Title: ELISHA BARTLETT FAMILY PAPERS
Date range:
Location: D.96
Size: 4 boxes




Background and Scope of Collection:

The Bartlett Family Papers span the years from 1733 to 1924, with the bulk of the collection falling into the thirty-year period from 1832 to 1862. The papers consist of 4 boxes containing a total of approximately 510 items, of which 360 items are letters and approximately 150 items are manuscript materials including family related manuscripts, financial and legal materials, and miscellaneous items of printed ephemera. The collection contains a significant amount of material related to the medical career of Elisha Bartlett from 1832 to 1855, and the activities of Walter Otis Bartlett, Captain 1st Rhode Island Artillery, in the Civil War during 1861 to 1862. The collection also contained some printed pamphlet materials relating to Elisha Bartlett which were removed for cataloguing purposes. See register below for a listing of these printed materials.

Elisha Bartlett was born in Smithfield, Rhode Island, on October 6, 1804, the son of Otis and Waite Buffum Bartlett, who were Quakers. After preliminary study in Quaker schools and private study in medicine, he entered the medical department of Brown University, and graduated in 1826. In 1829, he married Elizabeth Slater of Smithfield, Rhode Island, and in 1832 was appointed to his first teaching post as professor of pathological anatomy and materia medica in the Berkshire Medical Institution at Pittsfield, Massachusetts. In succeeding years Elisha Bartlett pursued a distinguished career of teaching and writing, holding many different posts including professor of theory and practice of medicine at Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky, 1841 and 1846; professor of the theory and practice of medicine at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, 1844-46; the same position at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, 1849-50; professor of the institutes and practice of medicine in New York University, 1850-52; professor of materia medica and medical jurisprudence in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 1852-55; and lecturer on the topics of materia medica and obstetrics at the Vermont Medical College in the spring and summer months from 1843 to 1852. Elisha Bartlett died in Smithfield, Rhode Island, on July 19, 1855. For further biographical information the reader should consult the article on Elisha Bartlett in the Dictionary of American Biography, and Charts A and B, below, which trace the genealogical relationships for part of the Bartlett family.

The correspondence in the collection relating to Elisha Bartlett consists of approximately 41 letters from and 180 letters to him. Approximately 93 letters to, from, or about Elisha Bartlett are to or from correspondents listed in the Dictionary of American Biography. Twenty-five of these correspondents are physicians, surgeons, or chemists, including: Nathan Allen, Gurdon Buck, John William Draper, Benjamin Winslow Dudley, Pliny Earle, John Orne Green, Samuel David Gross, Elisha Huntington, Edward Jarvis, Joseph Johnson, Gilman Kimball, Leonidas Merion Lawson, Charles Alfred Lee, Reubin Dimond Mussey, William Osler, Martyn Paine, B.R. Palmer, Willard Parker, Robert Peter, Benjamin Silliman Jr., Nathan Ryno Smith, Alexander Hodgdon Stevens, Edward Livingston Trudeau, David Wendell Yandell, and Lunsford Pitts Yandell.

The bulk of the medically related correspondence is from physicians holding teaching posts at universities where Elisha Bartlett taught. The latter correspondence consists mainly of factual material relating to the yearly business of the universities.

There are a few letters to or from members of the Bartlett family including Elisha Bartlett's wife, Elizabeth Slater Bartlett. In addition, this correspondence includes 21 letters from his brother William Osborn Bartlett, a lawyer, mostly in connection with legal business.

Other notable correspondents in the collection include: Charles Butler, Caleb Cushing, John Davis, Charles Dickens, Alexander Hill Everett, James Thomas Fields, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Oliver Wendell Holmes, William Chauncy Langdon, Henry Cabot Lodge, William Brown Maclay, Robert Treat Paine, Thomas Wren Ward, Catherine Ann Ware Warfield, T.L. Woodruff, and Jeffries Wyman.

Walter Otis Bartlett was born on October 18, 1836, the son of Otis Bartlett and his second wife Waity(?) Allen Bartlett. He apparently served in the Union Army as a Captain of the 1st Rhode Island Artillery during 1861 and 1862. Further biographical information on Walter Otis Bartlett is found in his letters in the family correspondence.

The correspondence in the collection relating to Walter Otis Bartlett consists of 60 letters from him to members of the Bartlett family. The bulk of this correspondence is addressed to Bartlett's sister Caroline Bartlett Brown. Most of the remainder of his letters are addressed to another sister, Rebecca Bartlett Brown.

