Vault A45, Gerrish, Unit 1
EXTENT: .835 linear ft. (2 containers).
ORGANIZATION: Organized into six series: I. James Sawyer Gerrish and Dorcas Barrett Gerrish, 1818-1870; II. Charles Pickering Gerrish, 1846-1875; III. James Barrett Gerrish, 1844-1856; IV. Joseph Story Gerrish, 1855-1887; V. Gerrish family ephemera/miscellanea; VI. Barrett family papers, 1848-1883.
BIOGRAPHY: Dorcas Barrett (1798-1872) of Concord, Mass., and James Sawyer Gerrish (ca. 1791-1833) of Salem, a teacher, were married in Salem in Aug., 1825. Their children (all born in Salem): James Barrett (1826-1857); Joseph Story (1830-1888); Charles Pickering, (1833-1874); plus two infant sons, one born and died in 1828, one in 1829. After the death of James Sawyer Gerrish, Dorcas Barrett Gerrish moved back to Concord with her children. She suffered some form of mental breakdown, was admitted to the McLean Asylum (bills for her care dated 1863 survive among the papers), and apparently recovered. Joseph Story Gerrish was in the dry goods business in Concord and in Boston (he worked for John Brown and for C. Hovey &Co.) and in Chicago (in partnership with George Bellows of Concord). He was also connected with North Chicago Steel Co. (later called North Chicago Rolling Mill Co.). Charles Pickering Gerrish was a member of the shipping firm of Jed Frye & Co. in New York. In 1874, having suffered financial loss and fearing insanity, he committed suicide.
SCOPE AND CONTENT: Papers, 1818-1887, consist largely of correspondence between family members. Also include: diaries of James Barrett Gerrish, 1854-1855; estate papers of Charles Pickering Gerrish, 1874-1875; business papers, account book, and bills, accounts, and receipts of Joseph Story Gerrish, 1858-1887; and papers of Mrs. James Barrett (Dorcas Minot Barrett, mother of Dorcas Barrett Gerrish), 1848-1855, and of James A. Barrett (nephew of Dorcas Barrett Gerrish, involved in the business dealings of Joseph Story Gerrish), 1860-1883. Several receipted bills to Joseph Story Gerrish for his mother’s treatment at McLean’s are found in the series James Sawyer Gerrish and Dorcas Barrett Gerrish; two suicide notes are found in the series Charles Pickering Gerrish. Much of the correspondence from Charles Pickering Gerrish to Joseph Story Gerrish relates to the business of Jed Frye & Co. The series Joseph Story Gerrish includes correspondence from North Chicago Steel Co. (later called North Chicago Rolling Mill Co.). The series Gerrish family ephemera/miscellanea includes: manuscript birth, marriage, and death records; tickets; recipe for soap liniment; valentine greeting; manuscript verses; lock of hair (in paper wrapper labeled "Clara Edwards").
PROVENANCE: Presented to the Concord Antiquarian Society by Mrs. Allen French.
SOURCE OF ACQUISITION: Deposited by the Concord Antiquarian Society, 1971; presented by the Concord Antiquarian Society, 1974.
PROCESSED BY: LPW; finding aid prepared 12/15/95; prepared for mounting on the Web by CM, 06/04.
CONTAINER LIST
SERIES I. JAMES SAWYER GERRISH AND DORCAS BARRETT GERRISH, 1818-1870:
JAMES SAWYER GERRISH:
Box 1, Folder 1:
James Sawyer Gerrish papers, 1818-1830.
DORCAS BARRETT GERRISH:
Correspondence:
Box 1, Folder 2:
Letters from Charles P. Gerrish, 1849-1860.
Box 1, Folder 3:
Letters from Charles P. Gerrish, 1861-1867.
Box 1, Folder 4:
Letters from James Barrett Gerrish, 1840-1847 (plus Dorcas Barrett Gerrish letter to Sunday school class of James Barrett Gerrish following his death, 1857).
Box 1, Folder 5:
Letters from Joseph Story Gerrish, 1849-1856.
Box 1, Folder 6:
Letters from Joseph Story Gerrish, 1857-1867.
Box 1, Folder 7:
Letters from various correspondents, A-J (inclusive dates of A-W: 1819-1870).
Box 1, Folder 8:
Letters from various correspondents, M-W.
Bills and receipts:
Box 1, Folder 9:
Bills and receipts, 1825-1869.
Box 1, Folder 10:
Receipted bills to Joseph Story Gerrish for care of Dorcas Barrett Gerrish at McLean Asylum, 1863.
SERIES II. CHARLES PICKERING GERRISH, 1846-1875:
Correspondence:
Box 1, Folder 11:
Letters from Dorcas Barrett Gerrish, 1852, and from Joseph Story Gerrish, 1859 (plus undated).
Box 1, Folder 12:
Letters from various correspondents, 1846-1855 (including one letter from Charles P. Gerrish to Mr. Stimson, 1846 Oct. 16).
Other:
Box 1, Folder 13:
Miscellaneous, 1854-1870 (including one receipt and two printed items relating to Butler Health Exercise).
Box 1, Folder 14:
Suicide and burial, 1874 (suicide notes and receipted burial bills).
Box 1, Folder 15:
Estate papers, 1874-1875.
SERIES III. JAMES BARRETT GERRISH, 1844-1856:
Diaries:
Box 1, Folder 16:
Diaries, 1854-1855 (2 v.).
Correspondence:
Box 1, Folder 17:
Letters from Dorcas Barrett Gerrish, 1852-1854 (plus some undated).
Box 1, Folder 18:
Letters from Charles P. Gerrish, 1855-1856.
Box 1, Folder 19:
Letters from Joseph Story Gerrish, 1855-1856.
Box 1, Folder 20:
Letters from various correspondents, B-Y (1844-1856; bulk 1856).
SERIES IV. JOSEPH STORY GERRISH, 1855-1887:
Correspondence:
Box 2, Folder 1:
Letters from Dorcas Barrett Gerrish, 1865-1871.
Box 2, Folder 2:
Letters from Charles P. Gerrish, 1856-1872.
Box 2, Folder 3:
Letters from Charles P. Gerrish, 1873-1874 (including many on Jed Frye & Co. letterhead, relating to business matters).
Box 2, Folder 4:
Letters from James Barrett Gerrish, 1855-1856 (plus undated).
Box 2, Folder 5:
Letters from various correspondents, B-R (1857-1885).
Business and financial papers:
Box 2, Folder 6:
Dealings with Richard C. Hannah (North Chicago Steel Co., North Chicago Rolling Mill Co.), 1881.
Box 2, Folder 7:
Dealings with Jed Frye & Co., 1874-1885.
Box 2, Folder 8:
Account book, 1878.
Box 2, Folder 9:
Miscellaneous, 1858-1880 (plus undated cards, etc.)
Box 2, Folder 10:
Bills, accounts, receipts, alphabetically by individual or firm named, B-F (inclusive date span of B-W: 1863-1887).
Box 2, Folder 11:
Bills, accounts, receipts, H-W.
Box 2, Folder 12:
Cancelled checks, 1877-1880.
Box 2, Folder 13:
SERIES V. GERRISH FAMILY EPHEMERA/MISCELLANEA:
Manuscript birth, marriage, and death records; tickets; recipe for soap liniment; valentine greeting; manuscript verses; lock of hair (in paper wrapper labeled "Clara Edwards").
Box 2, Folder 14:
SERIES VI. BARRETT FAMILY PAPERS, 1848-1883:
Mrs. James Barrett (mother of Dorcas Barrett Gerrish, grandmother of James, Charles, and Joseph Story), 1848-1855; James A. Barrett (nephew of Dorcas, cousin of James, Charles, and Joseph Story), personal and business, 1860-1883 (including material relating to business dealings between Joseph Story Gerrish and James A. Barrett).
Mounted 5th June. 2004 -- Webmaster note: use FrontPage to edit.
c2004.
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