Series IV: American Figures, 1770-2015
Series
Dates
- 1770-2015
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
From the Collection: 17 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Series IV: American Figures,
Series IV: American Figures, 1770-2015, is a comprehensive collection of American figures correspondence, autographs, drawings, photographs, and documents spanning over three centuries, with a significant concentration in the 19th century. Series IV is arranged into eight subseries:
Subseries I: Presidents of the United States, 1777-1959 Subseries II: Presidential Autographs,1986-2002; 2015 Subseries III: Butler Correspondence, 1770-1789 Subseries IV: Correspondence, General, 1772-1982, bulk 19th century Subseries V: Drawings/Sketches, ca. 19th century Subseries VI: American Autographs, 1720-1865 Subseries VII: Photographs,1850-1864 Subseries VIII: American Slavery, 1805
This series serves as a window into the political, societal, economic, and cultural milieu of American figures ranging from United States Presidents, politicians, scientists, abolitionists, writers, artists, and other notable figures who have made significant contributions throughout American history, ranging from the late 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. The materials within this series offer glimpses into business dealings, personal relationships, and political negotiations across major historical events.
Subseries I: Presidents of the United States, 1777-1959 Subseries II: Presidential Autographs,1986-2002; 2015 Subseries III: Butler Correspondence, 1770-1789 Subseries IV: Correspondence, General, 1772-1982, bulk 19th century Subseries V: Drawings/Sketches, ca. 19th century Subseries VI: American Autographs, 1720-1865 Subseries VII: Photographs,1850-1864 Subseries VIII: American Slavery, 1805
This series serves as a window into the political, societal, economic, and cultural milieu of American figures ranging from United States Presidents, politicians, scientists, abolitionists, writers, artists, and other notable figures who have made significant contributions throughout American history, ranging from the late 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. The materials within this series offer glimpses into business dealings, personal relationships, and political negotiations across major historical events.
Subseries I: Presidents of the United States, 1777-1959
Subseries I: Presidents of the United States, 1777-1959 is arranged chronologically by president, and includes various types of materials including engravings of many of the figures, signatures, and many letters written by them or in some cases, their wives. As the name suggests, the subseries is centered around the Presidents of the United States, and includes items from every U.S president from George Washington up to Dwight D. Eisenhower. This subseries was personally collected by Gilbert Stuart McClintock throughout his life.
The range of content covered within this subseries is quite vast due to multiple factors, mainly because of the large date range that it covers and because of how many different individuals the collection is attributed to. Some examples of the scenes and events covered within the the subseries include the assignment of troops during the American Revolutionary War, references to books written by presidents such as John Adams with “Discourses on Davila”, the purchase of property by President John Tyler’s daughter, the inauguration of President Zachary Taylor, a relief bill that was proposed during James Buchanan’s presidency, the affair between President Warren G. Harding and Caroline F. Phillips, and the construction of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library in Hyde Park. There are also pieces that are in relation to the history of Wilkes University, such as a piece in which President Eisenhower specifically donated a letter to McClintock for it to become property of the institution, as he was aware of McClintock’s intention with his collection. These are just a few examples of the many topics covered within this subseries.
The presidents included in Subseries I of the the collection appear as such:
George Washington was the 1st president of the United States. Washington was an American general during the American Revolutionary war, who served as commander in chief over the colonial armies. He is often considered an icon of American identity and democracy. He was elected as the first president of the United States following independence and played a pivotal role in drafting the Constitution. His legacy is most notable for his establishing the precedent of peaceful transfer of power between serving presidents.
John Adams was the 2nd president of the United States. Adams was an American lawyer and politician. His legacy is most notably marked by his efforts in the American Revolutionary war, where he served as a key diplomat for France and Holland and advocated for American independence from Britain. Adams helped negotiate the treaty of peace following Britain’s surrender at Yorktown. Adams also drafted the Massachusetts constitution, which would become an influential model for other state constitutions later.
Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd president of the United States. Jefferson was an American statesman, politician, and would later serve as the Secretary of State under Washington. His administration is most well known for the Louisiana Purchase, a victory that effectively doubled the size of the United States through its deal with France and made plans for westward expansion more feasible. Jefferson’s time as president is also marked by his reduction of government spending, a cut to taxes, and support for the agrarian sector.
James Madison, was the 4th president of the United States. Madison was an American statesman, politician, and diplomat. His legacy is most well known for his drafting of the Constitution, namely his contributions to the subjects of free speech and separation of church and state powers. Madison also co-authored the Federalist papers alongside Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, a series of writings that promoted the ratification of the Constitution. During his presidency, Madison’s administration established the Second Bank of the United States, a national bank, and navigated the War of 1812.
James Monroe, was the 5th president of the United States. Monroe was an American politician, diplomat, and lawyer. He served under Washington during the Revolutionary war and would later hold a Senator seat, as well as become the Governor of Virginia, and Secretary of State. Monroe’s administration is most well recognized for what is labeled the “Monroe Doctrine,” a legislative piece that declared European powers should not interfere with the affairs of the Western hemisphere. He also successfully settled the boundary issues with Britain and acquired Florida from Spain through the Adams-Onís Treaty, a deal negotiated by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams.
John Quincy Adams, was the 6th president of the United States. Quincy Adams was an American statesman who served as a diplomat under the Washington, Adams, and Madison administrations. His administration is most well known for the robust national infrastructure he achieved despite serving only one term. Quincy Adams oversaw the construction of roads and canals, and achieved these improvements by a program recognized as the “American System,” which sought to modernize the economy through federal funding to achieve larger internal improvements, support the national bank structures and establish protective tariffs. He, like Monroe, is known for his role in shaping foreign policy, including his efforts in the Monroe Doctrine.
Andrew Jackson, was the 7th president of the United States. Jackson was an American politician and lawyer who served as general in the United States army during the War of 1812 and the Battle of New Orleans. His administration oversaw the veto of a recharter of the Second Bank of the United States, stating that the institution threatened the people with an excess of power that favored the wealthy. He also resolved the Nullification Crisis, using military force in opposition to South Carolina’s attempt to nullify a federal tariff. His legacy, however, is most recognized for his brutality against indigenous people during periods of mass removal, known most commonly by the name, the “Trail of Tears.”
Martin Van Buren, was the 8th president of the United States. Van Buren was an American politician and statesman who served as Attorney General, senator, and Governor of New York, before serving as secretary of state under Andrew Jackson. His administration is most well known his opposition to slavery, going so far as to block the annexation of Texas for fear that it would align with pro-slavery state interests. He oversaw the Panic of 1837, a financial crisis in the United States that led to high unemployment and economic downtown. His legacy continued the enforcement of Jackson’s Indian Removal Act of 1830, sustaining the cruel mistreatment and removal of indigenous peoples from southeastern territories to lands west of the Mississippi river.
William Henry Harrison, was the 9th president of the United States. Harrison was an American politician and military officer, serving in Tecumseh’s War, the War of 1812, and numerous other battles. He is most well recognized for his role during the Battle of Tippecanoe, whose victory strongly influenced his forthcoming election. Harrison is also remembered for having the shortest term in office, as he succumbed to an illness thirty-one days into his presidency.
John Tyler, was the 10th president of the United States. Tyler was an American politician and Governor of Virginia. He took office shortly after the death of Harrison, establishing an administration that underscored the sanctity of state’s rights over an overarching federal influence. Particularly, his support of states’ rights surrounding slavery increased evolving tensions bridging the Civil War. He is most recognized for his attempts to strengthen the presidential power in an effort to override Congress in setting policy. He is also the first president to have his veto power overridden by Congress. Tyler is also known for his aid in establishing the Southern Confederacy following the first of the Southern states’ succession.
