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Speed Family Papers: Finding Aid
mssHM 61156-61460
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Title: Speed Family Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1804-1912
Collection Number: mssHM 61156-61460
Creator:
Speed family.
Extent: 363 pieces in 7 boxes
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 collection contains the papers of the family of New York State congressman and businessman
John James Speed (1803-1867) including letters, indentures, announcements, receipts, and photographs. Includes family correspondence,
as well as
letters
to Speed about business ventures, including Speed’s attempt to build a telegraph line from St. Louis, Missouri, to the West
coast.
Language: English.
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.
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.
[Identification of item]. Speed Family Papers, The Huntington Library, San
Marino, California.
Purchased from G. Gosen Rare Books and Old Paper, September 10, 1999.
John James Speed (1803-1867) was born on July 20, 1803 in Mecklenburg County,
Virginia, the son of John James Speed (d. 1860) and Lucy Swepson Speed (d. 1840).
He was appointed to the New York State legislature in
1832. He lived in various towns throughout his life including Ithaca, Speedsville,
and Albany, New York. He also lived for a time in Wellsville, Ohio, Gorham, Maine,
and Detroit, Michigan. died in Brooklyn, New York, sometime in June 1867.
Speed married Anne Sophia Morrell on September 30, 1829. The Speeds had
eight children: Charles Henry Speed (1830-1890), William Johnson Speed (1832-1863),
Anna Speed (b. 1834), Francis Morrell Speed (b. 1836), John James Speed (b. 1839),
Frederic Speed (b. 1841), Charlotte Morrell Speed (b. 1844), and Cornelia Speed
(1847-1884).
Very little is known about the children. William Johnson Speed (1832-1863) died at
the Battle of Gettysburg. Frederic Speed (b. 1841), who had formerly been a clerk in
a law office in Mississippi, became a lawyer and formed a partnership in 1868.
The collection consists of 305 letters, indentures, announcements, and receipts.
There are also 19 pieces of ephemera and 39 albumen, tintype, and daguerreotype
photographs. The majority of the correspondence in the collection (179 letters) was
sent to John James Speed (1803-1867) from business associates and family members.
George James Pumpelly wrote more letters than any other associate, sending 99
letters to Speed between 1853-1863. He talks about business finances, owing and
collecting money, and various business ventures that Speed is involved in at the
time. Some of his letters discuss investigating the purchase of coal mines and
Speed’s attempt to build a telegraph line from St. Louis, Missouri, to the West
coast.
Several of the letters sent by various people during 1832 congratulate Speed on his
appointment to the New York State legislature.
Ann Speed (d. 1881) writes 5 letters to her husband during the period while he is in
the legislature and living in Albany, New York. Her family also corresponds with her
husband, and her father, Charles Horton Morrell, wrote 13 of these letters. Morrell
and his son, Lewis H. Morrell (Ann’s brother who sends 2 letters) refer to Speed as
“Son” and “Brother,” respectively. Speed receives 5 letters from his cousin, Joshua
J. Speed; he also receives a few letters from his children. Most of these letters
discuss family matters, travel plans, and the weather.
Perhaps the most noteworthy item in the collection is an unsigned speech made by
John James Speed (1803-1867) at the National Republican Convention in June 1864 in
Baltimore, Maryland. He touches on several subjects including President Abraham
Lincoln, Vice-Presidential nominee Andrew Johnson, and the Civil War. He also
mentions the death of his son, William Johnson Speed (1832-1863) at Gettysburg.
The collection also includes 29 indentures written during the early 1800s between
John James Speed (d. 1860) and others. Three folders containing ephemera include
invitations to a Fourth of July celebration (June 1822) and a New Year’s Day (Dec.
1822) party.
The collection also contains 39 photographs (Boxes 6-7). A few of the Speed family
members have been identified including John James Speed (1803-1867), Cornelia Speed
(1847-1884) and Frederic Speed (b. 1841). There is also a photograph of Ezra Cornell
(1807-1874) and one of Mrs. Cornell in Box 7.
