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Collections List

This area contains 200 manuscript collections, comprising nearly 1800 linear feet of material, plus a number of individual manuscript items. Each of these collections is described in brief on ODYsseus the Libraries’ online catalog. Additionally, many have detailed finding aids, searchable here. Others will be added to this list as they are completed. If you find you have questions about the collections after you have read the catalog entries or finding aids, please contact us.

French Emigres Collection

The collection consists of files on French emigres to Maine, New York, the southern part of the United States (mostly North Carolina) and Pennsylvania. Includes many clippings about book reviews, articles on Louis XIV, the Dauphin, Marie Antoinette, Joseph Bonaparte (King of Spain, brother of Napoleon) and Marshal Peter Ney (soldier of the French Revolution under Napoleon Bonaparte). Also included is a booklet on the French Refugee Colony in Pennsylvania called "Azilum".

Print Collection Collection number: #34
1793 - 1957
GardenShare Local Harvest Dinner

GardenShare, Inc. Records

This collection contains selected records of the anti-hunger organization GardenShare. The records include administrative files spanning the years 1996-2012. These files include GardenShare’s bylaws, incorporation papers, records of fund raising, annual dinners, awards, workshops, newsletters, finances, recruitment, food pantries the organization worked with and various other information.

Print Collection Collection number: #176
1996 - 2011
Portrait of General Harry K. Rutherford

General Harry K. Rutherford Coll.

The collection consists of family & military photos, yearbook of West Point (1907) & twenty-year book of West Point (1927); West Point by John Crane & James F. Kieley, as well as flags, medals and his sword.

Print Collection Collection number: #111
1886 - 1968

George & James Redington papers

This collection consists of personal and business correspondence, business papers and legal documents of George and James Redington. Also included are account books, records of the lumber business, notes (purchase and expenditures), orders (to pay bills), church papers/records of the First Presbyterian Church of Waddington, post office correspondence, prints of rafts and boats, and materials on the Sons of Temperance (minutes of meetings, constitution and black book). St. Lawrence University purchased this collection in 1958 from a Canadian book dealer.

Print Collection Collection number: #23
1825 - 1850

George Malby Collection

The collection consists of speeches and printed matter relating to the building of the Panama Canal, a book "Panama" by Ashley Carter, material relating to the proposed Nicaragua Canal, and numerous newspaper obituaries about Malby. St. Lawrence University received the collection from Mrs. Ada Armstrong of Ogdensburg, New York in June of 1971. Malby was Mrs. Armstrong's husband Howard's great uncle.

Print Collection Collection number: #15
1899 - 1978
Letter written by George Newbury, May 31 1864

George O. Newbury Letters

The collection consists of letters written by George Newbury to the Pike family while he was serving with the 9th Regiment - Maine Volunteers during the Civil War.

Print Collection Collection number: #66
1862 - 1864

George S. Parsons Correspondence

This collection contains 43 letters. The letters date from Sept. 14,1862 to Feb. 23, 1923 and describe camp life, hospital life, medical care, travel, and small battles during the Civil War. Most of these letters are written by George S. Parsons to his parents or friends.  Along with the letters, this collection contains ephemera, postcards, and receipts.

Print Collection Collection number: #137
1862 - 1923
Gertrude Richardson and a friend at the 1911 Canton Fair.

Gertrude Richardson Papers

The collection consists of the diaries of Gertrude Richardson from 1909-1942 (missing are 1910, 1927, 1933 and 1935) and the diaries of Shirley Claus 1932-1940 and 1949. Also included are a few photographs and a short biography of the Richardson family.

Print Collection Collection number: #92
1909 - 1949
Title page from the book The Giffin Family.

Giffin Family Collection

The materials in the collection contain genealogical information on the Giffin family consisting of photos, diaries, correspondence, clippings, and publications (paper and microfilm) assembled by Florence Giffin Martin Johnson and Mary Giffin Strange. Includes material on Preston King, Doane family and Pemberton Johnson.

Print Collection Collection number: #78
1774 - 1992
Grasse River postcard

Grasse River Water Power Assessment, 1871

The Grasse River is a 115 mile tributary of the St. Lawrence, and is located entirely in St. Lawrence County.  The South Branch begins near Long Tom Mountain in the Town of Colton, and the river runs through Russell, Canton and Madrid on its way to meet the St. Lawrence River downstream of Massena.  The historic spelling of the river’s name includes an “e,” while contemporary spellings favor Grass River.  Throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth century the river was a vital economic link for both logging and agriculture.  Approximately 85 miles of the river can be navigated by canoe. 

Print Collection Collection number: #225
Letter written by George Graves during the Civil War.