James K. Polk was the 11th president of the United States. Polk was an American politician, serving seven terms in Congress, a Speaker of the House seat, and being elected Governor of Tennessee. He was a protege of Andrew Jackson, running as a Jacksonian Democrat, and followed a great deal of his teachings and ideals surrounding the relationship of state and federal power. His administration is most well known for his efforts toward westward expansion, overseeing the largest territorial growth including Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, and parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado. This he achieved through a victory against Mexico during the Mexican American War and treaty with England.
Zachary Taylor, was the 12th president of the United States. He was an American military figure, prominently known for his victories during the Mexican-American War, where he had risen to the rank of a major general. Similar to Polk’s administration, Taylor is most well known for the land acquisitions his presidency oversaw. However, the civil tensions between North and South, abolitionist efforts to abolish slavery, and Southern threat of succession impacted Taylor’s presidency the greatest. Southern states were angered by Taylor’s advising California and New Mexico to state outright their purview on slavery within their Constitutions. Taylor sent military force to maintain the Union after talks of succession began.
Millard Fillmore, was the 13th president of the United States. Fillmore was an American politician and lawyer who would rise to become the leader of the Whig party. His administration is most recognized for the Compromise of 1850, in which Fillmore delayed the brewing Civil War for a decade as he promised no federal restrictions over institutionalized slavery would be placed on Utah or New Mexico while California agreed to enter the Union as a free state. His administration also signed the Fugitive Slave Act, a series of federal laws that protected unjust actions around capture and return of enslaved people fleeing to free states.
Franklin Pierce, was the 14th president of the United States. Pierce was an American politician and lawyer, serving in Congress for New Hampshire and becoming Speaker of the House at twenty-six. His presidency is largely marked by navigating the brewing tensions within the Union. His administration oversaw the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, repealing the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and allowing voters of Kansas and Nebraska to decide their purview on slavery. Though it was originally thought to be a motivator in expanding slavery throughout these states, it alienated anti-slavery groups and politicians so wholly that it instigated their response and saw the dissolution of the Whig party and creation of the Republican party.
James Buchanan, was the 15th president of the United States. Buchanan was an American politician and lawyer. Though tensions within the Union had been brewing for the preceding 5 presidencies, it is Buchanan’s administration that is marked with conflict and the dissolution of the Union. It is thought his inaction contributed to the Civil War as much as the action he did take, for he would not take a firm stand with either the North or South concerning the institution of slavery. Namely, his inability to find compromise following pivotal decisions during his presidency, such as the Dred Scott decision, a Supreme Court ruling that allowed slavery in all territories—further inciting abolitionist and Northern parties—as well as not being able to prevent succession of the South despite his personal sympathies.
Abraham Lincoln, was the 16th president of the United States. Lincoln was a self educated man who became a lawyer and leader of the Republican party. Lincoln’s administration is most recognized for navigating the Civil War, preserving the Union, and issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, a declaration that enslaved peoples in Confederate territories were to be freed. He also gave the well known speech, the Gettysburg Address, where Lincoln emphasized the fundamental tenets of democracy and equality that the Constitution was built upon, and that the war was fought over. Lincoln was later assassinated for these notions and his support of African-American citizenship and voting rights. His death, while produced with the notion of “reviving” the Confederacy, marked him a national martyr for the cause of civil liberty.
Andrew Johnson, was the 17th president of the United States. Johnson, born to poverty, worked as a tailor until entering politics where he gained notoriety for his staunch loyalty to the Union during the Civil War as a senator from Tennessee. His administration is most well known for his favoring a quick restoration of the succeeded states back to the Union. However, this led to conflict between him and his Republican-dominated Congress, as he did not consider the necessary protections for the recently freed people of the same states. Additionally, he pardoned a number of ex-Confederates, showing a leniency that many critiqued as a lack of education. He was impeached by Congress, though he would be later acquitted.
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th president of the United States. Grant was an American politician and military figure, most regarded for his promotion to Lieutenant General by Lincoln following his victory at Chattanooga and service in the Mexican-American War. His administration is most remembered for his establishment of Yellowstone National Park in March of 1872. He also worked hard to secure the young rights of African Americans, signing the 15th Amendment to the Constitution which granted voting rights to all male citizens. He later signed the Enforcement Acts, which protected the rights of voting, and the Civil Rights Act of 1875. He also sent a number of forces to the South to safeguard the civil rights of African Americans and fight against the Ku Klux Klan.
Rutherford B. Hayes was the 19th president of the United States. Hayes was an Ohio politician and staunch abolitionist, whose administration is most widely recognized for overseeing the end of the Reconstruction era. He enacted the Compromise of 1877 which attempted to soothe continuing tensions between Northern and Southern parties with the removal of federal troops from Southern states as a means to forge regrowth and stabilization in the country. Despite his original intentions of unity and securing black suffrage, the removal of troops and the monopoly of power in the South left Southern African Americans vulnerable to state legislation which would ultimately become the Jim Crow era.
James A. Garfield was the 20th president of the United States. Garfield was an American attorney and politician. His administration is most well known for his observance of the importance of education after rising from his impoverished youth. He advocated for an equally educated electorate and supported civil rights for African Americans. His presidency prioritized agricultural technology, improving his own farms to increase the production of wheat, oats, and other products, as well as livestock. He was highly interested in irrigation systems and supported innovations for soil amendments and hydrology. Garfield was also highly motivated for civil service reform, signing the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act through Congress in 1883, which established a merit system for most federal jobs.
Chester A. Arthur was the 21st president of the United States. Arthur was an American politician and Baptist preacher who was also a strong abolitionist, recognized for his support of African American and Indigenous civil rights. Arthur’s administration was notable for the efforts to reform civil service, upholding Garfield’s efforts with the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act and further protections for federal employees from being fired for political reasons. He also oversaw the largest expansion of the Navy, approving the construction of steam powered cruisers, steel rams, and others. Additionally, Arthur’s presidency is memorable for his strict consideration of immigration. He enacted harsh federal immigration laws and measures that disbarred poorer persons, criminals, and the mentally ill from entering the states. While he vetoed the first version of the Chinese Exclusion Act, a document that barred Chinese laborers, he later signed an amended version that comprised 10 years instead of 20.
Grover Cleveland, was the 22nd and the 24th president of the United States. Cleveland was an American politician, holding seats in both the mayor’s and gubernatorial offices of New York. His administration is most well known for restoring the autonomy of the executive branch. He made an extreme display of executive privilege in refusing to surrender department files to Congress during a contention over presidential appointments. Cleveland also signed the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, which imposed the first federal regulations on a domestic enterprise, the railroad. His presidency is one of mixed-feelings, where his efforts in restoring the South by linking it to efforts of civil reform, his friction with the agrarian population nearly split the Democratic party.
Benjamin Harrison, was the 23rd president of the United States. Harrison was an American politician and the descendant of Benjamin Harrison V, a founding father, and the grandson of William Henry Harrison, the 9th president of the United States. During his presidency, Harrison worked on establishing relations with Central America and aided in introducing civil rights legislation. His administration is most well known for bringing to pass unprecedented economic legislation, such as the McKinley Tariff, which established protective trade rates, and the Sherman Antitrust act, which prohibited companies from making contracts that would restrain interstate trade. His presidency also is known for facilitating the creation of National forest reserves by the amendment to the Land Revision Act of 1891, which set state lands aside for public use.
William McKinley, was the 25th president of the United States. McKinley was an American politician and graduate of Poland Seminary in 1859 before the onset of the Civil War. His work saw the re-establishment and financial gain of the American people following the depression Panic of 1893 by staging a gold standard and raising protective tariffs. However his economic gains, the sensationalism of the press during the rising tensions of burgeoning Spanish-American War pressured his administration to act as the conflict deepened. Though his victory brought territorial control and financial gain for the county after the United States’ victory, McKinley would be assassinated during his second term by Leon Czolgosz who saw the root of the country’s societal problems to be McKinley’s administration.
