John R. Siperly papers

Finding aid prepared by Gina C Giang.
Manuscripts Department
The Huntington Library
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Fax: (626) 449-5720
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© June 2018
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.


Descriptive Summary

Title: John R. Siperly papers
Inclusive Dates: 1845-1958
Collection Number: mssSiperly
Collector: Siperly, John R.
Extent: 3 boxes
Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Fax: (626) 449-5720
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: The John R. Siperly papers primarily consist of correspondence to and from John R. Siperly, 22nd Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers, before and during the Civil War.
Language of Material: The records are in English.

Administrative Information

Access

Collection is open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, please go to following web site .

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

John R. Siperly, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Craig P. Knapp and Rachel R. McCallister, March 2018.

Biography

John R. Siperly was born in 1837. He was the son of Peter and Elizabeth Siperly.
Prior to the war, his family and he eked out a living off the land, in Walworth County, Wisconsin. The family was engaged in farming and hauling. Short of his 25th birthday, John R. Siperly joined the 22nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, which was formed in September 1862, at Racine, Wisconsin. - Goldsmid & Allen Appraisals, 2017

Scope and Content

This collection covers a broad range of subjects in the antebellum, Civil War, and World War I periods of American history. The correspondence of John R. Siperly, a Wisconsin carpenter turned Civil War soldier, includes his letters and letters he received from friends and family in Walworth County, Wisconsin. Siperly's letters discuss military service, including the Atlanta campaign and March to the Sea; assisting fugitive slaves; work at the field hospital, (including a detailed description of treating Andersonville survivors); his take on the war; and political news. Letters from home include correspondence from his young nieces (including Harriet F. Bailey (1833-1921), later a California artist specializing in industrial design) and other young women who had organized a campaign of writing to soldiers. The topics discussed in these letters include local, state, and national news; schools and teachers; and Copperheads. Also present are letters of Arnold J. Miracle, private of the 13th Regiment of U.S. Engineers stationed in Belgium and France during World War I.

Arrangement

Box 1: Correspondence; Box 2: Correspondence; and Box 3: Documents, manuscripts, and ephemera.

Indexing Terms

Personal Names

Bailey, Harriet F.
Bailey, Philene Tuttle, 1842-1919
Bell, Lucilia C. Bailey
Miracle, Arnold J.
Siperly, John R.
Siperly, Fred W.

Corporate Names

United States. Army. American Expeditionary Forces
United States. Army -- Military life
United States. Army. Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, 22nd (1862-1865)

Subjects

Atlanta Campaign, 1864
Families -- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Farmers -- Wisconsin
Soldiers -- Wisconsin
Teachers -- Wisconsin
Women -- Wisconsin
World War, 1914-1918 -- United States
Young women -- Wisconsin

Geographic Areas

Walworth County (Wis.)
United States -- Armed Forces -- History -- World War, 1914-1918
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865

Genre

Letters (correspondence)


Box 1

Correspondence: Armstrong - Siperly

Folder 1

Armstrong, Henry letters to John R. Siperly, (1862-1863)

Benton Barracks, Saint Louis (Mo.)
2 items
Folder 2

Bailey, Ginnie letters to John R. Siperly, (1863-1865)

School children; Women teachers
2 items
Folder 3

Bailey, Harriet F. letter to [Jennie Safford Smith], [undated]

Young women
1 item
Folder 4

Bailey, Harriet F. letters to John R. Siperly, (1862-1864)

Young women
14 items
Folder 5

Bailey, Harriet F. letters to [John R. Siperly], [undated]

Young women
Included: Fragments
3 items
Folder 6

Bailey, Philene Tuttle, 1842-1919 letters to John R. Siperly, (1862-1864)

8 items
Folder 7

Bell, Lucilia C. Bailey, 1847- letters to John R. Siperly, (1863-1964)

African Americans; Copperhead movement; Women teachers; Young women
16 items
Folder 8

Church, Orville letter to “Dear wife & children,” (1854, June 25)

Possibly John R. Siperly’s father-in-law
1 item
Folder 9

Clark, David H. letters to John R. Siperly, (1854-1855)

Courtship
2 items
Folder 10

Clark, George letter to John R. Siperly, (1864, Feb. 11)

Location: Chattanooga (Tenn.)
1 item
Folder 11

Ferow, Cyrus E., 1835-1907 letters to John R. Siperly, (1862-1863)

Farmers
2 items
Folder 12

Hall, Elnora letters to John R. Siperly, (1862-1865)

Wisconsin -- Religious life and customs; Young women
5 items
Folder 13

Hall, H. letter to John R. Siperly, (1862, Sep. 9)

1 item
Folder 14

Hall, Nora letter to John R. Siperly, (1865, Apr. 30)

Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1865; Teachers; Young women
1 item
Folder 15

Irving, Irene letter to John R. Siperly, (1863, July 9)

Courtship
1 item
Folder 16

Miracle, Arnold J. letters to Fred Warner, (1917)

United States. Army. American Expeditionary Forces
7 items
Folder 17

Miracle, Arnold J. letters to Fred Warner, (1918-1919)

