Finding aid for the General Historical Manuscripts and Ephemera collection
6004
Sue Luftschein
USC Libraries Special Collections
2011 November
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-0189
specol@usc.edu
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: General Historical Manuscripts and Ephemera collection
Creator:
Blair, Montgomery
Creator:
Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925
Creator:
Cameron, Simon
Creator:
Chase, Salmon P. (Salmon Portland)
Creator:
Debs, Eugene V. (Eugene Victor)
Creator:
Dennison, William
Creator:
Dornberger, Walter, 1895-1980
Creator:
Fessenden, William Pitt
Creator:
Forster, George, -1836
Creator:
Freiligrath, Ferdinand, 1810-1876
Creator:
James, King of England, I, 1566-1625
Creator:
Jefferson, Thomas
Creator:
Lamartine, Alphonse de, 1790-1869
Creator:
Raymond, Henry J. (Henry Jarvis)
Creator:
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano)
Creator:
Seward, William Henry
Creator:
Smith, William Stephens
Creator:
Strange, Thomas Andrew Lumisden, 1756-1841
Creator:
Von Braun, Wernher, 1912-1977
Creator:
Wilde, Oscar
Identifier/Call Number: 6004
Identifier/Call Number: 1258
Physical Description:
3.21 Linear Feet
2 boxes, 1 oversize folder
Date (inclusive): 1605-1928, undated
Abstract: This artificially created collection consists of notes, letters, documents, and photographs created by and for important historical
figures, mostly American, from 1605, 1790 to 1928, and undated. Of particular historical interest are the letters written
by Thomas Jefferson, William Smith, and Eugene Debs, and the 1850 Los Angeles Justice of the Peace election results document.
Language of Material:
English
.
Scope and Content
This artificially created collection consists of notes, letters, documents, and photographs created by and for important American
and European historical figures. Arranged chronologically, the collection includes letters written by Thomas Jefferson and
William S. Smith; a document certifying the results of the 1850 Los Angeles Justice of the Peace election; autographed notes
and letters penned by members of Abraham Lincoln's Cabinet; a stock certificate signed by Grover Cleveland; letters sent to
Ruth LePrade from Eugene Debs en route to and from prison; a letter signed by Franklin Roosevelt; locks of George and Martha
Washington's hair; a letter from Oscar Wilde; a letter regarding the activities of the British East India Company; a letter
from an unidentified son to his mother sent from British Ceylon; and a 1605 proclamation by King James I of England. Of particular
interest, for their content, are the Thomas Jefferson, William Smith, and Eugene Debs letters, and the election results document.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian.
Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder# or item name], General Historical Manuscripts and Ephemera collection, Collection no. 6004, Special Collections,
USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Acquisition
The documents in this collection were acquired from a number of sources. The William S. Smith letter was donated by Harris
Woods, April 1982. The Lincoln Cabinet members autographs were donated by Dr. Edward M. Pallette, February 1954. The Los Angeles
election manuscript was purchased from the Historical Society of Southern California, 1988. The British East India Company
letter was purchased from the Wayfarer's Bookshop, 2014. The letter from British Ceylon was purchased from Ken Spelman Books,
2019.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Ceylon -- History -- 19th century -- Archival resources
Elections -- California -- Los Angeles -- 19th century -- Archival resources
Great Britain -- History -- Archival resources
Great Britain -- History -- James I, 1603-1625 -- Sources
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- 19th century -- Archival resources
Proclamations -- Great Britain -- Early Stuarts, 1603-1649 -- Archival resources
United States -- History -- 18th century -- Archival resources
United States -- History -- 19th century -- Archival resources
Correspondence
Manuscripts
Photographs
Proclamations
Blair, Montgomery -- Correspondence
Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925 -- Correspondence
Cameron, Simon -- Correspondence
Carrillo, Jose Antonio -- Archives
Chase, Salmon P. (Salmon Portland) -- Correspondence
Cleveland, Grover -- Archives
Debs, Eugene V. (Eugene Victor) -- Correspondence
Dennison, William -- Correspondence
Dornberger, Walter, 1895-1980 -- Correspondence
Dundas, Henry, 1742-1811 -- Correspondence
East India Company -- Archives
Fessenden, William Pitt -- Correspondence
Forster, George, -1836 -- Correspondence
Freiligrath, Ferdinand, 1810-1876 -- Archives
James, King of England, I, 1566-1625 -- Archives
Jefferson, Thomas -- Correspondence
Lamartine, Alphonse de, 1790-1869 -- Correspondence
Le Prade, Ruth -- Archives
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Archives
Lindbergh, Charles A. (Charles Augustus), 1902-1974 -- Photographs
Raymond, Henry J. (Henry Jarvis) -- Correspondence
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano) -- Correspondence
Sepulveda, Juan Capistrano -- Archives
Seward, William Henry -- Correspondence
Smith, William Stephens -- Correspondence
Strange, Thomas Andrew Lumisden, 1756-1841 -- Correspondence
Von Braun, Wernher, 1912-1977 -- Correspondence
Washington, George -- Archives
Washington, Martha -- Archives
Wilde, Oscar -- Correspondence
Oversize-folder 1
James I, King of England
1605
Creator: James, King of England, I, 1566-1625
Language of Material: English.
General
"By the King : Where a sedicious rumor hath bene raised this morning, that some ill accident should be befallen our person
[...]
"Given at our palace of Westminster the two and twentieth day of March 1605; and in the third yeere of our Reigne of Great
Britaine."
Imprinted by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most excellent Majestie, London, 1605.
