Thoreau and Sewall Families Papers: Finding Aid

Correspondence and Manuscripts

Box 1

Correspondence and Manuscripts (HM 64835-64902)

Davenport, Elizabeth Osgood, b. 1846, and Louise Osgood Koopman. “Henry D. Thoreau, 1839-1840,” MS. (carbon copy typewritten: 19p.), 1917, Oct. HM 64835

Davenport, Elizabeth Osgood, b. 1846, or Louise Osgood Koopman. Notes for “Henry D. Thoreau, 1839-1840,” A.MS. (incomplete: 6p.), c. 1917. HM 64836

Alcott, May. 1 letter to Sophia E. Thoreau, A.L.S. (1p.), 1870, Mar. 29. HM 64837

Frost, Barzillai. “On the Death of John Thoreau Who Died of Lockjaw. Jan. 11, 1842,” A.MS. (20p.), 1842, Jan. 16. HM 64838

Marston, John, 1796-1885. 1 letter to Helen L. (Helen Louisa) Thoreau, 1812-1849, and Sophia E. Thoreau, A.L.S. (2p.), 1842, Jan. 27, Faunton, Mass. Notes: A.L.S. by Louisa Marston on page 2. Letter is from John and Henry Thoreau scrapbook page JT-14. HM 64839

May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871. 2 letters to Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy) Sewall, 1796-1866. HM 64840-64841

Osgood, Ellen Sewall. “Diary,” A.MS. (9p.), c. 1832, May 31-July 15. HM 64842

Osgood, Ellen Sewall. Extracts from “Diary,” MS. (8p.), c. 1841. In daughter’s handwriting, either Elizabeth Osgood Davenport, b. 1846 or Louise Osgood Koopman. HM 64844

Osgood, Ellen Sewall. 1 letter to Elizabeth Osgood, A.L.S. (4p.), 1849, June 15, Cohasset, Mass. HM 64844

Osgood, Ellen Sewall. 26 letters to Caroline Ward Sewall, 1797-1867. HM 64845-64870

Osgood, Ellen Sewall. 8 letters to Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy) Sewall, 1796-1866. HM 64871-64878

Osgood, Ellen Sewall. 5 letters to Caroline Ward Sewall, 1797-1867 and Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy) Sewall, 1796-1866. HM 64879-64883

Osgood, Ellen Sewall. 18 letters to Prudence Ward, 1795-1874. HM 64884-64901

Osgood, Ellen Sewall. 1 letter to Prudence Bird Ward, 1765-1844, A.L.S. (4p.), 1837, Jan. 22, Roxbury, Mass. HM 64902

Box 2

Correspondence and Manuscripts (HM 64903-64966)

Osgood, Joseph, 1815-1898. 1 letter to Elizabeth Osgood, A.L.S. (2p), 1846, Aug. 28, Cohasset, Mass. HM 64903

Ricketson, Daniel, 1813-1898. 1 letter to Sophia E. Thoreau, A.L.S. (4p.), 1862, May 13, Brooklawn, N.J. Note: Letter is from John and Henry Thoreau scrapbook page HT-24. HM 64904

Sewall, Abigail Devereux. 1 letter to Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy) Sewall, 1796-1866, A.L.S. (4p.), 1824, Feb. 24, New York, N.Y. HM 64905

Sewall, Anne Henchman. 1 letter to Joseph Sewall, 1795-1851, A.L.S. (3p.), 1810, Nov. 3, Marblehead, Mass. HM 64906

Sewall, Caroline Ward, 1797-1867. “Diary,” A.MS. (16p.), 1839, Sept. 16-28. HM 64907

Sewall, Caroline Ward, 1797-1867. 1 letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood, A.L.S. (4p.), 1838, Mar. 21, Boston, Mass. HM 64908

Sewall, Caroline Ward, 1797-1867. 4 letters to Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy), 1796- 29. HM 64909-64912

Sewall, Caroline Ward, 1797-1867. 7 letters to Prudence Ward, 1795-1874. HM 64913-64919

