H 313
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■P 6 1938
GUIQS TO DEPOSITORIES OF U&NUSCHL T COL P ' VT
^ IN THE
UNITED STATES
Prepared" 'by
The Historical Records Su: /■-y
Division of «»en'9 and Professional Pi*;-; y.vi
\7or!<*s Progress Adisini strati on
IA 1~eA. WctUS
~h *. le Entries for Eeyo:.
in
Illinois -I." ■ :'i
Washington
1935
H.LIR01S
CHICAGO.- CHICAGO HIS TOR ICSAL 50dm, North Clark St. and '.Vest North
Ave. Director, L, B. "hattuck; librarian, Eleanor J, Conway. Hours:
9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, except Sat, pfm.
History and purpose.- The society was founded in 1856 for the purpose
of collecting, preserving, and disseminating material and information re¬
garding the history of Illinois and early America, The Gilpin Library was
aided by substantial bequest in 1860 from Henry D, Gilpin of Philadelphia,
Attorney General under President Van Buren. /ill gifts relating to the
specified fields are accepted. Very few manuscripts are purchased; none
is sold or exchanged; conditional deposits are discouraged. The library
is housed in the society's building, a three-story, steel, concrete, and
face-brick structure, erected in 1932. Manuscripts are housed in a steel
vault, and space is inadequate.
. Holdings.- Contain among others: George B. ARMSTRONG Collection, early
19th c., founding of railway mail service, 30 pieces; Isaac N. ARNOLD Collec¬
tion, 1741-1801, transcripts of material on Benedict ARNOLD, 1778-1884,
Chicago, and national material, 250 pieces; Mason BRAYMAN Collection,
Illinois Central Railroad, Civil War, Mormons in Illinois, and Illinois
history, 3700 pieces; John BROWN Collection, 1800-1859; Ninian EDWARDS
Collection, 1778-1881, early history of Illinois and Northwest territory;
GUNTHER Collection, fxtrn early colonial days to 19th c., contains smaller
collections among which are notable: Andrew JACKSON, Louisiana Purchase,
Baron VON STEUBEN, 'WASHINGTON, 30,000 pieces; J. J. and Martin D. HARDIN
Collection, correspondence relating to Mormons, Civil War, etc., 7650 pieces;
Haymarket Riot Collection, 1886, 83 vols, and 1 package; Gurdon Saltonetall
HUBBARD Collection, 19th c,, personal and business papers, copies from
American Fur Company letter books, etc., 100 pieces and 20 vols.; Illinois-
Michigan Canal Collection, 1845-71, record of Board of Trustees, W. II.
SWIFT'S correspondence, 4 vols,, 7 packages; Illinois anti-slavery collec¬
tion, 1837-44, 1 vol.; Madison Y. JOHNSON Collection, middle of 19th e.,
JOHNSON family papers, Civil Far prison diary, legal accounts, Galena
land sales, correspondence, 2 trunks; Abraham LINCOLN Collection, 1809-65,
besides original itans includes photostats from the Isaac N. ARNOLD Collec¬
tion; Edward Gay MASON Collection, 1642-1800, Mississippi Valley; Pierre
MENARD Collection, 1748-1800, letters and papers relative to the fur trade,
6 vols, and 100 pieces.
The custodian estimates the total amount of manuscripts at 60 cubic feet
and 50 linear feet all of which have been arranged alphabetically by sub¬
ject and chronologically thereunder. The Gunther papers are not arranged
as a unit, but by collections. There is an accessions catalogue for current
accessions; about 50$ of the pieces have been(catalogued on 350,000 cards
(3 x 5) which show author, place, date, resume of contents, physical descrip¬
tion of the manuscript, name of collection.
notorial l| available to re-searchers who prosent oat is factory creden¬
tials; no material may he uaod for publication without permission from the
trustees of the society. Photostatic copies may be obtained at current
rates; an application form must be filled out. before tho privilege of
having copies made is grantoq.
See.- Chicago Historical Society, Illustrated Handbook (11*37), Bulletin
of Chicago Historical Society (1937), quarterly Reports, Historical hews
Leaf; Horary of Congress, tlanuscrlpts^VnnPirKIic and" Private Collections
in the United States (1914); Do Riccl and ^ilson. Census of"Mediaeval
and Penaissance Kanuscrlpts in the United States and Canada (1935).
