Colton Greene Collection, Revised

Processed by John Jones, Intern—1983

Revised by Doug McQuirter—2017

Memphis and Shelby County Room

Memphis Public Libraries 3030 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38111 Colton Greene Collection, Revised

Biographical Note

Colton Greene (1832-1900)

A leading citizen of Memphis in the decades after the Civil War, Colton Greene is best remembered as the originator of the Memphis Mardi Gras. Little is known of Greene’s early life other than his 1832 birth in South Carolina. A resident of St. Louis, Missouri, Greene enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861 and took part in an unsuccessful effort to seize the U.S. Arsenal in that city. He served as commander of the 3rd Missouri Cavalry Brigade throughout the war, taking part in many battles in the Trans-Mississippi Military District. General D. Frost commended Greene’s action at the Battle of Pea Ridge. Greene served in General Marmaduke’s Missouri campaign of 1863 and assisted in the defense against the expedition of General Frederick Steele.

Greene served most of the war with the rank of colonel, although many of his superiors had recommended his promotion. After the fall of Vicksburg, Mississippi, to the Union Army, communications were severely disrupted between the Trans-Mississippi region and the Confederate capital in Richmond, Virginia. Because of this circumstance, General E. Kirby Smith assumed the power to appoint officers to the rank of brigadier general without prior approval of the Confederate Congress and President. Thus, although no official sanction was ever given to Greene’s promotion to brigadier general, he may have been one of those officers accorded that rank by Kirby Smith near the end of the war.

After the war, Greene began a successful career in the insurance business. He was employed by the Memphis branch of the Knickerbocker Life Insurance Company of New York and established his own firm, Greene & Lucas, in 1871. Greene became one of Memphis’ leading citizens during the decade of the 70’s, founding and serving as first president of the State Savings Bank and helping to organize the Tennessee Club. During the difficult years of growing debt and devastation from three yellow-fever epidemics, which forced the city to surrender its charter in 1879, Greene provided enlightened civic leadership. Along with other concerned citizens including Elias Lowenstein and John Overton, Jr., he served on a Water Committee which was formed to investigate the feasibility of plans for the construction of a municipal water works. In his Report On a Public Water Supply for the City of Memphis (Memphis: S.C. Toof & Co., 1886), Greene recognized the need for a water facility that was publicly owned and operated since the owners of the private systems had failed to reinvest enough profits to keep pace with the city’s growing demand for an adequate and safe supply of water. In the report, Greene also identified the need for sound fiscal management to restore the city’s credit within the financial community.

Perhaps Greene’s most original civic accomplishment was the organization of the Memphis Mardi Gras. When the Memphis newspaper, The Appeal, called for a public discussion of ideas to attract business to the community, he proposed that the city celebrate Mardi Gras and established the Mystic Society of Memphi to promote the social events. With the help of others, notably David P. Hadden, Greene persuaded railroad companies to lower fares during the celebrations, hired fashionable artists and costumers and succeeded in attracting huge crowds for the grand parades. The first festival was held in 1872, and the Memphis celebrations rivalled those of New Orleans and Mobile in magnificence throughout the decade. From 1882 until the turn of the century, the tradition continued but on a diminished scale. More information on the historical background to the

Colton Greene Collection, Revised

Biographical Note, continued

Memphis Mardi Gras and the Mystic Memphi may be found in the Memphis Information File in the Library’s Memphis and Shelby County Room.

A world traveler and a highly educated man, Greene was an avid collector of books. His bequest to the Cossitt Library upon his death in 1900 included over five-hundred titles, including a large selection of the classics as well as many of the latest works of the time in the fields of history, science, and philosophy.

Colton Greene Collection, Revised

Scope and Contents The Colton Greene Collection, Revised contains four boxes and is 1.04 linear feet in size. The collection spans from a letter dated 1857, to a commemorative invitation replica from the 1990s. The bulk of the collection comes from either the American Civil War or the records of the Society of the Memphi in the 1870s and 1880s.

