Additional papers of the Poor family, 1778-2008 (inclusive), 1820-2006 (bulk)

This collection documents the personal lives of members of the Poor families. These additional papers of the Poor family not only supplement the Poor Family Papers, but also highlight the related branches of the family: the Pierce family, the Bayley family, the Fox family, and the Chandler family, rounding out the family's connections. The bulk consists of correspondence and diaries from the early nineteenth century, through the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and into the twenty-first century. Several members of the families served in the military and wrote home to describe their wartime experiences. Some of the nineteenth century correspondence includes transcripts. The diaries offer glimpses into the daily lives of both men and women during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Feroline Walley (Pierce) Fox's diaries (#3.2-5.4) span 59 years and comment on her many activities, visitors, and family members. Those of Alfred Dupont Chandler (#15.11-17.3) span 23 years and comment on his bicycle or "velocipede" trips around the Boston area with the time and milage noted. Also of note is a manumission from 1778 (#5.7), and photostats of a 1658 will (#5.7). The twenty-first century is represented by e-mails, cards, daily calendars, and letters to and from members of the Chandler family, including the family of Caroline "Nina" Johnston (Chandler) Murray. Most of the folder titles, and the arrangement, were created by the processor; the donors' titles, when used, appear in quotation marks. Electronic records were received on six 5.25" disks. Disks were imaged using FTK Imager and Duke Data Accessioner. Data on two of the 5.25" disks were unrecoverable. Selected data has been converted to PDF/A for preservation and delivery.

Series I, MARY WILD (PIERCE) AND HENRY VARNUM POOR, 1829-1920, 1995, n.d. (#1.1-2.12, PD.1z-PD.4f), includes biographical and personal material, correspondence, writings, etc., mostly of Henry Varnum Poor, his wife Mary, two of their children (Agnes and Willie), and a granddaughter, Pamela (Poor) Harris. Also included are miscellaneous publications. Papers of the parents, Henry and Mary, are followed by those of Agnes, Willie, Pamela, and others.

Series II, ELIZA FOX (BROWN) AND SILVANUS POOR JR., 1829-1866, 1992, n.d. (#2.13-2.22), includes correspondence and writings by members of the Poor family. Correspondence is arranged chronologically, followed by writings.

Series III, FEROLINE WALLEY (PIERCE) AND THOMAS BAYLEY FOX SR., 1778-1972, n.d. (#2.23-9.5), is arranged in eight subseries described below. Correspondence of Feroline and Thomas with their children is filed in the children's respective subseries.

Subseries A, Biographical and personal, 1778-1972, n.d. (#2.23-6.9), includes Bayley, Pierce, and Fox family legal documents; and recollections of Feroline's father, Reverend John Pierce and his church in Brookline. Of note are the diaries of Feroline Walley (Pierce) Fox that include comments on her health and that of her children and other family members, visits made and letters received, the weather, exercise taken, and birthdays and anniversaries. The subseries is arranged alphabetically.

Subseries B, Letters from Thomas to Feroline, 1828-1863 (#6.10-6.22), contains letters written to Feroline by Thomas when one of them was away from home. Those from 1828 through October 1831 were written before Thomas and Feroline were married. Thomas went to Newburyport, Massachusetts, in the early spring of 1831 to become the new minister of what is now the First Religious Society of Newburyport. His letters describe the congregation, the church itself, and how he is attempting to attract new members. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries C, Fox, Bayley, and Peirce families correspondence, 1781-1866, n.d. (#6.23-7.10), contains letters from members of the Fox, Bayley, and Peirce families to Thomas Bayley Fox Sr., and others. Also found in this subseries are letters from Thomas Bayley Fox Sr., to cousins Abby and Jabez Peirce. The Peirces, possibly brother and sister, may have belonged to the Shaker settlement in New Lebanon, New York. Fox's letters discuss religion, and whether he should attend law school or divinity school after graduating from Harvard in 1828. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries D, Pierce and Hedge families correspondence, 1820-1891, n.d. (#7.11-8.1), contains letters to Feroline, Thomas, and other family members. Arranged chronologically.

