Overview of the Collection
Access
Administrative Information
Biographical Note of John Alexander Wills
Biographical Note of Charlotte Le Moyne Wills
Scope and Content
Arrangement
Related Materials in the Huntington Library
Indexing Terms
Subject index
Overview of the Collection
Title: Wills Family Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1750-1912
Collection Number: mssHM 80151-80181
Creator:
Wills family.
Extent:
41 items; 1 box.
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
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.
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]. Wills Family Papers, The Huntington Library, San
Marino, California.
Provenance
Gift of Etienne Noir, April 25, 1941.
Biographical Note of John Alexander Wills
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.
Biographical Note of Charlotte Le Moyne Wills
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.
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.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by author.
Related Materials in the Huntington Library
Indexing Terms
Subjects
Barlow, Joel,
1754-1812.
Duer, William,
1747-1799.
Frémont, John Charles,
1813-1890.
Grant, Ulysses S.
(Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885.
Lafayette, Marie Joseph
Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de, 1757-1834.
McClellan, George
Brinton, 1826-1885.
Seward, William Henry,
1801-1872.
Sumner, Charles,
1811-1874.
Wills family.
Ohio Company
(1786-1796)
Scioto Land
Company.
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.
France -- Emigration
and immigration -- History -- 18th century.
French -- Ohio -- Gallipolis -- History
-- 18th century.
French -- Ohio -- Gallipolis -- Social
life and customs -- 18th century.
Gallia County (Ohio) --
History -- 19th century.
Gallipolis (Ohio) --
History -- 18th century.
Los Angeles (Calif.)
-- Social life and customs -- 19th century.
United States --
Description and travel.
Washington (D.C.) --
History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.
Forms/Genres
Family papers -- United States -- 19th
century.
Letters (correspondence) -- United
States -- 19th century.
Additional Contributors
Bureau, John Peter Romaine.
Newsome, Lewis.
Wills, Charlotte Le Moyne.
Wills, John Alexander.
Subject index
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.