Box one contains correspondence, a painted portrait of Greene, and hand drawn maps from Greene’s involvement as a Confederate officer in the Civil War. Of particular interest within this portion is a number of letters regarding a disciplinary investigation against Greene known as the “mule imbroglio.” In 1864, Greene was accused of encouraging officers under his command to disobey an order requiring all soldiers to turn over their mules to the Confederate government. This accusation came to naught when a military court examined the evidence, completely exonerating Greene of this charge.

Box two contains the financial records, bills, receipts, correspondence, and advertisements related to the Mardi Gras celebrations, as well as undated envelopes, cards, and other ephemera from this period.

Box three contains invitations, envelopes, and sketches from Mardi Gras and other festive events. Most objects in this box pertain to specific events and are dated. Many of these objects were intricately designed by highly-skilled artists, including Carl Gutherz, a Memphis painter who taught at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Box four contains oversized objects. These include Greene’s United States passport (containing a written description of his physical features), his CSA officer’s commission originating from Missouri, conceptual drawings of Mardi Gras costumes, and pages from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper describing Memphis’s 1878 Mardi Gras celebration.

Single photocopies or scans of unpublished writings in these papers may be made for purposes of scholarly research.

Memphis and Shelby County Room rights statement

While the Memphis Public Library & Information Center may house an item, it does not necessarily hold the copyright on the item, nor may it be able to determine if the item is still protected under current copyright law. Users are solely responsible for determining the existence of such instances and for obtaining any other permissions and paying associated fees that may be necessary for the intended use. Any image from the library’s collection published in any form must cite as the source: Memphis and Shelby County Room, Memphis Public Library & Information Center. For all requests, please contact the History Department at 901-415-2742 or [email protected].

Colton Greene Collection, Revised

Container List

Box Folder Folder Name Number Number 1 1 Correspondence 1 2 Portrait 1 3 Military Affairs and Correspondence 1 4 Military Campaign Maps 1 5 Correspondence regarding the “Mule Imbroglio” 2 1 Receipts and Correspondence 2 2 Mardi Gras Correspondence and Expenses 2 3 Documents regarding Mardi Gras Designers C. Gutherz and Maison Nonnon 2 4 Society of Memphi-Memoranda and Envelopes 2 5 Miscellaneous Personal Items 2 6 Statements of Expenditures 2 7 Receipts 2 8 Advertisements 2 9 Plaque 2 10 Dance Cards 2 11 Cards 2 12 Invitation Covers 2 13 Engraving Photograph 2 14 Invitations, undated 2 15 Envelopes 3 1 Invitation-1872 3 2 Invitations and Envelopes-1872 3 3 Reproduction of 1873 Invitation from 1998 3 4 Invitation-1873 3 5 Invitation-1873 3 6 Invitation-Knights of Momus 1873 3 7 Tickets; 1879,1874, unknown 3 8 Bulletins-1874 3 9 Invitation-1875 3 10 Invitation-1875 3 11 Newspaper Article-1875 3 12 Invitations-1876 3 13 Invitations-1876 3 14 Invitations-1876 3 15 Invitations-1877, 1878 3 16 Invitations; Ticket-1877; 1880 3 17 Libretto, 1877 3 18 Newspaper Articles-1877, 1876, 1876, unknown 3 19 Book-1878

Colton Greene Collection, Revised

Container List, continued

Box Folder Folder Name Number Number 3 20 Libretto-1878 3 21 Invitation-1878 3 22 Invitations-1878, 1881 3 23 Invitation-1878 3 24 Invitations and Envelopes-1880 3 25 Invitations-1881 3 26 Invitation-1884 3 27 Invitation-1888 3 28 Invitation-1888 3 29 Illustrations-1892 3 30 Booklet-1911 3 31 Book-1956 3 32 List of Proposed Floats-1874 3 33 Programs for Mardi Gras-1876 4 1 Cover Sheet 4 2 Poster-1872 4 3 Poster-1875 4 4 Invitation-1876 4 5 Envelope-1876 4 6 Photographs of Mardi Gras Sketches 4 7 Opera House Tickets 4 8 Sketch by Carl Gutherz 4 9 Mardi Gras Costume Design Drawings 4 10 Invitation-1878 4 11 Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper (in German) 4 12 Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper 4 13 Passport 4 14 Map 4 15 Handwritten Song 4 16 Commission Document 4 17 Ulks Procession Sketch