Graves Family Correspondence

George K. and Fayette D. Graves, brothers from Rensselaer Falls NY, were the sons of James and Catherine Graves. George, born in 1842, served as a private in company G of the 142nd infantry division NYS volunteers. He was wounded in 1864, yet he continued to serve until the war was over in 1865. He died in 1916.
Fayette, born in 1844, was a private in company A of the 106th infantry division NYS volunteers. He was wounded on May 15, 1864. He also served until the end of the war. Although the brothers were in separate division units, both spent much of their time during the war in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. This collection consists of 76 letters. The letters describe camp life, hospitals, and battles.

Print Collection Collection number: #125
1862 - 1870
Bacheller Memorial Chime

Gunnison Memorial Chapel Collection

The Gunnison Memorial Chapel digital exhibit consists of a selection of images from St. Lawrence University Archives' extensive collection of historical photographs.

Digital Collection

H.B. Taylor Autograph Collection

This collection contains signatures, letter and images of several notable Americans of the 19th and early 20th century. Many of the items are marked “presented by H. B. Taylor”, although we have no information on who Mr. Taylor was. The collection also includes a document signed by Louis XVI, king of France.

Print Collection Collection number: #190
H. J. Phelps diaries.

H.J. Phelps Collection

This collection consists of photographs, photo albums and diaries belonging to a Mrs. H.J. Phelps from Newton Center, MA. The diary entries chronicle the every day happenings in Mrs. Phelps' life. The majority of the photos are both dated and described. One of the photograph albums consists entirely of formal portrait photos while the other album is of candid and landscape shots. An undated, but quite old, copy of the King James Bible is also part of the collection.

Print Collection Collection number: #160
1891 - 1945

Hallen Family Letters

The collection contains about 50 letters and other correspondence, mostly concerning news involving family and friends and other every day subjects. Some of the letters are in original envelopes, but some are lacking envelopes. At least three of the letters to Maggie Hallen are from other young ladies in St. Lawrence County looking hoping to work for her dressmaking business. Other correspondence includes invoices from merchants for sewing supplies, etc. Also included are tax collection receipts from the St. Lawrence County Treasurers office, as well as bank deposit receipts.

Print Collection Collection number: #217
1878 - 1894

Harlan R. Horton Survey Map Collection

This collection consists of about 150 maps of neighborhoods, projects, developments and individual properties Mr. Horton surveyed primarily in the 1920s – 1960s.  Locations of the surveys include the town and village of Massena, and the towns and villages of Nicholville, Fort Covington, Norfolk, Winthrop, Brasher, Helena, Lawrence, Hogansburg, Brushton, Bombay, Madrid, Malone and Waddington, including surveys of lands for power transmission lines developed in early to mid-20th century.. Also included in the collection are a number of drawings related to individual study Mr. Horton made, apparently through correspondence courses and a few farm and residential building and architectural drawings.

Print Collection Collection number: #212
1914 - 1965
Helen Whalen poses with some letters

Helen “Tommie” Whalen World War II Scrapbook Collection

Helen E. Whalen was the registrar at St. Lawrence from 1930-1968. During the years of the Second World War, she served as “Communications Officer” between the college and those in the greater Laurentian community serving in the Second World War. In this capacity, she wrote and published “Tommie’s Newsletter,” which was a periodic sharing of the location, status, and general news of those serving abroad. During the war, she kept photographs and other objects sent to her on display in her office. After the war, she compiled her correspondence into a scrapbook.  

Print Collection Collection number: #228
1942 - 1945
Henry D. Payne on horseback.

Henry D. Payne Memoir

This collection consists of an unpublished memoir written by Dr. Henry Payne shortly before his death describing various situations and experiences in the Civil War. The manuscript is typed and is 43 pages. It is written in diary style with most entries beginning with a date reference. Also included with the bound manuscript are a small photograph and a map of Bermuda Hundred.

Print Collection Collection number: #174
Henry Hunn Thompson.

Henry Hunn Thompson Papers

The collection consists of correspondence, photographs of Thompson, documents, and newspaper clippings concerning Henry Thompson. Also included are a United States flag that was flown over the U.S. Treasury Building upon the death of Lincoln, a diary which includes Thompson's eye-witness account of the shooting of Lincoln, and a piece of lace from the curtain where Lincoln laid in state.

Print Collection Collection number: #20
1776 - 1918
Emily Eaton Hepburn at SLU in 1931.