Note: The maiden name of Ann Speed, the wife of John James Speed (1803-1867), was
Anne Sophia Morrell, and she signed each of her letters using her married name. She
appears in this collection as: Ann Speed, d. 1881.
The collection is arranged chronologically, with oversize materials and photographs
stored at the end.
- Box 1: 1804-1832
- Box 2: 1834-1854
- Box 3: 1855-1859
- Box 4: 1860-1867
- Box 5: Post-1867-post-1912
- Box 6: Oversize materials (including 2 photographs), 1805-post-1868
- Box 7: Photographs (37)
Cornell, Ezra, 1807-1874
- Albumen photograph (Box 7, Envelope 16).
Johnson, Andrew, b. 1814
- 1864, June 7-8. Speech by John James Speed (1803-1867) to the Republican Convention. HM 61393.
Legislators - New York (State)
- 1832, List of Senate Resolutions. HM 61218.
- 1832, Jan. 18. Samuel William Johnson letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61197.
- 1832, Jan. 29. Charles Horton Morrell letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61200.
- 1832, Feb. 2. Cabel H. Sackett letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61201.
- 1832, Feb. 4. A. N. Remmele letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61202.
- 1832, Feb. 15. Ebenezer Mack (1791-1849) letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61204.
- 1832, Feb. 27. A. N. Remmele letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61206.
- 1832, Mar. 15. Ebenezer Mack (1791-1849) letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61211.
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865
- 1864, June 7-8. Speech by John James Speed (1803-1867) to the Republican Convention. HM 61393.
New York (State) - Politics and government - 1755-1863
- 1836, May 4. Amasa Dana (1792-1867) letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61241.
- 1862, Nov. 14. Amasa Dana (1792-1867) letter to Ann Speed (d. 1881). HM 61384.
- 1862, Dec. 3. Amasa Dana (1792-1867) letter to Ann Speed (d. 1881). HM 61385.
- 1867, Mar. 9. Amasa Dana (1792-1867) letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61402.
United States - Coal mines
- 1855, June 26. George James Pumpelly letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61284.
- 1855, Aug. 29. George James Pumpelly letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61287.
- 1855, Aug. 29-30. George James Pumpelly letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61288.
- 1855, Oct. 16. George James Pumpelly letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61289.
- 1855, Oct. 19. George James Pumpelly letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61290.
- 1855, Oct. 24. George James Pumpelly letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61291.
- 1855, Dec. 25. George James Pumpelly letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61292.
- 1856, Jan. 6. George James Pumpelly letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61294.
United States - Politics, 1864
- 1864, June 7-8. Speech by John James Speed (1803-1867) to the Republican Convention. HM 61393.
United States - Republican party
- 1836, Oct. 8. S. B. letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61248.
- 1859, Nov. 9. John James Speed letter to Fred. HM 61347.
- 1864, June 7-8. Speech by John James Speed (1803-1867) to the Republican Convention. HM 61393.
Van Buren, Martin. 1782-1862
- 1832, Feb. 15. Ebenezer Mack (1791-1849) letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM 61204.
- 1832, Mar. 15. Ebenezer Mack (1791-1849) letter to John James Speed (1803-1867). HM HM 61211.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
Huntington Library's Online Catalog.
Cornell, Ezra,
1807-1874.
Johnson, Andrew,
1808-1875.
Lincoln, Abraham,
1809-1865.
Pumpelly, George
James, fl. 1853-1863 -- Correspondence.
Speed family.
Speed, John James,
1803-1867 -- Archives.
Republican Party (U.S.
: 1854- ) -- History -- Sources.
Deeds -- New York (State)
Legislators -- New York (State) --
Archives.
Coal mines and mining -- United States
-- History -- 19th century -- Sources.
New York (State) --
Politics and government -- 1775-1865 -- Sources.
United States --
History -- 19th century -- Sources.
United States --
Politics and government -- 19th century -- Sources.
Family papers -- United States.
Letters (correspondence) -- United
States.
Photographs -- United States.
Pumpelly, George James, fl.
1853-1863.
Speed, Ann, b. 1834.
Speed, John James, 1803-1867.
Speed, William Johnson, 1832-1863.