Colton Greene Collection, Revised

Box 1—Civil War Papers

Folder Folder Name Number Description of Contents Number of Items 1 Correspondence 12 Includes letters both written to and from Greene by Albert Gallatin Jenkins, Trusten Polk, an unidentified female friend, Col. Campbell, T.D. Wooten, Lonegan, A.R. Walker, B.W. Duke with envelope. Correspondence dates range from 5/9/1857 to 11/4/1886. 2 Portrait 1 A portrait of Colton Greene in CSA uniform. Color, painted, undated, unsigned. 3 Military Affairs 21 Includes letters and dispatches to and from Greene by Br. and Gen. Ben McCulloch, Br. Gen. John L. Marmaduke, Correspondence Missouri Gov. (CSA) Thomas C. Reynolds, Br. Gen. J.O. Shelby, and Gen. E. Kirby Smith. Numerous correspondences regarding the commission of Greene to colonel and then recommending his promotion to general. Correspondence dates range from 4/18/1861 to 5/24/1865. 4 Military 6 Includes hand-drawn maps portraying areas of Missouri, Campaign Maps Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. 5 Correspondence 10 Includes letters both to and from Greene and other CSA regarding the officers about the allegation that he encouraged officers “Mule to disobey certain orders. Dates range from 8/26/1864 to Imbroglio” 9/6/1864.

Box 2—Mardi Gras Records and Correspondence

Folder Folder Name Number Description of Contents Number of Items 1 Receipts and 14 Includes receipts from Memphis businesses such as Hook Correspondence & Lagrill painters and paper hangers, Bryson & Camp furniture store, financial notes, a float ledger page detailing Mardi Gras floats’ accessories, envelopes, an account book of Greene’s regarding Cole and Co., and a small book named Float No. 11 Report. 2 Mardi Gras 11 Includes letter from Greene to the Missouri & Cincinnati Correspondence Railroad requesting the rail fares be lowered for both ten and Expenses days preceding and following Mardi Gras to stimulate the economy, as well as a letter from Strobridge & Co. of Cincinnati. Also includes various receipts, lists, and an envelope.

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Box 2—Mardi Gras Records and Correspondence, continued

Folder Folder Name Number Description of Contents Number of Items 3 Documents 9 Includes a contract between David P. Hadden, regarding Mardi representing the Society of Memphi, and B. Nonnon, Gras designers written in French, as well as a bill from Maison Nonnon Carl Gutherz to Colton Greene. Also includes three receipts from the and the Maison Southern Express Company from Greene to Gutherz, Nonnon notes from Gutherz and written instructions from Greene to Maison Nonnon. 4 Society of 9 Includes envelopes, cards, and notes, some with the Memphis— letterhead of the Mississippi Valley Branch of the Memoranda and Knickerbocker Life Insurance Co. of New York. Envelopes 5 Miscellaneous 7 Includes a check to “ourselves”, a book about the City of Personal Items Memphis’ water supply, a miniature certificate proclaiming Colton as a member of the Order of the Ball and Chain, a photograph of a portrait of Greene, a property deed from Frederick Cossitt to John Stephenson, and a photograph from the Star Gallery. 6 Statements of 22 Includes receipts from Hadden & Avery, a voucher list, Expenditures and numerous other handwritten lists. 7 Receipts 3 Includes a receipt from E. Urquhart & Co. stove company. 8 Advertisements 2 Includes a page with multiple advertisements in French. 9 Plaque 1 Contains a plaque describing in brief “General Colton Greene”. 10 Dance Cards 1 Contains a pair of dance cards. 11 Cards 3 Includes cards, two are similar with a “Memph” stamp, one is emblazoned with TRN. 12 Invitation 1 Contains the front and back cover to a single invitation. Cover 13 Engraving 1 Contains a copy of an engraving from a sketch by Carl Photograph Gutherz. 14 Invitations, 2 Contains two partial invitations. undated 15 Envelopes 7 Includes numerous envelopes, some with the Society of Memphi logo stamped on them.

