C Breckenridge, William Clark (1862-1927), Papers, 1752-1927 1036 4.75 Linear Feet, 21 Volumes, 3 Rolls of Microfilm
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C Breckenridge, William Clark (1862-1927), Papers, 1752-1927 1036 4.75 linear feet, 21 volumes, 3 rolls of microfilm MICROFILM (Scrapbooks only) This collection is available at The State Historical Society of Missouri. If you would like more information, please contact us at [email protected]. INTRODUCTION The papers of the St. Louis businessman, writer, and historian contain correspondence, scrapbooks, book sale announcements, and miscellaneous materials, with an emphasis on St. Louis and Missouri history. DONOR INFORMATION The William Clark Breckenridge Papers were donated to the State Historical Society of Missouri on 28 November 1933 by James M. Breckenridge. SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE The William Clark Breckenridge papers consist of correspondence, scrapbooks, book sale announcements, and miscellaneous materials. They are arranged into seven series: Early Printing in Missouri, Returned Items, Correspondence, Book Sale Lists, Miscellaneous Printed Material, Book Sale Correspondence, and Scrapbooks. The Early Printing in Missouri series contains two copies of Early Printing in Missouri, 1808-1849, compiled by Breckenridge and Francis Asbury Sampson. The publication is comprised of lists of articles printed, where, when, and by whom, as well as a list of periodicals published in Missouri. The Returned Items series consists of materials recovered after the Lawrence Lingle theft of items from the scrapbooks and the unworked boxes. Recovered materials were placed in these folders when their original locations could not be determined. These items include autograph letters; a sample written by the Automation Writer at the American Museum, New York, in 1845; a presidential election notice from 1836; a prisoner of war parole form for members of the Trans-Mississippi Department; correspondence; publications; and miscellaneous materials. This series is arranged chronologically. The Correspondence series consists of correspondence with Francis A. Sampson, secretary for the State Historical Society of Missouri and a card file describing each item the Society purchased from Breckenridge. The letters are arranged chronologically and concern buying books and collecting material bearing on Missouri history for the Society and miscellaneous Society business. References to the Missouri Historical Society in St. Louis and its acquisitions, details of Sampson’s travels, family, fossil collection, and his relationships with the Society’s finance committee and trustees are also included in the letters. The Book Sale List series contains book sale lists of W.W. Nesbit, owner of the Shakespeare Book Shop in St. Louis. The Miscellaneous Printed Material series consists of book sale announcements, State Historical Society of Missouri circulars, programs for meetings of C1036 Breckenridge, William Clark (1862-1927), Papers, 1752-1927 Page 2 various historical societies, pamphlets on collecting strategies, materials related to politics, the temperance movement, labor unions, religion, and the military. The Book Sale Correspondence series contains correspondence with various book deals, institutions, and individuals regarding sale of books, broadsides, pamphlets, and manuscripts from Breckenridge’s collection of Americana. Filed alphabetically by correspondent, the letters describe in detail items for sale and include historical information on states, churches, authors, and family genealogies. These letters also contains information on the publishers and printer and bookbinding methods used on the items for sale. Of note in this series is a list of pamphlets and broadsides relating to the political, educational, and social activities of African Americans from 1849 to 1879. Other prominent topics include Mormons, railroads, and the American West. The Scrapbooks series has been microfilmed and consists of newspaper clippings and illustrations, engravings, letters, and miscellaneous printed materials. Dates are not consecutive. There is an emphasis on St. Louis and Missouri history, poetry and picture collections, cartoons, and Joseph R. Meeker, a St. Louis artist. C1036 Breckenridge, William Clark (1862-1927), Papers, 1752-1927 Page 3 FOLDER LIST Early Printing in Missouri Series f. 1 Two copies of Early Printing in Missouri, 1808-1849 Returned Items Series f. 2 Undated: Autographs; envelope addressed to A.B. Green; letter to E.R. Meeker from John Taylor Johnson; admittance slip to St. Louis theatre, signed P.G.; J.J. Crittenden, U.S. Senator, on envelope addressed to J.R. Meeker; Lancaster County, Pennsylvania through King George II for arrest of John Kollor, 1752; Red Seal-Lion’s Head over two ships; cigar band, 1868; J.R. Meeker’s printed “property;” handwritten poem by Dyer dedicated to J.R. Meeker; lists of antique arms and owners; letter to Mr. Snead, signed Napier, H.B.M. Legation; officers and members of the St. Louis Sketch Club to E.E. Starkweather; letter of Matt Ward to Butler; letter to B.J. Adams. f. 3 1772-1842: Sample written by the Automation Writer at the American Museum, New York, 1845. Lancaster County treasurer pay authorization, 1772, several signatures. Card of J.C. Buttre, printer and engraver, New York, 1842. Presidential election notice, 1836. f. 4 1855-1859: Letter of Charles M. Riley, December 11, 1855. Letter of Charles Haskind to J.R. Meeker, March 8, 1858. Bill of fare for supper given by citizens of Louisville to ex-governor Charles S. Morehead. Letter of Park Benjamin, editor and poet, November 5, 1855. Engraving of St. Louis, 1855, by Leopold Gast and Brothers. f. 5 1860-1869: Invitation to Joseph R. Meeker to trial of native wines held at Bluffton Wine Company, St. Louis, Missouri, 1869. Prisoner of war parole form for members of the Trans-Mississippi Department under General E. Kirby Smith. Joseph R. Meeker’s St. Louis Press Club card, 1861, and permit to leave Cairo, Illinois issued through office of Captain Isaac M. Talmage, provost marshal. Brigadier General John Wynn Davidson’s letter of recommendation for J.R. Meeker’s navy paymaster appointment. Autograph of Edward Everett, U.S. Senator. f. 6 1875-1896: Letters to J.R. Meeker from Eliza Bierstadt and Charles Ward Rhodes, March 1875, May 16, 1894, in regard to Meeker’s art work. Letter to A.B. Green from Henry Chase, 1879. Bound copy of two lectures, “Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln” and “Notes of a Visit to California” by Joshua Fry Speed with a sketch of Speed’s life. Letter to J.R. Meeker from Andrew Shuman, editor, Chicago Evening Journal, May 29, 1886. Guest ticket to the Republican National Convention, June 16, 1896. Correspondence Series f. 7 1901 September-December f. 8 1902 January-September C1036 Breckenridge, William Clark (1862-1927), Papers, 1752-1927 Page 4 f. 9 1902 October-December f. 10 1903 January-June. Letters in regard to Senate appropriations to the Society. f. 11 1903 July-December f. 12 1904 January-May f. 13 1904 July-September f. 14 1904 November-December f. 15 1905 January-March. Appropriation of $400,000 for use in building a memorial to Missouri soldiers and for the Society. f. 16 1905 April-August. References to Missouri Historical Society meetings attended by Breckenridge. Acquisition competition between Missouri Historical Society and the State Historical Society. f. 17 1905 September-December f. 18 1906 January-April f. 19 1906 May-August. References to free railroad mileage for editors; advertising through railroads for the proposed Missouri Historical Quarterly. Name complications with the publications of the Missouri Historical Society and the State Historical Society. f. 20 1906 October-December. Subscriptions for the Quarterly (now Missouri Historical Review); appropriations; references to new building, the Missouri Historical Society, advertising contracts with railroads, membership refusal to a black St. Louis teacher into the Society, consideration of D.J. Snider’s membership, acquiring material from the Loyal Legion of the U.S. in Missouri. f. 21 1907 January-May. References to Senate appropriations for new building for the Society; discussion of printers, contributors to the Review. f. 22 1907 July-September f. 23 1907 October-November f. 24 1907 December. Negative copy of “Bibliography of Biography” compiled by Breckenridge. f. 25 1908 January-March f. 26 1908 April-August. Missouri Historical Society acquisitions; State Historical Society’s finance committee meeting, 30 June. f. 27 1908 November-December. Finance committee meeting; state appropriations and opposition of Dr. Muir, former president of La Grange College; political preferences in the 1908 presidential election. f. 28 1909. Appropriations. f. 29-30 1910. Bids and construction of the Dumas apartment building, Columbia, Breckenridge discusses his not being re-elected as trustee and the use of materials provided by the Society. Sampson’s reply. f. 31 1911 January-May f. 32 1911 June-December. Description of facilities for use by the Society in basement of the University library. f. 33 1912 January-July. Cost of buildings of the Buffalo Exposition given to the Buffalo Historical Society, descriptions of the libraries and collections of C.M. Burton and Bryant Walker. Discussion by Sampson of a building for the Society; membership drive. Columbia Daily Tribune news clipping C1036 Breckenridge, William Clark (1862-1927), Papers, 1752-1927 Page 5 lists gifts to the Society including rare document of Louisiana Retrocession to French Republic. Breckenridge letter from the Battle Creek Sanitarium, Michigan, informing Sampson of discontinuing his business in