Theodore Roosevelt, was the 26th president of the United States. Roosevelt was an American politician and New York’s 33rd state governor. Roosevelt’s presidency is most well known for his prioritization of environmental preservation following an excess of overlogging. He created many monumental protections to national parks, creating one hundred and fifty forests, and U.S. natural resources. Roosevelt’s administration also oversaw the construction of the Panama Canal, as he focused his foreign policy efforts on the relations previously established by Harrison in Central America. His presidency also oversaw a great expansion of the United States Navy, an image that was sent on a world tour as he sent out the Great White Fleet to project that strengthened naval power.
William Howard Taft, was the 27th president of the United States. Taft was an American politician who is the only man to have held both the presidential seat and a Chief Justice of the United States, serving after his presidency from 1921-1930. Taft’s presidency is most well recognized for his improvements to the country’s infrastructure and economy. His administration focused heavily on tariffs, signing the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act, which lowered tariffs on some goods while raising them on others—such as goods like iron, ore, and coal. His efforts focused heavily on East Asia, rather than Europe, where other administrations had focused their attention.
Woodrow Wilson, was the 28th president of the United States. Wilson was an American politician, known most for his position as leader of the Progressive Movement and for creating the League of Nations. His administration is most recognized for his role in leading the country into World War I. Initially, though he sought a stance of neutrality for the country, Wilson would enter the war in 1917, stating that their efforts needed to ensure the global security of democracy. His administration is also known for the ratification of the 19th Amendment which granted women’s suffrage, namely, the right to vote. Additionally, his presidency oversaw a great deal of domestic reform by signing progressive legislation, such as the Federal Reserve Act, Federal Trade Commission Act, and others like the Federal Farm Loan Act.
Warren G. Harding was the 29th president of the United States. Harding was an American politician who served as lieutenant governor and Senator from Ohio. His administration is most well recognized for navigating the transition between World War I and a time of peace. He focused on financial structures, signing the Budget and Accounting act, which saw the country’s first formal process for budgeting. It also created a system to manage that world, establishing the Bureau of the Budget. He also signed a number of acts concerning tariffs, including the Emergency Tariff act, raising tariffs on a number of items—particularly farm products—and the Fordney-McCumber Tariff, a piece of legislation that also greatly increased tariff rates on imported goods to protect American farmers and businesses.
Calvin Coolidge, was the 30th president of the United States. Coolidge was an American politician, who served as Governor of Massachusetts from 1919-1921, running on platforms of fiscal conservatism and a strong support for women's suffrage. His administration is most recognized for signing the Citizenship Act of 1924, which granted U.S. citizenship to all indigenous peoples. His presidency also oversaw a rapid economic rise, widely known as the “Roaring Twenties,” which granted his office a considerable popularity with the public for his hands-off approach of government interference or over-spending. Herbert Hoover, was the 31st president of the United States. Hoover was an American politician, who worked as an engineer before taking office. His presidency was shrouded by the Great Depression, with many finding his efforts to combat it less than effective. His administration is most recognized for its expansive cuts to taxes, impacting the benefit of all classes, as well as his handling in the affairs of food, both domestically and internationally. During the war, Hoover has overseen the U.S. Food Administration, which ensured the needed supplies during the wartime effort. After the war concluded, he expanded these efforts, leading the American Relief Administration, which would provide food to the citizens of Central and Eastern Europe. Hoover also asked many departments to increase their production in infrastructure projects, doubling the spending for public use while cutting taxes, such as dams, highways, and harbors.
Franklin D. Roosevelt was the 32nd president of the United States. Roosevelt was an American politician who is the only president to have served more than two terms, holding office from 1933-1945. His administration is known for a split between combating the Great Depression and overseeing the onset of World War II, and the country’s involvement. During his administration’s first two terms, Roosevelt oversaw the creation of multiple public relief programs that would support parties unemployed or in the agricultural sector. Additionally, he oversaw efforts of economic recovery, working with the National Recovery Administration and other effective programs. Concerning World War II, Roosevelt worked closely with the Allies against Axis powers, and oversaw an American economic plan to support the war effort through a European strategy.
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd president of the United States. Truman was an American politician and soldier in World War I, who had worked as a farmer before taking office. His presidency is most well recognized for seeing through the end of World War II by atomic warfare unleashed on Japan. His administration also is credited with shaping U.S. foreign policy by the Truman Doctrine during the Cold War and overseeing the creation of NATO. He also made significant strides for civil rights within the military by overseeing its desegregation, and implemented many social reform policies, such as expanding social security and the Fair Deal program, which oversaw public housing initiatives.
Dwight D. Eisenhower was the 34th president of the United States. Eisenhower was an American politician and a five star general in the United States army. His administration is known for governing as a moderate conservative, continuing the work of Truman in expanding social security and strengthening the New Deal program. Eisenhower’s administration made numerous efforts for civil rights, signing the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the first piece of legislation since the Reconstruction era. It created a Civil Rights Commission to investigate voting interference and discrimination, and further established a division within the judicial department called the Civil Rights division, and granted more power to the Attorney General to pursue legal action against presented voter suppression.
There are a few examples to this however, as there are also several items created by the first ladies, as well as some other named women, particularly Sarah Anne Hollenback Butler and Sarah Hollenback Cist Woodbury, who are in communication with the figures. An interesting example of this is 9.9. Item 8, which is a letter “written” by James Madison, however the handwriting is actually that of his wife Dolley Madison (Payne). The first ladies who appear in Subseries I are Dolley (Payne) Madison, the 2nd first lady of the United States, Frances Clara Folsom Cleveland, the 22nd and the 24th first lady of the United States, and Ellen Louise Axson Wilson, the 28th first lady of the United States.
As previously noted, there are many portraits of the figures within the collection which can be seen in various mediums, such as engravings, prints, and photographs. Some notable artists involved with these include J. B. Longacre, B. Otis, G. Stuart, H.B. Hall & Sons, W.A Wilmer, J.W. Paradise, A.B. Durand, E. Wellmore, H. Inman, R.W. Dodson, J.R. Lambdin, J.B Forrest, and Charles Schlecht. Upon examining these pieces, however, a very large portion of them were created by H.B. Hall and/or his sons, with the names being attributed to pieces spanning from Thomas Jefferson all the way to William McKinley nearly a century later. The pieces we have within our collection under this name seem to mostly be created by Henry Bryan Hall himself or his son Henry Bryan Hall Jr.
The range of content covered within this subseries is quite vast due to multiple factors, mainly because of the large date range that it covers and because of how many different individuals the collection is attributed to. Some examples of the scenes and events covered within the the subseries include the assignment of troops during the American Revolutionary War, references to books written by presidents such as John Adams with “Discourses on Davila”, the purchase of property by President John Tyler’s daughter, the inauguration of President Zachary Taylor, a relief bill that was proposed during James Buchanan’s presidency, the affair between President Warren G. Harding and Caroline F. Phillips, and the construction of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library in Hyde Park. There are also pieces that are in relation to the history of Wilkes University, such as a piece in which President Eisenhower specifically donated a letter to McClintock for it to become property of the institution, as he was aware of McClintock’s intention with his collection. These are just a few examples of the many topics covered within this subseries.
The presidents included in Subseries I of the the collection appear as such:
George Washington was the 1st president of the United States. Washington was an American general during the American Revolutionary war, who served as commander in chief over the colonial armies. He is often considered an icon of American identity and democracy. He was elected as the first president of the United States following independence and played a pivotal role in drafting the Constitution. His legacy is most notable for his establishing the precedent of peaceful transfer of power between serving presidents.
John Adams was the 2nd president of the United States. Adams was an American lawyer and politician. His legacy is most notably marked by his efforts in the American Revolutionary war, where he served as a key diplomat for France and Holland and advocated for American independence from Britain. Adams helped negotiate the treaty of peace following Britain’s surrender at Yorktown. Adams also drafted the Massachusetts constitution, which would become an influential model for other state constitutions later.
Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd president of the United States. Jefferson was an American statesman, politician, and would later serve as the Secretary of State under Washington. His administration is most well known for the Louisiana Purchase, a victory that effectively doubled the size of the United States through its deal with France and made plans for westward expansion more feasible. Jefferson’s time as president is also marked by his reduction of government spending, a cut to taxes, and support for the agrarian sector.
James Madison, was the 4th president of the United States. Madison was an American statesman, politician, and diplomat. His legacy is most well known for his drafting of the Constitution, namely his contributions to the subjects of free speech and separation of church and state powers. Madison also co-authored the Federalist papers alongside Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, a series of writings that promoted the ratification of the Constitution. During his presidency, Madison’s administration established the Second Bank of the United States, a national bank, and navigated the War of 1812.
James Monroe, was the 5th president of the United States. Monroe was an American politician, diplomat, and lawyer. He served under Washington during the Revolutionary war and would later hold a Senator seat, as well as become the Governor of Virginia, and Secretary of State. Monroe’s administration is most well recognized for what is labeled the “Monroe Doctrine,” a legislative piece that declared European powers should not interfere with the affairs of the Western hemisphere. He also successfully settled the boundary issues with Britain and acquired Florida from Spain through the Adams-Onís Treaty, a deal negotiated by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams.
John Quincy Adams, was the 6th president of the United States. Quincy Adams was an American statesman who served as a diplomat under the Washington, Adams, and Madison administrations. His administration is most well known for the robust national infrastructure he achieved despite serving only one term. Quincy Adams oversaw the construction of roads and canals, and achieved these improvements by a program recognized as the “American System,” which sought to modernize the economy through federal funding to achieve larger internal improvements, support the national bank structures and establish protective tariffs. He, like Monroe, is known for his role in shaping foreign policy, including his efforts in the Monroe Doctrine.
Andrew Jackson, was the 7th president of the United States. Jackson was an American politician and lawyer who served as general in the United States army during the War of 1812 and the Battle of New Orleans. His administration oversaw the veto of a recharter of the Second Bank of the United States, stating that the institution threatened the people with an excess of power that favored the wealthy. He also resolved the Nullification Crisis, using military force in opposition to South Carolina’s attempt to nullify a federal tariff. His legacy, however, is most recognized for his brutality against indigenous people during periods of mass removal, known most commonly by the name, the “Trail of Tears.”
Martin Van Buren, was the 8th president of the United States. Van Buren was an American politician and statesman who served as Attorney General, senator, and Governor of New York, before serving as secretary of state under Andrew Jackson. His administration is most well known his opposition to slavery, going so far as to block the annexation of Texas for fear that it would align with pro-slavery state interests. He oversaw the Panic of 1837, a financial crisis in the United States that led to high unemployment and economic downtown. His legacy continued the enforcement of Jackson’s Indian Removal Act of 1830, sustaining the cruel mistreatment and removal of indigenous peoples from southeastern territories to lands west of the Mississippi river.
William Henry Harrison, was the 9th president of the United States. Harrison was an American politician and military officer, serving in Tecumseh’s War, the War of 1812, and numerous other battles. He is most well recognized for his role during the Battle of Tippecanoe, whose victory strongly influenced his forthcoming election. Harrison is also remembered for having the shortest term in office, as he succumbed to an illness thirty-one days into his presidency.
John Tyler, was the 10th president of the United States. Tyler was an American politician and Governor of Virginia. He took office shortly after the death of Harrison, establishing an administration that underscored the sanctity of state’s rights over an overarching federal influence. Particularly, his support of states’ rights surrounding slavery increased evolving tensions bridging the Civil War. He is most recognized for his attempts to strengthen the presidential power in an effort to override Congress in setting policy. He is also the first president to have his veto power overridden by Congress. Tyler is also known for his aid in establishing the Southern Confederacy following the first of the Southern states’ succession.
James K. Polk was the 11th president of the United States. Polk was an American politician, serving seven terms in Congress, a Speaker of the House seat, and being elected Governor of Tennessee. He was a protege of Andrew Jackson, running as a Jacksonian Democrat, and followed a great deal of his teachings and ideals surrounding the relationship of state and federal power. His administration is most well known for his efforts toward westward expansion, overseeing the largest territorial growth including Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, and parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado. This he achieved through a victory against Mexico during the Mexican American War and treaty with England.
Zachary Taylor, was the 12th president of the United States. He was an American military figure, prominently known for his victories during the Mexican-American War, where he had risen to the rank of a major general. Similar to Polk’s administration, Taylor is most well known for the land acquisitions his presidency oversaw. However, the civil tensions between North and South, abolitionist efforts to abolish slavery, and Southern threat of succession impacted Taylor’s presidency the greatest. Southern states were angered by Taylor’s advising California and New Mexico to state outright their purview on slavery within their Constitutions. Taylor sent military force to maintain the Union after talks of succession began.
Millard Fillmore, was the 13th president of the United States. Fillmore was an American politician and lawyer who would rise to become the leader of the Whig party. His administration is most recognized for the Compromise of 1850, in which Fillmore delayed the brewing Civil War for a decade as he promised no federal restrictions over institutionalized slavery would be placed on Utah or New Mexico while California agreed to enter the Union as a free state. His administration also signed the Fugitive Slave Act, a series of federal laws that protected unjust actions around capture and return of enslaved people fleeing to free states.
Franklin Pierce, was the 14th president of the United States. Pierce was an American politician and lawyer, serving in Congress for New Hampshire and becoming Speaker of the House at twenty-six. His presidency is largely marked by navigating the brewing tensions within the Union. His administration oversaw the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, repealing the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and allowing voters of Kansas and Nebraska to decide their purview on slavery. Though it was originally thought to be a motivator in expanding slavery throughout these states, it alienated anti-slavery groups and politicians so wholly that it instigated their response and saw the dissolution of the Whig party and creation of the Republican party.
James Buchanan, was the 15th president of the United States. Buchanan was an American politician and lawyer. Though tensions within the Union had been brewing for the preceding 5 presidencies, it is Buchanan’s administration that is marked with conflict and the dissolution of the Union. It is thought his inaction contributed to the Civil War as much as the action he did take, for he would not take a firm stand with either the North or South concerning the institution of slavery. Namely, his inability to find compromise following pivotal decisions during his presidency, such as the Dred Scott decision, a Supreme Court ruling that allowed slavery in all territories—further inciting abolitionist and Northern parties—as well as not being able to prevent succession of the South despite his personal sympathies.
Abraham Lincoln, was the 16th president of the United States. Lincoln was a self educated man who became a lawyer and leader of the Republican party. Lincoln’s administration is most recognized for navigating the Civil War, preserving the Union, and issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, a declaration that enslaved peoples in Confederate territories were to be freed. He also gave the well known speech, the Gettysburg Address, where Lincoln emphasized the fundamental tenets of democracy and equality that the Constitution was built upon, and that the war was fought over. Lincoln was later assassinated for these notions and his support of African-American citizenship and voting rights. His death, while produced with the notion of “reviving” the Confederacy, marked him a national martyr for the cause of civil liberty.
Andrew Johnson, was the 17th president of the United States. Johnson, born to poverty, worked as a tailor until entering politics where he gained notoriety for his staunch loyalty to the Union during the Civil War as a senator from Tennessee. His administration is most well known for his favoring a quick restoration of the succeeded states back to the Union. However, this led to conflict between him and his Republican-dominated Congress, as he did not consider the necessary protections for the recently freed people of the same states. Additionally, he pardoned a number of ex-Confederates, showing a leniency that many critiqued as a lack of education. He was impeached by Congress, though he would be later acquitted.
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th president of the United States. Grant was an American politician and military figure, most regarded for his promotion to Lieutenant General by Lincoln following his victory at Chattanooga and service in the Mexican-American War. His administration is most remembered for his establishment of Yellowstone National Park in March of 1872. He also worked hard to secure the young rights of African Americans, signing the 15th Amendment to the Constitution which granted voting rights to all male citizens. He later signed the Enforcement Acts, which protected the rights of voting, and the Civil Rights Act of 1875. He also sent a number of forces to the South to safeguard the civil rights of African Americans and fight against the Ku Klux Klan.