Colton Greene Collection, Revised

Box 3—Mardi Gras Illustrations and Invitations

Folder Folder Name Number Description of Contents Number of Items 1 Invitation--1872 6 Contains invitations and envelopes to a Reception Ball in honor of Grand Duke Alexis, held at the Overton Hotel in Memphis, TN on February 2, 1872. 2 Invitation--1873 2 Contains invitations to Night of the Carnival, February 25, 1873. 3 Reproduction of 1 Contains reproduction of 1873 invitation for a Night of 1873 Invitation the Carnival ball set for February 7, 1998 at the Memphis from 1998 Country Club. 4 Invitation- 1 Contains a crescent-shaped paper invitation to the Knights of Varieties Theatre dated December 31, 1873. Momus--1873 5 Tickets; 1879, 3 Contains three tickets, one to the Palace of the 1874, unknown Exposition in 1879, one to the New Memphis Theatre on February 14, 1874, and one an undated “Banquet of the Deities on Mount Olympus.” 6 Bulletins--1874 8 Contains two copies of a description of the history of Memphi on four panels. 7 Invitation--1875 1 Contains an invitation and dance card for an event in 1875. 8 Invitation--1875 1 Contains an invitation and dance card for an event at Eureka Hall on November 9, 1875. 9 Newspaper 11 Contains a Memphis Appeal article describing Memphis Article--1875 Mardi Gras events, published February 10, 1875. 10 Invitation--1876 2 Contains an invitation and ticket to Mardi Gras at the New Memphis Theatre on February 29, 1876. 11 Invitations-- 3 Contains invitations from the Knights of Momus to 1876 events on February 29, 1876; includes an invitation to Colton Greene from the Mystic Memphi to an event at the New Memphis Theatre. 12 Invitations-- 3 Contains invitations from the Knights of Momus to Ed 1876 Baxter for events in Galveston, Texas, on February 29, 1876. 13 Invitations— 2 Contains two invitations from Mardi Gras events at the 1877, 1878 New Memphis Theatre, dated February 1, 1877 and March 5, 1878.

Colton Greene Collection, Revised

Box 3—Mardi Gras Illustrations and Invitations, continued

Folder Folder Name Number Description of Contents Number of Items 14 Invitations (2); 3 Contains an invitation and ticket to Mardi Gras events at Ticket—1877, the New Memphis Theatre for February 13, 1877, plus a 1880 partial invitation to an 1880 event. 15 Libretto--1877 1 Contains a “Libretto of the Annual Spectacular Display of the Mystic Memphi”, for February 13, 1877. 16 Newspaper 4 Includes three articles from the Daily Avalanche and one Articles—1877, from the Memphis Appeal describing the Carnival 1876, 1876, celebrations. unknown 17 Book--1878 1 Contains a “Description of the Street Pageant of the Ancient Ulks on Mardi Gras Eve,” book, for March 4, 1878. 18 Libretto--1878 1 Contains a “Libretto of the Annual Spectacular Display of the Mystic Memphi”, for March 5, 1878. 19 Invitation— 1 Contains an invitation to “Mistick Krewe of Comus” for 1878 Shrove Tuesday 1878. 20 Invitations— 2 Contains two invitations for Memphi events, one for 1878,1881 March 5, 1878 and another for March 1, 1881. 21 Invitation--1878 1 Contains an invitation from the Mystic Memphi to the New Memphis Theatre on March 5, 1878. 22 Invitations and 6 Contains invitations for a Full Dress Ball of the Envelopes--1880 Tennessee Club on February 10, 1880 at the Leubries Theatre in Memphis, TN. 23 Invitations-- 3 Includes invitations for Mardi Gras on March 1, 1881. 1881 24 Invitation--1884 1 Contains a circular invitation with “Rex” and 1884 on one side. 25 Invitation--1888 2 Contains two identical invitations for “Night of the Carnival”, on February 14, 1888, one folded, one unfolded. 26 Illustrations-- 1 Contains a page of images showing floats used in the 1892 Memphis Bridge Celebration of May 12, 1892. 27 Book--1956 1 Contains A Brief History of the Mystic Order of the Memphi From Its Beginning In 1872.