CHICAGO-.- HAMMOND LIBRARY,. Chicago Theological Seminary,, 5757 University
Ave.. Librarian# Matthew Spinfca Hours- 8 a^ra* to 10 pam,; Mon-Fri,; Sat,,,, 8
a.rn to 5 p„m<, Sep,, exceptedr
History and purpose,= Founded in 1855 as a Congregational denominational
institution for training ministers-. As a special project the librarian collects
material bearing on Congregational history, Outright gifts are preferred,, but
conditional deposits are accepted. Purchases may be made*. The section of the
building in which the library is housed was erected in 1926; it is a four-story,
brick, steel,, and atone.,, fireproof building with adequate space for holdings
The building is used also as a library, for administrative offices,, professors11
studies^ chapel? lecture hall,, and some dormitory rooms.. The library regards
itself as custddian and not owner of the depositee
Holdings,- Consist of the American Home Missionary Society Collection,,
131S»95b the Church Building Society Collection* 1870-1920e the American Board
of Commissi oners for Foreign Mission Collection,, and the Collection of Local
Church Histories-. The American Home Missionary Society Collection contains
70,000 letters and reports in 19 steel file cabinets (53 x 15 x 25) and 191
letter copy-books (11 x 13).. The MSS., consist of quarterly reports sent in to
the Eew York office of the American Home Missionary Society from ell over the
country,, particularly Illinois* Indiana* Michigan,, Wisconsin,and western New
York,. Besides the reports,-, there are descriptions of social* economic* and
cultural conditions*
Holdings are almost entirely arranged geographically and chronologically.
The American Home Missionary Society Collection has been arranged in details
alphabetically by states# chronologically within a state# alphabetically by
author within the year* end chronologically under author, Dated file separators
and tabs with the authors* names are used as labels* There is no catalogue for
accessions* but a catalogue for pieces is in preparation which will show name
of the author or compiler* title,, location# with cross-.reference information
About 550 cards (3 x 5) have been prepared,. The Minnesota section of the
American Home Missionary Society Collection has been reproduced on microfilm
by the Minnesota Historical Society*
Material is open to all graduate students and research workers* subject
to permission of the librarian. There is photostat service at $,35 per page
typed copies may be obtained at $.10 per page and $,,01 for each carbon copy
The librarian will allow any copy process to be used if the original material
is not mutilated Custodian will also 'secure services of microfilm camera
and furnish reproductions at $-.05 per frame
CHICAGO.- Nh/;.'BERH5f LIBRARY, 60 lest '.Valton PI, Librarian, George B.
Utley. Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays. Special collections, Rare Bcok
Room, etc., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
History and purpose.- This library was founded as a general reference
library in 1887, on-a bequest by Walter Loomls Hewberry. Shortly after¬
ward the field of specialization was limited to materials dealing with the
humanities. Manuscripts are procured and maintained by funds derived from
general appropriations and private endowments. No collections are ex¬
changed or sold; gifts and conditional deposits relating to the humanities
will be accepted. The building, constructed in 1893, is a four-story, fire¬
proof, brick, granite, and steel structure. Its outside dimensions are
318* x 106'; there is no provision for rooms for manuscripts exclusively.
Holdings.- Are comprised of: Mediaeval and Renaissance collection,
9th c.-16th c., theological treatises and Renaissance music M5S., 166 vols.;
Music collection, 13th c. to date, written in Italy, Germany, and Spain,
5 linear ft..; Oriental collection, 17th c.-19th c., works on theology,
poetry, calligraphy (generally of Arabia, India, and Turkey), £5 linear ft.;
East -Asiatic collection, 13th c.-14th c., Chinese, Tibetan, Mongol, and
Japanese KSS., religion, philosophy, history, and art, 2 linear ft.; small
collection of -American autographed letters, 14th c.-20th c., correspondence
on various subjects, 2 linear ft.; Edward E. AYER Collection, from the 15th
c., covers the Americas and consists of Indian material pertaining to dis¬
coveries, exploration and settlement, native languages, and geography,
1769 HSS.; the William B. GREENLEE Collection, 13th c.-16th c., chiefly
legal documents, 2 linear ft.; and other material.
All of the holdings are arranged: Mediaeval and Renaissance, chronolo¬
gically by centuries and geographically within each period; Ayer Collection,
geographically and alphabetically by author; Oriental and East Asiatic,
geographically; autographed letters, alphabetically by authors; music,
according to types of music. There is no accessions catalogue; about 50%
of the pieces are catalogued. In the Ayer Collection the cards show author,
subject, addressee, and chronology. The author card (3 x 5) shows author,
his life-span, subject, place of writing, date of writing, physical de¬
scription of piece; the subject card (3 x 5) shows subject, date, author,
type of manuscript, year of writing; the addressee card (3 x 5) shows
addressee, author, date of writing; the chronological card (5x8) shows
date and place of writing, author, his life-span, type of manuscripts with
brief statement on the subject, physical description of the piece. The
map catalogue cards shot"; cartographer, chronology, and locality. The
cartographer card (3 x 5) shows the cartographer, place, date of making,
library location; the chronological card shows date of making, cartographer,
subject, library location; the locality card (main cai*d, 5x8) gives sub¬
ject, date of making, cartographer, description with date, library location.
