Frank McGregor Papers: Finding Aid

Finding aid prepared by Katie Richardson, October 27, 2009.

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

Manuscripts Department

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, California 91108

Phone: (626) 405-2191

Email: reference@huntington.org

URL: http://www.huntington.org

Overview of the Collection

Title: Frank McGregor Papers

Dates (inclusive): 1862-1915

Collection Number: mssHM 72510-72606

Creator: McGregor, Frank.

Extent: 97 items + ephemera in 3 boxes and an oversize folder

Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Manuscripts Department

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, California 91108

Phone: (626) 405-2191

Email: reference@huntington.org

URL: http://www.huntington.org

Abstract: This collection contains family correspondence, manuscripts, and ephemera of American Civil War soldier and Ohio floral shipping merchant Frank McGregor (1838-1920), including letters from McGregor about his experiences during the Civil War.

Language: English.

Access

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Administrative Information

Publication Rights

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item]. Frank McGregor Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Provenance

Purchased from William Reese Company at Cowan's auction, June 24, 2009.

Biographical Note

Francis "Frank" McGregor (1838-1920) was born to Peter McGregor and Christine Ross on June 19, 1838, in Nottinghamshire, England. He was one of ten children and lived with his grandparents in the northern part of Scotland until he was 13 years old. In 1850, he moved with his family to the United States where they settled in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In 1862, Frank joined the Union Army to fight in the Civil War. He served for three years in the 83rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company E. Frank is credited with participating in eleven important battles and never being wounded. Throughout his service, he wrote detailed letters about the war to his immediate family and to Susan "Susie" Brown, a school teacher who later became his wife.

In 1865, Frank was in Galveston, Texas, where he received an honorable discharge from the Army. Afterwards, he returned home and established a career in business supplying seeds and plants to the retail trade. Eventually, Frank moved to Springfield, Ohio, where he and his brother, David, formed a partnership and established McGregor Brothers. They built a one hundred and twenty-five thousand square foot greenhouse and created a general floral shipping business, selling both wholesale and retail.

On June 28, 1866, Frank married Susan Brown in Lockland Hamilton, Ohio. The two had seven children: Allan, Bertha, Grace, Harold, Helen, Olive, and Robert. During the latter part of their lives, Frank and his wife traveled extensively, visiting such countries as England, Belgium, Germany, Scotland, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and France. In addition to his business career, Frank also served on the board for park commissioners. Frank died in 1920 in Clark, Ohio.

Scope and Content

This collection contains correspondence, manuscripts, and ephemera of Frank McGregor.

The Correspondence series is arranged chronologically and contains letters from Frank to his family members, most notably his sisters and to Susan, about his experiences during the Civil War. Also included in the series are letters from Frank and Susan to their children when they traveled around Europe in 1892 visiting such cities as Rome, Glasgow, Oban, Dingwall, Edinburgh, London, Brussels, Berlin, Vienna, Venice, Florence, Naples, Interlacken, and Paris. There are also letters from their children, most notably their daughters Bertha, Grace, and Olive, as they traveled around the United States.

The Manuscripts series is arranged alphabetically and contains a typed collection of letters written by Frank McGregor titled "Letters to the Folks at Home from Frank McGregor of the 83rd Regiment O.V.I. Army of the Mississippi." The letters date from 1862-1865 and span McGregor’s time in the Civil War. Also included, is a short composition written by Susan B. McGregor recalling details about a story her mother, Olive W. Wilder liked to tell about going to a ball.

The Ephemera series is arranged alphabetically and contains such items as a photocopy of images of Frank and Susan, pamphlets from the annual reunion of the survivors of the 83rd Ohio Voluntary Infantry, a copy of a questionnaire about Frank’s military service, biographical information about Frank McGregor, a copy of a newspaper dated September 22, 1864, and a copy of the book Dearest Susie: A Civil War infantryman’s letters to his sweetheart (1971) which is signed by the book’s editor, Carl E. Hatch.

The Oversize Folder contains two sepia photographs: one is a headshot of Frank McGregor and the other is what appears to be the 83rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

Arrangement

The papers are arranged in the following series: 1. Correspondence (Boxes 1-3); 2. Manuscripts (Box 3); 3. Ephemera (Box 3); 4. Oversize Folder.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Huntington Library's Online Catalog.

Subjects

McGregor, Frank -- Archives.

United States. Army -- Military life -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Sources.

United States. Army -- Officers.

United States. Army. Ohio Infantry Regiment, 43rd (1861-1865)

California -- Description and travel.

