Manuscripts
Letters relating to the Old South catalogue
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William Hill letter to James Bateman, official of the South Sea Company, 1711 December 3
Manuscripts
Letter from William Hill offering to sell a manuscript chart book of the South Sea (the west coast of South America) by William Hacke to the South Sea Company. Hill states that he purchased the South Sea waggoner, or Buccaneer's atlas from Hacke "about 18 yeares agoe" for 70 pounds sterling. The letter goes on to explain that Hill is currently confined to the Poultry Comptor for a debt of around 30 pounds sterling, and the proceeds from the sale of this rare atlas would help restore him to his home and family as well as be of benefit to the South Sea Company.
mssHM 20096
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"Arthur, about 4 yrs old"
Manuscripts
HM 81548: The first volume, written in ink, consists of miscellaneous reports prepared by Frank West. The volume begins with a report about a transportation march from Camp Supply, Indian Territory to Fort Clark, Texas in 1873. West meticulously details the journey of the cavalry including length of travel, rivers crossed, and personal remarks. "Our wagon was [?] in the quick sand at the crossing of the Red River men were disseminated and applied to ropes attached to the wagon and it was drawn out" (p. 2). The total distance of their march was 1,371 miles, which took 74 days. The next two reports are about the murder of Jacob Dilsey in 1873. Other reports include number of utility poles erected in Arizona and confidential statements and endorsements about various Army personnel. Also included are briefs from Fort Niobrara, Nebraska and Fort Myer, Virginia. The last portion of the volume appears to be excerpts from a history book concerning Europe, Asia, and the Middle East during the 19th century. The endpapers have miscellaneous notes and account information written on them.
mssHM 81548-81554
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Essays and letter concerning Ishi
Manuscripts
This group of items includes two essays and a letter, all of which relate to the Yana Indian Ishi. One of the essays, written by anthropologist Darwin B. Lyon who assisted Professor T. T. Waterman with the examination of Ishi, describes Lyon's experiences with Ishi including the two of them creating a map of the area in which Ishi lived. Lyon also talks about the Indians in California and their history in general. The other essay and letter are written by Alfred Barstow and also talk about Darwin B. Lyon and Ishi; the letter is addressed to Leslie Edgar Bliss of The Huntington Library.
mssHM 68201-68203
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Martinus van Marum letter to Gaspard Monge
Manuscripts
In this letter, van Marum is thanking Monge for a conversation they had in Paris in 1785. After this exchange, van Marum became all the more determined to study the new Chemistry and is now sending a volume he has just published, much of which is the product of what he has learned from Monge. He then asks Monge to send feedback of the book after he reads it. With the letter is a transcription that was done by Barbara Dibner. The letter is in French and was written from Haarlem.
mssHM 81087
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Jonas Bigelow letter to Otis Arnold
Manuscripts
This letter contains extensive detail from Jonas Bigelow to Otis Arnold, of Troy, New York, about his many recent activities as a merchant in Albany, New York; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Cincinnati, Ohio; and New Orleans, Louisiana, leading eventually to his venture into Arkansas Territory to trade for beaver pelts and bear skins. The letter also describes his relocation to Fort Smith, an army post located on one of the routes along which Native Americans traveled as they were forcibly removed from the southeastern United States to Indian Territory. Bigelow writes at length about the region surrounding Fort Smith, its many opportunities for profit, and his hope to make a considerable fortune by obtaining government contracts to supply parties of Native Americans.
mssHM 84001
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A collection of rebusses [sic], riddles, conundrums, &c, poetry, acrostics, epigrams, etc.: commonplace book
Manuscripts
The volume beings in 1813. One of the first original poems by William Murton was written on his 20th birthday.The volume contains many poems written by William, several of which were written to his wife Mary (on the occasion of her birthday, Valentine's Day, their wedding day, etc.). There are also quotations and other writings in the volume. At some point William's son John took over the volume and there are several entries by him including some riddles and puzzles. The title "A collection of rebusses [sic], riddles, conundrums, &c, poetry, acrostics, epigrams, etc." seems to be John's title for the volume. On one of the inside covers is the inscription "Mrs. Murton." There are several tabs in the pages; the cataloger left them in place. William started writing from one side of the volume; John turned it and started writing from the other side.
mssHM 80583