Manuscripts

Edgar Lewis letters

Description: A group of six autograph letters, with envelopes, written by Edgar Lewis to his mother in Mystic Bridge, Connecticut. The letters provide a first-hand account of post-Civil War military life in the Western Frontier during the late 1860s. Lewis chronicles some of his activities while stationed at Fort Gibson, on the Arkansas river, Fort Arbuckle in the Cherokee portion of Indian Territory, and Wewoka in the Seminole region of the Territory. He describes episodes of his life on army posts including his particular passion for hunting, refers to encounters with various Native Americans and to various military duties he had to perform; Lewis also comments on life in the Indian Territory, including episodes of crime and violence. The letters and envelopes are in good condition, though one letter appears to be burned along the bottom edge, there is no loss of text.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Date: 1867-1868
Call number: mssLewise

Edgar Lewis letters to Mrs. W. B. Lewis

Manuscripts

A group of six autograph letters, with envelopes, written by Edgar Lewis to his mother in Mystic Bridge, Connecticut. The letters provide a first-hand account of post-Civil War military life in the Western Frontier during the late 1860s. Lewis chronicles some of his activities while stationed at Fort Gibson, on the Arkansas river, Fort Arbuckle in the Cherokee portion of Indian Territory, and Wewoka in the Seminole region of the Territory. He describes episodes of his life on army posts including his particular passion for hunting, refers to encounters with various Native Americans and to various military duties he had to perform; Lewis also comments on life in the Indian Territory, including episodes of crime and violence. The letters and envelopes are in good condition, though one letter appears to be burned along the bottom edge, there is no loss of text.

mssLewise

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Lewis Charles Levin letters to William David Lewis

Manuscripts

A collection of 89 items from 1849 to 1850; it consists of Lewis Charles Levin's letters to William David Lewis, chiefly dealing with the campaign led by Levin and his party to secure an appointment for Lewis as collector of the Port of Philadelphia. The letters detail the workings of political patronage in Washington, D.C. in the 19th century.

mssHM 14062-14150

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Edgar Jacob letters to family

Manuscripts

Four of these letters are written by Edgar Jacob (1883) to his family back in England. His letters were written from Rimouski, Québec, Iowa, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Tejon Ranch and Bakersfield, California. In his letters from Salt Lake City Edgar describes the city, talks about the Mormons and the building of their Tabernacle. Edgar also discusses Americans, their customs and religion. His last letter was written while visiting his brother Augustus at Bakersfield and the Tejon Ranch region (after he had taken up ranching). Edgar talks about ranch life, the sheep, the Indians living near the ranch and General Edward Beale. The three letters by Augustus Jacob (1873-1874) were written to his father and sister Edith from San Francisco and Laguna Ranch, California. He talks about the people he meets, life in California and the sights he sees. He also writes in great detail about ranch life and sheep raising in California and his trip from Jamaica to San Francisco.

mssHM 70984-70990

Autobiography of David Lewis [microform]: 1854

Manuscripts

Microfilm of the autobiography of David Lewis, written in 1854. The front page includes an unidentified photograph. The text begins with an account of Lewis' birth and childhood in Kentucky, including his family history (with physical descriptions of family members), his family's agricultural pursuits, his knife fights with his brothers, and his working at spinning cotton from the age of 12. Most of the manuscript focuses on the expulsion of the Mormons from Missouri and the events of the Haun's Mill Massacre, during which David's brother Benjamin Lewis was killed. Lewis thoroughly describes the event and its aftermath, including a latter meeting with James Campbell. He also writes of being captured by Missouri soldiers and interrogated about whether he was a Danite. Lewis also describes traveling to Illinois in 1838-1839, returning to Kentucky in 1839, and finally ending up back in Illinois in 1840. The account ends with a brief mention of the death of Joseph Smith. It also includes a patriarchal blessing for Lewis from 1839. The next portion of the volume begins with clippings from the Vernal Express on Sinley Lewis Sr. (1931). It is followed by a biography of David Lewis' son Siney Lewis Sr. (1848-1928) written by his daughter-in-law Crystal P. Lewis. It describes his birth in Council Bluffs, his father's work as a cooper, the death of his mother's father, who left her enough money to emigrate to Utah along with "one negro slave called Jerry" (who spent the rest of his life with the family), their journey to Utah in 1850, Siney's school days, and his leading emigrants to Utah in 1866 with a company of "bull whackers" (teamsters).

MSS MFilm 00157

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Francis West Lewis letters to James Lorimer Graham

Manuscripts

This is a group of eighteen letters by Dr. Francis West Lewis to James Lorimer Graham, of New York, mainly describing the "getting up" of a microscope for Graham by Lewis. One of the letters is in the form of an illustrated poem and another letter has illustrations (hand-drawn sketches by Lewis). The letters also deal with Dr. Lewis' personal life, his activities, and local gossip. Six of the letters are undated. Seventeen of the letters were written from Philadelphia (one was written from Bellows Falls, Vermont).

mssHM 81250-81267

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Cecil Day Lewis collection

Manuscripts

A collection of poems, correspondence and ephemera related to Cecil Day Lewis and the publication of his first collection of poetry, Beechen Vigil. The correspondence is with publishers Fortune and Merriman and concerns publication details and issues; many of the letters include envelopes. The collection also includes approximately 30 poems; a typewritten, corrected proof of Beechen Vigil, with corrections by Day Lewis and the editor; printed page proofs and galleys, with corrections, of the volume; a newspaper clipping and other printed material.

mssHM 40968-40997

Edgar Lewis letters

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Edgar Lewis letters to Mrs. W. B. Lewis

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Edgar Jacob letters to family

Autobiography of David Lewis [microform]: 1854

Francis West Lewis letters to James Lorimer Graham

Cecil Day Lewis collection