Thoreau and Sewall Families Papers: Finding Aid
Finding aid prepared by Rebecca Tuttle and Alison Dinicola, September 24,
2002.
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
© 2002
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Overview of the Collection
Title: Thoreau and Sewall Families Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1790-1917
Bulk dates: 1831-1876
Collection Number: mssHM 64835-64969
Extent: 135 pieces.
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: The collection contains correspondence and manuscripts chiefly of the Sewall family of Massachusetts in the 19th
century. However, there is also correspondence from the
the Ward family and members of the family of author Henry David Thoreau, as well as a scrapbook of the Thoreau family.
Language: English.
Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.
Administrative Information
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
[Identification of item]. Thoreau and Sewall Families Papers, The Huntington
Library, San Marino, California.
Provenance
Purchased from Grace Davenport, July 17, 1991.
Removed or Separated Material
Five unlabeled ambrotypes depicting two girls, a boy, a woman, and a man were
moved to Photo Archives on September 23, 2002, and assigned call numbers: photDAG
149-153. They may be images of Joseph Osgood (adult male), Elizabeth Osgood
(older female child), Joseph Osgood (male child), Ellen Devereux Osgood (younger
female child), and possibly Caroline Ward Sewall or Ellen Sewall Osgood (adult
female).
Related materials in the Huntington Library
Biographical Note
Ellen Devereux (Sewall) Osgood was born on March 10, 1822, in Barnstable,
Massachusetts, to Edmund Quincy and Caroline (Ward) Sewall. Edmund Sewall was a
Unitarian minister in Scituate, Massachusetts, for seventeen years. In 1842, Ellen
met Reverend Joseph Osgood, born on September 23, 1815, to Dr. Joseph Otis and
Elizabeth (Fogg) Osgood in Kensington, New Hampshire. They married on May 20, 1844.
Rev. Joseph Osgood, like Ellen’s father, was a Unitarian minister, who served
fifty-five years as the pastor at the First Unitarian Church of Cohasset. Ellen and
Joseph had ten children: Caroline Ward, born in 1845 but died the same year due to
accidentally smothering in her bedding when no one was watching; Elizabeth, who
married George Lyman Davenport and had George L. Davenport, who maintained this
collection; Joseph Otis; Edmund Quincy Sewall; George; Ellen Devereux; Mary Fogg;
William Sherburne; Frances Parsons; and Louise Lovett, who helped her sister
Elizabeth write the article about their mother and Henry David Thoreau. Ellen died
on December 8, 1892 and Joseph died on August 2, 1898.
Ellen’s parents were both descended from two of the original founding families of
Massachusetts. Caroline (Ward) Sewall was sixth generation of William Ward. William
Ward moved to New England in 1638 from England with his second wife, Elizabeth, and
his first five children of the eventual thirteen children. He helped to found
Sudbury, Massachusetts. His eldest son, John, settled in Newton, Massachusetts, with
his wife Hannah Jackson and was the first representative of the new township in 1679
at the General Court. Joseph (1), the youngest of thirteen children, born November
15, 1677, married Esther Kenrick and had nine children. Their third child was Joseph
(2) born on September 21, 1706 who married Experience Stone and had twelve children.
Joseph (2) was a deacon at the West Parish Church and a blacksmith. Joseph (3), the
second son of Joseph (2) and Experience, was born on July 2, 1737. He married
Prudence Bird and had eight children. Joseph (3) was a schoolteacher before the
Revolutionary War. During the war, he was the secretary and aide-de-camp to both
General Heath and a distant cousin General Artemis Ward. He eventually became
Colonel of the General-Commissary of the Musters. On November 26, 1778, he was taken
prisoner by the British. After his release and retirement from the military, he
became a realtor and stockbroker. Joseph and Prudence’s last daughter was Caroline
Ward who married Edmund Quincy Sewall on August 23, 1820, and had three children:
Ellen Devereux, Edmund Quincy, and George Ward.