United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives.

United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Regimental histories -- Ohio.

Forms/Genres

Letters (correspondence) -- 19th century -- United States Civil War, 1861-1865.

Military documents -- United States Civil War, 1861-1865.

Personal papers -- United States Civil War, 1861-1865.

Photographs -- United States Civil War, 1861-1865.

Additional Contributors

McGregor, Susan B.

Correspondence, Manuscripts, Ephemera

Box 1

Correspondence, 1863-1896, July 18

McGregor, Frank. 1 letter [1863, Mar. 19] to Susan B. McGregor. HM 72510

McGregor, Frank. 1 letter [1863, Oct. 27] to “Sister.” HM 72511

McGregor, Frank. 3 letters (1863, Nov. 1-1864, Jan. 14) to Susan B. McGregor. Fragile. HM 72512-72514

McGregor, Frank. 1 letter [1864, July 22] to “My Dear Sister.” Includes a typewritten copy. HM 72515

McGregor, Frank. 1 letter (1864, July 30) to “Dear Folks at Home.” Includes a typewritten copy. HM 72516

McGregor, Frank. 2 letters (1864, Sep.) to Susan B. McGregor. HM 72517-72518

McGregor, Frank. 1 letter (1864, Oct. 27) to Christine Ross McGregor. Includes a typewritten copy and a photograph of Susan B. McGregor. HM 72519

McGregor, Frank. 1 letter (1864, Nov. 12) to “Sister.” Includes a typewritten copy. HM 72520

McGregor, Frank. 1 letter (1864, Nov. 13) to Belle McGregor. Includes a typewritten copy. HM 72521

McGregor, Frank. 1 letter (1864, Dec. 13) to Jessie McGregor. Includes a typewritten copy. HM 72522

McGregor, Frank. 1 letter (1864, Dec. 15) to Susan B. McGregor. HM 72523

McGregor, Frank. 2 letters (1865, Jan. 6- Jan. 21) to Belle McGregor. Includes a typewritten copy. HM 72524-72525

McGregor, Frank. 1 letter (1865, Feb. 13) to Susan B. McGregor. HM 72526

McGregor, Frank. 1 letter (1865, Feb. 27) to Belle McGregor. HM 72527

McGregor, Frank. 1 letter (1865, May 7) to Susan B. McGregor. HM 72528

McGregor, Frank. 1 letter (1865, May 9) to “Folks at Home.” HM 72529

McGregor, Frank. 1 letter [before 1865] to Susan B. McGregor. HM 72530

McGregor, Frank and Susan B. 15 letters (1892, May-Aug.) to “Girls and Boys.” HM 72531-72545

Snider, Charles H. 1 letter (1892, Sep. 9) to Susan B. McGregor. HM 72546

McGregor, Bertha. 1 letter (1896, June 24) to Grace McGregor. With envelope. HM 72547

McGregor, Bertha. 1 letter (1896, July 1) to Helen McGregor. With envelope. HM 72548

McGregor, Bertha. 3 letters (1896, July 7-12) to Susan B. McGregor. HM 72549-72551

McGregor, Bertha. 1 letter (1896, July 15) to Grace McGregor. With envelope. HM 72552

McGregor, Bertha. 1 letter (1896, July 18) to Susan B. McGregor. With envelope. HM 72553

Box 2

Correspondence, 1896, July 19-1906, Apr.

McGregor, Bertha. 1 letter (1896, July 19) to Susan B. McGregor. With envelope. HM 72554

McGregor, Grace. 1 letter (1896, July 22) to Susan B. McGregor. HM 72555

McGregor, Bertha. 1 letter (1896, July 24) to Susan B. McGregor. With envelope. HM 72556

McGregor, Bertha. 1 letter (1896, July 28) to Olive McGregor. With envelope. HM 72557

McGregor, Bertha. 2 letters (1896) to Susan B. McGregor. With envelope. HM 72558-72559

McGregor, Olive. 2 letters (1897, June-July) to Susan B. McGregor. With envelope. HM 72560-72561

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1897, July 4) to Grace McGregor. With envelope. HM 72562

McGregor, Grace. 2 letters (1897, July 5-9) to Susan B. McGregor. With envelope. HM 72563-72564

McGregor, Grace. 1 letter (1897, July 12) to Helen McGregor. With envelope. HM 72565

McGregor, Olive. 1 letter (1897, July 13) to Susan B. McGregor. With envelope. HM 72566