Colton Greene Collection, Revised

Box 3—Mardi Gras Illustrations and Invitations, continued

Folder Folder Name Number Description of Contents Number of Items 28 List of Proposed 1 Contains “A List of Proposed Floats for Mardi Gras”. Floats--1874 29 Programs for 4 Contains four identical booklets called the Annual Mardi Gras-- Spectacular Display of the Mystic Memphi, dated February 29, 1876 1876.

Box 4—Oversized Objects

Folder Folder Name Number Description of Contents Number of Items 1 Cover Sheet 1 Cover sheet “Programs, Invitations, Newspaper Clippings and Souvenirs”. 2 Poster--1872 1 Contains an advertisement for the “Twelfth Night Revellers Ball”, on January 5, 1872. 3 Poster--1875 1 Contains an advertisement for the “Twelfth Night Revellers Ball”, on January 6, 1875. 4 Invitation--1876 1 Contains an invitation from Mystic Revellers to Fields Opera House and Lively Hall in Dallas, TX, on February 24, 1876. 5 Envelope--1876 1 Contains an envelope From the Mystic Revellers of Dallas, Texas, dated 1876. 6 Photographs of 4 Contains photographs of sketches of the Mardi Gras Mardi Gras procession, including the “Court of Night”. Sketches 7 Opera House 3 Contains ticket stubs to an event at the Tremont Opera Tickets House, dated February 9, 1875. 8 Sketch by Carl 1 Contains a sketch by artist Carl Gutherz depicting the Gutherz “Arrival of ‘Rex’ in the City”. 9 Mardi Gras 22 Contains sketches of Mardi Gras costume designs, hand- Costume Design drawn, graphite on paper, with measurements and Drawings comments on the reverse of each drawing. 10 Invitation, 1878 1 Contains a Carl Gutherz drawn invitation, taped open to cardboard backing, advertising the “Night of the Carnival”, dated March 5, 1878. 11 Frank Leslie’s 1 Contains a single page of Frank Leslie’s Illustrirte Zeitung, a Illustrated German-language version of the Frank Leslie’s newspaper, Newspaper (In showing a sketch of the “Court of Night” image, similar German) to the image in folder 6 in this box.

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Box 4—Oversized Objects, continued

12 Frank Leslie’s 3 Contains three pages of the newspaper, two from the Illustrated March 23, 1878 edition, one from the March 3, 1877 Newspaper edition, showing drawings pertaining to the Memphis Mardi Gras celebration. 13 Passport 1 Contains a United States passport of Colton Greene, with numerous stamps from Russia. 14 Map 1 Contains a hand-drawn map of south-central Arkansas. 15 Handwritten 1 Contains the lyrics of a song, a parody of “Columbia the Song Gem of the Ocean”, written by Arkansan Mrs. Chalineau. 16 Commission 1 Contains an officer’s commission for Colton Greene as Document Assistant Adjutant General with the rank of Colonel, from the State of Missouri. 17 Ulks Procession 1 Contains a full-page spread of a sketch portraying “The Sketch Procession of Ulks”, at Memphis Mardi Gras. From Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, dated March 23, 1878.