Edmund Quincy Sewall is a descendent of Henry Sewall (3) who came to New England in
1634. Henry’s (3) grandfather, Henry (1), was a mayor of Coventry, England. Henry
Sewall (2) did not agree with the English politics and had his son and family to
move to New England with him in 1634. Henry (3) came with his wife Jane Dummer and
his first five of their eight children, including a nine-year-old Samuel Sewall (1).
Samuel Sewall (1) married Hannah Hull and had fourteen children. He was a Chief
Justice of Massachusetts Supreme Court and presided over the Salem witch trials.
Only six of his fourteen children survived beyond childhood and only the two sons
lived into their seventies. One of the sons was Joseph Sewall who married Elizabeth
Walley. They only had one child that lived into adulthood, Samuel Sewall (2). Joseph
was pastor of the Old South Church of Boston. His son Samuel (2) married Elizabeth
Quincy and had seven children. Samuel (2) was a merchant and a deacon at his
father’s church, Old South Church. Samuel son, Samuel (3), followed in his great-
grandfather’s footsteps and became a Chief Justice of Massachusetts Supreme Court.
Samuel (3) married Abigail Devereux and had nine children, the seventh child being
Edmund Quincy Sewall. It is through this ancestor that Ellen is related to Louisa
May Alcott, her second cousin. Samuel’s (3) sister Dorothy married Colonel Joseph
May and had a daughter Abigail May. Abigail married Amos Bronson Alcott and had
Louisa May Alcott.
After Col. Joseph Ward’s death, Prudence Bird Ward and her daughters become close
friends with the Thoreau family, especially Mrs. Cynthia Thoreau (Henry David
Thoreau’s mother), and Misses Elizabeth, Jane, and Maria Thoreau (Henry David
Thoreau’s aunts). It was Maria Thoreau who, in 1817, introduced Caroline Ward to
Edmund Quincy Sewall. In 1833, Mrs. Ward and her daughter, Prudence, moved to
Concord and lived in a house owned by John Thoreau, Sr. (Henry David Thoreau’s
father). They lived there until Mrs. Ward’s death in 1844. In 1836, Caroline brought
her daughter Ellen to visit her grandmother, aunt and the Thoreaus. Caroline took
her son Edmund on a similar trip in 1839. It was this same year that Ellen (age 17)
paid another visit by herself. She attracted the attention of both John Thoreau, Jr.
and Henry David Thoreau. Both John and Henry corresponded with Ellen as well as sent
her other items. Henry sent her poems and John sent her crystals and stones for her
mineral specimen box. In 1840, Edmund became a pupil at the Thoreau school. In July
1840, John proposed to Ellen. She initially accepted, but eventually declined due to
her father’s wishes and because she was concerned for her father’s health. In
November of the same year, Henry also proposed to Ellen. Since she declined John,
she had to decline Henry. Years later, she told her daughters, Elizabeth and Louise,
that she regretted accepting John’s proposal since she cared more for Henry. Henry
told his sister, Sophia, on his deathbed that he never got over his love for Ellen.
Ellen remained close to Sophia Thoreau. They wrote often until Sophia’s death in
1876. Just before her death, Sophia sent Ellen a scrapbook that had been started by
John, then was used by Henry after John’s death, and was continued to be used by
Sophia after Henry’s death. Ellen’s aunt, Prudence, was a close confidante to Maria
Thoreau, which continued for years even after Prudence left Concord in 1844.
Prudence Ward died on June 2, 1874 and Maria Thoreau died in 1881.
Note: The numbers in parentheses following the names in the Biographical Note refer
to the numbered names in the family trees.
Ward and Sewall Family Trees
Bibliography
Dictionary of American Biography (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons,
1935).
Graham, Judith S.
Puritan Family Life: The Diary of Samuel
Sewall
(Boston: Northeastern University Press, 2000).
Harding, Walter Roy, 1917-. “Henry Thoreau and Ellen Sewall,”
The South
Atlantic Quarterly,
64 no. 1 (Winter 1965): 100-109.
Martyn, Charles.
The William Ward Genealogy: The History of the
Descendants of William Ward of Sudbury, Mass., 1638-1925
(New York:
Artemas Ward, 1925).