McGregor, Grace. 1 letter (1897, July 17) to Allan McGregor. HM 72567

McGregor, Olive. 1 letter (1897, July 19) to Susan B. McGregor. HM 72568

McGregor, Grace. 1 letter (1897, July 21) to Susan B. McGregor. HM 72569

McGregor, Grace. 1 letter (1897, July 26) to Bertha McGregor. HM 72570

McGregor, Grace. 1 letter (1897, July 30) to Harold McGregor. HM 72571

McGregor, Grace. 1 letter (1897, Aug. 2) to Susan B. Brown. HM 72572

McGregor, Grace. 1 letter (1897, Aug. 5) to Frank McGregor. HM 72573

McGregor, Grace. 1 letter (1897, Aug. 6) to Helen McGregor and “Hattie.” HM 72574

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, Feb 12) to Grace McGregor. With envelope. HM 72575

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, Feb 12) to Olive McGregor. HM 72576

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, Feb. 13) to Frank McGregor. With envelope. HM 72577

McGregor, Bertha and Susan B. 1 letter (1906, Feb. 18) to Grace McGregor. With envelope. HM 72578

McGregor, Susan B. 2 letters (1906, Feb.) to Frank McGregor. With envelope. Includes a letter from Susan to her daughter, Olive. HM 72579-72580

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, Mar. 1) to Grace McGregor. HM 72581

McGregor, Susan B. 2 letters (1906, Mar.) to Frank McGregor. With envelope. Includes letter from Georgia E. Wilder Hynes to Susan B. McGregor dated Mar. 15, 1906. With envelope. HM 72582-72583

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, Mar. 25) to Helen McGregor. With envelop. HM 72584

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, Mar. 26) to Frank McGregor. With envelope. HM 72585

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, Mar. 29) to Olive and Grace McGregor. With envelope. HM 72586

McGregor, Susan B. 2 letters (1906, Apr.) to Frank McGregor. With envelope. HM 72587-72588

Box 3

Correspondence, 1906, Apr. 8-June, Manuscripts, and Ephemera

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, Apr. 8) to Helen and Harry McGregor. With envelope. HM 72589

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, Apr. 12) to Olive McGregor. With envelope. HM 72590

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, Apr. 15) to Frank McGregor. HM 72591

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, Apr. 19) to Olive McGregor. With envelope. HM 72592

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, Apr. 22) to Frank McGregor. With envelope. HM 72593

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, Apr. 30) to Olive McGregor. With envelope. HM 72594

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter [1906, May 6] to Frank McGregor. Includes blur string and a leaf that says “the tree this came off of was 80 ft. high. The diameter of the foliage…” HM 72595

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, May 13) to Frank McGregor. With envelope. Plus a leaflet from the Immanuel Presbyterian Church dated May 13, 1906. HM 72596

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, May 17) to Grace McGregor. With envelope. HM 72597

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter [1906, May 20] to Frank McGregor. HM 72598

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter [1906, May 22] to Grace McGregor. HM 72599

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, May 29) to Frank McGregor. HM 72600

McGregor, Susan B. 1 letter (1906, June 1) to Grace McGregor. HM 72601

McGregor, Susan B. 2 letters (1906, June) to Frank McGregor. With envelope. HM 72602-72603

Hattie. 1 letter [undated] to “Dear mother.” HM 72604

Manuscripts: McGregor, Frank. “Letters to the Folks at Home from Frank McGregor of the 83rd Regiment O.V.I. Army of the Mississippi:” [collection of letters: 117 pages] (1862- 1865). HM 72605

Manuscripts: McGregor. Susan B. “Ball at Kiah Cady’s:” note [undated]. HM 72606

Ephemera: Biographical record of Frank McGregor (1902). 1 item.

Ephemera: Dearest Susie: A Civil War Infantrymen’s Letters to His Sweetheart : [book] Edited by Carl E. Hatch. The book is autographed by Hatch. Item is on shelf with the rest of the collection.

Ephemera: Newspaper The Daily Age September 22, 1864. 1 item.

Ephemera: Pamphlets: Annual Reunion of the Survivors of the Eighty-Third Ohio Voluntary Infantry (1912-1915). 4 items.

Ephemera: Photocopy images of Frank and Susan McGregor [ca. 1866]. 1 item.

Ephemera: Questionnaire about Frank’s military service from the department of the interior bureau of pensions (1915, Mar. 27). 1 item.

Oversize Photograph

Oversize Folder

Photograph: Frank McGregor. 1 item. Photograph: 83rd Ohio Voluntary Infantry. 1 item.