Rutherford B. Hayes was the 19th president of the United States. Hayes was an Ohio politician and staunch abolitionist, whose administration is most widely recognized for overseeing the end of the Reconstruction era. He enacted the Compromise of 1877 which attempted to soothe continuing tensions between Northern and Southern parties with the removal of federal troops from Southern states as a means to forge regrowth and stabilization in the country. Despite his original intentions of unity and securing black suffrage, the removal of troops and the monopoly of power in the South left Southern African Americans vulnerable to state legislation which would ultimately become the Jim Crow era.
James A. Garfield was the 20th president of the United States. Garfield was an American attorney and politician. His administration is most well known for his observance of the importance of education after rising from his impoverished youth. He advocated for an equally educated electorate and supported civil rights for African Americans. His presidency prioritized agricultural technology, improving his own farms to increase the production of wheat, oats, and other products, as well as livestock. He was highly interested in irrigation systems and supported innovations for soil amendments and hydrology. Garfield was also highly motivated for civil service reform, signing the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act through Congress in 1883, which established a merit system for most federal jobs.
Chester A. Arthur was the 21st president of the United States. Arthur was an American politician and Baptist preacher who was also a strong abolitionist, recognized for his support of African American and Indigenous civil rights. Arthur’s administration was notable for the efforts to reform civil service, upholding Garfield’s efforts with the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act and further protections for federal employees from being fired for political reasons. He also oversaw the largest expansion of the Navy, approving the construction of steam powered cruisers, steel rams, and others. Additionally, Arthur’s presidency is memorable for his strict consideration of immigration. He enacted harsh federal immigration laws and measures that disbarred poorer persons, criminals, and the mentally ill from entering the states. While he vetoed the first version of the Chinese Exclusion Act, a document that barred Chinese laborers, he later signed an amended version that comprised 10 years instead of 20.
Grover Cleveland, was the 22nd and the 24th president of the United States. Cleveland was an American politician, holding seats in both the mayor’s and gubernatorial offices of New York. His administration is most well known for restoring the autonomy of the executive branch. He made an extreme display of executive privilege in refusing to surrender department files to Congress during a contention over presidential appointments. Cleveland also signed the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, which imposed the first federal regulations on a domestic enterprise, the railroad. His presidency is one of mixed-feelings, where his efforts in restoring the South by linking it to efforts of civil reform, his friction with the agrarian population nearly split the Democratic party.
Benjamin Harrison, was the 23rd president of the United States. Harrison was an American politician and the descendant of Benjamin Harrison V, a founding father, and the grandson of William Henry Harrison, the 9th president of the United States. During his presidency, Harrison worked on establishing relations with Central America and aided in introducing civil rights legislation. His administration is most well known for bringing to pass unprecedented economic legislation, such as the McKinley Tariff, which established protective trade rates, and the Sherman Antitrust act, which prohibited companies from making contracts that would restrain interstate trade. His presidency also is known for facilitating the creation of National forest reserves by the amendment to the Land Revision Act of 1891, which set state lands aside for public use.
William McKinley, was the 25th president of the United States. McKinley was an American politician and graduate of Poland Seminary in 1859 before the onset of the Civil War. His work saw the re-establishment and financial gain of the American people following the depression Panic of 1893 by staging a gold standard and raising protective tariffs. However his economic gains, the sensationalism of the press during the rising tensions of burgeoning Spanish-American War pressured his administration to act as the conflict deepened. Though his victory brought territorial control and financial gain for the county after the United States’ victory, McKinley would be assassinated during his second term by Leon Czolgosz who saw the root of the country’s societal problems to be McKinley’s administration.
Theodore Roosevelt, was the 26th president of the United States. Roosevelt was an American politician and New York’s 33rd state governor. Roosevelt’s presidency is most well known for his prioritization of environmental preservation following an excess of overlogging. He created many monumental protections to national parks, creating one hundred and fifty forests, and U.S. natural resources. Roosevelt’s administration also oversaw the construction of the Panama Canal, as he focused his foreign policy efforts on the relations previously established by Harrison in Central America. His presidency also oversaw a great expansion of the United States Navy, an image that was sent on a world tour as he sent out the Great White Fleet to project that strengthened naval power.
William Howard Taft, was the 27th president of the United States. Taft was an American politician who is the only man to have held both the presidential seat and a Chief Justice of the United States, serving after his presidency from 1921-1930. Taft’s presidency is most well recognized for his improvements to the country’s infrastructure and economy. His administration focused heavily on tariffs, signing the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act, which lowered tariffs on some goods while raising them on others—such as goods like iron, ore, and coal. His efforts focused heavily on East Asia, rather than Europe, where other administrations had focused their attention.
Woodrow Wilson, was the 28th president of the United States. Wilson was an American politician, known most for his position as leader of the Progressive Movement and for creating the League of Nations. His administration is most recognized for his role in leading the country into World War I. Initially, though he sought a stance of neutrality for the country, Wilson would enter the war in 1917, stating that their efforts needed to ensure the global security of democracy. His administration is also known for the ratification of the 19th Amendment which granted women’s suffrage, namely, the right to vote. Additionally, his presidency oversaw a great deal of domestic reform by signing progressive legislation, such as the Federal Reserve Act, Federal Trade Commission Act, and others like the Federal Farm Loan Act.
Warren G. Harding was the 29th president of the United States. Harding was an American politician who served as lieutenant governor and Senator from Ohio. His administration is most well recognized for navigating the transition between World War I and a time of peace. He focused on financial structures, signing the Budget and Accounting act, which saw the country’s first formal process for budgeting. It also created a system to manage that world, establishing the Bureau of the Budget. He also signed a number of acts concerning tariffs, including the Emergency Tariff act, raising tariffs on a number of items—particularly farm products—and the Fordney-McCumber Tariff, a piece of legislation that also greatly increased tariff rates on imported goods to protect American farmers and businesses.
Calvin Coolidge, was the 30th president of the United States. Coolidge was an American politician, who served as Governor of Massachusetts from 1919-1921, running on platforms of fiscal conservatism and a strong support for women's suffrage. His administration is most recognized for signing the Citizenship Act of 1924, which granted U.S. citizenship to all indigenous peoples. His presidency also oversaw a rapid economic rise, widely known as the “Roaring Twenties,” which granted his office a considerable popularity with the public for his hands-off approach of government interference or over-spending. Herbert Hoover, was the 31st president of the United States. Hoover was an American politician, who worked as an engineer before taking office. His presidency was shrouded by the Great Depression, with many finding his efforts to combat it less than effective. His administration is most recognized for its expansive cuts to taxes, impacting the benefit of all classes, as well as his handling in the affairs of food, both domestically and internationally. During the war, Hoover has overseen the U.S. Food Administration, which ensured the needed supplies during the wartime effort. After the war concluded, he expanded these efforts, leading the American Relief Administration, which would provide food to the citizens of Central and Eastern Europe. Hoover also asked many departments to increase their production in infrastructure projects, doubling the spending for public use while cutting taxes, such as dams, highways, and harbors.
Franklin D. Roosevelt was the 32nd president of the United States. Roosevelt was an American politician who is the only president to have served more than two terms, holding office from 1933-1945. His administration is known for a split between combating the Great Depression and overseeing the onset of World War II, and the country’s involvement. During his administration’s first two terms, Roosevelt oversaw the creation of multiple public relief programs that would support parties unemployed or in the agricultural sector. Additionally, he oversaw efforts of economic recovery, working with the National Recovery Administration and other effective programs. Concerning World War II, Roosevelt worked closely with the Allies against Axis powers, and oversaw an American economic plan to support the war effort through a European strategy.