The Walter Otis Bartlett letters in the collection include significant but not necessarily large amounts of information on the following subjects: Bartlett's fellow officers in the war, the Battle of Bull Run, the troops' and officers' perceptions of political events in Washington, D.C., and Bartlett's attempt to resign from the Army.



The researcher should refer to the 'Box and Folder Identification' section for a description of the contents of each folder in the collection. The letters of notable correspondents as listed above are indexed in the correspondence catalog in the Department of Rare Books, Special Collections and Preservation.



The Bartlett Family Papers were purchased from John F. Fleming, Inc., New York City in June 1978. Additional materials were purchased from John F. Fleming, Inc. in September 1980.



Bartlett Family Genealogy:



Chart A



 Elisha
b.10/06/1804 d.c.07/19/1855

 m.1829
Elizabeth Slater





Caroline
b.03/11/1806
d. ?

 m.?
Isaac Brown



Adelia
b.01/01/1808
d. ?



Otis Bartlett b.02/20/1778
m.
Waite Buffum b.09/29/1783

 Rebecca
b.09/01/1810
d. ?

 m.?
John D. Brown



Ruth
b.06/14/1812
d. ?





Oliver
b.10/17/1815
d. ?





George
b.09/23/1817
d. ?





William Osborn b.04/03/1820
d. 1881

 m.?

 had -Willard


Sarah Earle
b.08/28/1822
d. ?







Chart B
Otis Bartlett b. 02/20/1778
m. 09/07/1823
Waity (?) Allen b.?

 Walter Otis
b. 10/18/1836
d.?


Contents:

Box and Folder Identification:



Box 1: Correspondence (arranged chronologically)

Folders:

    1. Correspondence, n.d.
    2. Correspondence, July 13, 1804 - December 31, 1828.
    3. Correspondence, January 1, 1829 - December 31, 1834.
    4. Correspondence, January 1, 1835 - December 31, 1838.
    5. Correspondence, January 1, 1839 - December 31, 1841.
    6. Correspondence, January 1, 1842 - December 31, 1844.
    7. Correspondence, January 1, 1845 - December 31, 1845.
    8. Correspondence, January 1, 1846 - December 31, 1846.
    9. Correspondence, January 1, 1847 - December 31, 1847.
    10. Correspondence, January 1, 1848 - June 30, 1849.
    11. Correspondence, July 1, 1849 - July 31, 1850.
    12. Correspondence, August 1, 1850 - October 31, 1850.
    13. Correspondence, November 1, 1850 - Mar 31, 1851.
    14. Correspondence, April 1, 1851 - December 31, 1851.
    15. Correspondence, January 1, 1852 - July 31, 1852.
    16. Correspondence, August 1, 1852 - December 31, 1852.
    17. Correspondence, January 1, 1853 - December 31, 1854.
    18. Correspondence, January 1, 1855 - December 31, 1857.
    19. Correspondence, January 1, 1858 - December 31, 1860.
    20. Correspondence, January 1, 1861 - March 31, 1861.
    21. Correspondence, April 1, 1861 - June 30, 1861.
    22. Correspondence, July 1, 1861 - September 30, 1861.
    23. Correspondence, October 1, 1861 - December 31, 1861.
    24. Correspondence, January 1, 1862 - March 31, 1862.
    25. Correspondence, April 1, 1862 - June 30, 1862.
    26. Correspondence, July 1, 1862 - September 30, 1862.
    27. Correspondence, October 1, 1862 - December 31, 1862.
    28. Correspondence, January 1, 1863 - December 31, 1868.
    29. Correspondence, January 1, 1869 - December 31, 1880.
    30. Correspondence, January 1, 1881 - December 31, 1890.
    31. Correspondence, January 1, 1891 - April 11, 1924.
    32. Unidentified letter fragments, n.d.
    33. Empty envelopes.