Hepburn Family papers

This collection consists of photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings and articles about A. Barton Hepburn and Emily Eaton Hepburn. Included are obituaries for A. Barton Hepburn, Hawley S. Hepburn, Mrs. J. E. Lindsay (sister to Emily Hepburn), and George W. Hepburn. Also included are several lectures made by A. B. Hepburn at various Universities and a 1960 thesis paper by Ottilie H. Rollins on the Hepburn Libraries of the St. Lawrence Valley. A number of bound formal resolutions passed by several organizations at the time of A.B. Hepburn's death are also included.

Print Collection Collection number: #72
1880 - 1978
Letter written in 1842 by a member of the Hernandez family.

Hernández Family Papers

This collection, which is yet to be fully cataloged, consists of over 400 letters and documents, mostly in Spanish, detailing the financial, social and personal affairs of the Hernández family of Cuba and New York. Chiefly covers the period from the 1830's to first decade of the 1900's.

Print Collection Collection number: #145
1830 - 1910
Corintha Hall diary of 1899-1900.

Hezekiah B. Hall and Corintha Hall Papers

This collection contains two diaries, an expense book and an account book kept by Hezekiah B. Hall and three diaries and an expense book kept by Corintha Hall. H.B Hall’s diaries contain entries running consecutively from April 1881 through November 1894, while Corintha Hall’s diaries contain daily entries between February 1897 and March 1904. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hall’s expense books contain detailed daily household income and expenses; Mr. Hall’s January 1887 to June 1893 and Corintha Hall’s, 1899-1910. Mr. Hall’s account book (titled “Journal A”), includes dates between 1847 and 1889 and contains detailed account records. Two of Corintha Hall’s diaries also contain ledger account activity records for the lands H.B. Hall was agent for.

Print Collection Collection number: #110
1881 - 1910
July 10, 1851 journal entry by Hiram Herrings.

Hiram Herrings Journal

Diary/journal kept by Hiram Herring in Rodman, Jefferson County, N.Y. from 1843-1860.

Print Collection Collection number: #116
1843 - 1860
Howard Burt farmhouse, scene of the Asa Briggs murder.

Howard Burt Collection

Howard Burt was a prosperous farmer, who lived in Hannawa Falls, N.Y. He was tried and convicted of murdering his father-in-law Asa Briggs in 1897, in an attempt to murder his wife Rhoda. The collection consists of materials relating to the murder and subsequent trial in Hannawa Falls, N.Y. that formed the basis for Irving Bacheller's book The House of Three Ganders. Included are newspaper clippings, transcripts of the trial and appeal, bullets, affidavits and photographs.

Print Collection Collection number: #71
1897 - 1898
A 15th century Illuminated Manuscript leaf depicting Saint Lawrence.

Illuminated Manuscript Collection

A collection consisting of 6 vellum leaves and 3 folded vellum sheets of 14th and 15th century illuminated manuscripts. Includes portrait of Saint Lawrence.

Print Collection Collection number: #80
1300 - 1500
Image of an Incunabula leaf.

Incunabulum Leaf Collection

A collection consisting of 75 incunabula leaves, chiefly Gothic type, originally bought together by the Leamington Book Shop, Washington, D.C. and acquired by the University in 1953. Includes 3 additional leaves acquired by the library. Includes bibliographical references.

Print Collection Collection number: #81
1450 - 1500
Irving Bacheller.

Irving Bacheller Collection

The collection consists of business and personal letters, photographs, newspaper clippings, and manuscripts of published and unpublished works by Bacheller. It also contains material on some of the people about whom Bacheller wrote, such as Philo Scott and Jane Gentry.

Print Collection Collection number: #1
1890 - 1947
Dr. James Milford Payson.

J. M. Payson Story of a North Country Town Manuscripts

This collection consists of typed and some hand-written manuscript materials of a column Payson wrote for the St. Lawrence Plaindealer called The Story of a North Country Town that were printed from 1930 to 1932. Also included are three other short manuscripts Our North Country Civilization: Where it Came From, Canton Then, Canton Now and the Canton that is to Be, and Some Memories of Canton’s Old Places, Old Houses and Once Familiar Faces.

Print Collection Collection number: #186
1930 - 1932
Portrait of J. Moreau Brown.

J. Moreau Brown Bicentennial Records Collection

The papers consist of meeting agendas, notes and correspondence concerning Mr. Brown’s duties on both Bicentennial committees. Also included are publications, booklets, pamphlets, historic literature and other materials documenting the planning and execution of Bicentennial events and activities, as well as some ephemeral material such as buttons, lanyards, medallions, catalogs and other objects.

Print Collection Collection number: #181
1969 - 1977
Photograph of a religious shrine in India by James Ricalton.

James Ricalton Lantern Slide Collection

This collection consists primarily of glass plate slides taken by Ricalton during his travels around the world from 1891-1915. Also included are 22 typescripts to accompany the slides as well as photographic prints in narrow dimensions. Also included is a slide projector.

