Wills Family Papers, 1750-1912

Summary

Title:

Wills Family Papers

Dates:

1750-1912

Creators:

Wills family.

Abstract:

This small collection chiefly contains correspondence between lawyer John Alexander Wills (1819-1891) and his wife, Charlotte Le Moyne Wills (1824-1908), before and during the American Civil War.

Extent:

41 items; 1 box.

Language:

English.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Wills Family Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This small collection chiefly contains correspondence between lawyer John Alexander Wills and his wife, Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, before and during the American Civil War, and a few letters between Charlotte Le Moyne Wills and her daughter, Madeline Francis Wills. In addition, there are several manuscripts pertaining to the French history in Gallipolis and Gallia County, Ohio. Ephemera includes newspaper clippings and a drawing of the plan purchase by the Ohio Company and Scioto Land Company.

Biographical / historical:

John Alexander Wills (1819-1891) was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 21, 1819. Wills graduate from Washington College in Washington, Pennsylvania, in 1837 and received a law degree from the Law School of Harvard College in 1840. After graduation, Wills was admitted into the bar of Pennsylvania in 1841 and practiced in the courts of Pittsburgh.

Wills was an aggressive opponent of slavery, joining in 1842 the Liberty Party, in 1843 the Free Soil party, and in 1852 the Republican Party. In 1853, Wills moved to San Francisco, California, and practiced law there until 1856. Between 1856 and 1884, Wills lived in Chicago, Illinois, Washington, D.C., Europe, and Washington, Pennsylvania. In 1884, Wills relocated with his family to Los Angeles, California, where he was actively involved in establishing the first crematory in Los Angeles.

In 1848 he married Charlotte Le Moyne; the couple had four children including surgeon and medical professor William Le Moyne Wills (1853-1933) and Madeline Francis Wills.

Wills died on November 26, 1891 in Los Angeles, California.

Suffragist and philanthropist Charlotte Le Moyne Wills (1824-1908) was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, on June 21, 1824, the eldest daughter of surgeon, philanthropist, and reformer Dr. Francis Julius Le Moyne. In her younger years, people called her "the little abolitionist," and runaway slaves were housed in the family's barn as part of the Underground Railroad. Le Moyne graduated from Washington Female Seminary and married John Alexander Wills in 1848.

The Wills moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1884, and Charlotte Wills actively participated in club work and was one of the founders of the Friday Morning Club. Le Moyne Wills passed away on November 1908 in Los Angeles, California.

Acquisition information:

Gift of Etienne Noir, April 25, 1941.

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically by author.

Rules or conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Related resources

Related material:

• William LeMoyne Wills letters to Charlotte LeMoyne Wills, 1872-1900 (mssWills letters)

Other descriptive data:

Antislavery movements – United States – 19th century

• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, July 6), Washington (D.C.). With envelope. HM 80172.

Barlow, Joel, 1754-1812

• Subject in Newsome, Lewis. The French of Southern Ohio: [manuscript], A.MS. (31 p.), [approx. 1840?]. Included: Transcript. HM 80155.
• Subject in Gallia County: [excerpt], A.MS. (19 p.), [undated]. HM 80180.

Duer, William, 1747-1799

• Subject in Bureau, John Peter Romaine. History of Gallipolis, Ohio: carbon copy (typewritten: 10 p.), [before 1852]. HM 80152.
• Subject in Bureau, John Peter Romaine. Sketch of the first formation of the Purchase by French settlers, A.MS.S. (2 p.), [before 1852]. HM 80153.
• Subject in Newsome, Lewis. The French of Southern Ohio: [manuscript], A.MS. (31 p.), [approx. 1840?]. Included: Transcript. HM 80155.

Frémont, John Charles, 1813-1890

• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, Mar. 6), Washington (D.C.). With envelope. HM 80168.
• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, Mar. 20), Washington (D.C.). With envelope. HM 80169.

France – Emigration and immigration – History – 18th century

• Subject in Bureau, John Peter Romaine. History of Gallipolis, Ohio: carbon copy (typewritten: 10 p.), [before 1852]. HM 80152.
• Subject in Newsome, Lewis. The French of Southern Ohio: [manuscript], A.MS. (31 p.), [approx. 1840?]. Included: Transcript. HM 80155.

French – Ohio – Gallipolis – History – 18th century

• Subject in Bureau, John Peter Romaine. History of Gallipolis, Ohio: carbon copy (typewritten: 10 p.), [before 1852]. HM 80152.
• Subject in Newsome, Lewis. The French of Southern Ohio: [manuscript], A.MS. (31 p.), [approx. 1840?]. Included: Transcript. HM 80155.

French – Ohio – Gallipolis – Social life and customs – 18th century

• Subject in Newsome, Lewis. The French of Southern Ohio: [manuscript], A.MS. (31 p.), [approx. 1840?]. Included: Transcript. HM 80155.

Gallia County (Ohio) – History – 19th century

• Subject in Gallia County: [excerpt], A.MS. (19 p.), [undated]. HM 80180.

Gallipolis (Ohio) – History – 18th century

• Subject in Bureau, John Peter Romaine. History of Gallipolis, Ohio: carbon copy (typewritten: 10 p.), [before 1852]. HM 80152.
• Subject in Newsome, Lewis. The French of Southern Ohio: [manuscript], A.MS. (31 p.), [approx. 1840?]. Included: Transcript. HM 80155.