There are at present about 4000 cards.
The material is open to all students and research workers upon presenta¬
tion of satisfactory credentials to the custodians. The general rules of
the library apply to the Rare Book Room and Ayer Collection, tut because of
the nature of the holdings there are additional regulations regarding the
use of ink, care in handling, etc. Photostatic copies will be furnished at
standard rates.
See.- Do Ricci and Wilson, Consus of Mediaeval and Renaissance I,Manu¬
scripts in the United States and"*Canada (153*5); Newberry Library, Bast
Asiatic Collection (19L'5); Check List to Oriental Collection (191271
Check List of Manuscripts IrTthe Edward E. Ayer Collection (1937); List
of Manuscript Maps in the Edward fi. Ayer Collection (1927); Library Hand
Book; annual reports of tbe"librarian; Library of Congress, Manuscripts
in Public and Private Collections in the United States (1924).
SPRING FIELD. - ILLINOIS STATE HISTORICAL LIBRARY". Librarian, Paul M.
Angle. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, except Sat. p.m.
History and purpose.- This library was founded in 1889 and specializes
in Illinois history and Lincolhiana. Purchases are made, and gifts are
accepted within the fields of specialization. The library is housed in the
Centennial Building, a fireproof structure of steel, stone, and concrete,
erected in 1918. The building houses also the Illinois State Tax Coiraiission,
Illinois Comerce Commission, Illinois Civil Service Commission, Illinois
Stats Library, and the State Highway Commission. Approximate outside
dimensions are 280* x £90*. There is sufficient space for holdings at
present, but little room for expansion.
Holdings.- Consist of LINCOLN letters, papers, related autographs,
1809-65 , 800 pieces; papers of Gen. John A. McCLERMND, 1823-96, 10,000
pieces; papers and account books of Pierre MENARD, 1780-1899 , 8000 pieces
and 11 account books; Sangamon County election returns, 1821-91, 5000
pieces; papers of Gov. Richard YATES, 1840-70, 10,000 pieces; many small
collections and individual £133. relating to Illinois and American history,
10,000 pieces and 100 ledgers.
About one-half of the bold ings are arranged chronologically within
collections; 10$ of the accessions and 5$ of the pieces have been cata¬
logued. There are 2500 cards in the catalogue which the librarian states
is unreliable and must be r6-made eventually. At present, only accession
cards are being made. They show author, his identification, type of manu¬
script, addressee, place written, date, brief summary of contents, source,
cost, date of accession. The depository plans to publish a general descrip¬
tion of the manuscripts within a year.
Users must present ievidence of serious purpose. The McOlernand Collec¬
tion is not available until 1940, The librarian will furnish photostatic
copies of his manuscripts at v»35 per page.
See.- Library of Congress. Manuscripts in Public and Private Collec¬
tions in the United States (1924)•
MISSOURI
COLUMBIA.- STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY 0? MISSOURI. Secretary and
librarian, Floyd C. Shoemaker. Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. week daye.
History and purpose.*. The society was organised in 1898; in 1899 it
was incorporated, and in May, 1899, it was made a trustee of the State
and its official historical society. Its policies are acceptance as
gifts, deposit, or purohase of material in the field of Missouri history,
and the permanent preservation of such collections for use by the public.
The library is housed in the University of Missouri Library building,
wnich was erected in 1914 for the Joint use of the library of the Univer¬
sity of Missouri and the State Historical Society of Missouri. The building
is of stone construction, three stories and full basement, fireproof, and
has adequate space for present holdings but limited space for expansion.
Holdings.- Relate to prominent Missourians and subjects which concern
Missouri history. Included are the Lisbon APPLEGATE MS3., 1819-1903, surveyor's
notes and business papers; the Garland G. BROADHEAi) Collection, 1853-1908,
papers of state geologist of Missouri; papers of General Odon GUITAR, 1862-64,
concerning the Missouri State Militia; McCOT MSS., 1855-88, economic and
political data; Gov. Meredith M. MAHMAUUK3 Collection, 1823-86, which gives
valuable information on business conditions; papers of James S, ROLLINS, 1830--8,
prominent in business and politics, often referred to as "The Father of the
University of Missouri"; the John SAPPINGTON Collection, 1800-87, papers of
an eminent pioneer physician of Missouri; Brig. Gen. Thomas A. SMITH Collec¬
tion, 1798-1864, data on early settlements in Missouri and the Har of 1812;
the Frederick STARR Collection, 1852-55, papers of a pioneer clergyman. In
addition there are many separate ledgers, journals, and account books useful
in economic and social research. The society also has on file 115,180 items
of State Archives, consisting of a part of the official State papers from
1810 to 1908. There is a card calendar to this file.