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd president of the United States. Truman was an American politician and soldier in World War I, who had worked as a farmer before taking office. His presidency is most well recognized for seeing through the end of World War II by atomic warfare unleashed on Japan. His administration also is credited with shaping U.S. foreign policy by the Truman Doctrine during the Cold War and overseeing the creation of NATO. He also made significant strides for civil rights within the military by overseeing its desegregation, and implemented many social reform policies, such as expanding social security and the Fair Deal program, which oversaw public housing initiatives.
Dwight D. Eisenhower was the 34th president of the United States. Eisenhower was an American politician and a five star general in the United States army. His administration is known for governing as a moderate conservative, continuing the work of Truman in expanding social security and strengthening the New Deal program. Eisenhower’s administration made numerous efforts for civil rights, signing the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the first piece of legislation since the Reconstruction era. It created a Civil Rights Commission to investigate voting interference and discrimination, and further established a division within the judicial department called the Civil Rights division, and granted more power to the Attorney General to pursue legal action against presented voter suppression.
There are a few examples to this however, as there are also several items created by the first ladies, as well as some other named women, particularly Sarah Anne Hollenback Butler and Sarah Hollenback Cist Woodbury, who are in communication with the figures. An interesting example of this is 9.9. Item 8, which is a letter “written” by James Madison, however the handwriting is actually that of his wife Dolley Madison (Payne). The first ladies who appear in Subseries I are Dolley (Payne) Madison, the 2nd first lady of the United States, Frances Clara Folsom Cleveland, the 22nd and the 24th first lady of the United States, and Ellen Louise Axson Wilson, the 28th first lady of the United States.
As previously noted, there are many portraits of the figures within the collection which can be seen in various mediums, such as engravings, prints, and photographs. Some notable artists involved with these include J. B. Longacre, B. Otis, G. Stuart, H.B. Hall & Sons, W.A Wilmer, J.W. Paradise, A.B. Durand, E. Wellmore, H. Inman, R.W. Dodson, J.R. Lambdin, J.B Forrest, and Charles Schlecht. Upon examining these pieces, however, a very large portion of them were created by H.B. Hall and/or his sons, with the names being attributed to pieces spanning from Thomas Jefferson all the way to William McKinley nearly a century later. The pieces we have within our collection under this name seem to mostly be created by Henry Bryan Hall himself or his son Henry Bryan Hall Jr.
Subseries II: Presidential Autographs, 1986-2002;2015
Subseries II: Presidential Autographs, 1986-2002 is arranged chronologically by president, and contains letters, cards, and signatures from Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George Bush, and Bill Clinton. Similarly to the previous subseries, this collection also contains items from the wives of these figures. As noted in the Subseries I description, this subseries is separated from Subseries I due to the death of Gilbert Stuart McClintock, the figure who collected Subseries I. Subseries II was collected by John Stachacz, the current Dean of the Library at Wilkes University as of 2022. Every item contained within this subseries was donated to the University by Mr. Willard Achuff. Mr. Achuff is a Wilkes University alumni from 1963
The presidents and first ladies included in Subseries II of the the collection appear as such:
Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis Robbins Reagan, who were the 40th president and first lady of the United States. Reagan’s administration is considered one of the more true conservative presidencies within 50 years of his term. His presidency is most well recognized for his economic focus, more widely known as “Reaganomics,” which oversaw a great economic deregulation, as well as a dual plan of restricting government spending coupled with tax cuts. He also increased military spending, transitioning policy from the Cold War from ideals of detente—relaxed relations—with the Soviet Union and ordered the 1983 Grenada invasion.
George H. W. Bush and Barbara Pierce Bush, who were the 41st president and first lady of the United States. Bush’s administration is most well known for his work in international affairs, as he navigated the end of the Cold War and brought on a new era of relations between the country and the Soviet Union. He supported the reunification of Germany following the fall of the Berlin Wall, and oversaw leading an international country coalition to invade Iraq after it invaded Kuwait during the Gulf war. His administration also directed a military invasion intent on overthrowing the dictator of Panama, General Manuel Noriega.
Bill Clinton and Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton, who were the 42nd president and first lady of the United States. Clinton’s administration oversaw the second longest period of peace in the country, in which the economy stabilized and grew. Clinton’s presidency is marked by his signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico, creating a free-trade zone between the three countries with the hopes of increasing trade and investment, as well as the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which expanded federal law and increased policing in communities while funding federal prisions. Though he wanted to oversee the creation of a national health care reform plan, he failed to find the necessary support to see it to fruition.
George W. Bush and Laura Lane Welch Bush, who were the 43rd president and first lady of the United States. Bush’s administration is marked by the events of September 11th. His presidency oversaw the declaration of a global war on terrorism, under which Congress created the United States Department of Homeland Security and Bush ordered an invasion of Afghanistan in efforts of pursuing the Taliban and capturing Osama bin Laden to overthrow them. His administration also signed the Patriot Act, a controversial bill that proposed an authorized surveillance of suspected terrorists. He also signed a number of conservative efforts within community action, such as signing the No Child Left Behind Act, passing a 1.3 trillion dollar tax cut program, and the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, as well as a number of policies focusing on Medicare.
The presidents and first ladies included in Subseries II of the the collection appear as such:
Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis Robbins Reagan, who were the 40th president and first lady of the United States. Reagan’s administration is considered one of the more true conservative presidencies within 50 years of his term. His presidency is most well recognized for his economic focus, more widely known as “Reaganomics,” which oversaw a great economic deregulation, as well as a dual plan of restricting government spending coupled with tax cuts. He also increased military spending, transitioning policy from the Cold War from ideals of detente—relaxed relations—with the Soviet Union and ordered the 1983 Grenada invasion.
George H. W. Bush and Barbara Pierce Bush, who were the 41st president and first lady of the United States. Bush’s administration is most well known for his work in international affairs, as he navigated the end of the Cold War and brought on a new era of relations between the country and the Soviet Union. He supported the reunification of Germany following the fall of the Berlin Wall, and oversaw leading an international country coalition to invade Iraq after it invaded Kuwait during the Gulf war. His administration also directed a military invasion intent on overthrowing the dictator of Panama, General Manuel Noriega.
Bill Clinton and Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton, who were the 42nd president and first lady of the United States. Clinton’s administration oversaw the second longest period of peace in the country, in which the economy stabilized and grew. Clinton’s presidency is marked by his signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico, creating a free-trade zone between the three countries with the hopes of increasing trade and investment, as well as the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which expanded federal law and increased policing in communities while funding federal prisions. Though he wanted to oversee the creation of a national health care reform plan, he failed to find the necessary support to see it to fruition.
George W. Bush and Laura Lane Welch Bush, who were the 43rd president and first lady of the United States. Bush’s administration is marked by the events of September 11th. His presidency oversaw the declaration of a global war on terrorism, under which Congress created the United States Department of Homeland Security and Bush ordered an invasion of Afghanistan in efforts of pursuing the Taliban and capturing Osama bin Laden to overthrow them. His administration also signed the Patriot Act, a controversial bill that proposed an authorized surveillance of suspected terrorists. He also signed a number of conservative efforts within community action, such as signing the No Child Left Behind Act, passing a 1.3 trillion dollar tax cut program, and the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, as well as a number of policies focusing on Medicare.
Subseries III:Butler Correspondence, 1770-1789
Subseries III: Butler Correspondence, 1770-1820 is arranged chronologically and contains letters and various other types of written media all related to the life of soldier and politician Zebulon Butler.