Subseries E, Charles Barnard Fox, 1839-1934, n.d. (#8.2-8.10), includes letters written to and by Charles while serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, letters written to and from Charles's daughters Bertha Cazneau Fox and Feroline Wilder Fox, and a collection of poems by his wife Ruth Anne (Prouty) Fox. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries F, John Andrew Fox, 1862-1905 (#8.11-8.25), includes letters written to and by John while serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, and a diary from 1862. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries G, Thomas Bayley Fox Jr., 1852-1863 (#8.26-8.33), includes Thomas's oration from his graduation from Harvard University in 1860, and letters written to and by Thomas while serving in the Union Army during the Civil War. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries H, Feroline "Fairy" Pierce Fox, 1857-1877 (#8.34-9.5), includes letters to Fairy from her brothers during the Civil War and letters from her mother while Fairy was in Maine for the summer. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Series IV, MARY SUSANNAH (POOR) AND GEORGE WILLIAM FOX, 1838-1987, n.d. (#9.6-13.6, PD.5), is arranged in seven subseries described below. Correspondence with Mary and George is spread throughout the subseries.

Subseries A, Biographical and personal, 1838-1917, n.d. (#9.6-9.9), contains report cards, printed material, and obituaries. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries B, Correspondence of Mary and George, 1860-1890 (#9.10-9.13), contains letters between Mary and George before and during their marriage. The letters from 1863 were written the summer before they were wed, and include George's letter to Mary about the death of his brother Thomas after the Battle of Gettysburg. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries C, Poor family correspondence, 1859-1917, n.d. (#9.14-10.7), contains letters from the Poor family to Mary, George, and other family members. Included are letters to Mary and George from her brothers while they were serving in the Union Army during the Civil War. George was acquainted with the Poor family before his courtship with Mary. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries D, Fox family correspondence, 1839-1891, n.d. (#10.8-10.17), includes letters from George's brothers while they were serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, and letters from Feroline Walley (Pierce) Fox to both George and Mary. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries E, Walter Silvanus Fox, 1871-1987, n.d. (#10.18-12.9, PD.5), includes letters to Walter from his wife Alice Newbury (Hall) Fox and their son Walter Silvanus Fox Jr., as well as a sketchbook and travel diaries. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries F, George Bayley Fox, 1878-1902, n.d. (#12.10-12.17), includes letters to George from his parents Mary and George William Fox, and other family members. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries G, Correspondence with friends and others, 1855-1926, n.d. (#13.1-13.6), contains letters to George from the Reverend Aubrey M. Pendleton, and letters to George and Mary from others. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Series V, ELIZABETH "ELIZA" JULIA (SCHLATTER) AND THEOPHILUS PARSONS CHANDLER, 1864-1956, 1956, n.d. (#13.7-15.9, PD.6), includes the diaries of Elizabeth Julia (Schlatter) Chandler that note health of children and family, the weather, visits made, clippings, birthdays and anniversaries, and in some, cash accounts. Also included are household receipts, household inventories, cemetery records, and two letters to Elizabeth. The series is arranged alphabetically.

Series VI, MARY "QUITA" MERRILL (POOR) AND ALFRED DUPONT CHANDLER, 1869-1934, 1977, n.d. (#15.10-17.9), includes the diaries of Alfred Dupont Chandler that note time and mileage of trips taken on his "velocipede" or "velox," business and pleasure trips taken, and in later years, diagrams of Thanksgiving dinner table settings. The series is arranged alphabetically.

Series VII, CAROLINE "CAROL" JOHNSTON (RAMSAY) AND ALFRED "RALF" DUPONT CHANDLER, 1906-1988, n.d. (#17.10-26.1, PD.7), is arranged in four subseries described below.