The general collections of letters and papers include 14,918 pleetfi
arranged by author and date within each group. Accessions are not catalogued,
but a card calendar gives a complete abstraot of 11,647 of these items.
Collections may be consulted upon request to the custodian.
Photostat service is furnished; 8 x 10 negatives, 1-5, n»30 each;
6-10, $.25; over 10, -*.10; positives $.10 each in addition to the cost of
each negative; 11 x 14 negatives, 1-5, $.40 each; 6-10, $.30; over 10, ".15;
positives ".15 each in addition to the cost of each negative. A service
charge of fcloOO to $2.00 plus postage is additional. Prices are subject
to change.
See.- state Historical Society^ Missouri Historical Review (1906-).
Issued quarierxy: uct,, jan„» Apr., July. Index to Volumes 1-25. Messages
and Proclamations of the Governors of Missouri, 12 vols.; Journal of the
Missouri Constitutional Convention of 1875, 2 vols.; Debates of the Missouri
Constitutional Convention of 1875, 3 vols. Vol. 4 of the last named publica¬
tion is being printed and vol. 5 is in preparation.
missouri
ST. LCUISMISSOURI HISTORICAL HOC1 LTY . Archivist, Era. f ettle
Harney Beauregard. Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
History and purpose.- This society is a private institution founded
in 1866 by a public-spirited group, led by James H, Lucas, first president
of the society, and Elihu B. Shepard, first secretary. Its purpose is the
preservation of the early records of St. Louis and Missouri, development
of the est and Northwest, the fur trade. The depository no longer accepts
conditional deposits but requires outright gifts with or without restric¬
tions. The society has funds to purchase manuscripts in its special fields
of interest when they are not otherwise obtainable and nake3 no distinction
between citi7ens of the State and others in purchasing manuscripts. The
depository rakes no exchanges and has no collections of items outside its
special fields. Headquarters are in the Jefferson Memorial, a two-story,
fireproof building of Bedford stone. Outside dimensions are 300' x 60';
space for manuscript holdings is inadequate. Other uses of the building
are museum, library, assembly hall.
Holdings.- Include Spanish and French documents relating to the early
settlement of Missouri Territory. William K. BIXBY Collection, 1739(1763-
1857)1870, documents relating to Fort Chartres, 1739; Kaskaskia, 1753;
Arkansas River fortifications, 1751-55 ; 200 letters of Thomas JEFFERSON;
letters and documents of all the Presidents of the United States; Braxton
BRAGG letters; BURR-HAMILTON items; Andrew JACKSON material; Mexican and
Civil War material; large autograph collection. In this collection are
approximately 8000 pieces in folders in envelopes (9 x 12) in 8 steel file
cases. CHOUTEAU Collection, 1764(1790-1835)1880, correspondence, diaries,
etc., covering Indian affairs, civic and social matters, geology, genealogy,
archeology, and especially the fur trade, approximately 7500 pieces contained
in folders in envelopes (9 x 12) kept in 8 steel file cases. St. Louis
Archives, 1766-1814, official records and legal papers of St. Louis, city
and county, deeds, land grants, marriage contracts, powers of attorney,
history, exploration, early settlers, approximately 12,000 pieces in folders
in steel file cases. Prominent among the names in the collection are
BARTON, BATES, BENTON, BOONE, CHOUTEAU, FORSYTH, GRATIOT, HUNT, KEARNEY,
LACLEDE, LANE, LISA, LUCAS, 3CUIARD, STODDARD, TRUDEAU.
There are many other important manuscripts which total about 500
volumes, 80,000 pieces, and 80 steel file cases, 160 cubic feet. Half of
the material is arranged by author and, under author, chronologically and
geographically. Miscellaneous items are arranged by subject. All acces¬
sions and 25# of the pieces are catalogued; there are between 5000 and
6000 cards (3x5) which show name, date, subject, collection name, partial¬
ly cross-referenced. Additional guides are accessions correspondence and
about 700 cards (3x5) which form a ready reference to "Collections".
The manuscripts are open to members of the society, studentp, and
visitors. Two sections or the Chouteau Collection are restricted. They ore
"Chouteau Papin" and "Chouteau Investment". hell-lighted work apace is pro¬
vided for users. The custodian will furnluh photostatic copies of manu¬
scripts "within reason1' at current rates. Typing service is available at
$.15 per page; small orders are typed free of charge.
See.- Journal of a FUr-trading Pxpeflition on the Upper Missouri,
1812-13 (1920) HSE and Papers of Frederick Bates, 2 ''vols'. (1926)
Florida Plantation"Reco'rda'tl927TTLibrary of Congress, L&nuacripta
in .Public and Private Collections in the United States (1924).