Zebulon Butler was born on the 23rd of January 1731, and was the oldest son of John Butler and Hannah Perkins. Not much seems to be known about his youth outside of how he moved from his hometown of Ipswich, Massachusetts to Lyme, Connetticut when he was around 5 years old. This, alongside what would become Northeast Pennsylvania, would be the areas that became closely associated with his name. Butler is well known for his service in the military during the Revolutionary War, with a very large portion of the items contained within the collection being centered around his time commanding the Wyoming Garrison, which was situated in the area around modern day Forty Fort. Butler is most famous for his part in the Battle of Wyoming, suitably nicknamed the Wyoming Massacre, as while under his command more than 300 men were killed, resulting in a surrender and major loss. We are fortunate to have a letter written by Butler to the Board of War, a committee which oversaw the Continental Army’s administration during the Revolutionary War, which recounts the events that occurred during the battle written only a week after it occured; Item 5: Letter from Zebulon Butler to “The Board of War,” 1778 July 10. Butler was promoted to a colonel in the Continental Army almost a year later, and continued his military career over the course of the Revolutionary War before settling in Wilkes-Barre until his death on July 28, 1795.
Butler played a relatively large role in the infamous Susquehanna Controversy due to his relationship with the Susquehanna Company. There are more items related to Butler which have been separated from this subseries and were put into a separate one due to their relationship to the Susquehanna Controversy; that subseries is titled Subseries II: Susquehanna Controversy, 1770-1801. The Susquehanna Controversy is a term used to describe the conflicts that occurred between the settlers of Connecticut and Pennsylvania from around 1770 until the end of the century, and includes the wars commonly known as the Yankee-Pennamite or the Pennamite-Yankee Wars. The conflict was centered around the land along the North branch of the Susquehanna River during the mid-to-late 18th century. The dispute originally started in 1754 when Connecticut’s Susquehanna Company acquired a substantial amount of land in the region granted by King Charles II that was also promised to Pennsylvania settlers by Governor William Penn. This led to the validity of the company’s purchase coming into question. Connecticut claimed to own an entire third of Pennsylvania. Zebulon Butler became the director of the Susquehanna Company at some date close to 1775, although the exact start and end date seems to be unknown.
Subseries III of the Zebulon Butler collection covers various different subjects regarding the life of Zebulon Butler, however a large focus of this is centered around his time serving in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Through examining this subseries, we are able to roughly trace the path that he and his soldiers took during the Revolutionary War from around the middle of 1778 until the war’s end. The correspondence from this period of time provides crucial insight into some of the battles and struggles that this group of soldiers experienced, whether in relation to the troubles that came with acquiring provisions, or through struggles with the local Narive Americans. The items within our collection that come after this period are in relation to Butler’s role in the Susquehanna Controversy, his relationship to the Susquehanna Company, some legal issues, politics, and some items that surround land ownership.
Throughout this subseries we are able to see interactions between Butler as well as various other prominent figures of the time. A large portion of these individuals are military figures who played a role in the Revolutionary War or politicians from the Pennsylvania or Connecticut area. Some examples of the individuals that can be found within this subseries include: Col. Eleazar Fitch, Samuel Parsons, Major Backus, Eliphalet Dyer, Joseph Varnum, Colonel Nathan Denison, Captain Spaulding, John Durkee, General Hand, Major General Sullivan, Benjamin Harvey, Captain Schott, George Washington, William McClay, Colonel Blain, Capt Selin, and Colonel Antes.
Subseries IV of the Butler collection contains correspondence from Butler’s family members, with a large portion of the correspondence centered around Chester Butler, Zebulon’s grandson from his oldest son, Lord Nelson Butler Sr.. Chester Butler was a rather prevalent political figure in Pennsylvania; becoming a member of the House of Representatives from 1832, and continuing his political career until his death in 1850 through his work in Congress. Gilbert Stuart McClintock, the individual who collected the pieces from this collection is related to Chester, his step-great-grandfather; this gives a possible reason for the focus on Chester as opposed to other Butler family members within this subseries.
Subseries V of the Butler Collection contains very few items, all of which are in relation to John Butler; this is not Zebulon’s father who holds the same name, this is John Butler, loyalist and commander of Butler’s Rangers during the American Revolution. From what we are aware, there is no relation between John and Zebulon genetically, and if there is, it is distant. Ironically, John was the opposing commander of Zebulon during the Battle of Wyoming. The life of John Butler is mainly notable due to his roles in the French and Indian/Revolutionary Wars, however he also is cemented in the history of Ontario Canada as he became a political leader in the area post-Revolutionary War. John also played a role in the settling of Niagara, a location which his family stuck relatively close to.
Zebulon Butler was born on the 23rd of January 1731, and was the oldest son of John Butler and Hannah Perkins. Not much seems to be known about his youth outside of how he moved from his hometown of Ipswich, Massachusetts to Lyme, Connetticut when he was around 5 years old. This, alongside what would become Northeast Pennsylvania, would be the areas that became closely associated with his name. Butler is well known for his service in the military during the Revolutionary War, with a very large portion of the items contained within the collection being centered around his time commanding the Wyoming Garrison, which was situated in the area around modern day Forty Fort. Butler is most famous for his part in the Battle of Wyoming, suitably nicknamed the Wyoming Massacre, as while under his command more than 300 men were killed, resulting in a surrender and major loss. We are fortunate to have a letter written by Butler to the Board of War, a committee which oversaw the Continental Army’s administration during the Revolutionary War, which recounts the events that occurred during the battle written only a week after it occured; Item 5: Letter from Zebulon Butler to “The Board of War,” 1778 July 10. Butler was promoted to a colonel in the Continental Army almost a year later, and continued his military career over the course of the Revolutionary War before settling in Wilkes-Barre until his death on July 28, 1795.
Butler played a relatively large role in the infamous Susquehanna Controversy due to his relationship with the Susquehanna Company. There are more items related to Butler which have been separated from this subseries and were put into a separate one due to their relationship to the Susquehanna Controversy; that subseries is titled Subseries II: Susquehanna Controversy, 1770-1801. The Susquehanna Controversy is a term used to describe the conflicts that occurred between the settlers of Connecticut and Pennsylvania from around 1770 until the end of the century, and includes the wars commonly known as the Yankee-Pennamite or the Pennamite-Yankee Wars. The conflict was centered around the land along the North branch of the Susquehanna River during the mid-to-late 18th century. The dispute originally started in 1754 when Connecticut’s Susquehanna Company acquired a substantial amount of land in the region granted by King Charles II that was also promised to Pennsylvania settlers by Governor William Penn. This led to the validity of the company’s purchase coming into question. Connecticut claimed to own an entire third of Pennsylvania. Zebulon Butler became the director of the Susquehanna Company at some date close to 1775, although the exact start and end date seems to be unknown.
Subseries III of the Zebulon Butler collection covers various different subjects regarding the life of Zebulon Butler, however a large focus of this is centered around his time serving in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Through examining this subseries, we are able to roughly trace the path that he and his soldiers took during the Revolutionary War from around the middle of 1778 until the war’s end. The correspondence from this period of time provides crucial insight into some of the battles and struggles that this group of soldiers experienced, whether in relation to the troubles that came with acquiring provisions, or through struggles with the local Narive Americans. The items within our collection that come after this period are in relation to Butler’s role in the Susquehanna Controversy, his relationship to the Susquehanna Company, some legal issues, politics, and some items that surround land ownership.
Throughout this subseries we are able to see interactions between Butler as well as various other prominent figures of the time. A large portion of these individuals are military figures who played a role in the Revolutionary War or politicians from the Pennsylvania or Connecticut area. Some examples of the individuals that can be found within this subseries include: Col. Eleazar Fitch, Samuel Parsons, Major Backus, Eliphalet Dyer, Joseph Varnum, Colonel Nathan Denison, Captain Spaulding, John Durkee, General Hand, Major General Sullivan, Benjamin Harvey, Captain Schott, George Washington, William McClay, Colonel Blain, Capt Selin, and Colonel Antes.