Subseries A, Biographical and personal, 1906-1988 (scattered), n.d. (#17.10-17.16), includes diaries of Alfred "Ralf" Dupont Chandler, The Education of Alfred Chandler or Innocents Abroad, n.d., and family obituaries. The subseries is arranged alphabetically.

Subseries B, Chandler, Ramsay, and Poor families correspondence,1917-1976, n.d. (#17.17-18.12, PD.7), includes letters to Carol from Ralf while serving in World War I, correspondence with parents Mary "Quita" Merrill (Poor) and Alfred Dupont Chandler, and letters from grandchildren and other family members. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries C, Correspondence with family, friends, and others, 1918-1972 (#18.13-20.5), includes brothers Theophilus "Trot" Chandler and Charles Lyon Chandler, other family members not filed separately by Chandler, as well as Greville Haslam, and Sinclair Weeks throughout. Also included are letters with Charles Beale, an Argentinian whom Ralf sponsored to attend Harvard University. Material related to his service during World War I includes Officers' Reserve Corps lessons. The subseries is arranged alphabetically.

Subseries D, Mary Morris (Ramsay) and William "Bill" Eliot Phelps, 1918-1979, n.d. (#20.6-26.1), includes letters and diaries of Mary Morris (Ramsay) Phelps, sister of Caroline "Carol" Johnston (Ramsay) Chandler, and Mary's husband Bill. The diaries document wages paid to servants, trips taken, the gardens, day-to-day activities, and visits made. The subseries is arranged alphabetically.

Series VIII, FAY (MARTIN) AND ALFRED "AL" DUPONT CHANDLER, 1873, 1917-2008, n.d. (#26.2-34.4, PD.8-PD.10), is arranged in three subseries described below.

Subseries A, Biographical and personal, 1873, 1917-2008, n.d. (#26.2-28.17), includes articles by and about Al, awards received, financial materials, real estate materials, obituaries, and travel itineraries. Also documented is the founding of The Art Connection by Fay (Martin) Chandler. The subseries is arranged alphabetically.

Subseries B, Chandler, Ramsay, and Martin families correspondence, 1931-2004, n.d. (#29.1-30.9, PD.8-PD.9sl), includes letters to and from Al while serving in the Navy during World War II from his parents Caroline "Carol" Johnston (Ramsay) and Alfred "Ralf" Dupont Chandler, his wife Fay (Martin) Chandler, and other family members. Al's correspondence with his parents also includes letters from Al's siblings Caroline "Nina" Johnston (Chandler) Murray, Mary "Quita" (Chandler) Parrish, William "Will", and Sophie (Chandler) Consagra, as well as Mary Ann Cummins, who worked for Caroline "Carol" Johnston (Ramsay) and Alfred "Ralf" Dupont Chandler, and letters between family members regarding the Ramsay education fund. The subseries is arranged alphabetically.

Subseries C, Correspondence with family, friends, and others, 1932-2008, n.d. (#30.10-34.4, PD.10), includes Al's siblings Caroline "Nina" Johnston (Chandler) Murray, Mary "Quita" (Chandler) Parrish, William "Will," and Sophie (Chandler) Consagra and their families; Al's children Alpine "Dougie" Douglas (Chandler) Bird, Mary "Mimi" Morris (Chandler) Watt, Alfred "Appy" Dupont Chandler, and Howard Martin Chandler; other family members not filed separately by Chandler; friends; and professional acquaintances. The subseries is arranged chronologically.

Series IX, CAROLINE "NINA" JOHNSTON RAMSAY (CHANDLER) MURRAY, 1880, 1895, 1920-2006, n.d. (#34.5-79.7, PD.11, E.1-E.3), is arranged in four subseries described below. Additional material received on floppy disks will be reformatted at some future date.