Sewall, Caroline Ward, 1797-1867. 1 letters to Prudence Bird Ward, 1765-1844, A.L.S. (4p.), 1842, Sept. 9, Scituate, Mass. HM 64920

Sewall, Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy), 1796-1866. 1 letter to Caroline Ward Sewall, 1797-1867, A.L.S. (4p.), 1844, Feb. 6, Scituate, Mass. HM 64921

Sewall, E.Q. (Edmund Quincy), 1828-1908. 1 letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood, A.L.S. (4p.), 1840, Apr. 10, Concord, Mass. HM 64922

Sewall, Lydia M. 1 letter to Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy), 1796-1866, A.L.S. (3p.), 1807, Feb. 6, Portland, Me. HM 64923

Sewall, Mary, 1820-1901. 1 letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood, A.L.S. (4p.), 1841, Dec. 12, Watertown, N.Y. HM 64924

Sewall, Samuel, 1757-1814. 1 letter to Abigail Devereux Sewall, A.L.S. (3p.), 1814, June 3, Augusta, Me. Note: A.L.S. by Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy), 1796-1866, at the bottom of page 3. HM 64925

Sewall, Samuel, 1757-1814. 1 letter to Joseph Sewall, 1795-1851, A.L.S. (3p.), 1811, Aug. 10, Marblehead, Mass. HM 64926

Sewall, Samuel E. (Samuel Edmund), 1799-1888. 1 letter to Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy) Sewall, 1796-1866, A.L.S. (3p.), 1839, Aug. 23, Burlington, Vt. HM 64927

Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. 1 letter to George Sewall, 1834-1923, A.L.S. (4p.), 1839, Dec. 31, Concord, Mass. Note: Contains drawing by John Thoreau. HM 64928

Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. 1 letter to Helen L. (Helen Louisa) Thoreau, 1812-1849, A.L.S. (3p.), 1836, June 24, Boston, Mass. HM 64929

Thoreau, Maria, 1794-1881. 9 letters to Prudence Ward, 1795-1874. One letter in an extra-oversized folder. HM 64930-64938

Thoreau, Sophia E. 13 letters to Ellen Sewall Osgood. HM 64939-64951

Thoreau, Sophia E. 1 letter to Prudence Ward, 1795-1874, A.L.S. (incomplete: 4p.), c. 1870. HM 64952

Ward, Joseph, 1737-1812. 9 letters to Prudence Bird Ward, 1765-1844. One letter in oversize box (HM 64953). HM 64953-64961

Ward, Prudence, 1795-1874. “A little Field Mouse who was snugly rolled up…” A.MS.S. (2p.), c. 1839-1853. HM 64962

Ward, Prudence, 1795-1874. 4 letters to Caroline Ward Sewall, 1797-1867. HM 64963-64966