The National Cyclopedia of American Biography.
Tiffany, Nina Moore.
Samuel E. Sewall: A Memoir (Cambridge: The
Riverside Press, 1898).
Scope and Content
The collection contains correspondence and manuscripts chiefly of the Sewall family of Massachusetts in the 19th
century. However, there is also correspondence from the
the Ward family and members of the family of author Henry David Thoreau, as well as a scrapbook of the Thoreau family.
The correspondence covers the
years of 1790-1876, with the majority between 1831 and 1876. The majority of the
correspondence is to or from Ellen Sewall Osgood, who wrote mostly to her mother
Caroline Ward Sewall and received most of her correspondence (within this
collection) from Sophia Thoreau. However, there is also correspondence from the
Sewall family, the Ward family, and the Thoreau family. Several letters, within this
collection, make references to Henry David Thoreau, John Thoreau, Jr., Ralph Waldo
Emerson, and Amos Bronson Alcott.
The collection also contains a scrapbook kept by several members of the Thoreau
family. It was first kept by John Thoreau, Jr. and contains poems written by John,
poems by other authors copied by John into the journal, photographs, hair fob, and a
poem by Henry David Thoreau to his brother. The scrapbook was then turned over and
started in the opposite direction as a dedication to Henry David Thoreau, after his
death. Sophia Thoreau continued to add to the scrapbook until just before her death,
at which point she sent it to Ellen Sewall Osgood. Ellen added to the contents as
did her daughter, Elizabeth Osgood Davenport. This side contains letters and
newspaper clippings about Henry, after his death, and the Thoreau family.
There is a rock labeled opal that was sent to Ellen Sewall Osgood by John Thoreau.
This opal is mentioned in the letter from John Thoreau to Ellen’s brother, George,
on Dec. 31, 1839 (HM 64928).
The last item is a three-ring binder. It contains photocopies of typed
transcriptions of the letters and manuscripts in the collection. There is a brief
introduction written by George Lyman Davenport, Jr., Ellen’s grandson by her
daughter, Elizabeth. It has a table of contents for the Thoreau scrapbook. It also
has a brief family tree for both the Sewall and Ward family showing only the direct
ancestors of Ellen Sewall Osgood. However, the family trees end with Ellen’s
generation. The transcriptions are not in chronological order, but remain in the
order arranged by Mr. Davenport. Some of the items mentioned in Mr. Davenport’s
introduction (the mineral specimen box and the seven-volume set of Thoreau’s works)
are not a part of this collection.
Arrangement
The correspondence and
manuscripts are arranged together alphabetically, followed by the scrapbook, ephemera, binder, and oversized material.
Indexing Terms
Subjects
Alcott, Amos Bronson,
1799-1888.
Alcott, Louisa May,
1832-1888.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo,
1803-1882.
May, Samuel J. (Samuel
Joseph), 1797-1871.
Osgood, Ellen
Sewall.
Osgood, Joseph,
1815-1898.
Sanborn, F. B.
(Franklin Benjamin), 1831-1917.
Sewall, Edmund Q.
(Edmund Quincy), 1796-1866.
Thoreau, Henry David,
1817-1862.
Thoreau, John,
1815-1842.
Thoreau, Maria,
1794-1881.
Thoreau, Sophia E.
Forms/Genres
Diaries -- United States -- 19th
century.
Family papers -- United States -- 19th
century.
Letters (correspondence) -- United
States -- 19th century.
Manuscripts for publication -- United
States -- 19th century.
Scrapbooks -- United States -- 19th
century.
Photographs -- United States -- 19th
century.
Ephemera -- United States -- 19th
century.
Additional Contributors
Alcott, May.
Davenport, Elizabeth Osgood, b. 1846.
Frost, Barzillai, 1804-1858.
Koopman, Louise Osgood.
Marston, John, 1796-1885.
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph),
1797-1871.
Osgood, Ellen Sewall.
Osgood, Joseph, 1815-1898.