Subseries A, Biographical and personal, 1880, 1920-2005, n.d. (#34.5-47.10, E.1), includes address books; a 1934 autograph book; records from the family's 1933 trip from Gloucester, Massachusetts, to the Galápagos Islands and back aboard the yacht the Blue Dolphin; articles about Nina; legal and financial records; and writings. Of note are Nina's daily calendars and diaries that include appointments, visits made, professional and social engagements, errands, etc. Folders titled "legal and financial documents" can include includes financial and insurance statements, tax returns, donations, and related correspondence. Material related to Murray's real estate can include architectural drawings, tax bills, repair bills, shipping receipts, to-do lists, and related correspondence. Some notations are in shorthand. The subseries is arranged alphabetically.

Subseries B, Chandler, Ramsay, Davis, and Fish families correspondence, 1922, 1938-2004, n.d. (#47.11-52.13), includes letters with Nina's siblings Alfred "Al" Dupont Chandler, Mary "Quita" (Chandler) Parrish, William "Will," and Sophie (Chandler) Consagra and their families; the Davis family; the Fish family; and other family members not filed separately by Murray. Correspondence with Nina's parents Alfred "Ralf" Dupont and Caroline "Carol" Johnston (Ramsay) Chandler also contains correspondence with Leverett "Lev" Davis, Elliot "Eli" Fish, Henry "Harry" Murray, and Mary Ann Cummins, who worked for Caroline "Carol" Johnston (Ramsay) and Alfred "Ralf" Dupont Chandler. Correspondence related to Nina Murray's trip to Europe with her children includes letters and drawings from Sidney Guberman; correspondence with family members and friends about life at Villa Vergiliana, Naples, Italy; letters from daughter Coco who attending Santa Reparata School in Florence, Italy; and son Sandy who was attending Le Rosey in Switzerland. The subseries is arranged alphabetically.

Subseries C, Children and grandchildren, 1943-2004, n.d. (#52.14-61.10, E.2), includes papers of Nina's children: Caroline "Coco" Johnston (Davis) Janover, Alexander "Sandy" McDonald Davis, Ann Kelso (Davis) MacLaughlin, Quita (Davis) Palmer, and Maude Isabelle (Fish) Charo, and their families. Material related to education can include report cards, programs, related correspondence, and bills. The correspondence between Nina and her children was written when the children were away at boarding schools and college, and later as adults with their own families. The subseries is arranged alphabetically.

Subseries D, Correspondence with family, friends, and others, 1939-2006, n.d. (#61.11-79.7, PD.11, E.3), includes letters with John and Ursula Bowlby, Julia Child, Howard Gardner, Ida M. Green, Chilson Leonard, and family members not filed separately by Nina throughout. The subseries is arranged alphabetically.

Series X, FAMILY GENEALOGIES, 1856-1992, n.d. (#79.8-81.3), contains genealogies created by various family members, as well as published genealogies. The series is arranged alphabetically by family name.

Series XI, PHOTOGRAPHS AND OVERSIZED, 1798, 1818-1992, n.d. (#PD.12z-PD.43f+, FD.1, F+D.1-F+D.2, OD.1, SD.1), is arranged in two subseries described below.

Subseries A, Photographs, 1850-1992, n.d. (#PD.12z-PD.43f+), #PD.1 - PD.11 contain photographs found with other documents. Photographs were removed and foldered separately, and their folders listed in the various series above. #PD.12z -PD.16z contain daguerreotypes and ambrotypes. #PD.17-PD.43f+ is arranged alphabetically by family name.

Subseries B, Oversized, 1798, 1818-1987, n.d. (#FD.1, F+D.1-F+D.2, OD.1, SD.1), includes items from throughout in the collection.

Most of the photographs in this collection are or will be cataloged in VIA, Harvard University's Visual Information Access database. Others, referred to as "uncataloged" photographs, are not of sufficient research interest to warrant cataloging and are simply treated as part of the documents they accompany; they are marked on the back with an asterisk in square brackets [*].