who is to blame, you or the mail? Never mind though I wrote you one ill natured letter on this very subject last week and that shall gratify my spleen for a time." Discusses his loss of good looks, "…I have just lain aside my mirror in the reflection of which I have been gazing upon the once attractive features of your husband. Alas! Miss…

GLC02570.43

circa 1585-1763

Document

Title: "The Warning"

Satirical poem criticizing attacks on truth and liberty.

GLC03107.05312

20 August 1864

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Parents

Clapp says Charles Town is in Virginia, but was mistaken. Received two letters from them yesterday. One also came with $1, socks, suspenders, and a handkerchief, all of which he appreciated greatly. Does not get mail as regularly as while at Petersburg. In "the last 48 hours… we had no sleep nor not a mouthful of food." Encountered some farm animals and killed them, but did not have much time to prepare and cook them. His brigade was sent back to Winchester, Virginia to wait for the supply train while the rest of the corps marched south. The supply train consists of over 3,000 wagons full of…

GLC09355.085