Processing Information
This item had previously been cataloged individually as a book in the USC Libraries catalog. The old catalog record has since
been deleted and the item is now described as part of the General Historical Manuscripts and Ephemera collection.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
James, King of England, I, 1566-1625 -- Archives
Box 1, Folder 23
Tronchon, Theodore
1726
Scope and Contents
Letter from Theodore Tronchon to Madame Charcot nee Achard. Found in Special Collections' copy of James Paxton's "Life of
Voltaire".
Box 1, Folder 1
Jefferson, Thomas 214446
1780, 1822, 1826, 1842
Scope and Content
Three letters signed by Thomas Jefferson, two in his hand. Letter dated November 2, 1780 discusses the dispensing of military
aid from counties north of Rappahanock. Letter dated December 12, 1822 (bound in folder) sends salutations, in third person,
to Dr. Cutting, and discusses his age, physical infirmities, and mental clarity. Letter dated March 22, 1826 is a letter
of introduction for his grandson, Thomas Jefferson Randolph, to Governor Clinton. Latter two letters sent from Monticello.
Accompanied by facsimile of Henry Clay letter, dated September 13, 1842. Authentication of the letters performed by Huntington
Library, 1960.
Box 1, Folder 15
East India Company
1786 April 22
Scope and Contents
Letter from George Forster to Henry Dundas regarding relations between the British East India Company, the Maratha Emppire,
and the Kingdom of Mysore, and the Company's commercial activities on the Coromandel Coast and the Dutch settlements there.
Box 1, Folder 2
Smith, William S. 214499
1790 May 15
Scope and Content
Letter from Smith, John Adams' son-in-law, discussing George Washington's health and the status of Senate business at that
time.
Box 1, Folder 10
Strange, Sir Thomas
1817 December 12
Scope and Contents
Letter to Charles Grant, in which Strange discusses the importance of his three volume work, "Notes of cases in the court
of the Recorder and in the Supreme Court of Judicature at Madras; commencing in the year 1798, and ending in the year 1816.
To which are added, copies of the Statutes, Charter, and of the Rules of the Supreme Court."
Box 1, Folder 13
Freligrath, Ferdinand
circa 1832
Box 1, Folder 16
Letter from British Ceylon [unidentified author]
1833 August 15
Scope and Contents
A four page letter written by a son to his "dearest mother" and dated 15th August 1833. The unidentified author departed England
aboard the
Lady Raffles, and wrote earlier from Ceylon in January. He mentions Baroda, notes that he expects to be in Bombay, and regrets not receiving
letters back from home.
Box 1, Folder 3
Los Angeles election returns for Justice of the Peace 214445
1850 November 4
Scope and Content
Manuscript of certification of election results for Justice of the Peace for Los Angeles. Signed by Judges of Election Jose
Antonio Carrillo, Juan Sepulveda (the election winner), John Ricord, Francisco J. Alvarado, and J.S. Mallard [?]. Participating
in the election were Sepulveda, William B. Osburn, and Francisco Alvarado.
Box 1, Folder 4
Members of Abraham Lincoln's Cabinet 214491
1855-1881
Scope and Content
Autographs, generally in the form of signed notes and letters. Some engravings are also included. Blair, Cameron, Fessenden,
and Chase letters dated prior to Lincoln administration; Seward and Dennison letters dated after Lincoln administration. Also
includes a letter from prominent New York Republican and journalist Henry Jarvis Raymond.
Blair, Montgomery 214498
1855 June 9
Chase, Salmon P. 214494
1861 February 6
Cameron, Simeon 214497
1860 November 12
Dennison, William 214496
1881 April 14
Fessenden, William Pitt 214495
1860[?] August 15
Raymond, Henry Jarvis 214493
1858 April 2
Seward, William H. 214492
18[?]5 October 11
Box 1, Folder 20
Dolcetti, Domenico
circa 1856
Box 1, Folder 21
Davis, Jefferson
circa 1856
Box 1, Folder 12
Lamartine, Alphonse de
1861
Box 2
Lincoln, Abraham
1864 May 18
Scope and Contents
Proclamation appointing Nelson L. Drake as Assistant Surgeon of Volunteers, signed by Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War, and
Abraham Lincoln.
Box 1, Folder 5
Cleveland, Grover 214443
1877 April 1
Scope and Content
Stock certificate for one share of the Beaver Island Club, signed by Cleveland.
Box 1, Folder 19
Bassi, Giuseppe
circa 1893
Box 1, Folder 11
Wilde, Oscar
circa 1897
Scope and Contents
Letter.
Box 1, Folder 14, Oversize-folder 1
Bryan, William Jennings
1905 September 8, 1917 April 30
Scope and Contents
Letter from Bryan to Secretary of Agriculture David F. Houston, introducing him to Rufus VonKleinSmid. Passport issued by
the Department of State to Bryan.
Box 1, Folder 6
Debs, Eugene V. 214489
circa 1919
Scope and Content
Letters from Debs to Ruth LePrade, sent en route to and from prison.
Box 1, Folder 7
Lindbergh, Charles A. 214444
1928 May 6
Scope and Content
Autographed photograph of Lindberg, addressed to J.B. Lyman, V.P. of Maddox Air Lines, Inc.
Box 1, Folder 8
Roosevelt, Franklin D. 214442
1928 September 14
Scope and Content
Copy of letter to Mr. John Elliot, Los Angeles, in which he inquires about Elliot's decision about supporting Governor Smith
as a presidential candidate.
Box 1, Folder 9
Washington, George and Martha 214478
undated
Scope and Content
Locks of hair.