Box 2: Manuscript Materials (arranged alphabetically by last name)
Folders:

    1. Bartlett, Elisha. Address to "Classmates and Fellow Students," September 1821.
    2. Bartlett, Elisha. List of assets, May 1845.
    3. Bartlett, Elisha. List of candidates for graduation at Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky, submitted to Elisha Bartlett, January 5, 1848.
    4. Bartlett, Elisha. Last Will and Testament, April 18, 1855.
    5. Bartlett, Elisha. Legal and financial documents, 1838-1855 and n.d.
    6. Bartlett, Elisha, and Bartlett Family. Printed materials and documents, 1863-1914.
    7. Bartlett, Elisha, and Bartlett Family. Printed and manuscript ephemera, n.d.
    8. Bartlett, Elisha, and Bartlett Family. Miscellaneous manuscript materials, including poetry by Elisha Bartlett, n.d.
    9. Bartlett, William Osborn. Manuscript materials on the Bartlett Patent Bridle, 1866.
    10. Bartlett, William Osborn. Legal and financial documents, 1870-1872 and n.d.
    11. Bartlett, William Osborn. Miscellaneous manuscript materials, 1876-1881 and n.d.
    12. Moreton(?), Frank. Manuscript of "Marion Grey, A Novel," by the author of "Sprees and Splashes of New York Life," n.d.
    13. Rives, George Lockhart. Essay on "The Perils of Universal Suffrage," April 13, 1867
The remaining materials in Box 2, as well as all materials in Boxes 3 and 4, were added to the collection in September 1980:

    1. Bartlett, Elisha, and Arnold, Ruth. Bans of Marriage, Smithfield, Rhode Island, 1769.
    2. Bartlett, Elisha. "Early Poems." 2 notebooks, 25 poems total, n.d.
    3. Bartlett, Elisha. Resolution upon the death of Elisha Bartlett, first Mayor of the City of Lowell, Massachusetts, July 24, 1855.
    4. Bartlett, George. Appointment as Executor of estate of Caleb Bartlett, Gloucester, Rhode Island, 1804.
    5. Bartlett, Stephen. Receipt from estate of Oliver Bartlett, Smithfield, Rhode Island, 1813.
    6. Bartlett, Waity. Manuscript copy of religious text, "transcribed for Waity Bartlett by her friend, R.E.C.," n.d.
    7. Buffum, Thomas, and Arnold, Maria. Bans of marriage, Smithfield, Rhode Island, 1803.
    8. Taft, Jacob. Deeds, Worcester, Massachusetts, 1790 and 1793.
    9. Tennessee River. 2 maps of acreage, 1845 and n.d.


Box 3 (oversize flat box): Oversize Manuscript Materials

Folders:

    1. Arnold Family. Smithfield and Gloucester, Rhode Island.
      1. Arnold, Anthony. Deed, 1739.
      2. Arnold, Aron. Deed, 1782. Witnessed by Elisha Bartlet.
      3. Arnold, Peley. Map of plot of land purchased from Daniel Arnold, 1812.
      4. Arnold, Richard. Inventory of estate in Smithfield, 1746.
      5. Arnold, Thomas. Deed, 1733.
      6. Arnold, Thomas. Deed, 1735.
    2. Bartlet, Abner. Smithfield and Gloucester, Rhode Island.
      1. Promissory note, 1760.
      2. Indenture agreement, 1763.
      3. Deed, 1764.
      4. Deed, 1766.
      5. Deed, 1771.
      6. Inventory of estate in Gloucester, 1785.
      7. Letter of Administration, Elisha Bartlet, executor, 1785.
    3. Bartlet, Elisha. Smithfield, Rhode Island.
      1. Deed from Elisha Bartlet, 1786.
      2. Deed from Elisha Bartlet, 1789.
      3. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1766.
      4. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1768.
      5. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1769.
      6. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1782.
      7. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1782.
      8. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1783.
      9. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1783.
      10. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1784.
      11. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1785.
      12. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1791.
      13. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1794.
      14. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1795.
      15. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1795.
      16. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1799.
      17. Deed to Elisha Bartlet, 1799.
      18. Letter of Guardianship over Smith Bartlet, 1799.
      19. Protest of non-payment of citation draft against estate of Elisha Bartlet, Bank of the United States, Philadelphia, 1804.
    4. Bartlett, Elisha, Dr. Lowell, Massachusetts.
      1. Diploma, Brown University medical degree, 1826.
      2. Deed to Elisha Bartlett, 1829.
      3. Deed to Elisha Bartlett, 1834.
      4. Deed to Elisha Bartlett, 1835.
      5. Deed to Elisha Bartlett, 1837.
      6. Deed to Elisha Bartlett, 1843.
      7. Envelope addressed to "Elisha Bartlett, Mayor of the City of Lowell," n.d. [1836-?].
      8. Appointment as Justice of the Peace, Middlesex County, 1835.
      9. Appointment as Justice of the Peace, Middlesex County, 1836.
      10. Appointment as Justice of the Peace, Middlesex County, 1843.
      11. Appointment as Member of Board of Education, 1841.
      12. Deed from Elisha Bartlett to George Bartlett, Smithfield, Rhode Island, 1846.
      13. Autograph dedication of a book from Elisha Bartlett to George Bartlett, Woonsocket, Rhode Island, 1848.
      14. Statement of the stocks of the estate of Elisha Bartlett, 1855.
    5. Bartlett, Otis. Smithfield and Gloucester, Rhode Island.
      1. Map survey of land, Gloucester, 1804.
      2. Deed, 1809.
      3. Notations on apportionment of land, 1811.
      4. Distribution of estate of Oliver Bartlett to Otis Bartlett, 1812.
      5. Deed, 1825.
        Bartlett, Willard. See Box 4.