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, Mar. 20), Washington (D.C.). With envelope. HM 80169.

Indians of North America – Ohio

• Subject in Bureau, John Peter Romaine. History of Gallipolis, Ohio: carbon copy (typewritten: 10 p.), [before 1852]. HM 80152.
• Subject in Gallia County: [excerpt], A.MS. (19 p.), [undated]. HM 80180.
• Subject in Newsome, Lewis. The French of Southern Ohio: [manuscript], A.MS. (31 p.), [approx. 1840?]. Included: Transcript. HM 80155.

Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de, 1757-1834

• Subject in Lafayette’s Tour Thro’ United States: [excerpt], A.MS. (7 p.), (1904, Oct. 20). 1 item. Copied by M. Le Moyne. HM 80181.

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, July 6), Washington (D.C.). With envelope. HM 80172.

Los Angeles (Calif.) – Social life and customs – 19th century

• Subject in Wills, Charlotte Le Moyne 1 letter to Madeline Francis Wills, A.L.S. (10 p.), (1887, July 31), Los Angeles (Calif.). HM 80161.

McClellan, George Brinton, 1826-1885

• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, Sep. 18), Chambersburg (Pa.). HM 80175.

Ohio Company (1786-1796) – History

• Subject in Bureau, John Peter Romaine. History of Gallipolis, Ohio: carbon copy (typewritten: 10 p.), [before 1852]. HM 80152.
• Subject in Bureau, John Peter Romaine. Sketch of the first formation of the Purchase by French settlers, A.MS.S. (2 p.), [before 1852]. HM 80153.
• Subject in Newsome, Lewis. The French of Southern Ohio: [manuscript], A.MS. (31 p.), [approx. 1840?]. Included: Transcript. HM 80155.
• Subject in Gallia County: [excerpt], A.MS. (19 p.), [undated]. HM 80180.

Scioto land company

• Subject in Bureau, John Peter Romaine. History of Gallipolis, Ohio: carbon copy (typewritten: 10 p.), [before 1852]. HM 80152.
• Subject in Bureau, John Peter Romaine. Sketch of the first formation of the Purchase by French settlers, A.MS.S. (2 p.), [before 1852]. HM 80153.
• Subject in Newsome, Lewis. The French of Southern Ohio: [manuscript], A.MS. (31 p.), [approx. 1840?]. Included: Transcript. HM 80155.
• Subject in Gallia County: [excerpt], A.MS. (19 p.), [undated]. HM 80180.

Seward, William Henry, 1801-1872

• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, Mar. 20), Washington (D.C.). With envelope. HM 80169.

Soldiers – United States – Correspondence – 19th century

• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, Sep. 17), Chambersburg (Pa.). With envelope. HM 80174.
• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, Sep. 18), Chambersburg (Pa.). HM 80175.

Soldiers – United States – Social Conditions – 19th century

• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, Sep. 17), Chambersburg (Pa.). With envelope. HM 80174.
• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, Sep. 18), Chambersburg (Pa.). HM 80175.
• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (6 p.), (1862, Oct. 19), Washington (D.C.). With envelope. HM 80176.

Songs, English – 18th century

• Subject in [Unknown author]. Benjamin the Beau: [lyrics], A.MS. (2 p.), [approx. 1750]. HM 80178.

Songs, French – 18th century

• Subject in [Unknown author]. French songs: [lyrics], A.MS. [approx. 1750]. 4 items. HM 80179

Stanton, Edwin McMasters, 1814-1869

• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, Mar. 6), Washington (D.C.). With envelope. HM 80168.
• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, Mar. 20), Washington (D.C.). With envelope. HM 80169.
• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, Mar. 29), Washington (D.C.). With envelope. HM 80170.

Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874

• Subject in Wills, John Alexander 1 letter to Charlotte Le Moyne Wills, A.L.S. (4 p.), (1862, July 6), Washington (D.C.). With envelope. HM 80172.

United States – Description and travel

• Subject in Lafayette’s Tour Thro’ United States: [excerpt], A.MS. (7 p.), (1904, Oct. 20). 1 item. Copied by M. Le Moyne. HM 80181.

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Antislavery movements -- United States -- History -- 19th century.
Indians of North America -- Ohio.
Soldiers -- United States -- Correspondence.
Soldiers -- United States -- Social conditions -- 19th century.
Songs, English -- 18th century.
Songs, French -- 18th century.
French -- Ohio -- Gallipolis -- History -- 18th century.
French -- Ohio -- Gallipolis -- Social life and customs -- 18th century.
Family papers -- United States -- 19th century.
Letters (correspondence) -- United States -- 19th century.

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:

Finding aid prepared by Gina C Giang, June 12, 2013.

Date Prepared:

© June 2013

Date Encoded:

Machine readable finding aid encoded by Diann Benti in November 2016 from PDF finding aid originally in the Huntington Digital Library.

Restrictions:

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

Terms of access:

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]. Wills Family Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:

Huntington Library, Manuscript Collections

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, CA 91108, US

Contact:

(626) 405-2191

reference@huntington.org

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