Timothy Pitkin papers, 1681-1847, bulk 1800-1830

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Summary

Creators:
Pitkin, Timothy, 1766-1847
Abstract:
A collection of professional and personal material related to the American statesman, Timothy Pitkin.
Extent:
9.92 Linear Feet (8 boxes)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Timothy Pitkin papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

A collection of 336 items from 1681 to 1847, it consists of the political and personal correspondence of Timothy Pitkin: letters addressed to him and drafts of his letters. The correspondence discusses various political, diplomatic, and economic topics, including the Thomas Jefferson-Aaron Burr election; impeachment of Samuel Chase; foreign policy; the War of 1812; the Hartford convention; presidential elections; Louisiana affairs; commerce; banking; internal revenue; and patent legislation. Also included are letters related to Pitkin's historical studies. Correspondents include John Quincy Adams, Simon Baldwin, Theodore Dwight, Chauncey Goodrich, Bela Hubbard, William Stedman, John Treadwell, Eli Whitney, and others. Also included are a few earlier items, apparently from the files of William Pitkin (1694-1769) who was the colonial governor of Connecticut and grandfather of Timothy Pitkin.

John Quincy Adams letters to Timothy Pitkin are dated 1817 September 1, 1819 April 28, 1827 February 13, 1831 August 18, 1837 April 22 (PI 1-5).

Biographical / historical:

Timothy Pitkin (1766-1847) was an American statesman, economist, and historian. Pitkin was born in Connecticut, and throughout his life was closely identified with the affairs of his native state. He was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1790, 1792, and from 1794 to 1805, serving as Clerk of the House from 1800 to 1802, and as Speaker from 1803 to 1805. In 1805, he was elected as a Federalist, to the Ninth United States Congress; he retained the seat in the next six congresses. While in Congress, Pitkin did extensive research on the economic impact of Republican foreign policy. The results of his research were published in A Statistical View of the Commerce of the United States of America (1816). A staunch Federalist and defender of the Congregational Church establishment, Pitkin was not a candidate for re-nomination in 1818. Having taken part in the convention that framed the new constitution of Connecticut, he resumed the practice of law and engaged in literary work. In 1819, he was again elected to the State House of Representatives; he served until 1830. He continued to study history, economics, and theology, and in 1828 published A Political and Civil History of the United States of America.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from William Channing Wyman, October 1922.
Processing information:

Processed by Huntington Library Staff, circa 1930. In 2020, Gayle Richardson created the finding aid derived from a legacy summary report. In 2022, Melissa Haley enhanced description of the presidential material present in the collection as part of the American Presidential Papers Project. In 2024, Mari Khasmanyan rehoused formerly loose materials into boxes 7 and 8 and updated the total linear feet.

Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

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]. Timothy Pitkin papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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