Ricketson, Daniel, 1813-1898.
Sewall, Caroline Ward, 1797-1867.
Sewall, Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy),
1796-1866.
Sewall, Samuel, 1757-1814.
Sewall, Samuel E. (Samuel Edmund),
1799-1888.
Thoreau, Helen L. (Helen Louisa),
1812-1849, correspondent.
Thoreau, John, 1815-1842.
Thoreau, Maria, 1794-1881.
Thoreau, Sophia E.
Ward, Joseph, 1737-1812.
Ward, Prudence, 1795-1874.
Ward, Prudence Bird, 1765-1844,
correspondent.
Indexing: Subjects: People
Alcott, Abba May, 1800-1877. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood, 1869,
July 27. HM 64943
Alcott, Amos Bronson, 1799-1888. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Caroline Ward
Sewall and Edmund Q. Sewall, 1839, Sept. 26. HM 64881
Alcott, Amos Bronson, 1799-1888. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward,
1839, Sept. 29. HM 64887
Alcott, Amos Bronson, 1799-1888. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward,
1842, Dec. 10. HM 64897
Alcott, Amos Bronson, 1799-1888. In Caroline Ward Sewall, letter to Edmund Q. (Edmund
Quincy) Sewall, 1843, Jan. 25. HM 64912
Alcott, Amos Bronson, 1799-1888. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1868, Dec. 20. HM 64939
Alcott, Amos Bronson, 1799-1888. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1870, July 13. HM 64947
Alcott, Louisa May, 1832-1888. In May Alcott, letter to Sophia E. Thoreau, 1870, Mar.
29. HM 64837
Alcott, Louisa May, 1832-1888. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1869, Feb. 23. HM 64940
Alcott, Louisa May, 1832-1888. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1869, July 27. HM 64943
Alcott, Louisa May, 1832-1888. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1870, June 30. HM 64946
Alcott, Louisa May, 1832-1888. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1870, July 13. HM 64947
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882. In E.Q. (Edmund Quincy) Sewall, letter to Ellen
Sewall Osgood, 1840, Apr. 10. HM 64922
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1847,
Sept. 25. HM 64931
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1849,
Apr. 4. HM 64934
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1849, May
1. HM 64935
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1850,
Jan. 16. HM 64938
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1868, Dec. 20. HM 64939
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1870, July 13. HM 64947
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1876, May 8. HM 64951
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882. In Sophia Thoreau, incomplete letter to Prudence
Ward, c. 1870. HM 64952
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882. In Prudence Ward, letter to Caroline Ward Sewall,
1837, Sept. 25. HM 64965
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882. In Prudence Ward, letter to Caroline Ward Sewall,
1847, Feb. 26. HM 64966
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, 1807-1882. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence
Ward, 1839, Dec. 26. HM 64889
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence
Ward, 1839, Sept. 29. HM 64887
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence
Ward, 1839, Nov. 23. HM 64888
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence
Ward, 1839, Dec. 26. HM 64889
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence
Ward, 1843, May 18. HM 64898
Osgood, Ellen Sewall. In Elizabeth Osgood Davenport and Louise Osgood Koopman, “Henry
D. Thoreau, 1839-1840,” 1917, Oct. HM 64835
Osgood, Ellen Sewall. In Elizabeth Osgood Davenport or Louise Osgood Koopman, Notes
for “Henry D. Thoreau, 1839-1840,” c. 1917. HM 64836
Osgood, Ellen Sewall. In Caroline Ward Sewall, letter to Prudence Ward, 1839, Nov. 8.