Box 3

Scrapbook, Ephemera, and Oversized Folder

Scrapbook. HM 64967

Table of Contents—John Thoreau Portion of the Book

Inside Cover: Vaughan, Henry. “They Are All Gone,“ MS. (printed: 1p.), n. d.
Also: In pencil, “For Mrs. Osgood” written by Sophia E. Thoreau.
JT-1: Inscriptions, “John Thoreau Jr. 1839” written by John Thoreau, 1815-1842. JT-1v: Advertisement for “Thoreau’s Improved Drawing Pencils” put out by John Thoreau and Co.
JT-2: Photograph copies of John Thoreau, 1815-1842, Helen L. Thoreau, 1812- 1849, and Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862. Also, hair fob described as “John Thoreau 3rd, Hair, Feb. 1842, P. Ward.”
JT-3: Cowley, Abraham, 1618-1667. “Of Myself,” MS. (2p.), n. d. Handwritten copy by John Thoreau, 1815-1842.
JT-4: Cowley, Abraham, 1618-1667. “The Wish,” MS. (2p.), n. d. Handwritten copy by John Thoreau, 1815-1842.
JT-5: -------. “Most Ancient English Song,” MS. (1p.), post-1250. Handwritten copy by John Thoreau, 1815-1842.
JT-6-7: Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882. “To the Humble Bee,” MS. (3p.), n. d. Handwritten copy by John Thoreau, 1815-1842.
JT-8: -------. “Brother where dose thou dwell?” MS. (1p.), n. d. Note: In pencil, “verses by Henry Thoreau.”
JT-9: Writing in pencil. Too faint to make out handwritten text.
JT-9v: Clipping from a longer letter with a drawing of a rabbit. Note: Handwritten message on verso by Sophia E. Thoreau: “Extract of a letter from dear John sent to me when I was a little girl. S.E.T.”
JT-10: Photograph copy of Henry David Thoreau with a beard. JT-10v: ----. “Noble! the sympathetic tear!” MS. (1p), n. d.
JT-11: ------. “Noble! the sympathetic tear!” MS. (1p), Aug. 1840. Note: In pencil, “Brother John.”
JT-11v: ----. “Gather Sisters! sweet to sing…” MS. (1p.), n. d. Note: In pencil, on verso, “John.”
JT-12: ------. “Of all the household tools what suffers…” MS. (1p.), n. d. Note: In pencil on verso, “John.”
JT-13: Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. “Voyageurs Song” A.MS. (2p.), June 1837. Note: In pencil, “John T.”
JT-14: Marston, John, 1796-1885. 1 letter to Helen L. (Helen Louisa) Thoreau, 1812-1849, and Sophia E. Thoreau, A.L.S. (2p.), 1842, Jan. 27, Faunton, Mass. Notes: A.L.S. by Louisa Marston on page 2. Letter is cataloged separately, HM 64839.

Table of Contents—Henry David Thoreau Portion of the Book (Instructions: Flip book over and start at the back cover)

Inside Cover: Whittier, John Greenleaf, 1807-1892. “The Loved Not Lost” MS. (printed: 1p.), n. d.
HT-1: Thoreau, Sophia E. 1 letter Ellen Sewall Osgood, A.L.S. (1p.), 1876, Apr., Bangor, Me.
pre-HT-2: Photograph of Henry David Thoreau by Black, photographer. Same photograph was photocopied and is pasted in the John Thoreau portion of the scrapbook.
HT-2: ------. “Stanzas: Written to be sung at the funeral of Henry D. Thoreau, of Concord, Massachusetts, Friday, May 9th, 1862” MS. (printed: 1p.), 1862, pre-May 9th, Concord, Mass.
HT-3: 2 Newspaper clippings about the death of Henry David Thoreau, 1817- 1862.
HT-4: Off-print about Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862, printed in Aug. 1862.
HT-5: Marble, Annie Russell, 1864-1936. “Where Thoreau Worked and Wandered,” Critic, p. 509-516.
HT-6: Fuller, Richard F. (Richard Frederick), 1824-1869. 1 letter to “My dear sir,” A.L.S. (2p.), 1862, Aug. 5, Wayland, Mass.
HT-7: Newspaper clipping about F.B. (Franklin Benjamin) Sanborn, 1831-1917, book about Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862.
HT-8: Stearns, Mary E. 1 letter to Sophia E. Thoreau, A.L.S. (2p.), 1862, May 18, Medford, Mass.
HT-9: Sawyer, J. B. (Joseph Bartlett), 1823-1897. “Henry David Thoreau,” A.MS.S. (1p.), 1862, May 6, Concord, Mass.
HT-10: ------. “Henry D. Thoreau,” The Harvard Magazine, 8 no. 74 (May 1862): 313-318.
HT-11: Ricketson, Daniel, 1813-1898. 1 letter to Sophia E. Thoreau, A.L.S. (4p.), 1862, May 22, Brooklawn, N.J.
HT-12: 2 Newspaper clippings about Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862. 1817-
pre-HT-13: Fragment of a letter sent Sept. 7, 1848 talking about Henry David Thoreau going on another walking tour.
HT-13: Newspaper clipping of a poem dedicated to Henry David Thoreau, 1862.
HT-14: Off-print about Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862, entitled “Forester” printed in Apr. 1862.
HT-15: Alcott, Louisa May, 1832-1888. “Thoreau’s Flute,” Atlantic Monthly, Sept. [1862?]. Newspaper clipping.
HT-16: Newspaper clipping about Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862.
HT-17: Newspaper clipping about Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862.
HT-18: Newspaper clipping about Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862.
HT-19: Benton, Myron Beecher, 1834-1902. 1 letter to Sophia E. Thoreau, A.L.S. (3p.), 1862, May 27, Dutchess County, N.Y.
HT-20: Alcott, Amos Bronson, 1799-1888. 1 letter to Cynthia D. (Cynthia Dunbar) Thoreau, 1787-1872, A.L.S. (4p.), 1862, May 20, Concord, Mass.
HT-21: 2 Newspaper clippings of poems dedicated to Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862.
HT-22: 2 Newspaper clippings of poems dedicated to Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862.
HT-23a: Greene, Calvin H. 1 letter to F.B. (Franklin Benjamin) Sanborn, 1831- 1917, A.L.S. (3p.), 1862, June 8, Rochester, Mich.
HT-23b: Greene, Calvin H. 1 letter to Cynthia D. (Cynthia Dunbar) Thoreau, 1787-1872 and Sophia E. Thoreau, A.L.S. (3p.), 1862, June 18, Rochester, Mich.
HT-24: Ricketson, Daniel, 1813-1898. 1 letter to Sophia E. Thoreau, A.L.S. (4p.), 1862, May 13, Brooklawn, N.J. Letter is cataloged separately, HM 64904.
HT-24v: Fragment of a letter. Has writing in pencil on the verso
HT-25: Dall, Caroline Wells Healey, 1822-1912. 1 letter to Sophia E. Thoreau, A.L.S. (4p.), 1862, July 26, Medford, Mass.
HT-25v: 1 Newspaper clipping about Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862 and one handwritten message illegible.
HT-26: Newspaper clippings on Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862. HT-26v: Newspaper clipping on Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862.
HT-27: Newspaper clipping about a monument being dedicated in Cohasset, Mass. for victims of a shipwreck which Henry David Thoreau witnessed and wrote about.
HT-27v: Newspaper clipping about the Thoreau family in reaction to F.B. (Franklin Benjamin) Sanborn, 1831-1917, book about Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862, and family.
HT-28: Newspaper clipping about the Thoreau family.
HT-29: Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. “My Prayer,” MS. (printed: 1p.), n. d.
HT-30: Newspaper clipping about Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862. Stored separately.