United States. Army. American Expeditionary Forces
13 items
Folder 18

Miracle, Arnold J. letters to “Aunt Daisy,” (1918)

United States. Army. American Expeditionary Forces
2 items
Folder 19

Safford, Jennie letters to John R. Siperly, (1862)

Teachers; Young women
2 items
Folder 20

Safford, LM letters to John R. Siperly, (1862-1863)

2 items
Folder 21

Sharp, H.J. letters to John R. Siperly, (1862-1863)

Location: Delavan (Wis.)
2 items
Folder 22

Sharp, J.W. letter to John R. Siperly, (1863, June 28)

Location: Delavan (Wis.)
1 item
Folder 23

Sheldon, Selinda E. letter to John R. Siperly, [1863], (Sep. 21)

Walworth County (Wis.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 24

Siperly, Fred W. letters to ----- -----, (1851-1870)

Primarily to John R. Siperly
Included: Fragments
10 items
Folder 25

[Siperly, John R.] letter to ----- -----, (1845, June 24 and 1845, July)

Incomplete?
Box 2

Correspondence: Siperly - Unidentified

Folder 1

Siperly, John R. letter to [Fred W. Siperly], (1858, Apr. 7)

1 item
Folder 2

Siperly, John R. letter to [Samuel W. Bar], [1858?]

1 item
Folder 3

Siperly, John R. letter to ----- -----, [1860s]

Incomplete
4 items
Folder 4

Siperly, John R. letter to Peter and Elizabeth Siperly, (1862, Jan. 8)

Location: Camp near Danville (Ky.)
1 item
Folder 5

Siperly, John R. letter to Peter and Elizabeth Siperly, (1862, Sep. 9)

Location: Camp Utley, Racine (Wis.)
1 item
Folder 6

Siperly, John R. letter to Peter Siperly, (1862, Nov. 18)

1 item
Folder 7

Siperly, John R. letter to “Friends at home,” (1862, Nov. 26)

Location: Camp Coburn, Kentucky
With envelope
1 item
Folder 8

Siperly, John R. letter to “Friends at home,” (1862, Dec. 1)

Location: Camp Coburn, Kentucky
1 item
Folder 9

Siperly, John R. letter to “Dear friends at home,” (1862, Dec. 25)

Location: Danville (Ky.)
1 item
Folder 10

Siperly, John R. letter to ----- -----, (1862, Dec. 28)

1 item
Folder 11

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, Jan. 24)

Location: Camp near Danville (Ky.)
1 item
Folder 12

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, Feb. 7)

Location: Cumberland River (Ky. And Tenn.)
1 item
Folder 13

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly “Sister, and friends all,” (1863, Feb. 11)

Location: Camp near Nashville (Tenn.)
1 item
Folder 14

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, Feb. 16)

Location: Camp near Nashville (Tenn.)
1 item
Folder 15

Siperly, John R. letter to Peter Siperly, (1863, Feb. 20)

Location: Camp near Nashville (Tenn.)
1 item
Folder 16

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, Apr. 23)

Location: Benton Barracks, Missouri
1 item
Folder 17

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, May 27)

Location: Camp Jackson, Saint Louis (Mo.)
1 item
Folder 18

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, June 14)

Location: In Depot at New Albany (Ind.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 19

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, June 17)

Location: Camp near Nashville (Tenn.)
1 item
Folder 20

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, July 24)

Location: Murfreesboro (Tenn.)
1 item
Folder 21

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, Aug. 20)

Location: Murfreesboro (Tenn.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 22

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, Sep. 3)

Location: Murfreesboro (Tenn.)
1 item
Folder 23

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, Sep. 11)

Location: Murfreesboro (Tenn.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 24

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, Sep. 26)

Location: Murfreesboro (Tenn.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 25

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, Oct. 9)

Location: Murfreesboro (Tenn.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 26

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, Nov. 11)

Location: Murfreesboro (Tenn.)
1 item
Folder 27

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, Dec. 7)

Location: Murfreesboro (Tenn.)
1 item
Folder 28

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1863, Dec. 15)

Location: Murfreesboro (Tenn.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 29

Siperly, John R. letter to ----- -----, [1863]

1 item
Incomplete
Folder 30

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Jan. 31)

Location: Robertsville (S.C.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 31

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Feb. 9)

Location: Fort Overall
1 item
Folder 32

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Feb. 27)

Location: Fort Negley, Nashville (Tenn.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 33

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Mar. 25)

Location: Camp at Nashville (Tenn.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 34

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Apr. 2)

Location: Camp at Nashville (Tenn.)
1 item
Folder 35

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Apr. 5)

Location: Goldsboro (N.C.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 36

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Apr. 13)

Location: Camp at Nashville (Tenn.)
1 item
Folder 37

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Apr. 18)

Location: Camp at Nashville (Tenn.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 38

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Apr. 21)

Location: In Camp at Murfreesboro (Tenn.)
1 item
Folder 39

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, May 12)

Location: Camp in the field, South Dakota
1 item
Folder 40

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, May 31)

