Francis Gillette papers A Guide to the collection at the Connecticut Historical Society Collection Overview Repository: Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut Creator : Gillette, Francis Title : Francis Gillette Papers Dates : ca. 1825-1902 Extent : 0.6 linear feet (1 1/2 boxes) Location: Ms 76853 Language: English Biographical Sketch Francis Gillette was born in Bloomfield, Connecticut, the son of Ashbel and Achsah Gillette. He attended school in Ashfield, Massachusetts and graduated from Yale in 1829. In 1834 he married Eliza Daggett Hooker. He was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1832 and again in 1838, where he advocated temperance and the end of slavery. In his brief stint as United States Senator (Mary 1854-March 1855), he voted against the Kansas-Nebraska Bill. His interests extended to education, and from 1849-1865 he served as chairman of the Board of Trustees for the State Normal School. Scope and Content The collection, purchased in 1976, consists primarily of samples of Gillette’s writings on a variety of subjects, the majority of which are undated. Series I contains his essays and speeches arranged by topic, namely education, politics, religion, and temperance. The essays under politics include writings on abolition while under religion are a series of talks he gave to Sunday schools, 1834-1864, and a book of hand written prayers. Also in this series are class lectures from Yale, ca. 1828, his speech at the 1869 reunion of his Yale graduating class, a report on the importance of birds to man, a Memorial Day speech, 1870, and a commonplace book, ca. 1865. In Series II are personal and family papers, including Gillette’s letter book, 1825- 1853, research and correspondence of Edward Hooker, information on various Gillette family members, and printed material. Restrictions Access Restrictions There are no restrictions on access to the collection. Use Restrictions Use of the material requires compliance with the Connecticut Historical Society's Research Center regulations. Subject Headings Personal Names Gillette, Francis, 1807-1879. Hooker, Edward, 1822-1903. Subjects Abolitionists--Connecticut. Religious thought--Connecticut--19th century. Temperance--Connecticut. Genre Forms Letter books. Speeches, addresses, etc. Administrative Information Preferred Citation Item, Collection Title, Collection number (Box #, Folder #). Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut. Processing Details Collection was processed by Barbara Austen in 2006. EAD Finding Aid created October 2014. Accruals The collection is closed. Contents: Series I. Essays and Speeches, ca. 1828-1870 Box Folder 1 1-2 Education 1 3-4 Politics 1 5 Politics—Abolition, ca. 1838 1 6 Religion 1 7 Talks to Sunday Schools, 1834-1864 1 8 Prayers 1 9-10 Temperance 1 11 Yale class lectures, ca. 1828 1 12 Speech at Yale Class of 1829 reunion, 1869 Box Folder 2 1 Report on birds, undated; Memorial Day speech, 1870 2 2 Commonplace book, ca. 1865 Series II. Personal and family papers, 1825-1902 Box Folder 2 3 Letter book, 1825-1853 2 4-5 Edward Hooker research and correspondence, 1892-1902 2 6 Gillette family information 2 7 Printed material .