    6. Buffum, Thomas. Smithfield and Providence, Rhode Island.
      1. Deed, 1807.
      2. Certification of shares in Smithfield Union Bank, 1811.
      3. Appointment as Justice of Supreme Judicial Court, Rhode Island, 1819.
      4. Appointment as Justice of Supreme Judicial Court, Rhode Island, 1822.
      5. Deed, 1826.
      6. Deed, 1829.
    7. Chipman, Cassius. Vermont.
      1. Commission as Lieutenant in the Vermont Militia, 1824.
    8. Chipman, Nathaniel. Vermont and New Hampshire.
      1. Appointment as Chief Judge of Supreme Court in Vermont, 1796.
      2. Diploma, Dartmouth College, Degree of Surgeon, 1797.
      3. Appointment as Chief Judge of Supreme Court in Vermont, 1814.
    9. Darrah, Robert. Lowell, Massachusetts.
      1. Deed from Charles Adams, 1836.
      2. Deed to Charles Adams, 1836.
    10. Duggin, Emilie. New York City, New York.
      1. Deed, 1870.
    11. Oppie, James. New York State.
      1. License to practice law in Court of Equity of New York State, 1825.
      2. Commission as Ensign in the New York Militia, 1828.
      3. Commission as Captain in the New York Militia, 1830.
      4. License to practice law in Court of Chancery of New York State, 1830.
    12. Miscellaneous Newspaper Collection, 1833-1872
      1. The Sun, New York, Issue Number 1, September 3, 1833. 2 copies.
      2. Sacramento News-Letter, Vol. 1, No. 4, August 30, 1851.
      3. The Southern Sentinel, Alexandria, Louisiana, Vol. 1, No. 5?, April 18, 1863.
      4. Weekly Patriot, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Vol. 20, No. 12, March 20, 1872.
      5. Alaska Herald, San Francisco, Vol. 5, No. 111, August 24, 1872


Box 4 (oversize flat box): Oversize Manuscript Materials, cont.

Folders:

    1. Bartlett, Willard. License to practice law in New York State, from Supreme Court of New York, 1868.
    2. Bartlett, Willard. Diploma, New York University?, 1868.
    3. Bartlett, Willard. Diploma, Columbia College, 1869.
    4. Bartlett, Willard. Diploma, New York University?, 1894?
    5. Bartlett, Willard. Diploma, Hamilton College, 1895.
    6. Bartlett, Willard. Diploma, Columbia College, 1904.


Printed materials removed from collection for cataloguing purposes:

Allin, Charles M. Retro-pharyngeal Abscess; Its Medical History and Treatment; with a Statistical Table of Fifty-eight Cases. Reprint from the New York Journal of Medicine. New York: John F. Trow, Printer, 1851. Signed by author to "Elisha Bartlett M.D. With the author's respects."

The Atlantic Monthly. Vol. 1, No. 3, January 1858.

Bartlett, Elisha. A Brief Sketch of the Life, Character, and Writings of William Charles Wells, M.D., F.R.S.; An Address Delivered Before the Louisville Medical Society, December 7, 1849. Philadelphia: Lea and Blanchard, 1849.

Bartlett, Elisha. A Discourse on the Times, Character and Writings of Hippocrates. New York: H. Bailliere, 1852.

A Brief Memoir of Dr. Elisha Bartlett; With Selections from his Writings and a Bibliography of the Same. Providence: Sidney S. Rider, 1878. 2 copies.

Lowell, Massachusetts Historical Association. Contributions of the Old Residents' Historical Association, Lowell, Mass. Published by the Association, November 1883. Volume 2, No. 4. Includes section on Elisha Bartlett, p. 361-371.

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