HM 64916
Osgood, Ellen Sewall. In John Thoreau, letter to George Sewall, 1839, Dec. 31. HM
64928
Osgood, Ellen Sewall. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1847, Sept. 25. HM
64931
Osgood, Ellen Sewall. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1849, Feb. 28. HM
64932
Osgood, Ellen Sewall. In Prudence Ward, letter to Caroline Ward Sewall, 1831. HM
64963
Osgood, Joseph, 1815-1898. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1842,
Dec. 10. HM 64897
Osgood, Joseph, 1815-1898. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1843, May
18. HM 64898
Ricketson, Daniel, 1813-1898. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood, 1871,
May 8. HM 64948
Sanborn, F.B. (Franklin Benjamin), 1831-1917. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen
Sewall Osgood, 1869, Mar. 11. HM 64941
Sewall, Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy), 1796-1866. In Caroline Ward Sewall, letter to
Prudence Ward, 1849, Nov. 14. HM 64918
Sewall, Henry D. (Henry Devereux), 1786-1845. In Abigail Devereux Sewall, letter to
Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy), 1824, Feb. 24. HM 64905
Sewall, Lydia Maria, 1791-1822. In Abigail Devereux Sewall, letter to Edmund Q.
(Edmund Quincy) Sewall, 1824, Feb. 24. HM 64905
Thoreau, Cynthia D. (Cynthia Dunbar), 1787-1872. In Caroline Ward Sewall, letter to
Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy) Sewall, 1843, Jan. 25. HM 64912
Thoreau, Elizabeth Orrok, 1782-1839. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward,
1839, Nov. 23. HM 64888
Thoreau, Helen L. (Helen Louisa), 1812-1849. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence
Ward, 1849, May 1. HM 64935
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, Extract of “Diary,” 1841. HM
64843
Thoreau, Henry, 1817-1862. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Edmund Q. Sewall, 1839,
July 31. HM 64873
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward,
1839, Dec. 26. HM 64889
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward,
1840, Jan. 21. HM 64890
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward,
1840, Feb. 12. HM 64891
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward,
1840, Oct. 26. HM 64893
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward,
1840, Nov. 18. HM 64894
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward,
1853, Jan. 4. HM 64900
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Daniel Ricketson, letter to Sophia E. Thoreau,
1862, May 13. HM 64904
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Caroline Ward Sewall, letter to Edmund Q. (Edmund
Quincy) Sewall, 1843, Jan. 25. HM 64912
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In John Thoreau, letter to Helen L. (Helen Louisa)
Thoreau, 1836, June 24. HM 64929
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1847,
Sept. 25. HM 64931
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1849,
Feb. 28. HM 64932
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1849,
Mar. 15. HM 64933
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1849, May
1. HM 64935
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1849,
Nov. 15. HM 64936
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1849,
Dec. 17. HM 64937
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1850,
Jan. 16. HM 64938
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1868, Dec. 20. HM 64939
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1869, Mar. 11. HM 64941
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1869, July 8. HM 64942
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1869, Dec. 14. HM 64945
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1870, July 13. HM 64947
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood,
1871, May 8. HM 64948
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862. In Prudence Ward, letter to Caroline Ward Sewall,
1847, Feb. 26. HM 64966
Thoreau, Jane, 1784-1864. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1839, Nov.
23. HM 64888
Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. In Elizabeth Osgood Davenport and Louise Osgood Koopman,
“Henry D. Thoreau, 1839-1840,” 1917, Oct. HM 64835
Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. In Elizabeth Osgood Davenport or Louise Osgood Koopman,
Notes for “Henry D. Thoreau, 1839-1840,” c. 1917. HM 64836
Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. In John Marston, letter to Helen L. (Helen Louisa) Thoreau
and Sophia E. Thoreau, 1842, Jan. 27. HM 64839
Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, Extract of “Diary,” 1841. HM
64843
Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Edmund Q. Sewall, 1839,
July 31. HM 64873
Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1839,
Sept. 29. HM 64887
Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1839, Dec.
26. HM 64889
Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1840, Jan.
21. HM 64890
Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1840, Feb.
12. HM 64891
Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1840, Aug.