Location: General field hospital, Resaca (Ga.)
1 item
Folder 41

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, June 9)

Location: General field hospital, Resaca (Ga.)
1 item
Folder 42

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, June 26)

Location: Near Marietta (Ga.)
1 item
Folder 43

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, June 30)

Location: General field hospital, Kennesaw (Ga.)
1 item
Folder 44

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, July 5)

Location: Cartersville (Ga.)
1 item
Folder 45

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, July 18)

Location: General field hospital, Marietta (Ga.)
1 item
Folder 46

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Aug. 21)

Location: General field hospital, Vinings (Ga.)
1 item
Folder 47

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Sep. 22)

Location: General field hospital, Atlanta (Ga.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 48

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Oct. 22)

Location: General field hospital, Atlanta (Ga.)
1 item
Folder 49

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Oct. 23)

Location: Atlanta (Ga.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 50

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Nov. 3)

Location: Atlanta (Ga.)
1 item
Folder 51

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Nov. 7)

Location: In camp near Atlanta (Ga.)
1 item
Folder 52

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Dec. 21)

Location: On bank of Savannah River near Savanna (Ga.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 53

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1864, Dec. 23)

Location: Camp near Savannah (Ga.)
1 item
Folder 54

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, [1864]

Location: General field hospital, Atlanta (Ga.)
1 item
Folder 55

Siperly, John R. letter to [Elizabeth and Peter SIperly], [1864]

African Americans; Fugitive slaves
Incomplete
1 item
Folder 56

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1865, Mar. 12)

Location: Camp near Fayetteville (N.C.)
1 item
Folder 57

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1865, Apr. 14)

Location: Camp at Raleigh (N.C.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 58

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1865, Apr. 18)

Location: Camp at Raleigh (N.C.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 59

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1865, Apr. 24)

Location: Raleigh (N.C.)
1 item
Folder 60

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1865, May 20)

Location: Camp near Alexandria (Va.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 61

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1865, May 31)

Location: Camp near Washington (D.C.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 62

Siperly, John R. letter to Elizabeth and Peter Siperly, (1865, June 11)

Location: Camp near Washington (D.C.)
With envelope
1 item
Folder 63

Siperly, John R. letters to ----- -----, (1870-1907)

Primarily letters to Fred W. Siperly
16 items
Folder 64

Siperly, Peter letters to John R. Siperly, (1862-1864)

9 items
Included: Fragment
Folder 65

Siperly, R.H. letter to John R. Siperly, (1861, Sep.)

Location: Effingham County (Ill.)
1 item
Folder 66

Siperly, Sarah A. letters to ----- -----, [undated]

Included: Fragment
2 items
Folder 67

Vroman, T.N. letters to John R. Siperly, (1863, July 11)

Location: Walworth County (Wis.)
With envelope
Folder 68

Ward, Augusta M. letters to John R. Siperly, (1863-1864)

2 items
Folder 69

-----, Harold letters to “Dear Sister” and “Dear Sister and Brother,” (1918)

2 items
Folder 70

----- ----- letters to John R. Siperly, (1862-1907)

Miscellaneous
8 items
Folder 71

----- ----- letters to John E. Spriggs, (1874-1877)

Miscellaneous
3 items
Folder 72

----- ----- letters to ----- -----, (1857-1906)

Miscellaneous
Included: Lucy Jane; Mrs. Joseph Bailey; [Henry Travers?]; W.W.S.; Peter Siperly; and fragments
14 items
Box 3

Documents, manuscripts, and ephemera

Folder 1

Bonds -- Confederate States of America, (1865-1880)

3 items
Folder 2

Business cards, [undated]

2 items
Folder 3

Circulars -- United States. Pension Bureau, (1891, Apr. 2)

Circular No. 1
Included: Receipt from Pension Bureau dated April 3, 1907
Folder 4

Clippings (information artifacts), (1864-1926)

Miscellaneous
12 items
Folder 5

Crafts (art genres) -- Bailey, Harriet F., [undated]

Artwork on plum pits, pumpkin seeds, and apple seeds
6 items
Folder 6

Empty envelopes, (1864-1904)

37 items
Folder 7

Empty envelopes, (1917-1958)

8 items
Folder 8

Financial documents -- Siperly family, (1863-1910)

Primarily from Wisconsin. Office of the State Treasurer
Folder 9

[Journals (accounts)] -- Siperly, John R., (1858)

Included: Accounts and technical drawings
Folder 10

Legal documents -- Siperly family, (1858-1889)

Miscellaneous
Folder 11

Manuscripts (documents), [undated]

Miscellaneous essays and poems
Fragile
11 items
Folder 12

Notes, (1871)

Miscellaneous
5 items
Folder 13

Photographs -- Miracle, Arnold J., [1917]

13 items
Folder 14

Printed ephemera -- Miracle, Arnold J., (1917-1918)

Windy City Echo vol. 1, no. 1 and vol. 1, no. 9; target score cards; French map; General Orders for Interior Guard Duty; and “U.S. Soldiers Running Trains in War Zone” clipping, (1917, Sep. 21)