Subseries IV of the Butler collection contains correspondence from Butler’s family members, with a large portion of the correspondence centered around Chester Butler, Zebulon’s grandson from his oldest son, Lord Nelson Butler Sr.. Chester Butler was a rather prevalent political figure in Pennsylvania; becoming a member of the House of Representatives from 1832, and continuing his political career until his death in 1850 through his work in Congress. Gilbert Stuart McClintock, the individual who collected the pieces from this collection is related to Chester, his step-great-grandfather; this gives a possible reason for the focus on Chester as opposed to other Butler family members within this subseries.
Subseries V of the Butler Collection contains very few items, all of which are in relation to John Butler; this is not Zebulon’s father who holds the same name, this is John Butler, loyalist and commander of Butler’s Rangers during the American Revolution. From what we are aware, there is no relation between John and Zebulon genetically, and if there is, it is distant. Ironically, John was the opposing commander of Zebulon during the Battle of Wyoming. The life of John Butler is mainly notable due to his roles in the French and Indian/Revolutionary Wars, however he also is cemented in the history of Ontario Canada as he became a political leader in the area post-Revolutionary War. John also played a role in the settling of Niagara, a location which his family stuck relatively close to.
Correspondence, General, 1772-1982, bulk 19th century
Subseries IV: Correspondence, General, 1772-1982, bulk 19th century, is a comprehensive collection of correspondence and autographs spanning over three centuries, with a significant concentration in the 19th century. Containing a majority of correspondence, this subseries serves as a window into the political, societal, economic, and cultural milieu of the late 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Whether between everyday individuals or notable historical figures, the letters offer glimpses into business dealings, personal relationships, and political negotiations. The creators of these letters include: William Bainbridge, Spencer Baird, John Bangs, William Belknap, Park Benjamin Sr., Nicholas Biddle, Montgomery Blair, John C. Breckinridge, William Cullen Bryant, John Cadwalader, John C. Calhoun, Simon Cameron, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Lewis Cass, James E. Church, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Henry Clay, Samuel L. Clemens, Roscoe Conkling, George W. Cullen, Alexander J. Dallas, George. M. Dallas, William H. DeLancey, Anna Bowman Dodd, Hippolyte Durand, William M. Evarts, Edward Everett, Henry Fawcett, Edwin Forrest, John W. Foster, Gustavus Vasa Fox, Horace Greeley, James H. Hackett, Hannibal Hamlin, Winfield S. Hancock, Henry Harland, Thomas A. Hendricks, Gabriel Hiester, Edward H. House, John W. Houston, William D. Howells, Leavitt Hunt, John Keating, Howard Kennedy, John Laporte, Nicholas Longworth, John M. C. Marble, William L. Marcy, John Marshall, J.W. Masone, John Mclean, Return J. Meigs Sr., Smith W. Miller, Silas Weir Mitchell, Robert Morris, Levi P. Morton, Lucretia Mott, James E. Murdock, L. E. Parsons, David R Porter, Thomas Wharton, Condy Raguet, Richard Rush, John Singer Sargent, John Sedgwick, George Sharswood, William Buell Sprague, Samuel Southard, Alexander J. Dallas, Horatio Southgate, Edmund Clarence Stedman, Caro Reynolds Strong, John Hart Stockton, Harriet Beacher Stowe, Francis R. Shunk, Charles Sumner, Samuel Tilden, William Tilghman, Anthony Thornton, Charles Henry Van Wyck, Charles Warren, Booker T. Washington, George Washington Bush, Dan Webster, Gideon Welles, Walt Whitman, Edwin H. Miller, Edward F. Grier, Emma Willard, Joseph C.P., James Wilkinson, Henry Wilson, James Wilson, Levi Woodbury, and Charlotte Yonge.
This subseries specifically, encompasses a wide array of topics, from daily affairs to significant historical events like elections or conventions. Some common themes among the letters include confirming receiving different payments, political updates within different legislatures, military operations, as well as general updates about lives.
This subseries specifically, encompasses a wide array of topics, from daily affairs to significant historical events like elections or conventions. Some common themes among the letters include confirming receiving different payments, political updates within different legislatures, military operations, as well as general updates about lives.
Subseries V: Drawings/Sketches, ca. 19th century
Subseries V: Drawings/Sketches, ca. 19th century, is a short collection of various sketches from 19th century artists. Organized by alphabetical order of artist, this collection… There are drawings from the following people: Peter Newell, Thomas Nast, and Herman Strecker.
This subseries specifically highlights different themes and usages for art within the 19th century. The drawings reveal political motives, racial stereotyping, scientific observation, and general sketching for practice. Each of the four items in this subseries reveals the different purposes through which these artists created their works.
Subseries VI: American Autographs, 1720-1865
Subseries VI: American Autographs, 1720-1865, is a collection of short memos and clippings of autographs from different American figures ranging from the 18th to mid-19th century. Organized alphabetically by either the creator, this subseries provides a diverse insight into the exchange of autographs between various American individuals, organizations, and famous historical figures. There are autographs from the following people: Phineas T. Barnum, Bryan Blundell, William C. Bryant, Chang and Eng Bunker, Jacob Burnet, Ambrose Burnside, Aaron Burr, John Cadwalader, John C. Calhoun, Simon Cameron, George Chalmers, Lydia Maria Child, Sylvester Churchill, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Elihu Root, Charles James Wilson, Davy Crockett, Andrew G. Curtin, George William Curtis, John Long Davis, Stephen A. Douglas, Dan Drake, Charles H. Davis, John Gray Foster, Lyman J. Gage, Thomas R. Gray, John W. Griggs, Charles Henry Van Wyck, Sarah Josepha Hale, Halifax, James Hall, John Hancock, Winfield Scott Hancock, Nathaniel Hawthorne, John Milton Hay, Ethan A. Hitchcock, Washington Irving, Jared Irwin, James Jackson, Thomas A. Janvier, Charles Kearns, Thaddeus Keeler, Lilian Kemble, Winthrop Welles Ketcham, Philander C. Knox, William H. Leavitt, Henry W. Longfellow, James R. Lowell, William H. Lytle, James Mackintosh, William C. Macready, Joshua Marshman, George McClellan, John McLean, James B. McPherson, Eliphalet Nott, Alfred Noyes, Robert Paine, George Peabody, Richard Peters, Zebulon Pike, Peter Pypers, James W. Ripley, John Singer Sargent, E.G. Squier, John Sherman, William T. Sherman, Emory Smith, Thomas Smith, Charles S. Stratton, George Stoneman, Peter Stuyvesant, George Turner, Octavia Walton Le Vert, Francis Wayland, John Wesley, Emma Willard, J.S. Wilson, David Wilmot, John E. Wool, and Harrison Wright.
This subseries specifically highlights autographs ranging from the early eighteenth to mid-nineteenth century America. These entries range from clippings of specific autographs, letters exchanged between persons requesting autographs for their respective collections, and folders linking to autograph collections popularized in the twentieth century.
Subseries VII: Photographs, 1850-1864
Subseries VII: Photographs, 1850-1864, is arranged alphabetically by subject’s last name and contains various photographs such as carte de visites, photo cards, and cabinet cards of significant American figures such as J.S. Arthur, Josiah Quincy II, J.H. Stockton, and Charles Sherwood “General Tom Thumb” Jackson.
This subseries provides physical depictions of the mentioned parties, while also displaying changes in photographic technology and trends over the nineteenth century. These photos highlight individuals involved in politics, ministry, and entertainment. Examples include carte de visites, photo cards, and cabinet cards.
Subseries VIII: American Slavery, 1805
Subseries VII: American Slavery, 1805, is arranged in alphabetical order by item title and contains two separate items concerning slavery in the early nineteenth century. These items reveal the transactional nature of slavery in the United States through an appraisal list and correspondence concerning transport of enslaved persons.
The two items reveal trends associated with enslaved persons ledgers as well as transport, highlighting ships like the Mars and Angola ships and captains William Gibson and William Broadfoot.
The two items reveal trends associated with enslaved persons ledgers as well as transport, highlighting ships like the Mars and Angola ships and captains William Gibson and William Broadfoot.
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu