VAULT A45 SEAVER Unit 1
 |
 |
| From letter: Nathan Hobbs Seaver to Mary Jane Seaver, 1862 July 1. Left click on image to see p. 1 of letter. |
Envelope of letter.
Left click on image to see entire envelope. |
Ca. 80 items in two containers.
ORGANIZATION: Six series: I. Correspondence, 1861–1866; II. Finances, 1874–1883; III. Notebook, 1875-1891; IV. Estate documents, 1884; V. Ephemera and artifacts, 1855–1886; VI. Pettigone family documents, 1866–1896.
BIOGRAPHY: Civil War veteran, clerk. Born on January 11, 1841 in Roxbury, Massachusetts to William Dudley Seaver of Roxbury and Catherine Hobbs Seaver of Weston, sixth of seven children.
Resided in Roxbury and employed as a clerk at the outbreak of the war. At age 21, enlisted in the 24th regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Co. F. Mustered in on October 31, 1861. Taken prisoner in a skirmish at Drury’s Bluff, Fort Darling, Virginia (also known as Drewry’s Bluff) and sent to Andersonville Prison in Georgia. While there, enlisted in the 10th Tennessee Confederate States Army. Recaptured on December 28, 1864 at an action in Egypt Station, Mississippi and sent to the federal military prison at Alton, Illinois. Took the oath of allegiance to the United States and was released from prison on June 7, 1865. Returned to Massachusetts and resumed employment as a clerk.
Married Alice A. Pettigone, daughter of Joshua and Pamela Pettigone of Calais, Maine on April 15, 1873. Their two children: Edward Dudley, born December 28, 1873; Albert Hobbs, born June 19, 1876. Nathan Hobbs Seaver died at Newtonville, Massachusetts of consumption on October 14, 1884.
Military records obtained from the Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in the Civil War. Dates and locations of Civil War letters written by NHS from 1861–1864 reflect movements of the Massachusetts 24th regiment as outlined in Frederick Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion and Massachusetts in the Army and Navy During the War of 1861–1865. A description of the engagement at Drury’s Bluff in Virginia, and the action at Egypt Station, Mississippi may be found in War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies.
SCOPE AND CONTENT: Correspondence, finances, estate documents, notebook, ephemera, wallet, flag, Pettigone family documents, and typed transcripts of letters in collection.
I. Correspondence, 1861–1876: Series include 47 letters, 1861-1863, from NHS to sister, Mary Jane Seaver, regarding Civil War activities (thereof 1 also addressed to their sister, Kate H. Seaver, and 1 also to their brother, William D. Seaver), and 1 to Alice A. Pettigone, dated 1872; 2 from Mary Jane Seaver to NHS, dated 1865 and 1876 (the latter also addressed to Alice A. Seaver), 1 from brother, William Seaver, to NHS, dated 1865, and 1 from George S. Keeling to NHS, dated 1865; interleaved with letters are corresponding envelopes, many printed with Civil War motifs.
II. Finances, 1874–1883: Includes 3 receipts related to NHS’s purchase of household goods, dated 1874, 1 receipt related to NHS’s purchase of a home in Newtonville, Massachusetts, 1883, and 1 account or invoice, n.d.
III. Notebook, 1875-1891: Consists of a notebook with records of plantings in flower and vegetable gardens, 1875-1880, proceeding backwards (in NHS’s handwriting). On the first few pages are unspecified organizational records, dated April 8, 1891.
IV. Estate documents, 1884: Includes a bill for the burial of NHS, October 15, 1884, a bill for the funeral of NHS, October 17, 1884, will of NHS, August 30, 1884, and a probate court document related to NHS’s death, December 6, 1884.
V. Ephemera and artifacts, 1855–1874: Includes ticket for review of N.Y. City Honor Guard dated 1855; ticket for Newton Horticultural Society, dated 1874; Confederate paper money (7 bills ranging in denominations of 25 cents to 5 dollars, all dated 1861); wallet, of metal, leather and paper, decorated and divided into compartments for cards, notices, bills and change, containing a note dated April 1860; unidentified and undated pencil sketch of a soldier; pencil sketch of NHS by Johnnie Gray, undated, in two pieces; newspaper, "The New South," dated September 12, 1863, which mentions the Massachusetts 24th Regiment at Morris Island; woodcut illustration of St. Augustine, Florida, in 4 pieces, undated; flag, approximately 34 inches by 38 inches with 13 stripes, 32 small stars surrounding a larger center star, undated.
IV. Pettigone family papers, 1866–1896: Includes Certificate of Abandonment of the ship Shooting Star (commanded by Joshua Pettigone, father of Alice A. Seaver), telegram to Alice Seaver from father related to family death, dated 1875; telegram to Alice Seaver relating death of father, dated 1896.
SOURCE OF ACQUISITION: Gift of William Seaver, September 16, 1998, and October 12, 2000.
NOTES/COMMENTS: First part accessioned September 16, 1998 (AMC 025); second part accessioned October 12, 2000 (AMC 044).
PROCESSED BY: Sara M. Hannegan, October 29, 1998, and Ásdís Káradóttir, October 20, 2000. Finding aid prepared 1998; revised 2000.
Container List.
SERIES I. CORRESPONDENCE, 1861-1865
BOX 1.
Folder 1. NHS to: Mary Jane Seaver, Jan. 11, 1861
MJS, Nov. 29, 1861
MJS, Dec. 18, 1861
MJS, Jan. 11, 1862
Kate H. Seaver and MJS, Jan. 29, 1862
MJS, Feb. 19 and 22, 1862
William D. Seaver and [MJS], Mar. 2, 1862
MJS, Mar. 19, 1862
MJS, Apr. 16, 1862
MJS, May 16, 1862
MJS, May 22, 1862
MJS, June 3, 1862
MJS, June 6, 1862
MJS, June 11, 1862
MJS, June 15, 1862
MJS, July 1, 1862
MJS, July 27 and 29, 1862
MJS, Aug. 15, 1862
MJS, Oct. 7, 1862
MJS, Oct. 28 and Nov. 1, 1862
MJS, Nov. 10, 1862
MJS, Nov. 22, 1862
Folder 2. MJS, Jan. 11, [1863]
MJS, Jan. 17, 1863
MJS, Mar. 26, 1863
MJS, Apr. 3, 1863
MJS, Apr. 22, 1863
MJS, June 4, 1863
MJS, June 8, 1863
MJS, July 3, 1863
MJS, July 9, 1863
MJS, July 21, 1863
MJS, July 30, 1863
MJS, Aug. 21, 1863
MJS, Sept. 22, 1863
MJS, Oct. 4, 1863
MJS, Oct. 30 and Nov. 3, 1863
MJS, Nov. 10 and 15, 1863
MJS, Nov. 21, 1863
MJS, Dec. 1, 1863
MJS, Dec. 10, 1863
MJS, Dec. 19, 1863
Folder 3. MJS, Jan. 13, 1864
MJS, Mar. 13, 1864
MJS, Apr. 2, 1864
MJS, Apr. 19, 1864
MJS, May 8, 1864
George F. Keeling to NHS, Sept. 2, 1865
William D. Seaver to NHS, Oct. 1, 1865
Mary Jane Seaver to NHS, Oct. 8, 1865
NHS to Alice A. Pettigone, Oct. 4, 1872
Mary Jane [Seaver] Lindsley to NHS and Alice, June 5, 1876
Envelopes separated from letters
Folder 4. Photocopy of volume containing typed transcripts of all letters
(except Dec. 19, 1863), documents, and ephemera in collection
SERIES II. FINANCES, 1874-1883
Folder 5. Receipts: E.H. Brabrook, Mar. 9, 1874
Blake and Alden, Apr. 15, 1874
F. Partheimuller, Aug. 10, 1874
Connecticut Fire Ins. Co., Apr. 4, 1883
Account or invoice, n.d.
SERIES III. NOTEBOOK, 1875-1891
Folder 6. Notebook, primarily plantings in flower and vegetable gardens
SERIES IV. ESTATE DOCUMENTS, 1884
Folder 7. Bill for burial of NHS, Oct. 15, 1884
Bill for funeral of NHS, Oct. 17, 1884
Probate Court Document, Dec. 6, 1884
Will of NHS, Aug. 30, 1884 (probated Nov. 25, 1884)
SERIES V. EPHEMERA AND ARTIFACTS, 1855-1874
Folder 8. Ticket for review NYC honor guard, 1855
Ticket for Newton Horticultural Society, 1874
Confederate paper money, 25 cents (1), 50 cents (2), 1 dollar (2),
3 dollars (1), five dollars (1), 1861
Wallet (housed in box 1 in separate container)
Pencil sketch of soldier, unidentified, n.d.
Pencil sketch of NHS, (2 pieces), n.d.
Newspaper: "The New South," Sept. 12, 1863
Illustration of St. Augustine, Florida, n.d.
American flag, n.d. (housed separately in box 2)
SERIES VI. PETTIGONE FAMILY DOCUMENTS, 1866-1896
Folder 9. Certificate of abandonment for ship, "Shooting Star," 1866
(boxed separately in Box 2 with flag listed in series V)
Telegram to Alice Seaver, Jan. 4, 1875
Telegram to Alice Seaver, Feb. 19, 1896
Box 2.
From Series V: American flag, n.d.
From Series VI: Certificate of abandonment for ship, "Shooting Star," 1866.