Swett family correspondence, 1864-1897

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Summary

Creators:
Swett, Leonard, 1825-1889
Abstract:
A collection of family correspondence related to Leonard Swett, Illinois lawyer and advisor to President Abraham Lincoln.
Extent:
2.67 Linear Feet (4 boxes)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Swett family correspondence, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

A collection of 225 items from 1864 to 1897, which consists chiefly of letters to and from Swett's wife, Laura R. Swett, and son, Leonard Herbert Swett. The early letters have passing references to Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, and Swett's dealings in the cotton trade during the Civil War. The later letters describe Leonard Herbert Swett's participation in the U.S. Geological Survey of the Utah Plateau Region under Captain Clarence E. Dutton in 1880 and his later work for the XIT Ranch in 1886 during the formative period of Western Texas. Because the Swetts were also friends of General and Mrs. George A. Custer, passing references to them appear throughout the collection.

Biographical / historical:

Leonard Swett (1825-1889) was born in Maine and educated at Waterville College; he married Laura R. Quigg on July 20, 1854 and their son, Leonard Herbert Swett, was born in 1859. Leonard Swett was an active worker in Illinois politics and elected to the state legislature in 1858; he was also a friend and advisor of Abraham Lincoln. Swett was employed in legal work in government cases, the best known being the California quick-silver litigation in 1863. In 1865 Swett moved to Chicago, where he became a prominent civil and criminal lawyer. After the death of his first wife, Swett married his law office manager, Marie A. H. Decker on July 14, 1887; Swett died in Chicago on June 8, 1889.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Mrs. William Cook, February 1981.
Processing information:

Processed by Huntington Library Staff, September 1984. In 2020, Gayle Richardson created the finding aid derived from a legacy summary report.

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]. Swett family correspondence, 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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