25. HM 64892
Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. In E.Q. (Edmund Quincy) Sewall, letter to Ellen Sewall
Osgood, 1840, Apr. 10. HM 64922
Thoreau, John, 1815-1842. In Sophia Thoreau, letter to Ellen Sewall Osgood, 1868,
Dec. 20. HM 64939
Thoreau, Maria, 1794-1881. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, Extract of “Diary,” 1841. HM
64843
Thoreau, Maria, 1794-1881. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1839,
Nov. 23. HM 64888
Thoreau, Maria, 1794-1881. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1843, May
18. HM 64898
Thoreau, Maria, 1794-1881. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1853,
Jan. 4. HM 64900
Thoreau, Maria, 1794-1881. In Daniel Ricketson, letter to Sophia E. Thoreau, 1862,
May 12. HM 64904
Thoreau, Maria, 1794-1881. In Prudence Ward, letter to Caroline Ward Sewall, 1847,
Feb. 26. HM 64966
Thoreau, Sophia E. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, “Diary,” c. 1832, May 31-July 15. HM
64842
Thoreau, Sophia E. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1839, Nov. 23. HM
64888
Thoreau, Sophia E. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1840, Aug. 25. HM
64892
Thoreau, Sophia E. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1843, May 18. HM
64898
Thoreau, Sophia E. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1853, Jan. 4. HM
64900
Thoreau, Sophia E. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1847, Sept. 25. HM
64931
Thoreau, Sophia E. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1849, Feb. 28. HM
64932
Thoreau, Sophia E. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1849, May 1. HM
64935
Thoreau, Sophia E. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1849, Nov. 15. HM
64936
Thoreau, Sophia E. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1849, Dec. 17. HM
64937
Thoreau, Sophia E. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1850, Jan. 16. HM
64938
Ward, Prudence Bird, 1765-1844. In Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy) Sewall, letter to
Caroline Ward Sewall, 1844, Feb. 6. HM 64921
Ware, Henry, 1794-1843. In Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to Edmund Q. Sewall, 1835,
Feb. 13. HM 64871
Indexing: Added Entries
Greele, Samuel. Note to Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy) Sewall. On Caroline Ward Sewall,
letter to Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy) Sewall, 1822, Aug. 24. HM 64909
Marston, Louisa. Note to Helen L. (Helen Louisa) Thoreau and Sophia E. Thoreau. On
John Marston, letter to Helen L. (Helen Louisa) Thoreau and Sophia E. Thoreau, 1842,
Jan. 27. HM 64839
Osgood, Ellen Sewall. Note sent to E. Q. (Edmund Quincy) Sewall. On Ellen Sewall
Osgood, letter to Caroline Ward Sewall, 1835, Sept. 10. HM 64846
Sewall, Edmund Q. (Edmund Quincy), 1796-1866. Handwritten note. On Samuel Sewall,
letter to Abigail Devereux Sewall, 1814, June 3. HM 64925
Sewall, E.Q. (Edmund Quincy), 1828-1908. Note to Prudence Ward. On Ellen Sewall
Osgood, letter to Prudence Ward, 1839, Sept. 29. HM 64887
Wood, E.A. Note sent to Caroline Ward Sewall. On Ellen Sewall Osgood, letter to
Caroline Ward Sewall, 1834, June 21. HM 64845
Indexing: Subjects
Electricity—Early works to 1850. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1849,
May 1. HM 64935
The Home Journal. In Maria Thoreau, letter to Prudence Ward, 1850,
Jan. 16. HM 64938
Niagara Falls (N.Y. and Ont.). In Caroline Sewall, “Diary,” 1839, Sept. 16-28. HM
64907
U.S. Congress—History. In Joseph Ward, letter to Prudence Bird Ward, 1798, Mar. 13.
HM 64960
U.S. Congress—History. In Joseph Ward, letter to Prudence Bird Ward, 1798, Mar. 19.
HM 64961
United States—History—1799-1801. In Joseph Ward, letter to Prudence Bird Ward, 1798,
Mar. 19. HM 64961
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
Rock labeled “Opal, J.T.” Possible rock mentioned in John
Thoreau’s letter to George Sewall, 1839, Dec. 31.
HM 64968
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
Thoreau, Maria, 1794-1881. 1 letter to Prudence Ward, 1795-1874,
A.L.S. (4p.), 1821, Sept. 8, Concord, Mass.
HM 64930