Print Collection Collection number: #146
1891 - 1915
Watertown Pubic Square.

Jefferson County Collection

This collection contains high school yearbooks, almanacs, programs and flyers from various functions in the county and information on Watertown including a photo book. Also included are deed, newspapers, and several articles on Sackets Harbor, James LeRay de Chaumont and Watertown.

Print Collection Collection number: #106
1807
John De Pol wood carving.

John De Pol Collection of Wood Engravings

The John DePol Collection consists of 1.66 linear feet of Christmas cards, menus, announcements, prints, illustrated books and other engraved materials done by John DePol between the years of 1947 and 1993 along with some biographical material about DePol and some correspondence between him and Dr. Frank Piskor. The collection came to St. Lawrence University through separate gifts from John DePol, Frank Piskor and Saxon Industries.

Print Collection Collection number: #19
1947 - 1993
Photograph of the John Reckard family.

John Reckard Diaries

The majority of this collection is made up of the diaries of John Reckard. The earliest diary is dated December 6, 1864; about sixteen months after he joined the army, and they stop December 31, 1912. The diaries cover a span of forty-eight years but about fifteen years worth of diaries are missing. The diary of 1869 is not in its original form but is instead in transcript form.

Print Collection Collection number: #131
1864 - 1920
John Van Vecten papers.

John Van Vechten Papers

This collection consists primarily of letters written from 1832 - 1877. It contains 15 folders of letters, receipts, and land agreements. The 15th folder in this collection contains postcards, and envelopes from 1900 - 1921 that do not have the corresponding letters with them. The three main locations that the letters were written from were: Chateaugay, NY, Albany, and New York City.

Print Collection Collection number: #149
1832 - 1877

Jonathan Wallace papers

The collection consists of Wallace's sermon's (most of which are referenced to biblical verses) and long poems. Also included is a framed portrait of Rev. Wallace.

Print Collection Collection number: #38
1826 - 1866
Joseph Doboze pictured with several women after the liberation of France, 1944.

Joseph Doboze Papers

This collection consists of correspondence, photographs, clippings, maps and personal documents of Joseph Doboze mostly relating to his service in the Second World War. Most of the correspondence is addressed to Joseph's sister Julia Doboze of Massena, NY. There are also letters from Doboze to his girl-friend, Frances Kodzis of Niagara Falls, NY; his parents in Norfolk, NY; various friends of the family; friends made in Belgium and Germany (their letters are in French and German and are only from 1946-48).

Print Collection Collection number: #134
1937 - 2001
Universalist pamphlets from the Joshua Britton papers.

Joshua Britton Papers

The collection consists of Universalist pamphlets and clippings as well as letters to Britton from the 1840's and the 1850's.

Print Collection Collection number: #101
1840 - 1876
An example of Burmese Kammavaca.

Kammavaca Collection

An example of a Buddhist religious text from Burma, Southeast Asia. This collection consists of a total of 12 leaves of Burmese Kammavaca manuscript on gilt palm leaves or lacquered cloth. 10 of the manuscript pages have a cover of lacquered boards, representing a complete text used in a Buddhist ordination ritual.

Print Collection Collection number: #166
1850 - 1950
Portrait of Charlotte Knapp.

Knapp Family Correspondence

The Knapp Family Correspondence consists of over 100 items including letters, envelopes, photographs, and postcards.  Many letters are from Orlando Knapp to his sister Charlotte.  There are also some from Thomas Edmonds and Mary Olmsted to Charlotte.

Print Collection Collection number: #129
1859 - 1883
Fisher Hall, St. Lawrence University.

L.W. Coons Photograph Collection

This collection consists of two series of photo prints. Series 1 are photographs of various rural views in the North Country taken by Leroy Wilson Coons (SLU Div. ’95). Series 2 are photographs of the St. Lawrence University campus around the time of Rev. Coons years at SLU. Also included in Series 2 are photos of High Falls, near Canton, a pulp mill at High Falls, the mill after an explosion and several portrait photos, including I.M. Atwood, President of the Theological School when Coons was a student.

Print Collection Collection number: #152
1895

Our Manuscript collection is comprised of 221 distinct collections, comprising nearly 1800 linear feet of material. Each of these collections is described in brief on records in the SLU Libraries’ online catalog. Additionally, our manuscript collections have detailed finding aids, which are available on this page and through our catalogs  If you find you have questions about the collections after you have read the catalog entries or finding aids, please contact us.

Paul Doty, Interim Librarian for Special Collections & University Archives Voice: (315) 229-5483 e-mail: pdoty@stlawu.edu