Folder 1

Newspaper clipping about Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862. Clipping is from John and Henry Thoreau scrapbook page HT-30.

Folder 2

Correspondence from and to George L. Davenport, grandson of Ellen Sewall Osgood, regarding material in this collection. Also contains off-print of: Harding, Walter Roy, 1917-. “Henry Thoreau and Ellen Sewall,” The South Atlantic Quarterly, 64 no. 1 (Winter 1965): 100-109.

Folder 3

Photocopies of miscellaneous manuscripts.

Oversize folder

Ward, Joseph, 1737-1812. 1 letter to Prudence Bird Ward, 1765-1844, A.L.S. (2p.), 1790, June 1, Philadelphia, Pa. HM 64953

Box 4

Rock

Rock labeled “Opal, J.T.” Possible rock mentioned in John Thoreau’s letter to George Sewall, 1839, Dec. 31. HM 64968

Binder

Binder

Davenport, George L. Three-ring binder containing typed transcriptions of: “Henry D. Thoreau, 1839-1840” by Elizabeth Osgood Davenport and Louise Osgood Koopman; 72 original letters and other writings; a table of contents for the Thoreau scrapbook; sermon given by Rev. Barzillai Frost at John Thoreau’s funeral; contents of John Thoreau’s mineral specimen box; list of Thoreau books belonging to Ellen Sewall Osgood; genealogical data; older family letters by Ward family members and Sewall family members; and Prudence Ward’s short story of the “Little Field Mouse.” HM 64969

Extra-Oversize folder

Extra-Oversize folder

Thoreau, Maria, 1794-1881. 1 letter to Prudence Ward, 1795-1874, A.L.S. (4p.), 1821, Sept. 8, Concord, Mass. HM 64930

Collection Contents